Gaming device having matching game with improved display

• US 20060068880A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,553,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/18
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

An improved number matching game is provided. The game includes a base matching game. A bonus game is played using randomly determined numbers from the base game that are compared to bonus numbers for a first bonus type and compared to bonus numbers for a second bonus type. An award may be provided depending on the outcome of the bonus comparisons. A display is provided to show the matches in a two dimensional or grid arrangement.

Claims

1. A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a base game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager and including a set of symbols displayed to a player, said set including a plurality of symbols;

at least one selector operable to enable the player to select a first subset of symbols from the set of symbols, said first subset including at least one of the symbols of the set of symbols;

a second subset of symbols generated by the processor from the set of symbols, said second subset including at least one of the symbols of the set of symbols;

a base award provided potentially to the player said base award based at least in part on how many symbols from the first subset match symbols from the second subset; and

a bonus game controlled by the processor and including a third subset of symbols from the set of symbols and a fourth subset of symbols from the set of symbols, the bonus game providing (i) a number of free plays of the base game based on how many symbols from the second subset match symbols from the third subset and (ii) an award value for each free play of the base game, the award value based on how many symbols from the second subset match symbols from the fourth subset.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the award value is of a type selected from the group consisting of:

a multiplier that multiplies an amount of credits associated with the base game, a multiplier that multiplies an amount of credits associated with a free play of the base game, a multiplier that multiplies an award from a free play of the base game, and a number of credits added to the player'"'"'s credit total.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the base award includes a paytable payout based on how many symbols from the first subset match symbols from the second subset multiplied by a number of credits wagered.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the third subset of symbols has a characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

being fixed, being fixed for a period of time, being randomly generated prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, being player selected prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, being displayed to the player prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, having at least partially the same symbols as the first subset of symbols, having at least partially the same symbols as the fourth subset of symbols and any feasible combination thereof.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the fourth subset of symbols has a characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

being fixed, being fixed for a period of time, being randomly generated prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, being player selected prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, being displayed to the player prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, having at least partially the same symbols as the first subset of symbols, having at least partially the same symbols as the third subset of symbols and any combination thereof.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbols include numbers.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, which is (i) housed in a cabinet and wherein the symbols are displayed on a video monitor, (ii) played live in a casino and the symbols are displayed on a display device seen by multiplier players, or (iii) played through a data network.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a visual movement on a display device indicating at least one of (i) how many symbols from the third subset of symbols match symbols from the second subset of symbols and (ii) how many symbols from the fourth subset of symbols match symbols from the second subset of symbols.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the visual movement is displayed on a first display device separate from a second display device that displays the generation of the second subset of symbols.

10. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the visual movement is displayed on a same display that displays the generation of the second subset of symbols.

11. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the visual movement is displayed after and in lieu of a display of the generation of the second subset of symbols.

12. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the visual movement is displayed substantially simultaneously with a display of the generation of the second subset of symbols.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a visual movement on a display in a first direction indicating how many symbols from the third subset of symbols match symbols from the second subset of symbols and in a second direction indicating how many symbols from the fourth subset of symbols match symbols from the second subset of symbols.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to each other.

15. A gaming device controlled by a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a display device controlled by the processor;

a set of symbols displayed to a player by the display device;

at least one selector that enables the player to select a first subset of symbols from the set of symbols;

a random generator that generates a second subset of symbols from the set of symbols;

a base award provided potentially to the player said base award at least in part based on how many symbols from the first subset match symbols from the second subset; and

a bonus game including a third subset of symbols from the set of symbols, the bonus game providing (i) a number of free games, and/or (ii) an award value, the number of free games and the award value based on how many symbols from the second subset match symbols from the third subset.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the award value is selected from the group consisting of:

a multiplier that multiplies an amount associated with the base game, a multiplier that multiplies an amount of credits associated with a free game, a multiplier that multiplies an award from a free game, and a number of credits added to the player'"'"'s credit total.

17. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the third subset of symbols has a characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

being fixed, being fixed for a period of time, being randomly generated prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, being player selected prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, being displayed to the player prior to the random generation of the second subset of symbols, having at least partially the same symbols as the first subset of symbols and any feasible combination thereof.

18. The gaming device of claim 15, which includes a visual movement on a display indicating how many symbols from the third subset of symbols match symbols from the second subset of symbols.

19. The gaming device of claim 15, which includes a threshold number of matches of symbols from the second and third subsets needed to provide respectively (i) any free game or (ii) any award value.

20. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

enabling a player to select a subset of symbols from a set of symbols;

designating a first bonus subset of symbols from the set of symbols;

designating a second bonus subset of symbols from the set of symbols;

generating randomly a subset of symbols from the set of symbols;

potentially providing a base award said base award based at least in part on how many of the player selected and randomly generated symbols match;

providing a first type of bonus award based on how many of the first bonus symbols and randomly generated symbols are matched; and

providing a second type of bonus award based on how many of the second bonus symbols and randomly generated symbols are matched.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein designating the first and second bonus subsets of symbols includes (i) fixing the subsets for all time;

(ii) fixing the subsets for a number of game plays;

(iii) enabling the player to pick the subsets;

(iv) generating the subsets randomly;

(v) sharing at least some of the symbols in the first and second subsets;

(vi) using at least some of the symbols from the player selected symbols;

or (vii) any combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein providing first and second types of bonus awards includes (i) providing a number of free games;

(ii) providing a multiplier that multiplies the award;

(iii) providing a multiplier that multiplies a component of the award;

(iv) providing a multiplier that multiplies a wager made by the player;

(v) providing a multiplier that multiplies a component of a wager made by the player;

(vi) providing a multiplier that multiplies a credit value in the current game;

(vii) providing a credit value;

(viii) providing a benefit that occurs in connection with at least one free game or (ix) any feasible combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 20, which includes displaying at least one of (i) the selections of the player subset, (ii) the designation of the first and second bonus subsets, (iii) the generation of the random subset, (iv) the matching of the player selected and randomly generated symbols, (v) the matching of the first bonus subset symbols and the randomly generated symbols, (vi) the providing of the award, (vii) the providing of the first type of bonus award, (viii) the providing of the second type of bonus award or (ix) any suitable combination thereof.