Gaming device having a die or dice directly associated with the reels in the primary game

• US 20060116197A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kaminkow, Joseph E., MacVittie, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,153,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming device having a die or dice directly associated with the reels in the primary game. One embodiment includes a mechanical die shaker mounted directly adjacent to the reels of the gaming device. The die shaker includes a suitable container that houses at least one die. In one embodiment, the gaming device activates the mechanical die shaker to shake or actuate the die simultaneously with the spinning of the reels. If the player obtains one or more predetermined symbols or combinations of symbols on one or more paylines of the reels, the player obtains an award associated with the position of the shaken die. In this embodiment, if the player does not obtain one or more predetermined symbols or combinations of symbols on one or more paylines of the reels, the player will not obtain any award based on the shaken die.

Claims

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

a housing;

a primary game operable upon a wager by a player;

a plurality of reels of the primary game supported by said housing, wherein each of said reels includes a plurality of symbols;

a die shaker of the primary game supported by said housing, wherein said die shaker is concurrently operable with said reels of the primary game and includes a die having a plurality of positions wherein each position is associated with a symbol and an activating member in communication with said die;

a plurality of awards associated with a plurality of combinations of symbols on the plurality of reels and the die; and

a die detection device;

said processor operable with said die shaker and said die detection device, said processor operable to activate said die shaker to shake said die while at least one of said plurality of reels are spinning, to detect the position of said shaken die, to determine the symbol associated with the detected position of said shaken die and to provide the player the award, if any, associated with the determined symbol associated with the detected position of the shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels in the primary game.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to provide the player the award, if any, associated with the determined symbol associated with the detected position of the shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the reels in the primary game, if the plurality of reels generate at least one predetermined reel combination.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to provide the player the award, if any, associated with the determined symbol associated with the detected position of the shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the reels in the primary game, if the shaken die lands in a predetermined position.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to enable the player to activate said die shaker while said reels are spinning.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said die shaker includes a plurality of die.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to activate said die shaker to shake said die while said plurality of reels are spinning.

7. A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a primary game operable upon a wager by a player;

a plurality of reels of the primary game supported by said housing, wherein each of said reels includes a plurality of symbols;

a plurality of die shakers of said primary game supported by said housing, wherein said die shakers are concurrently operable with the reels of the primary game and each includes a die with a plurality of positions wherein each position is associated with a symbol and an activating member in communication with said die;

a plurality of awards associated with a plurality of combinations of symbols on the plurality of reels and the dice; and

a die detection device;

said processor operable with said die shakers and said die detection device, said processor operable to activate at least one of said plurality of die shakers to shake said die while at least one of said plurality of reels are spinning, to detect the position of said shaken die for each activated die shaker, to determine the symbol associated with the detected position of each shaken die, to provide the player an award, if any, associated with the determined symbols of at least one shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels in the primary game.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to activate each die shaker simultaneously with the reels spinning.

9. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to activate each die shaker sequentially while the reels are spinning.

10. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to provide the player an award, if any, associated with the determined symbols of each shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels in the primary game.

11. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the processor is operate to enable the player to select at least one die shaker.

12. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein at least one of said die shakers includes a plurality of die.

13. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein said processor is operable to provide the player an award, if any, associated with the determined symbols of the shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels in the primary game, if the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels stop in at least one predetermined reel combination.

14. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein said processor is operable to provide the player an award, if any, associated with the determined symbols of the shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels in the primary game, if at least one of the shaken dice lands in a predetermined position.

15. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein said processor is operable to provide the player an award, if any, associated with the determined symbols of the shaken die and the symbols randomly generated on the plurality of reels in the primary game, if each shaken die lands in a predetermined position.

16. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein said processor is operable to activate at least one of said plurality of die shakers to shake said die while said plurality of reels are spinning.

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

(a) enabling a player to initiate a primary game by making a wager;

activating a die shaker to shake a die while at least one of a plurality of reels of the primary game are spinning;

(b) determining a position of said shaken die; and

(c) providing the player an award, if any, associated with a combination of a plurality of symbols of said reels and the determined position of said shaken die.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes enabling the player to activate said die shaker.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said die shaker includes a plurality of die.

20. The method of claim 17, which includes activating the die shaker to shake the die while the plurality of reels of the primary game are spinning.

21. The method of claim 17, which is provided through a data network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to initiate a primary game by making a wager;

activating a plurality of die shakers to shake a die within each activated die shaker while at least one of a plurality of reels of the primary game are spinning;

(b) determining a position of each shaken die within each activated die shaker; and

(c) providing the player an award, if any, associated with a combination of a plurality of symbols of said reels and the determined position of said shaken dice.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of die shakers are activated simultaneously while the reels are spinning.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of die shakers are activated sequentially while the reels are spinning.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of die shakers are randomly activated while the reels are spinning.

27. The method of claim 23, which includes activating the plurality of die shakers to shake the die while the plurality of reels of the primary game are spinning.

28. The method of claim 23, which is provided through a data network.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the data network is an internet.