Gaming device having a composite game or event with potential award-generating game or event and guaranteed award-generating game or event

• US 20070042824A1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Randall, Dov
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming device and a method of operating a gaming device which include at least one potential award-generating event and at least one guaranteed award-generating event. The award-generating events can include independent games of a composite game or independent plays of a game. For each occurrence of a potential award-generating event, at least one guaranteed award-generating event occurs to provide the player at least one award. In an embodiment, the award-generating events occur simultaneously by being simultaneously displayed to a player and simultaneously played. Even if a terminating event occurs in the potential or guaranteed award-generating event, an award is provided to the player in the guaranteed award-generating event. In an embodiment, the potential award-generating event includes an advancement game and the guaranteed award-generating event includes a random selection game. In an embodiment, if a predetermined number of awards provided to a player are associated with an accumulation indicator, the player is provided an additional award.

Claims

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

at least one display device controlled by the processor; and

a composite game, said composite game including at least one potential award-generating game and at least one guaranteed award-generating game, each displayed by the display device, wherein the processor is operable to control each play of the composite game by;

(i) causing play of the composite game wherein, for each play of the potential award-generating game, at least one play of the guaranteed award-generating game occurs,

(ii) determining an award to provide to a player for each play of the guaranteed award-generating game,

(iii) determining if an award is generated for at least one play of the potential award-generating game, and

(iv) providing to the player all awards associated with the outcome of play of the composite game.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the composite game is a bonus game.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the composite game is a base game operable upon a wager.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the award-generating games include at least one terminating event.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the composite game includes a plurality of potential award-generating games.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the composite game includes a plurality of guaranteed award-generating games.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game are simultaneously, or at least partially simultaneously displayed.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one play of the potential award-generating game and at least one play of the guaranteed award-generating game occur simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein an additional award is provided to the player if a predetermined outcome is achieved by the player in at least one of the award-generating games.

10. The gaming device of claim 9, wherein the additional award includes a progressive award.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the award-generating game includes a path game, said path game including a plurality of adjacently interconnected positions wherein an indicator is moved from a first position to a second position of said plurality of positions and wherein the player is provided an outcome associated with the indicated second position.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the path game includes a terminating event, wherein said terminating event includes indicating a second position having a terminating symbol associated with said second position.

13. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the number of positions moved by the indicator from a first position to a second position is randomly determined.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the award-generating game includes a selection game, wherein an award provided to the player is based on a symbol associated with a picked selection.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one of the configurations selected from the group consisting of:

a) said processor including at least one central processor remote from the gaming device;

b) said processor including at least one central processor remote from the gaming device, wherein the central processor controls at least one of the award-generating games;

c) wherein the processor is configured to receive at least one award-generating game downloaded from a central processor;

d) wherein the processor is configured to receive each of the guaranteed award-generating games downloaded from the central processor;

e) wherein the processor is configured to receive each of the potential award-generating games downloaded from the central processor; and

f) wherein the processor is configured to receive at least one award-generating game downloaded from the central processor and wherein the award-generating game downloaded from the central processor is controlled by the central processor.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the display device is selected from the group consisting of at least one mechanical display device, at least one video display device, and combinations thereof.

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

at least one display device controlled by the processor; and

a composite game including at least one potential award-generating game and at least one guaranteed award-generating game displayed by the display device, wherein at least one, but not all, of the award-generating games includes at least one terminating event, and wherein the processor is operable to control each play of the composite game by;

(i) causing play of the composite game wherein, for each play of the potential award-generating game, at least one play of the guaranteed award-generating game occurs,

(ii) determining an award to provide to a player for each play of the guaranteed award-generating game,

(iii) determining if an award is generated for at least one play of the potential award-generating game, and

(iv) terminating play of the composite game if a terminating event in one of the award-generating games occurs and providing to the player all awards associated with the outcome of play of the composite game.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the composite game is a bonus game.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the composite game is a base game operable upon a wager.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the composite game includes a plurality of potential award-generating games.

21. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the composite game includes a plurality of guaranteed award-generating games.

22. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game are simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously displayed.

23. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein at least one play of the potential award-generating game and at least one play of the guaranteed award-generating game occur simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously.

24. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein an additional award is provided to the player if a predetermined outcome is achieved by the player in at least one of the award-generating games.

25. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the additional award includes a progressive award.

26. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the award-generating game includes a path game, said path game including a plurality of adjacently interconnected positions wherein an indicator is moved from a first position to a second position of said plurality of positions and wherein the player is provided an outcome associated with the indicated second position.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the terminating event includes indicating a second position having a terminating symbol associated therewith.

28. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the number of positions moved by the indicator from a first position to a second position is randomly determined.

29. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the award-generating game includes a selection game, wherein an award provided to the player is based on a symbol associated with a picked selection.

30. The gaming device of claim 17, which includes at least one of the configurations selected from the group consisting of:

a) said processor including at least one central processor remote from the gaming device;

b) said processor including at least one central processor remote from the gaming device, wherein the central processor controls at least one of the award-generating games;

c) wherein the processor is configured to receive at least one award-generating game downloaded from a central processor;

d) wherein the processor is configured to receive each of the guaranteed award-generating games downloaded from the central processor;

e) wherein the processor is configured to receive each of the potential award-generating games downloaded from the central processor; and

f) wherein the processor is configured to receive at least one award-generating game downloaded from the central processor and wherein the award-generating game downloaded from the central processor is controlled by the central processor.

31. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the display device is selected from the group consisting of at least one mechanical display device, at least one video display, and contributions thereof.

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

providing a composite game, said composite game including at least one potential award-generating game and at least one guaranteed award-generating game;

displaying the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game;

causing play of the composite game, wherein, for each play of the potential award-generating game, a play of the guaranteed award-generating game occurs;

providing an award to a player for each play of the guaranteed award-generating game;

determining if an award is generated for each play of the potential award-generating game; and

providing to the player any awards associated with the outcome of play of the composite game.

33. The method of claim 32, which includes associating a terminating event with at least one of the award-generating games.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the composite game includes a plurality of potential award-generating games.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the composite game includes a plurality of guaranteed award-generating games.

36. The method of claim 32, which includes simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously displaying the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game.

37. The method of claim 32, which includes simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously causing play of the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game.

38. The method of claim 32 which includes providing an additional award to the player if a predetermined outcome is achieved by the player in at least one of the award-generating games.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the additional award includes a progressive award.

40. The method of claim 38, which includes terminating the composite game if the predetermined outcome is achieved by the player.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the award-generating game includes a path game, said path game including a plurality of adjacently interconnected positions wherein an indicator is moved from a first position to a second position of said plurality of positions and wherein the player is provided an outcome associated with the indicated second position.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the path game includes a terminating event, wherein the terminating event includes indicating a second position having a terminating symbol associated with said second position.

43. The method of claim 41, which includes randomly determining the number of positions moved by the indicator from the first position to the second position.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein the award-generating game includes a selection game, wherein an award provided to the player is based on a symbol associated with a picked selection.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the selection game includes a terminating event, wherein the terminating event includes picking at least one selection having a terminating symbol associated with said selection.

46. The method of claim 32, which includes at least one of the steps selected from the group consisting of:

a) controlling at least one of the award-generating games from at least one central processor;

b) downloading at least one of the award-generating games from at least one central processor;

c) downloading each of the award-generating games from at least one central processor; and

d) downloading at least one of the award-generating games from at least one central processor, wherein the award-generating game downloaded from said central processor is controlled by said central processor.

47. The method of claim 32, which includes at least one of the steps selected from the group consisting of displaying at least one of the award-generating games by a mechanical display device, and displaying at least one of the award-generating games by a video display device.

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

providing a composite game including displaying a plurality of award-generating games, wherein at least one, but not all, of the award-generating games includes a guaranteed award-generating game;

associating an accumulation indicator with at least one award of at least one of the award-generating games;

causing at least one of the guaranteed award-generating games to be played for each play of the potential award-generating game;

providing an award to the player in each guaranteed award-generating game;

providing the player any awards associated with the outcome of play of the composite game; and

providing an additional award to the player if a predetermined number of awards associated with an accumulation indicator are provided to the player.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein at least one of the award-generating games includes at least one terminating event.

50. The method of claim 49, which includes causing each of the award-generating games to be played until the terminating event occurs in at least one of the award-generating games.

51. The method of claim 48, which includes simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously displaying the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game.

52. The method of claim 48, which includes simultaneously or at least partially simultaneously causing play of the potential award-generating game and the guaranteed award-generating game.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the additional award includes a progressive award.

54. The method of claim 48, which includes terminating each of the award-generating games if a predetermined number of awards associated with an accumulation indicator are provided to the player.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein at least one award-generating game includes a path game, said path game including a plurality of adjacently interconnected positions wherein an indicator is moved from a first position to a second position of said plurality of positions and wherein the player is provided an outcome associated with the indicated second position.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the path game includes at least one terminating event, wherein the terminating event includes indicating a second position having a terminating symbol associated with said second position.

57. The method of claim 56, which includes randomly determining the number of positions moved by the indicator from a first position to a second position.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein at least one award-generating game includes a selection game, wherein an award provided to the player is based on a symbol associated with a picked selection.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the selection game includes at least one terminating event.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the terminating event includes picking a selection having a terminating symbol associated with said selection.