Bingo gaming machine capable of selecting different bingo pools

• US 20070155471A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Saffari, Ali, Powell, Tracy, Krum, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 9,005,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games

Abstract

Novel methods, devices and systems are described for mapping a variety of Class III game outcomes to sets of bingo patterns. Each game theme may have a different entertaining display, based upon a corresponding Class III game. Preferably, each game theme will offer game play and paytable percentages closely matching those of the original Class III game. Some implementations provide a system wherein separate pay tables and bingo pools are formed according to the number of paylines played on slot-type game themes and/or the number of hands played on poker game themes. In some such implementations, players will be limited to predetermined numbers of lines (or hands) played, e.g., only 1, 3, 5 or 9 lines. In alternative implementations, a player'"'"'s options regarding the number of lines played will depend, at least in part, on how many other players are playing any given number of lines on a slot game. Preferred implementations provide a range of payback percentages for each of the predetermined numbers of lines (or hands) played.

Claims

1. A gaming method, comprising:

forming first through M^th bingo pools applicable to first through M^th bingo games for simulating first through N^th sets of Class III games;

receiving an indication from a first gaming machine regarding a simulated Class III game; and

determining, based at least in part on the indication, which of first through M^th bingo pools will be used for providing a bingo game on the first gaming machine.

2. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises at least one of a number of paylines for a slot game, a number of hands for a poker game, a number of spots picked for a keno game and a number of wagers placed on a roulette game to be simulated on the first gaming machine.

3. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises at least one of a requested payback percentage and a requested hit frequency for the first gaming machine.

4. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the forming step comprises forming first through M^th global bingo payout sets comprising first through M^th sets of bingo patterns and corresponding first through M^th sets of pay amounts.

5. The gaming method of claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining that at least one other gaming machine will be participating in a determined bingo pool;

assigning the first gaming machine to the determined bingo pool; and

providing a bingo game for the first gaming machine according to the determined bingo pool.

6. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining that the indication pertains to a bingo pool that is not available; and

ascertaining an available bingo pool that most nearly pertains to the indication.

7. The gaming method of claim 1, wherein the forming step comprises assigning one of first through M^th global bingo payout sets to each of first through M^th bingo servers, the first through M^th global bingo payout sets comprising first through M^th sets of bingo patterns and corresponding first through M^th sets of pay amounts.

8. The gaming method of claim 6, wherein the indication pertains to a first payback percentage and the available bingo pool pertains to a second payback percentage.

9. The gaming method of claim 6, wherein the indication pertains to a first number of paylines and the available bingo pool pertains to a second number of paylines.

10. The gaming method of claim 6, further comprising:

offering the available bingo pool to the gaming machine; and

determining whether the gaming machine accepts the available bingo pool.

11. The gaming method of claim 10, further comprising the following steps when it is determined that the gaming machine accepts the available bingo pool:

assigning the first gaming machine to the available bingo pool; and

providing a bingo game for the first gaming machines according to the available bingo pool.

12. A method of forming data sets for providing games of chance, the method comprising:

selecting first through N^th Class III games;

forming a first global payout set consisting of all first payouts of the first through N^th Class III games, wherein the first payouts correspond with a first number of paylines;

ranking each of the first payouts in the first global payout set according to payout amount;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each of the first payouts of the first global payout set, thereby forming a first global bingo payout set; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers that may be randomly selected for each of the bingo patterns until a first probability of hitting each bingo pattern is approximately equal to a second probability of achieving a payout associated with the bingo pattern.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first probability comprises a probability of hitting a first bingo pattern without hitting a second higher-level pattern.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming a Class III game payout set for each of the first through N^{th Class III games; and}

associating at least one Class III game outcome with each payout of each Class III game payout set, thereby forming first through N^th theme-specific data sets.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to each payout of the first global payout set.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to each payout of the first global payout set.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming second through M^th global payout sets comprising second through M^th payouts corresponding to second through M^th numbers of paylines;

ranking each payout of the second through M^th global payout sets according to payout amount;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each payout of the second through M^th global payout sets, thereby forming second through M^th global bingo payout sets; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers that may be randomly selected for each of the bingo patterns in the second through M^th global bingo payout sets until a first probability of hitting each bingo pattern is approximately equal to a second probability of achieving a payout associated with the bingo pattern.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first probability comprises a probability of hitting a first bingo pattern without hitting a second higher-level pattern.

19. A gaming method, comprising:

receiving first through M^th global bingo payout sets, each comprising payouts of first through N^th Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout;

receiving at least one theme-specific data set, comprising each Class III payout of a Class III game and at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout; and

providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing step includes the following;

determining which of the first through M^th global bingo payout sets will be an active global bingo payout set;

mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the active global bingo payout set;

randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout; and

displaying the Class III game outcome.

20. The gaming method of claim 19, wherein the determining step comprises a negotiation between a gaming machine and a server.

21. The gaming method of claim 19, wherein the determining step comprises determining at least one of a payback percentage and a hit frequency for the bingo game.

22. The gaming method of claim 19, wherein the determining step comprises determining a global bingo payout set for at least one of a number of paylines for a slot game, a number of hands for a poker game, a number of spots picked for a keno game and a number of wagers placed on a roulette game.

23. The gaming method of claim 19, further comprising the step of determining whether more than one pattern of the active global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game.

24. The gaming method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining that the associated payout is not equal to any Class III payout of the theme-specific data set;

selecting a Class III payout of the theme-specific data set that is approximately equal to, but less than, the associated payout;

determining a difference between the associated payout and the Class III payout; and

awarding the Class III payout and the difference between the associated payout and the Class III payout.

25. The gaming method of claim 19, further comprising the step of determining, when more than one pattern of the active global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game, which achieved bingo pattern is a highest-ranked bingo pattern.

26. The gaming method of claim 25, further comprising the step of awarding a payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

27. The gaming method of claim 26, wherein the awarding step comprises awarding only the payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

28. Software embodied in a machine-readable medium, the software comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform steps that include the following:

forming first through M^th bingo pools applicable to first through M^th bingo games for simulating first through N^th sets of Class III games;

receiving an indication from a first gaming machine regarding a simulated Class III game; and

determining, based at least in part on the indication, which of first through M^th bingo pools will be used for providing a bingo game on the first gaming machine.

29. The software of claim 28, wherein the indication comprises at least one of a number of paylines for a slot game, a number of hands for a poker game, a number of spots picked for a keno game and a number of wagers placed on a roulette game to be simulated on the first gaming machine.

30. The software of claim 28, wherein the indication comprises at least one of a requested payback percentage and a requested hit frequency for the first gaming machine.

31. The software of claim 28, wherein the forming step comprises forming first through M^th global bingo payout sets comprising first through M^th sets of bingo patterns and corresponding first through M^th sets of pay amounts.

32. The software of claim 28, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in the gaming network to perform steps that include the following:

ascertaining that at least one other gaming machine will be participating in a determined bingo pool;

assigning the first gaming machine to the determined bingo pool; and

providing a bingo game for the first gaming machine according to the determined bingo pool.

33. The software of claim 28, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining that the indication pertains to a bingo pool that is not available; and

ascertaining an available bingo pool that most nearly pertains to the indication.

34. The software of claim 28, wherein the forming step comprises assigning one of first through M^th global bingo payout sets to each of first through M^th bingo servers, the first through M^th global bingo payout sets comprising first through M^th sets of bingo patterns and corresponding first through M^th sets of pay amounts.

35. The software of claim 33, wherein the indication pertains to a first payback percentage and the available bingo pool pertains to a second payback percentage.

36. The software of claim 33, wherein the indication pertains to a first number of paylines and the available bingo pool pertains to a second number of paylines.

37. The software of claim 33, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in the gaming network to perform steps that include the following:

offering the available bingo pool to the gaming machine; and

determining whether the gaming machine accepts the available bingo pool.

38. The software of claim 37, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in the gaming network to perform the following steps when it is determined that the gaming machine accepts the available bingo pool:

assigning the first gaming machine to the available bingo pool; and

providing a bingo game for the first gaming machines according to the available bingo pool.

39. Software embodied in a machine-readable medium, the software comprising instructions for controlling a device to form data sets for providing games of chance by performing steps that include the following:

selecting first through N^th Class III games;

forming a first global payout set consisting of all first payouts of the first through N^th Class III games, wherein the first payouts correspond with a first number of paylines;

ranking each of the first payouts in the first global payout set according to payout amount;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each of the first payouts of the first global payout set, thereby forming a first global bingo payout set; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers that may be randomly selected for each of the bingo patterns until a first probability of hitting each bingo pattern is approximately equal to a second probability of achieving a payout associated with the bingo pattern.

40. The software of claim 39, wherein the first probability comprises a probability of hitting a first bingo pattern without hitting a second higher-level pattern.

41. The software of claim 39, further comprising instructions for controlling the device to perform these steps:

forming a Class III game payout set for each of the first through N^th Class III games; and

associating at least one Class III game outcome with each payout of each Class III game payout set, thereby forming first through N^th theme-specific data sets.

42. The software of claim 39, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to each payout of the first global payout set.

43. The software of claim 39, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to each payout of the first global payout set.

44. The software of claim 39, further comprising instructions for controlling the device to perform these steps:

forming second through M^th global payout sets comprising second through M^th payouts corresponding to second through M^th numbers of paylines;

ranking each payout of the second through M^th global payout sets according to payout amount;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each payout of the second through M^th global payout sets, thereby forming second through M^th global bingo payout sets; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers that may be randomly selected for each of the bingo patterns in the second through M^th global bingo payout sets until a first probability of hitting each bingo pattern is approximately equal to a second probability of achieving a payout associated with the bingo pattern.

45. The software of claim 39, wherein the first probability comprises a probability of hitting a first bingo pattern without hitting a second higher-level pattern.

46. Software embodied in a machine-readable medium, the software comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform steps that include the following:

receiving first through M^th global bingo payout sets, each comprising payouts of first through N^th Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout;

receiving at least one theme-specific data set, comprising each Class III payout of a Class III game and at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout; and

providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing step includes the following;

determining which of the first through M^th global bingo payout sets will be an active global bingo payout set;

mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the active global bingo payout set;

randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout; and

displaying the Class III game outcome.

47. The software of claim 46, wherein the determining step comprises a negotiation between a gaming machine and a server.

48. The software of claim 46, wherein the determining step comprises determining at least one of a payback percentage and a hit frequency for the bingo game.

49. The software of claim 46, wherein the determining step comprises determining a global bingo payout set for a at least one of a number of paylines for a slot game, a number of hands for a poker game, a number of spots picked for a keno game and a number of wagers placed on a roulette game.

50. The software of claim 46, further comprising the step of determining whether more than one pattern of the active global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game.

51. The software of claim 46, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in the gaming network to perform steps that include the following:

determining that the associated payout is not equal to any Class III payout of the theme-specific data set;

selecting a Class III payout of the theme-specific data set that is approximately equal to, but less than, the associated payout;

determining a difference between the associated payout and the Class III payout; and

awarding the Class III payout and the difference between the associated payout and the Class III payout.

52. The software of claim 46, further comprising instructions for controlling a device in the gaming network to determine, when more than one pattern of the active global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game, which achieved bingo pattern is a highest-ranked bingo pattern.

53. The software of claim 52, further comprising instructions for controlling a device in the gaming network to award a payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

54. A gaming apparatus, comprising:

means for forming first through M^th bingo pools applicable to first through M^th bingo games for simulating first through N^th sets of Class III games;

means for receiving an indication from a first gaming machine regarding a simulated Class III game; and

means for determining, based at least in part on the indication, which of first through M^th bingo pools will be used for providing a bingo game on the first gaming machine.

55. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, wherein the gaming apparatus comprises a server.

56. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, wherein the indication comprises at least one of a number of paylines for a slot game, a number of hands for a poker game, a number of spots picked for a keno game and a number of wagers placed on a roulette game to be simulated on the first gaming machine.

57. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, wherein the indication comprises at least one of a requested payback percentage and a requested hit frequency for the first gaming machine.

58. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, wherein the forming means comprises means for forming first through M^th global bingo payout sets comprising first through M^th sets of bingo patterns and corresponding first through M^th sets of pay amounts.

59. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

means for ascertaining that at least one other gaming machine will be participating in a determined bingo pool;

means for assigning the first gaming machine to the determined bingo pool; and

means for providing a bingo game for the first gaming machine according to the determined bingo pool.

60. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, wherein the determining means comprises:

means for determining that the indication pertains to a bingo pool that is not available; and

means for ascertaining an available bingo pool that most nearly pertains to the indication.

61. The gaming apparatus of claim 54, wherein the forming means comprises means for assigning one of first through M^th global bingo payout sets to each of first through M^th bingo servers, the first through M^th global bingo payout sets comprising first through M^th sets of bingo patterns and corresponding first through M^th sets of pay amounts.

62. The gaming apparatus of claim 60, wherein the indication pertains to a first payback percentage and the available bingo pool pertains to a second payback percentage.

63. The gaming apparatus of claim 60, wherein the indication pertains to a first number of paylines and the available bingo pool pertains to a second number of paylines.

64. The gaming apparatus of claim 60, further comprising:

means for offering the available bingo pool to the gaming machine; and

means for determining whether the gaming machine accepts the available bingo pool.

65. The gaming apparatus of claim 64, further comprising means for performing the following steps when the gaming apparatus determines that the gaming machine accepts the available bingo pool:

assigning the first gaming machine to the available bingo pool; and

providing a bingo game for the first gaming machines according to the available bingo pool.

66. A gaming machine, comprising:

means for receiving first through M^th global bingo payout sets, each comprising payouts of first through N^th Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout;

means for receiving at least one theme-specific data set, comprising each Class III payout of a Class III game and at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout; and

means for providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing means includes the following;

means for determining which of the first through M^th global bingo payout sets will be an active global bingo payout set;

means for mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the active global bingo payout set;

means for randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout; and

means for displaying the Class III game outcome.

67. A gaming machine, comprising:

a network interface;

a storage device for storing the following data received via the network interface;

first through M^th global bingo payout sets, each comprising payouts of first through N^th Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout; and

at least one theme-specific data set, comprising each Class III payout of a Class III game and at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout; and

means for providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing means comprises means for performing the following steps;

determining which of the first through M^th global bingo payout sets will be an active global bingo payout set;

mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the active global bingo payout set;

randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout; and

displaying the Class III game outcome.

68. The gaming machine of claim 67, wherein the providing means comprises a logic device configured for performing, at least in part, the determining, mapping and randomly selecting steps.

69. The gaming machine of claim 67, wherein the providing means also comprises means for performing these steps:

determining that the associated payout is not equal to any Class III payout of the theme-specific data set;

selecting a Class III payout of the theme-specific data set that is approximately equal to, but less than, the associated payout;

determining a difference between the associated payout and the Class III payout; and

awarding the Class III payout and the difference between the associated payout and the Class III payout.

70. The gaming machine of claim 68, wherein the logic device is also configured for determining whether more than one pattern of the global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game.

71. The gaming machine of claim 68, wherein the logic device also determines, when more than one pattern of the global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game, which achieved bingo pattern is a highest-ranked bingo pattern.

72. The gaming machine of claim 71, wherein the providing means comprises means for awarding a payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

73. The gaming machine of claim 72, wherein the providing means comprises means for awarding only the payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.