Bingo system with downloadable common patterns

• US 20070161423A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Powell, Tracy, Gail, Ted, Bienvenue, Lesley, Krum, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 8,070,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Novel methods, devices and systems are described for mapping a variety of Class III game outcomes to a common set 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 electronic gaming machines presenting entertaining displays of various Class III game themes are linked to a single bingo server. By linking many participating electronic gaming machines to a single server, some implementations of the invention allow all of the progressive contributions to be pooled into one large progressive jackpot, thereby making the game more attractive to players.

Claims

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

selecting first through N^th Class III games;

forming a global payout set consisting of all payouts of the first through N^th Class III games, wherein each payout has a payout probability;

ranking each payout in the global payout set according to payout amount;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set, thereby forming a 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first probability comprises a probability of hitting a first bingo pattern without hitting a second higher-level pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, 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.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating step is performed at least once for each Class III game.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating step is performed for each bet level of each Class III game.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selecting an additional Class III game;

forming an additional theme-specific data set for the additional Class III game; and

determining whether each payout of the additional Class III game is a member of the global payout set.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming an updated global bingo payout set when it is determined that at least one payout of the additional Class III game is not a member of the global payout set.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the process of forming an updated global bingo payout set comprises:

assigning a new bingo pattern to each additional payout of the additional Class III game that was not previously a member of the global bingo payout set; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers that may be randomly selected for each of the bingo patterns of the updated global bingo payout set 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.

11. 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 global payout set consisting of all payouts of the first through N^th Class III games, wherein each payout has a payout probability;

ranking each payout in the global payout set according to payout amount;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set, thereby forming a 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.

12. The software of claim 11, wherein the first probability comprises a probability of hitting a first bingo pattern without hitting a second higher-level pattern.

13. The software of claim 11, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to perform the following 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.

14. The software of claim 11, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set.

15. The software of claim 11, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set.

16. The software of claim 13, wherein the calculating step is performed at least once for each Class III game.

17. The software of claim 13, wherein the calculating step is performed for each bet level of each Class III game.

18. The software of claim 13, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to perform the following steps:

selecting an additional Class III game;

forming an additional theme-specific data set for the additional Class III game; and

determining whether each payout of the additional Class III game is a member of the global payout set.

19. The software of claim 18, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to form an updated global bingo payout set when it is determined that at least one payout of the additional Class III game is not a member of the global payout set.

20. The software of claim 19, wherein the process of forming an updated global bingo payout set comprises:

assigning a new bingo pattern to each additional payout of the additional Class III game that was not previously a member of the global bingo payout set; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers that may be randomly selected for each of the bingo patterns of the updated global bingo payout set 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.

21. A gaming method, comprising:

choosing first through N^th Class III games;

forming a Class III game payout set for each of the first through N^th Class III games, each payout set comprising all payout amounts of a corresponding Class III game;

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

forming a global payout set consisting of all payouts of the first through N^th Class III games;

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

providing the global bingo payout set and at least one theme-specific data set to each of a first plurality of electronic gaming machines.

22. The gaming method of claim 21, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set.

23. The gaming method of claim 21, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to each payout of the global payout set.

24. The gaming method of claim 21, wherein the step of forming Class III game payout sets comprises assigning a probability for each payout of each of the first through N^th Class III games.

25. The gaming method of claim 21, wherein the step of forming Class III game payout sets comprises assigning a probability for each payout and each bet level of each of the first through N^th Class III games.

26. The gaming method of claim 21, further comprising conducting a bingo game that includes participating electronic gaming machines of the first plurality of electronic gaming machines, wherein each of the participating electronic gaming machines simulates an appropriate Class III game outcome corresponding with a payout of a bingo pattern resulting from playing the bingo game on the participating electronic gaming machine.

27. The gaming method of claim 21, further comprising calculating a probability of each payout of the global bingo payout set, the probability being independent of a Class III game theme.

28. The gaming method of claim 21, wherein the associating step comprises assigning at least one random number generator (“

RNG”

) seed to each payout of each Class III game payout set.

29. The gaming method of claim 21, wherein the providing step comprises downloading the global bingo payout set and at least one theme-specific data set to each of the first plurality of electronic gaming machines.

30. The gaming method of claim 21, further comprising:

choosing an additional Class III game;

forming an additional theme-specific data set for the additional Class III game; and

determining whether each payout of the additional Class III game is a member of the global payout set.

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

determining non-theme bingo patterns of the global bingo payout set that are not included in a theme-specific data set of a game theme; and

making the non-theme bingo patterns inactive while a gaming machine is running the Class III game theme.

32. The gaming method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining non-theme bingo patterns of the global bingo payout set that are not included in a theme-specific data set of a game theme; and

making the non-theme bingo patterns inactive while a gaming machine is running the Class III game theme.

33. The gaming method of claim 26, wherein a first probability of attaining a bingo pattern of the global bingo payout set while playing a first participating gaming machine that is running a first Class III game theme is equal to a second probability of attaining the bingo pattern while playing a second participating gaming machine that is running a second Class III game theme.

34. The gaming method of claim 26, wherein a probability of each payout of the global bingo payout set is dependent on a Class III game theme selected by a player.

35. The gaming method of claim 30, further comprising the step of providing the additional theme-specific data set to at least one of the first plurality of electronic gaming machines when it is determined that each payout of the additional Class III game is a member of the global payout set.

36. The gaming method of claim 30, further comprising the following steps when it is determined that at least one payout of the additional Class III game is not a member of the global payout set:

forming an updated global payout set; and

providing the updated global payout set to each of the first plurality of electronic gaming machines.

37. The gaming method of claim 30, further comprising the following steps when it is determined that at least one payout of the additional Class III game is not a member of the global payout set:

determining updates for a previously-downloaded global payout set; and

providing the updates to each of the first plurality of electronic gaming machines.

38. The gaming method of claim 37, wherein each of the updates comprises at least one additional bingo pattern and a corresponding payout.

39. A gaming method, comprising:

receiving a global bingo payout set comprising all 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;

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

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

displaying the Class III game outcome.

40. The gaming method of claim 39, further comprising the step of determining whether more than one pattern of the global bingo payout set is achieved during the bingo game.

41. The gaming method of claim 39, 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.

42. The gaming method of claim 39, further comprising the step of determining, 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.

43. The gaming method of claim 42, further comprising the step of awarding a payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

44. The gaming method of claim 43, wherein the awarding step comprises awarding only the payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

45. A gaming machine, comprising:

a network interface;

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

a global bingo payout set comprising all 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;

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

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

displaying the Class III game outcome.

46. The gaming machine of claim 45, wherein the providing means comprises a logic device configured for performing the mapping and randomly selecting steps.

47. The gaming machine of claim 46, 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.

48. The gaming machine of claim 46, 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.

49. The gaming machine of claim 48, 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.

50. The gaming machine of claim 46, wherein the providing means comprises means for awarding a payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

51. The gaming machine of claim 50, wherein the providing means comprises means for awarding only the payout associated with the highest-ranked bingo pattern.

52. A gaming method, comprising:

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

receiving a theme-specific data set comprising each Class III payout of one of the first through N^th Class III games, a corresponding bingo pattern and a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for the corresponding bingo pattern;

determining non-theme bingo patterns of the global bingo payout set that are not members of the theme-specific data set; and

setting a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for each of the non-theme bingo patterns to be a number of spots of the non-theme bingo pattern.

53. The gaming method of claim 52, wherein the theme-specific data set comprises a probability for each Class III payout and each bet level of the Class III game.

54. The gaming method of claim 52, further comprising receiving at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout.

55. The gaming method of claim 54, further comprising providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, wherein the providing step includes the following:

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

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

displaying the Class III game outcome.

56. A gaming machine, comprising:

a network interface configured for receiving (a) a global bingo payout set comprising all payouts of first through N^th Class III games and a bingo pattern associated with each payout and (b) a theme-specific data set comprising each Class III payout of one of the first through N^th Class III games, a corresponding bingo pattern and a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for the corresponding bingo pattern; and

a logic device configured to perform these steps;

determining non-theme bingo patterns of the global bingo payout set that are not members of the theme-specific data set; and

setting a maximum number of balls that may be drawn for each of the non-theme bingo patterns to be a number of spots of the non-theme bingo pattern.

57. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the theme-specific data set comprises a probability for each Class III payout and each bet level of the Class III game.

58. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the network interface is further configured to receive at least one Class III game outcome associated with each Class III payout.

59. The gaming machine of claim 56, wherein the logic device is further configured for mapping a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game with an associated payout of the global bingo payout set and randomly selecting a Class III game outcome for the associated payout, further comprising means for displaying the Class III game outcome.

60. A method for providing a bingo game that simulates a Class III game, the method comprising:

determining that a bingo pattern achieved during the bingo game was achieved in no more than a predetermined maximum number of bingo balls drawn, the predetermined maximum number of bingo balls drawn being specific to the bingo pattern;

mapping the bingo pattern to an associated payout;

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

displaying the Class III game outcome.