SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING PAYOUT RANGES AND AUDIOVISUAL CLIPS AT A GAMING DEVICE

• US 20070167221A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James, Walker, Jay, Tedesco, Robert, Patterson, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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

A gaming device presents a paytable with entries showing a range of outcome values. When the outcome displayed by the gaming device matches an entry on the paytable showing a range of outcome values, an audiovisual clip is played and the player is informed as to which precise value within the range of values is the actual outcome value. The particular audiovisual clip shown may provide an indication of where within the range the precise value lies by virtue of the particular clip'"'"'s importance. The audiovisual clip is repurposed from its original purpose for use in the gaming device, and may be a clip from a movie, motion picture, television show, or the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an outcome for a game start in a gaming device;

providing first information to a player of the gaming device indicative of the outcome, wherein the first information indicates a range of values encompassing the outcome; and

providing second information to the player of the gaming device indicating an exact amount of the outcome, wherein the second information comprises an audiovisual clip repurposed from its original use for use on the gaming device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information comprises a plurality of symbols indicative of the range of values.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising presenting a paytable correlating the plurality of symbols to the range of values.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information comprises a symbol indicative of the range of values.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising presenting a paytable correlating the symbol to the range of values.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming device comprises at least one of a slot machine, a video slot machine, or a video poker machine.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a second outcome for a second game start.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing third information that indicates to the player an exact value for the second outcome.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting a paytable to the player, wherein the paytable is adapted to inform the player of the range of values corresponding to the first information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein presenting the paytable comprises presenting the paytable through a fixed medium.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fixed medium comprises painted glass, painted polymer, or colored polymer.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein presenting the paytable comprises presenting the paytable through a monitor.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the audiovisual clip comprises at least a portion of one of:

a movie, a sporting event, an animated television show, or an animated movie.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the audiovisual clip comprises a portion of a television show.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first information comprises one or more symbols thematically tied to the television show.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first information further indicates one or more characters appearing in the audiovisual clip.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the first information comprises a prize-triggering symbol positioned on a payline.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein providing second information comprises presenting the audiovisual clip proximate to a location wherein the first information was provided.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein providing the first information comprises presenting the first information on a display screen and wherein providing the second information comprises presenting the second information on the same display screen.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising explicitly presenting the range of values to the player after provision of the first information and before provision of the second information.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a benefit corresponding to the exact amount to the player.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first information and providing the second information both occur in a primary game of the gaming device.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining from which of a plurality of groups of audiovisual clips the audiovisual clip is to be selected based at least in part on the first information.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the outcome comprises initially determining a first random number which is used to select the first information and subsequently determining a second random number which is used to select the second information.

25. A system comprising:

a user interface;

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and adapted;

determine an outcome for a game start in a gaming device;

provide first information to a player of the gaming device indicative of the outcome through the user interface, wherein the first information indicates a range of values encompassing the outcome; and

provide second information to the player of the gaming device through the user interface, the second information indicating an exact amount of the outcome, and wherein the second information comprises an audiovisual clip repurposed from its original use for use on the gaming device.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the user interface comprises a mobile terminal.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the user interface comprises at least one of:

a slot machine, a video slot machine, or a video poker machine.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the controller is proximate the user interface.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the controller is remotely positioned from the user interface.

30. A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions to:

determine an outcome for a game start in a gaming device;

provide first information to a player of the gaming device indicative of the outcome, wherein the first information indicates a range of values encompassing the outcome; and

provide second information to the player of the gaming device indicating an exact amount of the outcome, wherein the second information comprises an audiovisual clip repurposed from its original use for use on the gaming device.

31. A method comprising:

receiving, in association with a primary game available for play, a game start indication from a player of a gaming device;

presenting a paytable to the player;

determining a first random number;

determining first information to provide to a player of a gaming device based on the first random number;

providing the first information to the player such that the player is informed of a range of values within which an outcome for the game start lies;

determining a second random number;

determining the outcome for the game start from within the range of values based on the second random number; and

providing an indication of the outcome to the player.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the gaming device comprises a mobile terminal.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein providing the indication of the outcome to the player comprises presenting an audiovisual clip to the player, wherein the audiovisual clip has been repurposed from its original purpose for use on the gaming device.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising storing the audiovisual clip.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein storing the audiovisual clip comprises storing the audiovisual clip in memory associated with the gaming device.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein storing the audiovisual clip comprises storing the audiovisual clip in memory associated with a server positioned remotely from the gaming device.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the audiovisual clip comprises at least a portion of at least one of a movie, a television show, and an animated audiovisual clip.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the first information is thematically tied to the audiovisual clip.

39. A system comprising:

a user interface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and adapted to;

receive, in association with a primary game available for play, a game start indication through the user interface from a player of a gaming device;

present a paytable to the player;

determine a first random number;

determine first information to provide to a player of a gaming device based on the first random number;

provide the first information to the player such that the player is informed of a range of values within which an outcome for the game start lies;

determine a second random number;

determine the outcome for the game start from within the range of values based on the second random number; and

provide an indication of the outcome to the player.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the user interface comprises a mobile terminal.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein the user interface comprises at least one of:

a slot machine, a video slot machine, or a video poker machine.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein the controller is proximate the user interface.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the controller is remotely positioned from the user interface.

44. A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions to:

receive, in association with a primary game available for play, a game start indication from a player of a gaming device;

present a paytable to the player;

determine a first random number;

determine first information to provide to a player of a gaming device based on the first random number;

provide the first information to the player such that the player is informed of a range of values within which an outcome for the game start;

determine a second random number;

determine the outcome for the game start from within the range of values based on the second random number; and

provide an indication of the outcome to the player.

45. A method comprising:

determining an outcome value for a game start at a gaming device;

determining a range of values within which the outcome value lies;

providing an indication of the range of values to a player of the gaming device; and

informing the player of the outcome value through presentation of an audiovisual clip that has been repurposed from its original purpose for use in the gaming device.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein determining the range of values within which the outcome lies occurs after determining the outcome for the game start.

47. The method of claim 45 further comprising dynamically updating a paytable on the gaming device as the range of values is determined.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein the gaming device comprises at least one of a slot machine, a video slot machine, or a video poker machine.

49. The method of claim 45 wherein the audiovisual clip comprises at least a portion of at least one of a movie, a television show, and an animated audiovisual clip.