CLASS OF FEATURE EVENT GAMES SUITABLE FOR LINKING TO MULTIPLE GAMING MACHINES

• US 20080274790A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/21
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A gaming method, apparatus and system for playing a game of chance is disclosed in which a plurality of gaming machines may be linked together for mutually competitive play. According to one embodiment, two or more gaming machines are linked to a centrally located display exhibiting a game board comprising one or more groups of earmarkable cells in one or more groups. Players on the gaming machines wager and attempt to achieve winning outcomes which earmark cells in the group with designators of their respective gaming machines. When a predetermined number or configuration of cells of a group are earmarked, an award may be distributed to those gaming machines having earmarked cells according to the number of designators within that group associated with each gaming machine. The game of chance may be configured for play on an individual gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including;

at least one gaming device processor;

at least one input device;

at least one display device; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a game;

(b) generate and display one of a plurality of game outcomes for the play of the game, said plurality of game outcomes including at least one designated game outcome and a plurality of winning game outcomes; and

(c) if the displayed game outcome is one of the winning game outcomes, provide the player an award associated with the winning game outcome; and

at least one central controller configured to communicate with each of the gaming devices and programmed to;

(a) maintain a progressive award, said progressive award associated with a predetermined quantity of said designated game outcomes, said predetermined quantity being at least two;

(b) for each of the gaming devices, track each occurrence of any displayed designated game outcomes; and

(c) if the predetermined quantity of said designated game outcomes are displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices;

(i) determine a portion of the maintained progressive award, wherein the determined portion of the maintained progressive award is based on a number of displayed designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device, and

(ii) cause said gaming device to provide the player of said gaming device the determined portion of the maintained progressive award.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of game outcomes include a plurality of different designated game outcomes.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each of any of said gaming devices with zero tracked displayed designated game outcomes, said at least one central controller is programmed to determine that no portion of the maintained progressive award is provided to the player of said gaming device.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said at least one central controller is programmed to track at least one occurrence of at least one displayed designated game outcome for a plurality of said gaming devices.

5. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including;

at least one gaming device processor;

at least one input device;

at least one display device; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one gaming device processor, cause the at least one gaming device processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager on a play of a game;

(b) generate and display one of a plurality of game outcomes for the play of the game, said plurality of game outcomes including a first designated game outcome, a second, different designated game outcome and a plurality of winning game outcomes; and

(c) if the displayed game outcome is one of the winning game outcomes, provide the player an award associated with the winning game outcome; and

at least one central controller configured to communicate with each of the gaming devices and programmed to;

(a) maintain a plurality of progressive awards, wherein a first of the progressive awards is associated with the first designated game outcome and a second of the progressive awards is associated with the second designated game outcome;

(b) for each of the gaming devices, track each occurrence of any displayed designated game outcomes;

(c) if a predetermined quantity of at least two of said first designated game outcomes are displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices;

(i) determine a portion of the maintained first progressive award, wherein the determined portion of said maintained first progressive award is based on any displayed first designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device, and

(i) cause said gaming device to provide the player of said gaming device the determined portion of said maintained first progressive award; and

(d) if a predetermined quantity of at least two of said second designated game outcomes are displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices;

(i) determine a portion of the maintained second progressive award, wherein the determined portion of said maintained second progressive award is based on any displayed second designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device, and

(ii) cause said gaming device to provide the player of said gaming device the determined portion of said maintained second progressive award.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein if the predetermined quantity of said first designated game outcomes is displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices, the determined portion of the maintained first progressive award is based on a number of displayed first designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device.

7. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein if the predetermined quantity of said second designated game outcomes is displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices, the determined portion of the maintained second progressive award is based on a number of displayed second designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device.

8. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined quantity of first designated game outcomes is different than the predetermined quantity of second designated game outcomes.

9. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein a probability of generating the first designated game outcome is different than a probability of generating the second designated game outcome.

10. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein said at least one central controller is programmed to track at least one occurrence of at least one displayed designated game outcome for a plurality of said gaming devices.

11. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices;

(i) enabling a player to place a wager on a play of a game,

(ii) generating and displaying one of a plurality of game outcomes for the play of the game, said plurality of game outcomes including at least one designated game outcome and a plurality of winning game outcomes,

(ii) tracking each occurrence of any displayed designated game outcomes, and

(iv) if the displayed game outcome is one of the winning game outcomes, providing the player of said gaming device an award associated with the winning game outcome; and

(b) maintaining a progressive award, said progressive award associated with a predetermined quantity of said designated game outcomes, said predetermined quantity being at least two; and

(c) if the predetermined quantity of said designated game outcomes are displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices;

(i) determining a portion of the maintained progressive award, wherein the determined portion of the maintained progressive award is based on a number of displayed designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device, and

(ii) providing the player of said gaming device the determined portion of the maintained progressive award.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of game outcomes include a plurality of different designated game outcomes.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes, for each of any of said gaming devices with zero tracked displayed designated game outcomes, determining that no portion of the maintained progressive award is provided to the player of said gaming device.

14. The method of claim 11, which includes tracking at least one occurrence of at least one displayed designated game outcome for a plurality of said gaming devices.

15. The method of claim 11, which is provided through a data network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) for each of a plurality of gaming devices;

(i) enabling a player to place a wager on a play of a game,

(ii) generating and displaying one of a plurality of game outcomes for the play of the game, said plurality of game outcomes including a first designated game outcome, a second, different designated game outcome and a plurality of winning game outcomes,

(iii) tracking each occurrence of any displayed designated game outcomes, and

(iv) if the displayed game outcome is one of the winning game outcomes, providing the player of said gaming device an award associated with the winning game outcome;

(b) maintaining a plurality of progressive awards, wherein a first of the progressive awards is associated with the first designated game outcome and a second of the progressive awards is associated with the second designated game outcome;

(c) if a predetermined quantity of at least two of said first designated game outcomes are displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices;

(i) determining a portion of the maintained first progressive award, wherein the determined portion of said maintained first progressive award is based on any displayed first designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device, and

(i) providing the player of said gaming device the determined portion of said maintained first progressive award; and

(d) if a predetermined quantity of at least two of said second designated game outcomes are displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices;

(i) determining a portion of the maintained second progressive award, wherein the determined portion of said maintained second progressive award is based on any displayed second designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device, and

(ii) providing the player of said gaming device the determined portion of said maintained second progressive award.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein if the predetermined quantity of said first designated game outcomes is displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices, the determined portion of the maintained first progressive award is based on a number of displayed first designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein if the predetermined quantity of said second designated game outcomes is displayed, for each of the plurality of gaming devices, the determined portion of the maintained second progressive award is based on a number of displayed second designated game outcomes tracked for said gaming device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined quantity of first designated game outcomes is different than the predetermined quantity of second designated game outcomes.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein a probability of generating the first designated game outcome is different than a probability of generating the second designated game outcome.

22. The method of claim 17, which includes tracking at least one occurrence of at least one displayed designated game outcome for a plurality of said gaming devices.

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

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data network is an internet.