PERCEIVED SKILL GAMING MACHINE AND METHOD

• US 20100227658A1
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crowder, Robert William JR., White, Warren Rapelye, Luciano, Robert Anthony JR., LaSalvia, John Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,715,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• 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

Abstract

A gaming system having a plurality of primary game devices sharing a secondary bonus station is disclosed. The secondary game station comprises a secondary game which is configured to provide play pursuant to a triggering event originating from any one of the primary game devices in the gaming environment. The secondary game station is equipped with controls suitable for playing the secondary game. During play of the secondary game station, the triggering primary game device may also be “locked” so that the player may resume playing the primary game subsequent to playing the secondary game.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a processor;

one or more controls operable by a player;

a perceived skill game under control of the processor, the game producing both a skill outcome based on the skill with which the player may operate the controls and a predetermined award to be paid at the conclusion of the game regardless of the outcome;

a display comprising a plurality of possible awards including the predetermined award, wherein the probability of a random selection of the predetermined award appears more likely than a random selection of one of the remaining plurality of possible awards,

the display configured to indicate a simulated random selection of the predetermined award on the display at the conclusion of the game in a manner perceivable by the player as being based on at least the displayed apparent probabilities and the skill outcome.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a basketball game.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a bowling game.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a baseball game.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a skee-ball game.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises an archery game.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a video arcade game.

10. The method of claim 8 of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a bowling game.

11. The method of claim 8 of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a baseball game.

12. The method of claim 8 of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a skee-ball game.

13. The method of claim 8 of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises an archery game.

14. The method of claim 8 of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a video arcade game.

8. A method of providing a perceived skill game under control of a processor, the steps comprising:

predetermining an award payable for play of the game;

dynamically producing an award display comprising a plurality of possible awards including the predetermined award, wherein the probability of a random selection of the predetermined award appears more likely than a random selection of one of the remaining plurality of possible awards;

producing a skill outcome based on the skill with which a player may operate controls coupled to the processor;

regardless of the skill outcome, producing a simulated random selection of the predetermined award on the display at the conclusion of the game in a manner perceivable by the player as being based on the displayed apparent probabilities and the skill outcome.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a basketball game.