RANDOM GENERATED DISPLAY ASSOCIATED WITH GAMING DEVICE

• US 20100227687A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VCAT, LLC
• Original Assignee: VCAT, LLC
• Inventors: Shay, W. Greg, Speer, L. Donald II, Grable, Donne, McIntosh, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/398,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for displaying a pattern associated with a gaming device to heighten the gaming interest of players or potential players. These methods and systems include displaying an initial pattern and altering the initial pattern as play on the gaming device progresses, or as pattern modifying signals are otherwise received. The displayed pattern may be presented on any display device, including but not limited to the game screen or on any screen or panel on a gaming device, in a secondary display device attached or detached from the gaming device or table game, or any other display applications used on or with a gaming device or table.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a pattern associated with a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving player inputs to place wagers on gaming events on the gaming device;

displaying gaming outcomes of the gaming events on the gaming device;

displaying an initial pattern; and

altering the initial pattern as play on the gaming device progresses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial pattern is altered in response to a player input on the gaming device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the player input is an input corresponding to an operation of the gaming event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial pattern is altered in response to an outcome of a gaming event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial pattern is altered independently of the progressing game play.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial pattern is selectable by the player.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial pattern is displayed separately from the display of the gaming events.

8. A method of displaying an image to a player of a gaming device, the method comprising:

displaying an initial image;

receiving an image modifying signal;

determining a portion of the initial image to modify in response to the image modifying signal;

generating a modified image; and

displaying the modified image to the player.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the initial image is a display of a plurality of spaces, and wherein at least one of the plurality of spaces is randomly shaded in response to the image modifying signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the image is a visual representation of a portion of the gaming device with modifiable portions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the modifiable portions are associated with a location of a gaming event outcome.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying an initial image includes receiving a symbol selection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbol selection is received in response to a player input.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbol is initially shown in an outline format, and wherein the symbol is modified by having a mark assigned to a portion of the symbol within the symbol outline.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the image modifying signal is received independent of game play on the gaming device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the image modifying signal is received after a game event outcome is determined.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion of the initial image to modify is determined entirely at random.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion of the initial image to modify is determined by a location of a symbol on a game display of the gaming device.

19. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an image-type selection from the player prior to displaying the initial image.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the image modifying signal is received periodically.

21. A gaming device comprising:

a player gaming station to allow a player to place a wager on a gaming event;

a pattern display configured to display an image independent of awards associated with the game event; and

a processor configured to modify the image in response to an image modifying signal.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, further comprising a game display to display an outcome of the gaming event.

23. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the pattern display is a common display for a plurality of gaming devices.

24. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the gaming device is a table game having a plurality of player gaming stations.

25. The gaming device of claim 21, further including a pattern reset button configured to reset the image displayed on the pattern display.

26. The gaming device of claim 21, further including a player input device configured to allow the player to manipulate the image displayed on the pattern display.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the player input device is configured to display a historical progression of the image displayed on the pattern display from a historical image to a current image.

28. A gaming system for displaying a visual pattern associated with at least one gaming device, the system comprising:

a memory to store pattern data associated with an initial pattern image;

a processor configured to modify the pattern data in response to an image modifying signal and generate a modified pattern image; and

a pattern display operatively connected to the processor configured to display the modified pattern image generated by the processor.

29. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein the pattern display is included in the gaming device.

30. The gaming system of claim 29, wherein the processor is included in a server connected to the gaming device through a network.

31. The gaming system of claim 30, wherein the memory is included in a database associated with the server.

32. The gaming system of claim 31, wherein the pattern display is further configured to download and display the modified pattern in response to a player request.

33. A method of displaying an image to a player of a gaming device, the method comprising:

displaying an image;

receiving a first gaming outcome on the gaming device;

modifying a first portion of the image with a first pattern mark in response to the first gaming outcome;

displaying the image with the modified first portion to the player;

receiving a second gaming outcome on the gaming device;

modifying a second portion of the image with a second pattern mark in response to the second gaming outcome, wherein the second portion of the image is sequentially related to the first portion of the image; and

displaying the image with the modified first and second portions to the player.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first pattern mark and second pattern mark are determined at random.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first pattern mark and second pattern mark are determined based on the first gaming outcome and second gaming outcome, respectively.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the first pattern mark and second pattern mark are directly adjacent.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein modifying a second portion of the image includes removing a third portion of the image.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the third portion of the image includes a third pattern mark generated in response to a third gaming outcome received prior to the first and second game outcomes.