Enhanced Poker Game System With Additional Bonus Challenges

• US 20110053671A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Dion, Jaffe, Joel R., Moll, Jeremie D., Hornik, Jeremy M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• 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 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A gaming system and method for conducting a wagering game includes a display having a display area showing a poker-themed wagering game. A wager input device receives a base wager to play the poker-themed wagering game. A controller is coupled to the display and the wager input device. The controller is operative to provide a plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand and award a payoff based on a ranking of the user-playable hand meeting a predetermined criterion. The controller may receive a side wager separate from the base wager from the player to trigger a challenge based on meeting a condition in at least one of a predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game. Additional free challenges may be triggered for the predetermined number of future plays.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a display having a display area configured to display information or graphics to be displayed to a player including graphics showing a poker-themed wagering game;

a wager input device for receiving a player input and transforming the player input into electronic data signals indicative of a base wager to play the poker-themed wagering game;

a storage device; and

a controller coupled to the display, the wager input device and the storage device, the controller configured to execute computer instructions relating to the poker-themed wagering game operative to;

interpret the base wager from the data signals and to, at least in part, cause the recording of a digital representation of the base wager in the storage device;

provide a plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand;

award a payoff based on a ranking of the user-playable hand meeting a predetermined criterion; and

receive a side wager separate from the base wager from the player to trigger a challenge based on meeting a condition in at least one of a predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller provides the plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand by:

providing an initial plurality of symbol-bearing objects;

discarding, via player selection, one or more of the provided symbol-bearing objects from the initial plurality of symbol-bearing objects;

replacing each of the discarded symbol-bearing objects with a replacement symbol-bearing object to form the user-playable hand.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the controller offers an additional free challenge if the user-playable hand meets a predetermined free-challenge criteria, the additional free challenge based on meeting a free-challenge condition in at least one of a second predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the condition is met based on the user-playable hands in the future predetermined number of future plays meeting a predetermined criterion for a repeated number of plays.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the condition is met based on the user-playable hands in the predetermined number of future plays meeting predetermined challenge criterion in consecutive future plays.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein meeting the condition of the challenge results in a bonus award of a set credit amount.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein meeting the condition of the challenge results in a progressive bonus award.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein meeting the condition awards the player a reduced input wager to initiate the wagering game until the end of the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the probability of meeting the condition of the challenge is a function of the number of games played in the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein meeting the condition increases the probability of being awarded the payoff in the remaining plays of the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

11. The gaming system of claim 10, wherein meeting the condition allows the player additional symbol-bearing objects in the remaining plays of the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein meeting the condition unlocks additional challenges for the player.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the challenge remain active if the player returns at a future time to continue playing the predetermined number of future plays.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the display area includes a section showing the number of plays remaining in the predetermined number of future plays.

15. A gaming system comprising:

a display having a display area configured to display information or graphics to be displayed to a player including graphics showing a poker-themed wagering game;

a wager input device for receiving a player input and transforming the player input into electronic data signals indicative of a base wager to play the poker-themed wagering game;

a storage device; and

a controller coupled to the display, the wager input device and the storage device, the controller configured to execute computer instructions relating to the poker-themed wagering game operative to;

interpret the base wager from the data signals and to, at least in part, cause the recording of a digital representation of the base wager in the storage device;

provide a plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand;

award a payoff based on a ranking of the user-playable hand meeting a predetermined criterion; and

trigger a plurality of different challenges to a player for a predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game, the plurality of challenges including a challenge with a condition that when met results in a bonus award having a fixed credit value to the player in addition to any payoff from the user-playable hand.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different challenges is triggered by a player possessing a token.

17. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different challenges is triggered by an outcome in the wagering game.

18. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different challenges is triggered by the player making a side bet separate from the basic wager.

19. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of challenges is triggered by the player applying at least part of the payoff from the user-playable hand.

20. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the controller offers an additional free challenge if the user-playable hand meets a predetermined free-challenge criteria, the additional free challenge based on meeting a free-challenge condition in at least one of a second predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

21. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the condition is met based on the user-playable hands in the future predetermined number of future plays meeting a predetermined criterion for a repeated number of plays or meeting predetermined challenge criterion in consecutive future plays.

22. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein meeting a condition of another challenge of the plurality of challenges results in a progressive bonus award.

23. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the probability of meeting the condition of the challenge is a function of the number of games played in the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

24. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein meeting a condition of another challenge of the plurality of challenges unlocks additional challenges for the player.

25. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the challenge remain active if the player returns at a future time to continue playing the predetermined number of future plays.

26. A method of conducting a poker-themed wagering game for a player, the wagering game including a game sequence in which a player makes a wager and a wagering game outcome is determined, the method comprising:

conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus to receive inputs from the player and to generate wagering game outcomes that are communicated to the player, the gaming apparatus including a user interface device configured to receive an input from the player, a display device configured to display information or graphics to be viewed by the player, one or more storage devices, and one or more processors configured to execute computer instructions relating to the wagering game;

accepting, at the user interface device, a player input and transforming the player input into electronic data signals indicative of a wager to play the wagering game, wherein a base wager is received from the player to play the wagering game;

using one of the gaming apparatus processors to interpret the wager from the data signals and to, at least in part, cause the recording of a digital representation of the wager in a gaming apparatus storage device;

using a gaming apparatus processor to cause the display of a visual indication of the wager on the display device,

using one of the gaming apparatus processors to initiate a game sequence of the wagering game on the gaming apparatus;

providing a plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand via the one or more processors;

awarding a payoff based on a ranking of the user-playable hand meeting a predetermined criterion;

receiving an extra wager separate from the base wager from the player to trigger a challenge based on meeting a condition in at least one of a predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game; and

determining an outcome of the game sequence.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the providing the plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand includes:

providing an initial plurality of symbol-bearing objects;

discarding, via player selection, one or more of the provided symbol-bearing objects from the initial plurality of symbol-bearing objects; and

replacing each of the discarded symbol-bearing objects with a replacement symbol-bearing object to form the user-playable hand.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising offering an additional free challenge if the user-playable hand meets a predetermined free-challenge criteria, the additional free challenge based on meeting a free-challenge condition in at least one of a second predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the condition is met based on the user-playable hands in the future predetermined number of future plays meeting a predetermined criterion for a repeated number of plays.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the condition is met based on the user-playable hands in the predetermined number of future plays meeting predetermined challenge criterion in consecutive future plays.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein meeting the condition of the challenge results in a bonus award of a set credit amount.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein meeting the condition of the challenge results in a progressive bonus award.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein meeting the condition awards the player a reduced input wager to initiate the wagering game until the end of the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the probability of meeting the condition of the challenge is a function of the number of games played in the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein meeting the condition increases the probability of being awarded the payoff in the remaining plays of the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein meeting the condition allows the player additional symbol-bearing objects in the remaining plays of the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein meeting the condition unlocks additional challenges for the player.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein the challenge remain active if the player returns at a future time to continue playing the predetermined number of future plays.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein the display area includes a section showing the number of plays remaining in the predetermined number of future plays.

40. A method of conducting a poker-themed wagering game for a player, the wagering game including a game sequence in which a player makes a wager and a wagering game outcome is determined, the method comprising:

conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus to receive inputs from the player and to generate wagering game outcomes that are communicated to the player, the gaming apparatus including a user interface device configured to receive an input from the player, a display device configured to display information or graphics to be viewed by the player, one or more storage devices, and one or more processors configured to execute computer instructions relating to the wagering game;

accepting, at the user interface device, a player input and transforming the player input into electronic data signals indicative of a wager to play the wagering game, wherein a base wager is received from the player to play the wagering game;

using one of the gaming apparatus processors to interpret the wager from the data signals and to, at least in part, cause the recording of a digital representation of the wager in a gaming apparatus storage device;

using a gaming apparatus processor to cause the display of a visual indication of the wager on the display device,

using one of the gaming apparatus processors to initiate a game sequence of the wagering game on the gaming apparatus;

providing a plurality of symbol-bearing objects to form a user-playable hand via the one or more processors;

awarding a payoff based on a ranking of the user-playable hand meeting a predetermined criterion;

triggering a plurality of different challenges to a player for a predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game, the plurality of challenges including a challenge with a condition that when met results in a bonus award having a fixed credit value to the player in addition to any payoff from the user-playable hand; and

determining an outcome of the game sequence.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different challenges is triggered by a player possessing a token.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different challenges is triggered by an outcome in the wagering game.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different challenges is triggered by the player making a side bet separate from the basic wager.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of challenges is triggered by the player applying at least part of the payoff from the user-playable hand.

45. The method of claim 40, further comprising offering an additional free challenge if the user-playable hand meets a predetermined free-challenge criteria, the additional free challenge based on meeting a free-challenge condition in at least one of a second predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the condition is met based on the user-playable hands in the future predetermined number of future plays meeting a predetermined criterion for a repeated number of plays or meeting predetermined challenge criterion in consecutive future plays.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein meeting a condition of another challenge of the plurality of challenges results in a progressive bonus award.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein the probability of meeting the condition of the challenge is a function of the number of games played in the predetermined number of future plays of the wagering game.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein meeting a condition of another challenge of the plurality of challenges unlocks additional challenges for the player.

50. The method of claim 40, further comprising keeping the challenge active if the player returns at a future time to continue playing the predetermined number of future plays.