WAGERING INTERFACE FOR A GAMING SYSTEM

• US 20110117999A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ng, Darren, Wright, Tracey, Guinn, Andrew, Robbins, Richard B., Schwartz, Richard T., Aoki, Dion K., Anderson, Peter R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system includes a wagering interface that may include a plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements with each quick-bet element indicating a different total wager for a spin of the plurality of reels. Each total wager is divided among a plurality of paylines associated with positions on the reels. A window is configured to display a subset of the plurality of quick-bet elements. A quick-bet element selection slider is configured to allow each of the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements to be displayed within the window. The selection slider is movable to a plurality of positions along a slider path such that the position of the selection slider on the slider path determines the subset of quick-bet elements to be displayed in the window. A wagering interface may include a toggling element for switching from a wagering interface having a plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements to a classic-bet wagering interface.

Claims

1. A gaming system having a controller operative to present a wagering interface on a display, the wagering interface associated with a wagering game having a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the wagering interface comprising:

a plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements, each quick-bet element indicating a different total wager for a spin of the plurality of reels, each total wager being at least partially divided among a plurality of paylines associated with positions on one or more of the reels;

a window configured to display a subset of the plurality of quick-bet elements; and

a quick-bet element selection slider configured to allow each of the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements to be displayed within the window, the selection slider movable to a plurality of positions along a slider path such that the position of the selection slider on the slider path determines the subset of quick-bet elements to be displayed in the window.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game and the wagering interface are configured to be displayed in a plurality of display areas on a single display.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements are configured to be portrayed as player-selectable buttons.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the wagering interface includes one or more toggling elements for switching from the wagering interface having the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements to a classic-bet wagering interface.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the wagering interface includes a pointer configured for moving the selection slider and for selecting a quick-bet element displayed in the window.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the wagering interface includes a pointer element, the positioning of the pointer element over the user toggling element causing information associated with the toggling element to be displayed.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the total wager includes a wager that triggers a special feature associated with a bonus game.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a player'"'"'s selection of one of the displayed quick-bet elements causes a wager to be placed in the wagering game and the plurality of reels to spin.

9. A method for conducting a wagering game having a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the wagering game implemented on one or more processors associated with a gaming system, the method comprising the act of:

receiving a wager via a network connection associated with the one or more processors, the wager associated with a wagering interface including;

(a) a plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements, each quick-bet element configured to indicate a different total wager for a spin of the plurality of reels and each total wager being at least partially divided among a plurality of paylines,

(b) a window, at least a portion of the quick-bet elements being initially displayed in the window and at least a portion of the quick-bet elements not being initially displayed in the window, and

(c) a quick-bet selection slider movable to a plurality of positions along a slider path such that the position of the selection slider on the slider path determines the portion of the quick-bet elements to be displayed in the window;

receiving an input via a network connection associated with the one or more processors, the input associated with a position of the selection slider along the slider path of the wagering interface; and

in response to the received input, reconfiguring the portion of quick-bet elements to be displayed in the window.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each quick-bet element is configured to implement a simulated spinning of the plurality of reels following the receiving of the wager.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the displayed plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements are configured to be portrayed as a player-selectable button.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the wagering interface includes one or more user toggling elements, and further comprising receiving an input via a network connection associated with the one or more processors, the input associated with switching from the wagering interface having the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements to a classic-bet wagering interface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the wagering interface includes a pointer element, the pointer element allowing movement of the selection slider and selection of a displayed quick-bet element.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the wagering interface includes a pointer element, and movement of the pointer element over the user toggling element initiates a display of information associated with the user toggling element.

15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions, which when executed by at least one processor associated with a gaming system, causes the at least one processor to accomplish steps comprising:

receiving a wager via a network connection associated with the at least one processor, the wager associated with a wagering interface including;

(a) a plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements, each quick-bet element configured to indicate a different total wager for a spin of the plurality of reels and each total wager being at least partially divided among a plurality of paylines,

(b) a window, at least a portion of the quick-bet elements being initially displayed in the window and at least a portion of the quick-bet elements not being initially displayed in the window, and

(c) a quick-bet selection slider movable to a plurality of positions along a slider path such that the position of the selection slider on the slider path determines the portion of quick-bet elements to be displayed in the window;

receiving a first input via a network connection associated with the at least one processor, the first input associated with a position of the selection slider along the slider path of the wagering interface; and

in response to the received first input, reconfiguring the portion of quick-bet elements to be displayed in the window.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements are configured to be portrayed as a player-selectable button.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, further comprising receiving a second input via a network connection associated with the at least one processor, the second input associated with one or more toggling elements for switching the wagering interface from having the plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements to a classic-bet wagering interface.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the total wager includes a wager that triggers a special feature associated with a bonus game.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the quick-bet elements to be initially displayed are determined from historical wagering game activity received over a network.

20. A gaming system having a controller operative to present a plurality of wagering interfaces on a display, the plurality of wagering interfaces associated with a wagering game having a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the plurality of wagering interfaces comprising:

a first wagering interface associated with a display;

a second wagering interface associated with the display;

at least one quick-toggle element located on each of the first and second wagering interfaces and configured for switching between the first wagering interface and the second wagering interface by user selection of the at least one quick-toggle element.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the first wagering interface is a quick-bet wagering interface, the quick-bet wagering interface having a plurality of player-selectable quick-bet elements, each quick-bet element indicating a different total wager for a spin of the plurality of reels, each total wager being at least partially divided among a plurality of paylines associated with positions on one or more of the reels.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the quick-bet elements are initially displayed in a window and at least a portion of the quick-bet elements are not initially displayed in the window.

23. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein the second wagering interface is a classic wagering interface.

24. The gaming system of claim 20, further comprising a pointer element, wherein positioning the pointer element over the at least one quick-toggle element causes information associated with the quick-toggle element to be displayed.