GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING A BONUS OPPORTUNITY WHEN A DESIGNATED RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN A PLURALITY OF RANDOMLY DETERMINED ELEMENTS

• US 20130260869A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C., Basallo, Leandro, Bristol, Rachael A., Ferris, Colin M., Grime, John, Rollins, Ana K., Isaacson, Timothy L., Petermann-Turner, Dacotah A., Present, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 9,881,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a bonus opportunity when a designated relationship exists between a plurality of randomly determined elements. The gaming system randomly generates a plurality of elements in association with a play of a secondary game. The gaming system determines whether a designated relationship exists between the randomly determined elements. If the designated relationship exists between the randomly determined elements, the gaming system determines a bonus opportunity associated with the randomly determined elements and provides the bonus opportunity to a player.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

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

(a) generate a primary game outcome in association with a play of a primary game;

(b) display the generated primary game outcome to a player;

(c) determine any primary game award associated with the generated primary game outcome;

(d) display any determined primary game award to the player;

(e) randomly generate two or more of a plurality of elements in association with a play of a secondary game;

(f) determine if a designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements;

(g) if the designated relationship does not exist between the two or more randomly determined elements, provide any determined primary game award to the player; and

(h) if the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements;

(i) modify any determined primary game award,

(ii) display any modified primary game award to the player, and

(iii) provide any modified primary game award to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the elements is associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics, and the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements if the two or more randomly determined elements are each associated with a same one of the characteristics.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary game is associated with a plurality of wheel portions, each of the wheel portions including a plurality of the elements.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by, for each of the wheel portions, randomly determining one of the elements of said wheel portion.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein each of the elements is associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics, and the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements if the randomly determined elements of the wheel portions are each associated with a same one of the characteristics.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary game is associated with a wheel;

the wheel includes a plurality of sections;

each of the sections is associated with one of the elements; and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by selecting at least two of the sections of the wheel, each of the sections of the wheel being selectable more than once.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements if the selected sections of the wheel are the same section of the wheel.

8. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein each selected section of the wheel is selected by a separate indicator, each indicator being one of:

a pointer, and a lighted border.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by randomly generating one of the plurality of elements at a first point in time prior to a first event in the primary game and by randomly generating another one of the plurality of elements at a second subsequent point in time after the first event.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the primary game is a draw poker game and the first event is a replacement of each of any cards discarded from an initial player hand with a replacement card.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary game is a trail game associated with a plurality of positions, each of the positions being associated with one of the elements, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by;

(i) selecting one of the positions as a designated position, and

(ii) selecting one of the positions as an initial position;

(b) determine a quantity of moves; and

(c) determine if the designated relationship exists between the designated position and the initial position by determining if a quantity of positions separating the initial position and the designated position is equal to the determined quantity of moves.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine the quantity of moves based at least in part on the generated primary game outcome.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the primary game is a card game, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to:

(a) display the generated primary game outcome to the player by displaying one side of each of a plurality of cards and hiding another side of each of the plurality of cards;

(b) randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements in association with the play of the secondary game by, for each of the displayed cards, associating one of the elements with said displayed card; and

(c) thereafter, for each of the displayed cards, reveal the hidden side of said displayed card, said revealed side displaying the element associated with said displayed card.

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

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to generate a primary game outcome in association with a play of a primary game;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display the generated primary game outcome to a player;

(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions determine any primary game award associated with the generated primary game outcome;

(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions operate with the at least one display device to display any determined primary game award to the player;

(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions randomly generate two or more of a plurality of elements in association with a play of a secondary game;

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions determine if a designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements;

(g) if the designated relationship does not exist between the two or more randomly determined elements, providing any determined primary game award to the player; and

(h) if the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions modify any determined primary game award,

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any modified primary game award to the player, and

(iii) providing any modified primary game award to the player.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the elements is associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics, and the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements if the two or more randomly determined elements are each associated with a same one of the characteristics.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the secondary game is associated with a plurality of wheel portions, each of the wheel portions including a plurality of the elements.

17. The method of claim 16, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by, for each of the wheel portions, randomly determining one of the elements of said wheel portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the elements is associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics, and the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements if the randomly determined elements of the wheel portions are each associated with a same one of the characteristics.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the secondary game is associated with a wheel;

the wheel includes a plurality of sections; and

each of the sections is associated with one of the elements; and

which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by selecting at least two of the sections of the wheel, each of the sections of the wheel being selectable more than once.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the designated relationship exists between the two or more randomly determined elements if the selected sections of the wheel are the same section of the wheel.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein each selected section of the wheel is selected by a separate indicator, each indicator being one of:

a pointer, and a lighted border.

22. The method of claim 14, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by randomly generating one of the plurality of elements at a first point in time prior to a first event in the primary game and by randomly generating another one of the plurality of elements at a second subsequent point in time after the first event.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the primary game is a draw poker game and the first event is a replacement of each of any cards discarded from an initial player hand with a replacement card.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the secondary game is a trail game associated with a plurality of positions and each of the positions being associated with one of the elements, and which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to:

(a) randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements by;

(i) selecting one of the positions as a designated position, and

(ii) selecting one of the positions as an initial position;

(b) determine a quantity of moves; and

(c) determine if the designated relationship exists between the designated position and the initial position by determining if a quantity of positions separating the initial position and the designated position is equal to the determined quantity of moves.

25. The method of claim 24, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine the quantity of moves based at least in part on the generated primary game outcome.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the primary game is a card game, and which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to:

(a) operate with the at least one display device to display the generated primary game outcome to the player by displaying one side of each of a plurality of cards and hiding another side of each of the plurality of cards;

(b) randomly generate the two or more of the plurality of elements in association with the play of the secondary game by, for each of the displayed cards, associating one of the elements with said displayed card; and

(c) thereafter, for each of the displayed cards, operate with the at least one display device to reveal the hidden side of said displayed card, said revealed side displaying the element associated with said displayed card.

27. The method of claim 14, which is provided through a data network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data network is an internet.