Slot Game with Additional Skill Element

• US 20150235526A1
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Skill Games Limited
• Original Assignee: Pure Skill Games Limited
• Inventors: DiCarlo, Fernando
• Granted Patent: US 10,789,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement a slot machine (or other game) which allows the player to activate the game (spin the reels) without having to place a wager (entry). Only after the reels have stopped spinning can the player decide to place the wager (entry) or the player can choose to walk away from the game. If the player places the wager (entry) then the player is presented with a skill game which converted a result from the slot reels into an actual award amount which is then awarded to the player.

Claims

1. A method to play a game on an electronic device, the method comprising:

storing a finite pool of predetermined awards in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

providing an input device, an output device, and a processing unit operationally connected to the input device and the output device;

executing instructions on the processing unit to perform a following operations;

receiving an activation from the player without cost to the player;

spinning reels;

retrieving a stored award from the finite pool;

stopping the reels on a combination representing the stored award;

receiving an entry from a player; and

determining that the stored award is greater than zero, which then triggers performing of a) animating a graphical element until the player presses a button which causes the graphical element to become a frozen graphical element, b) determining an earned percentage based on a position of the frozen graphical element;

c) computing an actual award by applying the earned percentage to the stored award; and

d) awarding the player the actual award.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, after the determining that

the stored award is greater than zero, then returning to the receiving an activation without receiving an addition entry from the player in order to initiate the spinning.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the player is not allowed to adjust an amount of the entry.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising enabling the player to view a reveal list, the reveal list comprising upcoming stored awards in a finite pool, the reveal list being a smaller subset of the finite pool, a number of upcoming stored awards being at least two.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the enabling a player to view a reveal list comprises displaying a reveal button configured that, when pressed, displays the reveal list on the output device.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising displaying the reveal list.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the number of upcoming awards is at least 10.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the number of upcoming awards is 100.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the number of upcoming awards is at least 100.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the player is enabled to adjust an amount of the entry, wherein different entry amounts have their own respective finite pool which is used.

11. An apparatus to play a game, the apparatus comprising:

an input device;

an output device;

a processing unit operationally connected to the input device and the output device, the processing unit configured to execute instructions to;

receive an activation from the player without cost to the player;

spin reels;

retrieve a stored award from a finite pool;

stop the reels on a combination representing the stored award;

receive an entry from a player; and

upon the stored award being greater than zero, performing a) animating a graphical element until the player presses a button which causes the graphical element to become a frozen graphical element, b) determining an earned percentage based on a position of the frozen graphical element;

c) computing an actual award by applying the earned percentage to the stored award; and

d) awarding the player the actual award.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further configured such that after the upon the stored award being greater than zero operation, then play returns to the receive an activation without receiving an additional entry from the player in order to initiate the spin reels.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further configured such that the player is not allowed to adjust an amount of the entry.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further configured to enable the player to view a reveal list, the reveal list comprising upcoming stored awards in a finite pool, the reveal list being a smaller subset of the finite pool, a number of upcoming stored awards being at least two.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the processing unit is further configured to display a reveal button configured that, when pressed, displays the reveal list on the output device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the processing unit is further configured such that the number of upcoming awards is at least 10.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the processing unit is further configured such that the number of upcoming awards is 100.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the processing unit is further configured such that the number of upcoming awards is at least 100.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further configured such that the player is enabled to adjust an amount of the entry, wherein different entry amounts have their own respective finite pool which is used.