Gaming machines with bonusing

• US 6,033,307 A
• Filed: 03/02/1999
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Vancura, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US09/260,634
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143 R, 273/138 A, 273/138.2, 463/20, 463/42, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method is set forth for playing a bonus game in a secondary slot machine adjacent a primary slot machine. The primary slot machine issues a bonus qualifying signal to the secondary slot machine to start play of a bonus game when a bonus qualifying event occurs. The reels of the bonus game include value symbols, null symbols, and end game symbols which may be of two basic types: a lose game symbol and a stop game symbol. After the random spin, the values of any value symbols displayed on the payline of the secondary slot machine are accumulated into an accumulated winning value. The value symbols could include positive integer values, negative integer values, and multiples. The random spinning, determination of values of any value symbol and the accumulation of a winning value is repeatedly continued until an end of the bonus game occurs.

Claims

1. A method for playing a bonus game in a secondary slot machine adjacent a primary gaming machine, the secondary slot machine having a plurality of reels, the primary gaming machine issuing a bonus qualifying signal to the secondary slot machine to start play of the bonus game, said method comprising the steps of:

a. randomly spinning the plurality of reels in the secondary slot machine, the plurality of reels at least including value symbols and end game symbols,

b. determining the values in any value symbols displayed in the secondary slot machine in response to the step of randomly spinning,

c. accumulating in the secondary slot machine the determined values to an accumulated winnings value,

d. repeating in the secondary slot machine steps a, b, and c until a predetermined number of end game symbols is reached based upon appearances of end game symbols in the secondary slot machine,

e. ending the bonus game when the predetermined number of end game symbols is reached.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the value symbols and end game symbols are displayed on a payline in the secondary gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of awarding an initial value in response to the bonus qualifying signal.

4. The method of claim 1 further including null symbols.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the value symbols include positive integer values.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the value symbols include negative integer values.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the value symbols include multipliers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one end game symbol appears on each of the plurality of reels.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one end game symbol appears on at least one of the plurality of reels.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

ending the bonus game when a player stop signal is received in response to the step of accumulating, and awarding the accumulated winnings value in response to the received player stop signal.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining when the accumulated winnings value at least equals a predetermined winnings value, ending the bonus game, and awarding the accumulated winnings value.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of determining when the accumulated winnings value equals a predetermined winnings value, ending the bonus game, and awarding a jackpot award.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined number of end game symbols is one and the end game symbol is a stop symbol and further comprising the step of awarding the accumulated winnings in response to the step of ending the bonus game.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined number of end game symbols is one and the end game symbol is a lose symbol.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of awarding a portion of the accumulated winnings in response to the step of ending the bonus game.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined number of end game symbols is N and N is greater than the number of reels on which the end game symbol appears so that the bonus game does not end with the first random spin of the plurality of reels.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the end game symbols are lose symbols and further comprising the step of displaying in the secondary gaming machine the current value, Ncurr, where Ncurr equals the number of times a lose symbol has appeared.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of receiving a player lose symbol purchase signal corresponding to the purchase of at least one lose symbol, decrementing the value of Ncurr by the number of purchased lose symbols, and decrementing the accumulated winnings value by a purchase value.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of determining the predetermined number of end game symbols at the start of play of the bonus game based upon primary gaming machine results.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one end game symbol appears on one of the plurality of reels and wherein the predetermined number of end game symbols is N and N is greater than one so that the bonus game does not end with the first spin of the plurality of reels in the bonus game.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a jackpot award,

setting a count value in response to the issuing of the bonus qualifying signal,

adjusting the count value each time the step of randomly spinning occurs, and

awarding the jackpot award when the count value equals a predetermined count value.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

setting a limit value in response to the issuing of the bonus qualifying signal,

adjusting the limit value each time the step of randomly spinning occurs,

ending the bonus game when the limit value equals a predetermined limit value, and

awarding the accumulated winnings value.

23. A method for playing a bonus game in a secondary slot machine adjacent a primary gaming machine, the secondary slot machine having a plurality of reels, the primary gaming machine issuing a bonus qualifying signal to the secondary slot machine to start play of the bonus game, said method comprising the steps of:

a. awarding an initial value in response to the issuance of the bonus qualifying signal,

b. randomly spinning the plurality of reels in the secondary slot machine, the plurality of reels at least including value symbols, lose game symbols, and null symbols,

c. determining the values in any value symbols displayed in the secondary slot machine in response to the step of randomly spinning,

d. accumulating in the secondary slot machine the winning values to an accumulated winnings value,

e. receiving any player stop signal in response to the step of accumulating, ending the bonus game when the player stop signal is received, and awarding the accumulated winnings value,

f. repeating in the secondary slot machine steps b, c, d and e until a predetermined number of lose game symbols is reached based upon appearances of the lose symbols on the payline of the secondary slot machine,

g. ending the bonus game when the predetermined number of lose game symbols is reached.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the value symbols, null symbols and lose game symbols are displayed on a payline in the secondary gaming machine.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the value symbols include positive integer values.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the value symbols include negative integer values.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the value symbols include multipliers.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein at least one lose game symbol appears on each of the plurality of reels.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein at least one lose game symbol appears on at least one of the plurality of reels.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein the predetermined number of lose game symbols is one.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein the predetermined number of lose game symbols is N and N is greater than the number of reels on which the end game symbol appears so that the bonus game does not end with the first random spin of the plurality of reels.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of displaying in the secondary gaming machine the current value, Ncurr, where Ncurr equals the number of times a lose symbol has appeared.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the steps of receiving a player lose symbol purchase signal corresponding to the purchase of at least one lose symbol, decrementing the value of Ncurr by the number of purchased lose symbols, and decrementing the accumulated winnings value by the purchase value.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the steps of determining the predetermined number of end game symbols at the start of play of the bonus game based upon primary gaming machine results.

35. The method of claim 23 wherein at least one lose game symbol appears on one of the plurality of reels and wherein the predetermined number of lose game symbols is N and N is greater than one so that the bonus game does not end with the first spin of the plurality of reels in the bonus game.

36. A method for playing a bonus game in a secondary slot machine adjacent a primary gaming machine, the secondary slot machine having a plurality of reels, the primary gaming machine issuing a bonus qualifying signal to the secondary slot machine to start play of the bonus game, said method comprising the steps of:

a. awarding an initial value in response to the issuance of the bonus qualifying signal,

b. randomly spinning the plurality of reels in the secondary slot machine, the plurality of reels at least including value symbols, lose game symbols, and null symbols,

c. determining the values in any value symbols displayed in the secondary slot machine in response to the step of randomly spinning,

d. accumulating in the secondary slot machine the determined values to an accumulated winnings value,

e. repeating in the secondary slot machine steps b, c and d until a lose game symbol appears in the secondary slot machine,

f. ending the bonus game in the secondary slot machine,

g. awarding a portion of the accumulated winnings value.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the value symbols, lose game symbols, and null symbols are displayed on a payline in the secondary gaming machine.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the portion is a percentage of the accumulated winnings value.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the value symbols include positive integer values.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the value symbols include negative integer values.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the value symbols include multipliers.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein at least one lose game symbol appears on each of the plurality of reels.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein at least one lose game symbol appears on at least one of the plurality of reels.

44. A method for playing a bonus game in a secondary slot machine adjacent a primary gaming machine, the secondary slot machine having a plurality of reels, the primary gaming machine issuing a bonus qualifying signal to the secondary slot machine to start play of the bonus game, said method comprising the steps of:

a. awarding an initial value in response to the bonus qualifying signal,

b. randomly spinning the plurality of reels in the secondary slot machine, the plurality of reels having symbols chosen from a set of symbols consisting essentially of;

negative value symbols, positive value symbols, multiplier symbols, null symbols, and lose symbols,

c. determining the values in any value symbols displayed in the secondary slot machine in response to the step of randomly spinning,

d. accumulating in the secondary slot machine the determined values to an accumulated winnings value,

e. receiving any player stop signal in response to the step of accumulating, said step of receiving further comprising the steps of;

i) ending the bonus game when the player stop signal is received,

ii) awarding the accumulated winnings value,

f. repeating in the secondary slot machine steps b, c, d and e until a predetermined number N of lose game symbols is reached based upon appearances of lose game symbols in the secondary slot machine wherein N is of sufficient value that the bonus game does not end with the first random spin of the plurality of reels,

g. ending the bonus game when the predetermined number N of lose game symbols is reached.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the set of symbols are displayed on a payline in the secondary gaming machine.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the predetermined number is randomly selected in a range upon issuance of the bonus qualifying signal.