Dual-award bonus game for a gaming machine

• US 6,159,098 A
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Grupp, William A., Slomiany, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hotaling, John M.
• Application Number:
  US09/145,505
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/10, 463/16-20, 463/25, 463/26-28, 463/30, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143 R, 273/292-293
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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

Abstract

A bonus game for a gaming machine with two types of awards. The bonus game includes a plurality of selection elements, a number of which are associated with an award of coin(s) or credit(s) and a number of which are associated with an end-bonus penalty. The game is played by selecting a number of the selection elements, one at a time, until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty which ends the bonus game. A first award type in the bonus game is a selection-based award in which the player is credited an amount of coin(s) or credit(s) based on the value (or cumulative value) of the selection elements selected in the bonus game. A second award type in the bonus game is a quantity-based award in which the player is credited an amount of coin(s) or credit(s) based on the number of successful trials of the bonus game.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming machine under control of a processor operable in a bonus mode, the method comprising the steps of:

setting up under control of the processor a bonus game by defining a plurality of selection elements;

assigning various bonus game outcomes to the selection elements;

selecting, one at a time, one or more of the selection elements in the bonus mode until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty, the selection of a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty causing the processor to end the bonus game, the selection of a selection element not associated with an end-bonus penalty defining a successful trial of the bonus game;

determining under control of the processor a value of the selection elements selected in the bonus game;

awarding a first credit based on said value of the selection elements selected;

determining under control of the processor a number of successful trials accomplished in the bonus game; and

awarding a second credit based on said number of successful trials.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaming machine includes a display, the method of operating the gaming machine comprising the step of displaying symbols associated with the various bonus game outcomes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assigning various bonus game outcomes to the selection elements comprises:

assigning upon setup of the bonus game an initial outcome to each selection element; and

assigning after each successful trial of the bonus game an end-bonus penalty to the selection element associated with the successful trial.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assigning various bonus game outcomes to the selection elements comprises:

assigning upon setup of the bonus game a payoff value to each selection element; and

assigning after each successful trial of the bonus game an end-bonus penalty to the selection element associated with the successful trial.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining the value of the selection elements selected in the bonus game comprises summing the payoff values of the selection elements selected in the bonus game.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining the value of the selection elements selected in the bonus game comprises summing the payoff values of the selection elements selected in successful trials of the bonus game.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the gaming machine includes a display, the method of operating the gaming machine further comprising the steps of:

displaying end-bonus identifier symbols on selection elements associated with an end-bonus penalty; and

displaying payoff value identifier symbols on selection elements not associated with an end-bonus penalty.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a pointer animation scrolling through one or more of the selection elements during each trial of the bonus game; and

stopping the pointer animation adjacent to the selected selection element, a successful trial being characterized by stopping the pointer animation adjacent to a selection element associated with a payoff value identifier symbol, an unsuccessful trial being characterized by stopping the pointer animation adjacent to a selection element associated with an end-bonus identifier symbol.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting the selection elements in the bonus mode is accomplished randomly under control of the processor.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of selecting the selection elements in the bonus mode is accomplished randomly under control of the processor, with each selection element having an equal probability of selection in each trial.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of awarding a second credit based on the number of successful trials comprises:

identifying under control of the processor a predefined bonus amount associated with said number of successful trials; and

crediting said predefined bonus amount to a player.

12. A method of operating a gaming machine under control of a processor operable in a basic mode and a bonus mode, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting under control of the processor in said basic mode a basic game outcome from among a plurality of possible basic game outcomes, the possible basic game outcomes including a start-bonus outcome;

shifting operation of the processor from the basic mode to the bonus mode in response to the selection of the start-bonus outcome, otherwise, continuing operation of the processor in the basic mode;

setting up under control of the processor a bonus game by defining a plurality of selection elements;

assigning various bonus game outcomes to the selection elements;

selecting, one at a time, one or more of the selection elements in the bonus mode until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty, the selection of a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty causing the processor to shift operation from the bonus mode to the basic mode, otherwise, the selection of a selection element not associated with an end-bonus penalty defining a successful trial of the bonus game causing the controller to maintain operation in the bonus mode;

determining under control of the processor a value of the selection elements elected in the bonus mode;

awarding a first credit based on said value of the selection elements selected;

determining under control of the processor a number of successful trials accomplished in the bonus game; and

awarding a second credit based on said number of successful trials.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the basic game comprises a slot machine including a number of reels each including a plurality of displayable symbols, the step of selecting a basic game outcome comprising the steps of:

randomly selecting a combination of said symbols; and

displaying said combination of symbols.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the start-bonus outcome is characterized by the display of a designated start-bonus game symbol on each of the reels.

15. A gaming machine comprising:

a processor for controlling game play in a bonus mode, the processor operating in the bonus mode to set up a bonus game by defining a plurality of selection elements;

means for assigning under control of the processor various bonus game outcomes to the selection elements;

means for selecting, one at a time, one or more of the selection elements in the bonus mode until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty, the selection of a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty causing the processor to end the bonus game, the selection of a selection element not associated with an end-bonus penalty defining a successful trial of the bonus game;

valuation means for determining under control of the processor a value of the selection elements selected in the bonus game;

first credit means for awarding a first credit based on said value of the selection elements selected;

enumeration means for determining under control of the processor a number of successful trials accomplished in the bonus game; and

second credit means for awarding a second credit based on said number of successful trials.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15 wherein the valuation means includes means for summing the payoff values of the selection elements selected in the bonus game.

17. The gaming machine of claim 15 wherein the valuation means includes means for summing the payoff values of the selection elements selected in successful trials of the bonus game.

18. The gaming machine of claim 15 wherein the second credit means comprises:

means for identifying under control of the processor a predefined bonus amount associated with the number of successful trials; and

means for crediting the predefined bonus amount to a player.

19. The gaming machine of claim 15 further comprising a display, the display being operable in response to instructions from the processor to display symbols associated with the various bonus game outcomes.

20. The gaming machine of claim 15 further comprising a display, the display being operable in response to instructions from the processor to display end-bonus identifier symbols on selection elements associated with an end-bonus penalty and payoff value identifier symbols on selection elements not associated with an end-bonus penalty.

21. A gaming machine comprising:

a processor for controlling game play in a basic mode and a bonus mode,

the processor operating in the basic mode to select a basic game outcome from among a plurality of possible basic game outcomes, the possible basic game outcomes including a start-bonus outcome the selection of which causes the processor to shift operation from the basic mode to the bonus mode;

the processor operating in the bonus mode to set up a bonus game by defining a plurality of selection elements;

means for assigning under control of the processor various bonus game outcomes to the selection elements;

means for selecting, one at a time, one or more of the selection elements in the bonus mode until encountering a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty, the selection of a selection element associated with an end-bonus penalty causing the processor to end the bonus game, the selection of a selection element not associated with an end-bonus penalty defining a successful trial of the bonus game;

valuation means for determining under control of the processor a value of the selection elements selected in the bonus game;

first credit means for awarding a first credit based on said value of the selection elements selected;

enumeration means for determining under control of the processor a number of successful trials accomplished in the bonus game; and

second credit means for awarding a second credit based on said number of successful trials.