Electronic game method and apparatus with hierarchy of simulated wheels

• US 6,168,520 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1998
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Game Technology
• Original Assignee: International Game Technology
• Inventors: Lam, Yin Zin Mark, Baerlocher, Anthony J., Crowder, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/124,947
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9, 463/12-13, 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/26, 463/27, 463/30, 463/31, 463/36, 463/40-42, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/292-293, 273/236-237, 700/91-93
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A computer implemented electronic game includes a wheel of fortune game with odds of a jackpot greatly in excess of the number of indicia on a simulated wheel. In one embodiment, a virtual mapping allows a bonus indicium of the wheel to be given a 1:M chance of being landed on, even though the bonus position is one of N positions on the simulated wheel. A random number L is chosen between 1 and M and this number is mapped to a number between 1 and N. The display of the wheel if controlled to simulate stopping of the wheel at the Ith indicium where L is mapped to I. In one embodiment, by using successive wheel spins, the odds of moving to the next round are multiplied to achieve an overall odds of winning a jackpot. In one embodiment there is a 1:50 chance of entering a bonus screen from a main slot machine/phrase completion screen, a 1:20 chance of landing on a bonus position in a first wheel spin, a 1:40 chance of landing on a bonus position for a second wheel spin and a 1:200 chance of landing on a bonus position for a last wheel spin to provide an overall odds of a jackpot of 1:8 million.

Claims

1. A game process, implemented using a computer, comprising:

receiving a monetary wager from a player;

controlling a first display device to display an image of at least a portion of a first simulated value range, said image, during at least a first period of said display, containing a first plurality of indicia including at least one indicium designated as a next level indicium;

upon the next level indicium being selected on the first simulated value range during the first period, controlling a display to show at least a portion of a bonus wheel rotatable about a first axis, said wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer and situated adjacent at least a first pointer for indicating one of said J indicia after rotation about said first axis has stopped, wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bankrupt indication and a second of said indicia is a bonus indication;

storing, in said computer, information defining a mapping between integers 1 through J, corresponding, respectively to said J indicia, and integers 1 through M where M is an integer greater than J;

randomly selecting a first integer between 1 and M designated as x;

controlling said display device to simulate selection of one of said J indicia wherein x is mapped to at least one position that corresponds to a display position y in the range between 1 and J inclusive; and

displaying an indicium located at said display position y on said bonus wheel and indicated by said first pointer.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first simulated value range does not contain a top award indicium.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the overall odds that said indicator points to said top award indicium is at least 1:

1,000,000.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said J indicia is a top award indicium.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a top award represented by the top award indicium progresses as a function of coin in deposited.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the top award represented by the top award indicium progresses as a function of coin in deposited from a plurality of devices on which the method is being conducted.

7. A gaming apparatus under computer control, comprising:

a first display device for displaying a game of chance including a first simulated value range display activated for a first time period upon a random event occurring in the game of chance, the first simulated value range display including at least one next level indicium;

a wager unit which receives a monetary wager from a user;

a bonus wheel activated for a second time period upon the next level indicium being selected at the completion of the first time period, said bonus wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer, and wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bankruptcy indication and wherein at least a second of said indicia is a bonus indication;

said computer being configured to store information defining a mapping between integers 1 through J, corresponding, respectively to said J indicia, and integers 1 through M where M is an integer greater than J, said computer being further configured to randomly select a first integer between 1 and M, designated as x, and to control said display to simulate selection of one of said J indicia wherein x is mapped to at least one position of said bonus wheel that corresponds to a display position y in the range between 1 and J inclusive and wherein said indicium at said display position y is displayed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

at least one second gaming apparatus; and

a system for linking the at least one second gaming apparatus with the gaming apparatus such that a top award jackpot prize represented by a top award indicium progresses as a function of coin in deposited into the gaming apparatus and the at least one second gaming apparatus linked together in the system.

9. A gaming apparatus, implemented using a computer, comprising:

means for receiving a monetary wager from a player;

a first display means for displaying an image of at least a portion of a first simulated value range, said image, during at least a first period of said display, containing a first plurality of indicia including at least one indicium designated as a next level indicium;

means for controlling said display means, upon the next level indicium being selected on the first simulated value range during the first period, to show at least a portion of a bonus wheel rotatable about a first axis, said wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer and situated adjacent at least a first pointer for indicating one of said J indicia after rotation about said first axis has stopped, wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bankruptcy indication and a second of said indicia is a bonus indication;

means for storing, in said computer, information defining a mapping between integers 1 through J, corresponding, respectively to said J indicia, and integers 1 through M where M is an integer greater than J;

means for randomly selecting a first integer between 1 and M designated as x;

means for controlling said display device to simulate selection of one of said J indicia wherein x is mapped to at least one position that corresponds to a display position y in the range between 1 and J inclusive; and

means for displaying an indicium located at said display position y on said bonus wheel and indicated by said first pointer.

10. A game process, implemented using a computer, comprising:

receiving a monetary wager from a player;

controlling a first display device to display an image of at least a portion of a first simulated value range, said image, during at least a first period of said display, containing a first plurality of indicia including at least one indicium designated as a next level indicium;

upon the next level indicium being selected on the first simulated value range during the first period, controlling a display to show at least a portion of a bonus wheel rotatable about a first axis, said wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer and situated adjacent at least a first pointer for indicating one of said J indicia after rotation about said first axis has stopped, wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bankruptcy indication.

11. A gaming apparatus under computer control, comprising:

a first display device for displaying a game of chance including a first simulated value range display activated for a first time period upon a random event occurring in the game of chance, the first simulated value range display including at least one next level indicium;

a wager unit which receives a monetary wager from a user;

a bonus wheel activated for a second time period upon the next level indicium being selected at the completion of the first time period, said bonus wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer, and wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bankruptcy indication.

12. A gaming apparatus, implemented using a computer, comprising:

means for receiving a monetary wager from a player;

a first display means for displaying an image of at least a portion of a first simulated value range, said image, during at least a first period of said display, containing a first plurality of indicia including at least one indicium designated as a next level indicium;

means for controlling said display means, upon the next level indicium being selected on the first simulated value range during the first period, to show at least a portion of a bonus wheel rotatable about a first axis, said wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer and situated adjacent at least a first pointer for indicating one of said J indicia after rotation about said first axis has stopped, wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bankruptcy indication.

13. A game process, implemented using a computer, comprising:

receiving a monetary wager from a player;

controlling a first display device to display an image of at least a portion of a first simulated value range, said image, during at least a first period of said display, containing a first plurality of indicia including at least one indicium designated as a next level indicium;

upon the next level indicium being selected on the first simulated value range during the first period, controlling a display to show at least a portion of a bonus wheel rotatable about a first axis, said wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer and situated adjacent at least a first pointer for indicating one of said J indicia after rotation about said first axis has stopped, wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bonus indication.

14. A gaming apparatus under computer control, comprising:

a first display device for displaying a game of chance including a first simulated value range display activated for a first time period upon a random event occurring in the game of chance, the first simulated value range display including at least one next level indicium;

a wager unit which receives a monetary wager from a user;

a bonus wheel activated for a second time period upon the next level indicium being selected at the completion of the first time period, said bonus wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer, and wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bonus indication.

15. A gaming apparatus, implemented using a computer, comprising:

means for receiving a monetary wager from a player;

a first display means for displaying an image of at least a portion of a first simulated value range, said image, during at least a first period of said display, containing a first plurality of indicia including at least one indicium designated as a next level indicium;

means for controlling said display means, upon the next level indicium being selected on the first simulated value range during the first period, to show at least a portion of a bonus wheel rotatable about a first axis, said wheel having J indicia on a face thereof where J is an integer and situated adjacent at least a first pointer for indicating one of said J indicia after rotation about said first axis has stopped, wherein at least a first of said indicia is a bonus indication.