Gaming device and method of playing a game

• US 6,533,273 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Colepat, LLC
• Inventors: Cole, Joseph W., Tarantino, Elia Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Dolores R
• Application Number:
  US09/849,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20010054794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138.1, 273/142, 273/143, 463/17, 463/21, 463/22, 463/20
• US Class Current: 273/138.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 game having a bonus feature and a gaming apparatus for presenting the game are disclosed. One embodiment of the method comprises the steps of a player placing a wager, spinning a plurality of first reels having indicia thereon, determining if indicia displayed by the plurality of first reels associated with a first pay line comprises a predetermined winning combination, and if so, paying a first award and then associating that first award with at least one bonus game, permitting at one or more times the player to participate in the bonus event, and determining if the outcome of the bonus event is a winning outcome and if so, paying a bonus award. In one embodiment, the gaming device includes three first mechanical or video-generated reels for playing the first game, one second mechanical or video-generated reel for playing the bonus event, and associated mechanisms for accepting wagers, paying winnings, and associating win amounts from the first game with the at least one bonus reel.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game comprising the steps of:

spinning a plurality of first reels comprising a main game, said plurality of first reels displaying one or more indicia;

determining if the outcome of said main game is a winning outcome;

awarding a winning amount if said main game is a winning outcome;

generating a representation of said winning amount;

displaying said representation of said winning amount on a bonus wheel;

playing a bonus event comprising the spinning of said bonus wheel; and

determining the outcome of the bonus event.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said representation of said winning amount comprises a numerical value.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bonus wheel has a plurality of positions, one or more of which are blank, and said step of displaying comprises displaying said representation in one of said blank positions.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 comprising playing said bonus event at a time after a winning outcome of said main game has been received, including after later main game events having non-winning outcomes.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said representation of said winning amount comprises a graphical representation of one of the indicia displayed by said first reels.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said displaying step comprises filling a position on said bonus wheel.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bonus wheel is video generated.

8. A method of playing a game comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of reels, said reels adapted to display one or more indicia;

spinning said plurality of reels to generate a main game outcome comprising a set of displayed main game indicia;

determining if said set of displayed main game indicia comprises a winning set of indicia;

providing a bonus device, said bonus device having a plurality of positions for displaying indicia;

displaying one of the indicia from said set of displayed main game indicia in one of said positions of said bonus device in the event said set of displayed main game indicia comprises a winning set of indicia;

presenting a bonus event using said bonus device; and

determining the outcome of said bonus event, said outcome comprising the display of at least one indicia in one of the positions of said bonus device.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said bonus device comprises a video display.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said video display is adapted to display a bonus wheel having wheel segments forming positions for displaying indicia.

11. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said plurality of positions are empty before a first winning set of indicia is received.

12. The method in accordance with claim 8 including the step of a player selecting an indicia from a set of indicia capable of display by said plurality of reels and wherein said outcome of said bonus event is a winning outcome if said selected indicia is displayed by said bonus device as a result of the presentation of said bonus event.

13. The method in accordance with claim 8 including the step of repeating said steps of spinning said plurality of reels to generate a main game outcome comprising a set of displayed main game indicia, determining if said set of displayed main game indicia comprises a winning set of indicia, and displaying one of the indicia from said set of displayed main game indicia in one of said positions of said bonus device in the event said set of displayed main game indicia comprises a winning set of indicia to fill said positions of said bonus device.

14. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said bonus event comprises the random selection of one or more indicia from the set of displayed indicia.

15. A method of playing a game comprising:

presenting a main game comprising generating a set of indicia;

determining if the outcome of said main game is a winning outcome;

playing a bonus event, said bonus event comprising the random selection of at least one indicia from a set of at least one indicia generated by playing said main game, said set of indicia generated by playing said main game including indicia which are associated with the bonus event as a result of winning outcomes of said main game; and

determining the outcome of said bonus event.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said bonus event comprises the rotation of an element bearing said set of at least one indicia generated by playing said main game.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein said bonus event comprises the rotation of a video simulated bonus wheel.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said set of indicia generated by playing said main game comprises indicia representing values of awards received for winning outcomes from the play of said main game.

19. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said set of indicia generated by playing said main game comprises indicia displayed on one of a set of reels comprising said main game when said outcome of said main game is a winning outcome.

20. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said bonus event comprises a bonus board defining a grid of positions for accepting designated indicia.

21. A method of playing a game comprising:

presenting a main game comprising generating a set of indicia representing the outcome of said main game, said set of indicia selected from a larger group of game indicia, and displaying said set of indicia representing the outcome of said main game;

if the outcome of said main game is a winning outcome, displaying at least one of the indicia from said set of indicia representing the outcome of said main game at a second location; and

playing a bonus event utilizing the indicia display at said second location, the play of said bonus event including at least one player input.

22. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said second location comprises a grid of positions for accepting indicia.

23. The method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said bonus event comprises utilizing multiple indicia placed in positions of said grid to form a unitary image.

24. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said player input initiates said bonus event and said bonus event comprises the random selection of an indicia from the set of indicia displayed at said second location.

25. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said main game comprises a plurality of reels and said second location comprises a video screen.

26. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said main game is presented on a first video display and said second location comprises a second video display.

27. The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said at least one player input includes the player indication a position of at least one displayed indicia at said second location.