Ball selector and display device for use with gaming devices

• US 6,533,660 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company Incorporated (Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service)
• Inventors: Seelig, Jerald C., Henshaw, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US09/840,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 696 Days
• Field of Search: 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/22, 463/16, 273/143.R, 273/144.R, 273/274, 273/144.B, 273/138.1, 273/138.2
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/062 Bingo games, e.g. Bingo card games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/048 used for generating random numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3297 Fairground games, e.g. Tivoli, coin pusher machines, cranes

Abstract

A ball selector and display device comprising a plurality of prize balls, a ball holder adapted to hold the balls in an individually controlled manner, a controller adapted to select a prize ball, a display mechanism adapted to display the selected prize ball to the player; and a positioning mechanism in communication with the controller adapted to position the selected prize ball relative to the display mechanism. The ball selector and display device may be combined with a jumbled ball display wherein the balls displayed by the ball selector and display device appear to originate from the jumbled ball display. The ball selector and display device may also be combined with a game apparatus that is adapted to allow players to play a game. In this embodiment, the ball selector and display device may provide a bonus award for the player. Several games are also provided that may be used with the ball selector and display device.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game with a player, the method comprising the following steps:

(A) providing a jumbled ball display, the display comprising a container and a plurality of display balls in the container, the container allowing the player to see the display balls;

(B) jumbling the display balls in the container, the jumbling of the display balls in the container having no effect on an outcome of the game;

(C) providing a plurality of prize balls, the prize balls being separated from the jumbled ball display;

(D) selecting a prize ball to determine the outcome to the game; and

(E) displaying the selected prize ball to the player.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing the prize balls in an individually controlled manner.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected prize ball appears to the player to originate from the jumbled ball display.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating a predetermined event before displaying the selected prize ball.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of awarding a prize to the player.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the prize awarded to the player is related to the selected prize ball.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a prize ball comprises randomly selecting the prize ball.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of randomly selecting the prize ball comprises generating a random number.

9. A method of playing a game, the method comprising the following steps:

(A) providing a game apparatus, the game apparatus being adapted to allow a player to play a game;

(B) providing a jumbled ball display, the display comprising a container and a plurality of display balls in the container, the container allowing the player to see the display balls in the container;

(C) jumbling the display balls in the container, the jumbling of the display balls in the container having no effect on an outcome of the game;

(D) providing a plurality of prize balls, the prize balls being separated from the jumbled ball display

(E) selecting a prize ball to determine the outcome of the game; and

(F) displaying the selected prize ball.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of allowing a player to play a game on the game apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of jumbling the balls in the container occurs after a predetermined event occurs in the game apparatus.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of awarding a bonus prize to a player.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the prize awarded to the player is determined at least in part by the selected prize ball.

14. A gaming device, the gaming device comprising:

(A) a game apparatus, the game apparatus being adapted to allow a player to play a game; and

(B) a jumbled ball display device, the display device comprising;

(a) a plurality of display balls;

(b) at least one container, the container being adapted to hold the display balls, the container having at least one portion that is at least partially transparent, wherein the player may view the balls in the container; and

(c) at least one agitator, the agitator being adapted to agitate the display balls inside of the container, wherein the jumbled ball display device does not affect the outcome of the game played on the game apparatus; and

(C) a prize display in communication with the game apparatus, the prize display being adapted to select a prize ball to determine the outcome of the game and display the selected prize ball.

15. The game device of claim 14 wherein the agitator comprises an air blower.

16. The game device of claim 14 further comprising a controller, the controller being adapted to activate the agitator when a predetermined event occurs.

17. The game device of claim 16 wherein the predetermined event is produced by the game apparatus.

18. A gaming apparatus configured to allow a player to play a game and obtain a game outcome, the gaming apparatus comprising:

(A) a plurality of display objects, the plurality of display object having no effect on the game outcome;

(B) at least one container, the container being adapted to hold the display objects, the container having at least one portion that is at least partially transparent, wherein the player may view the display objects in the container;

(C) outcome means for determining the game outcome; and

(D) illusion means for providing an illusion to the player that the outcome means originate from the container.

19. The gaming apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a jumbling means for jumbling the display objects inside the container.

20. The gaming apparatus of claim 18, wherein the illusion means comprises means for individually controlling at least one object.

21. The gaming apparatus of claim 18, wherein the outcome means further comprises a display means for displaying the outcome to the player.

22. The gaming apparatus of claim 18, wherein the outcome means comprises at least one object substantially similar to the display objects.

23. The gaining apparatus of claim 18, wherein the outcome means comprises a means for randomly selecting the object substantially similar to the display objects.

24. A gaming system comprising:

(A) a first game apparatus configured to allow a player to play a primary game;

(B) a second game apparatus connected to the first game apparatus, the second game apparatus being configured to allow the player to play a secondary game, the second game apparatus comprising;

(a) at least one display object;

(b) display container means for holding the display object, the display container means being configured to hold the display object in a manner wherein the display object is at least partially visible to the player;

(c) a plurality of prize revealing objects; and

(d) a prize revealing object holder, the prize revealing object holder comprising a plate, the plate defining a plurality of chambers each chamber being configured to hold one prize revealing object.

25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the secondary game is a bonus game playable after an occurrence of a bonus event.

26. The gaming system of claim 24, further comprising a prize display means for displaying at least one prize revealing object to the player.

27. A game apparatus being configured to allow the player to play a game, the game apparatus comprising:

(A) a plurality of first objects, the plurality of first objects having no effect on an outcome of the game;

(B) display container means for holding the first objects, the display container means being configured to hold the first objects in a manner wherein the display objects are visible to the player;

(C) a plurality of second objects;

said plurality of second objects being capable of determining the outcome of the game; and

(D) holding means for holding the plurality of second objects individually.

28. The game apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a means for selecting at least one second object, the selected second object being determinative of a game outcome.

29. The game apparatus of claim 27, wherein the holding means is positioned in a manner that is not visible to the player.