Gaming device having a bonus scheme with multiple selection groups

• US 6,595,854 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2002
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Glavich, Paulina, Baerlocher, Anthony J., Hughs-Baird, Andrea C., Webb, Bayard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US10/195,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20030054876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16-20, 463/25, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/269, 283/49, 283/51, 283/903
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 gaming device having a bonus round with multiple selection groups. The bonus round does not end upon an “end-bonus” selection; rather, the bonus round ends upon the selection of a predetermined number of selections from the last or final selection group. In one embodiment, the number of selections is determined from a selection group preceding the final selection group. Prior to determining the number of final selection group picks, the game provides the player with at least one selection group in which the player selects award indicators until selecting an indicator that advances the player to the next selection group. Player excitement and enjoyment is enhanced because the present invention provides the player with multiple opportunities to achieve game credits and because the player is guaranteed to have at least one opportunity to select from the final selection group. In one embodiment, the final selection group has larger values than the previous selection groups.

Claims

1. A gaming device having a game comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein at least one of the first selections yields an award indicator and at least one of the first selections yields a picks indicator; and

a second selection group having a plurality of second selections, wherein at least one second selection yields an award indicator, and wherein the picks indicator from the first selection group determines a number of second selections a player may choose in the second selection group, said picks indicator being at least one and less than or equal to the number of second selections in the second selection group.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of the first selections in the first selection group yield different award indicators.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the first selections in the first selection group yield picks indicators.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the second selections in the second selection group yield award indicators.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein all of the second selections in the second selection group yield award indicators.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first selection group and the second selection group are displayed in a single display of a display device.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first selection group and the second selection group are displayed by separate displays of a display device.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of second selections is different than the number of first selections.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes means for enabling the player to accept or reject at least one award indicator yielded by one of the second selections.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the award indicators represent gaming device credits.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the award indicators represent multipliers.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one additional selection group.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein one of the selections of the additional selection group yields an additional picks indicator, said additional picks indicator being at least one and less than the number of second selections in the second selection group.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the sum of the picks indicator and the additional picks indicator is less than or equal to the number of second selections.

15. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the first and additional selection groups each include at least one selection yielding an advance indicator, wherein the advance indicator advances the game to another one of the selection groups.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the advance indicators of the first and additional selection groups further includes an award indicator.

17. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the first and additional selection groups each include at least one selection yielding one of the advance indicators and at least one of the picks indicators.

18. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein play of the game is repeated upon an occurrence of a predetermined event in the game.

19. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the predetermined event is an accumulated award for the player having a value below a predetermined value.

20. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein an award ultimately provided to the player includes awards accumulated from a plurality of plays of the game.

21. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein an award provided to the player includes awards associated with all of the award indicators yielded from player chosen first selections and player chosen second selections.

22. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is controlled though a data network.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the data network is an internet.

24. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is a bonus game of a slot machine.

25. A gaming device having a game comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein at least one selection yields a picks indicator; and

a second selection group including a plurality of second selections which each yield an award indicator, wherein the picks indicators determine a number of second selections a player may choose in the second selection group, wherein each picks indicator is at least one and less than or equal to the number of second selections in the second selection group.

26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first selection groups yields an advance indicator which advances the game from the first selection group to the second selection group.

27. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first selections which yields the picks indicator also yields an award indicator.

28. The gaming device of claim 25, which includes at least one additional selection group including a plurality of selections, wherein at least one of said selections yields an advance indicator that advances the game to another selection group.

29. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein the additional selection group includes at least one selection that yields one of the award indicators.

30. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein the additional selection group includes at least one selection that yields one of the picks indicators.

31. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

32. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein the data network is an internet.

33. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the game is a bonus game of a slot machine.

34. A gaming device comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein at least one first selection yields a picks indicator;

a second selection group including a plurality of second selections, wherein a plurality of second selections each yield an award indicator, said picks indicator determining a number of second selections a player may choose in the second selection group; and

means for enabling the player to accept or reject at least one of the award indicators yielded by chosen second selections.

35. The gaming device of claim 34, wherein the accept or reject means includes at least one simulated or electromechanical pushbutton.

36. The gaming device of claim 34, wherein the accept or reject means is provided to the player upon the occurrence of a triggering event.

37. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the triggering event randomly occurs.

38. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the game is a bonus game of a slot machine, and wherein the triggering event occurs during base game operation of the slot machine.

39. The gaming device of claim 34, wherein the accept or reject means, when activated, enables the player to choose another selection from the second selection group.

40. The gaming device of claim 34, wherein the accept or reject means, when activated, displays and provides a different award indicator to the player.

41. The gaming device of claim 34, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the data network is an internet.

43. A gaming device including a game comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein at least one first selection yields a picks indicator;

a second selection group including a plurality of second selections, wherein a plurality of second selections each yield an award indicator, the picks indicator from the first selection group determining a number of the second selections a player may choose in the second selection group; and

a predetermined event in the game, wherein upon occurrence of the predetermined event, the game is repeated.

44. The gaming device of claim 43, wherein the predetermined event is an accumulated award for the player having a value below a predetermined value.

45. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein an award ultimately provided to the player includes awards accumulated from a plurality of plays of the games.

46. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein an award provided to the player includes awards associated with all of the award indicators yielded from player chosen first selections and player chosen second selections.

47. The gaming device of claim 43, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

48. he gaming device of claim 47, wherein the data network is an internet.

49. A gaming device having a game comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein at least one of the first selections yields an advance indicator, the advance indicator terminating further picks of first selections from the first selection group and providing an award to a player; and

a second selection group having a plurality of second selections, wherein at least one second selection of the second group yields an award indicator.

50. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein one of the first selections yields a picks indicator that determines a number of second selections the player may choose in the second selection group.

51. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein the advance indicator is a first type of advance indicator and wherein the first group includes at least one first selection that yields a second type of advance indicator that terminates further picks of first selections from the first selection group without yielding an award indicator.

52. The gaming device of claim 49, which includes an additional selection group having at least one selection yielding a picks indicator that determines a number of second selections the player may choose in the second selection group.

53. The gaming device of claim 52, wherein the advance indicator advances the game from the first selection group to the additional selection group.

54. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein the advance indicator advances the game from the first selection group to the second selection group.

55. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

56. The gaming device of claim 55, wherein the data network is an internet.

57. A gaming device having a game comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein each of the first selections yields a picks indicator and a player may choose at least one of the first selections; and

a second selection group having a plurality of second selections, wherein each of the second selections yield an award indicator, said picks indicators determining a number of second selections the player may choose in the second selection group, and an award provided to the player based on the award indicator yielded by the second selections chosen by the player.

58. The gaming device of claim 57, wherein at least one of the first selections of the first selection group yields an advance indicator that terminates further picks of first selections from the first selection group.

59. The gaming device of claim 57, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

60. The gaming device of claim 59, wherein the data network is an internet.

61. A gaming device comprising:

a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, wherein at least one of the first selections yields a picks indicator; and

a second selection group including a plurality of selections at least one of which yields an award indicator, the picks indicator determining a number of second selections a player may choose in the second selection group and terminating further picks of first selections from the first selection group.

62. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the first selection group includes at least one first selection that yields an award indicator.

63. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

64. The gaming device of claim 63, wherein the data network is an internet.

65. A gaming device comprising:

a first selection group including a plurality of first selections at least one of which yields an advance indicator that terminates further picks of first selections from the first selection group;

a second selection group including a plurality of second selections at least one of which yields a picks indicator; and

a third selection group including a plurality of third selections at least one of which yields an award indicator, wherein said picks indicator determines a number of third selections a player may choose in the third selection group.

66. The gaming device of claim 65, wherein at least one of the first and second selection groups includes one or more selections that yield an award indicator.

67. The gaming device of claim 65, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

68. The gaming device of claim 67, wherein the data network is an internet.

69. A gaming device having a game comprising:

a first selection group including a plurality of selections at least one of which yields a picks indicator; and

a second selection group including a number of second selections, the number being at least equal to the number of second selections determined by the picks indicator, the game ending when the number of second selections in the second selection group determined by the picks indicator have been made.

70. The gaming device of claim 69, wherein the game is a bonus game of a slot machine.

71. The gaming device of claim 69, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

72. The gaming device of claim 71, wherein the data network is an internet.

73. A gaming device including a game comprising:

a plurality of first selection groups each including a plurality of first selections, at least one of which in each of the first selection groups yields an advance indicator; and

a second selection group including a plurality of second selections at least one of which yields an award indicator, wherein the advance indicators guarantee a player an opportunity to choose at least one second selection in the second selection group.

74. The gaming device of claim 73, wherein at least one of the fist selections in each of the first selection groups yields a picks indicator that determines a number of second selections that the player can choose in the second selection group.

75. The gaming device of claim 73, wherein the game is accessible through a data network.

76. The gaming device of claim 75, wherein the data network is an internet.