Method and apparatus for player selection of an electronic game payout

• US 6,712,693 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hettinger, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US09/650,866
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 463/13, 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/26, 273/143.R, 273/139, 273/138.1
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing the player of an electronically-controlled gaming device with greater control of selected parameters of the game. The value or frequency of occurrence of selected game elements or combinations of elements may be ranked or re-ranked from preset orders and/or values by a player of the gaming device to accommodate individual preferences as to winning elements or combinations of elements. The association and size of award payouts with certain elements or combinations may be varied. The microprocessor or other programmed controller for the gaming device automatically adjusts other parameters of the game in response to player input or adjustment of selected parameters to maintain a selected house advantage for the gaming device.

Claims

1. A gaming apparatus comprising:

a display;

a credit acceptor;

a player-modification input device; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display, the credit acceptor, the player-modification input device, and a memory,

the processor programmed to receive a wager via the credit acceptor,

the processor programmed to provide a game wherein a set of game elements is selected from a plurality of game elements, the set being associated with a list of sets with each set within the list of sets having a default ranking,

the processor programmed to receive an input from the player-modification input device,

the processor programmed to modify the ranking of at least one set from the default ranking for the at least one set according to the input,

the processor programmed to modify a pay table associated with the game according to the modification of the ranking of the at least one set from the default ranking for the at least one set,

the processor programmed to generate a first game outcome,

the processor programmed to generate a first display according to the first game outcome,

the processor being programmed to determine a game payout associated with the first game outcome and the modified pay table, and

the processor being programmed to provide a bonus payout as a direct consequence of the modification of the ranking of the at least one set as opposed to another of the sets.

2. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bonus payout is a separate payout from the game payout.

3. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bonus payout is a multiplier, the processor being programmed to multiply the game payout by the multiplier.

4. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to randomly choose the modification of the ranking of the at least one set that results in a bonus payout.

5. The gaming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor is programmed to associate a bonus payout with a modification of a ranking of at least one of the sets from the default ranking to a specified non-default ranking;

the processor is programmed to receive an input from the player-modification input device;

the processor is programmed to modify the ranking of at least one set from the default ranking to the specified non-default ranking; and

the processor is programmed to provide a bonus payout because the ranking of the at least one set has been modified from its default ranking to the specified non-default ranking.

6. The gaming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the processor is programmed to associate a bonus payout with a modification of the rankings of first and second sets from their default rankings to specified first and second non-default rankings;

the processor is programmed to receive an input from the player-modification input device;

the processor is programmed to modify the rankings of first and second sets from their default rankings to the specified first and second non-default rankings; and

the processor is programmed to provide a bonus payout because the rankings of the first and second sets have been modified from their default rankings to the specified first and second non-default rankings.

7. A gaming method comprising:

receiving a wager;

providing a game wherein a set of game elements is selected from a plurality of game elements, the set being associated with a list of sets with each set within the list of sets having a default ranking;

receiving a player input;

modifing the ranking of at least one set from the default ranking for the at least one set according to the player input;

modifying a pay table associated with the game according to the modification of the ranking of the at least one set from the default ranking for the at least one set;

generating a first game outcome;

generating a first display according to the first game outcome;

determining a game payout associated with the first game outcome and the modified pay table; and

providing a bonus payout as a direct consequence of the modification of the ranking of the at least one set as opposed to another of the sets.

8. The gaming method according to claim 7, wherein the bonus payout is a separate payout from the game payout.

9. The gaming method according to claim 7, wherein the bonus payout is a multiplier, the processor being programmed to multiply the game payout by the multiplier.

10. The gaming method according to claim 7, comprising choosing randomly the modification of the ranking of the at least one set that results in a bonus payout.

11. The gaming method according to claim 7, comprising:

associating a bonus payout with a modification of a ranking of at least one of the sets from the default ranking to a specified non-default ranking;

receiving an input from the player-modification input device;

modifying the ranking of at least one set from the default ranking to the specified non-default ranking; and

providing a bonus payout because the ranking of the at least one set has been modified from its default ranking to the specified non-default ranking.

12. The gaming method according to claim 11, wherein:

associating a bonus payout with a modification of the rankings of first and second sets from their default rankings to specified first and second non-default rankings;

receiving an input from the player-modification input device;

modifying the rankings of first and second sets from their default rankings to the specified first and second non-default rankings; and

providing a bonus payout because the rankings of the first and second sets have been modified from their default rankings to the specified first and second non-default rankings.