Simulated poker for use with predetermined outcomes

• US 6,749,500 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sierra Design Group (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ditchev, Dimo Dinkov, Nelson, Loren Travis, Marsden, Russ Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/912,797
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12-13, 463/16-22, 463/25-28, 463/30-32, 463/37, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/292, 273/274
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• 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 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A system and method for presenting a player with simulated poker play is disclosed, where the result is actually based on a predetermined outcome. In order to create a realistic play scenario, the present invention never corrects or overrides a player'"'"'s choices during the play of a hand. Rather, a new solution which incorporates a specially indicated, separately drawn card is used. If a player makes choices while playing a hand that precludes the game machine from creating a final hand having a value equivalent to the predetermined amount of a win, a separate card from those in the hand is used to create a bonus award that makes up any difference. In addition, the way in which the separate card is implemented includes the issuance of seemingly random bonus awards, allowing both good and poor poker players to receive such bonuses. This further increases the realism of the play.

Claims

1. A method for simulating poker play on a game device, where the type of poker to be simulated is known at the start of a play sequence and where said type of poker has a defined set of player interactions, and where a predetermined winning amount having a 0 or greater value is associated with the play sequence and is known at the start of the play sequence, and where the game device provides a match card associable with an in-hand card, the method comprising:

(a) showing an initial set of cards comprising an initial hand in accordance with said type of poker game and in accordance with said predetermined winning amount;

(b) allowing player interaction with said game device where said player interactions are in accordance with said type of poker and its defined player interactions;

(c) having said game device not unilaterally change any of said allowed player interactions;

(d) determining a final set of cards in accordance with said initial set of cards and said player interactions, and further having a value less than or equal to said predetermined winning amount, said value being a final hand amount;

(e) calculating a difference between said predetermined winning amount and said final hand amount, said difference being a bonus amount;

(f) making said determined final set of cards visible to a player; and

,

(g) associating said match card with said in-hand card, where said match card and said in-hand card are shown in an associated manner, and further shown as one of;

matched cards having a value comprising said bonus amount if said bonus amount is not 0;

or, unmatched cards having no value if said bonus amount is 0.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating said match card with said in-hand card, where said match card and said in-hand card are not matched cards, shown in an associated manner, and where a bonus is one of:

not shown;

or, shown as having no value, if said bonus amount is 0.

3. The method of claim 1 where said poker type is five card draw, and said defined player interactions comprise holding one of:

any, some, or none of said initial set of cards.

4. The method of claim 1 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having said match card move on a screen in a manner visible to said player and stop in a manner that visually associates said match card and said in-hand card.

5. The method of claim 4 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said match card is moving and before said match card stops moving, and where said moving match card further stops moving as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner visually associated said match card with said in-hand card consistent with said bonus winning amount.

6. The method of claim 1 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having a moveable element on a screen visible to said player having a first end and a second end connected by a visible connector portion, where said first end is in visual association with said match card and said second end and said connector portion move on said screen and then stop moving such that said second end is in visible association with said in-hand card.

7. The method of claim 6 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said second end is moving and before said second end stops moving, and where said second end further stops moving as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner visually associated said second end with said in-hand card consistent with said bonus winning amount.

8. The method of claim 1 where associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises creating a same visual change to both said match card and said in-hand card where said visual change comprising one of:

a color-based change;

an intensity-based change;

a hue-based change;

or, a combination of color, hue and intensity change.

9. The method of claim 8 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said visual change is shown with said match card and while a similar visual change is being applied to said in-hand cards, one at a time and moving from one in-hand card to another, before said visual changes stop, and where said visual changes stop as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner where said visually changed in-hand card and said same visually changed match card are consistent with said bonus winning amount.

10. The method of claim 1 where associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises positioning, in a fixed manner, said match card in a position that is one of:

visually above;

or, visually near, said in-hand card.

11. The method of claim 10 where said associated said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having a static visual connector between said cards, where the visual connector is one of:

an arrow;

or, a line.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising choosing, before said simulated poker game play starts, one of a plurality of choices, said choices comprising different poker games.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising choosing, before said simulated poker game play starts, a number of simultaneous poker hands to play.

14. A method for simulating poker play on a game device, where a type of poker to be simulated is known at the start of a play sequence and where said type of poker has a defined set of player interactions, and where a predetermined winning amount having a 0 or greater value is associated with the play sequence and is known at the start of the play sequence, and where the game device provides a match card associable with an in-hand card, the method comprising:

(a) using at least a portion of said predetermined winning amount for an initial bonus winning amount;

(b) calculating a target winning amount based on a difference between said predetermined winning amount and said initial bonus winning amount;

(c) showing an initial set of cards comprising an initial hand in accordance with said type of poker game and in accordance with said target winning amount;

(d) allowing player interaction with said game device where said player interactions are in accordance with said type of poker and its defined player interactions;

(e) having said game device not unilaterally change any of said allowed player interactions;

(f) determining a final set of cards in accordance with said initial set of cards and said player interactions, and further having a value less than or equal to said target winning amount, said value being a final hand amount;

(g) calculating a difference between said target winning amount and said final hand amount;

(h) making said determined final hand visible to a player; and

,

(i) associating said match card with said in-hand card, where said match card and said in-hand card are matched cards having a value comprising said difference between said target winning amount and said final hand amount and adding to said difference said initial bonus award amount.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising associating said match card with said in-hand card, where said match card and said in-hand card are not matched cards and are shown in an associated manner, where a total bonus winning amount comprising said difference between said target winning amount and said final hand winning amount and further comprising adding to said difference said initial award bonus amount, if said total bonus winning amount is 0.

16. The method of claim 14 where said poker type is five card draw, and said defined player interactions comprise holding one of:

any, some, or none of said initial set of cards.

17. The method of claim 14 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having said match card move on a screen in a manner visible to said player and stop in a manner that visually associates said match card and said in-hand card.

18. The method of claim 17 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said match card is moving and before said match card stops moving, and where said moving match card further stops moving as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner that visually associates said match card with said in-hand card consistent with said bonus winning amount.

19. The method of claim 14 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having a moveable element on a screen visible to said player having a first end and a second end connected by a visible connector portion, where said first end is in visual association with said match card and said second end and said connector portion move on said screen and then stop moving such that said second end is in visible association with said in-hand card.

20. The method of claim 19 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said second end is moving and before said second end stops moving, and where said second end further stops moving as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner visually associated said second end with said in-hand card consistent with said bonus winning amount.

21. The method of claim 14 where associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises creating a same visual change both said match card and said in-hand card where said visual change comprising one of:

a color-based change;

an intensity-based change;

a hue-based change;

or, a combination of color, hue and intensity change.

22. The method of claim 21 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said visual change is shown with said match card and while a similar visual change is being applied to said in-hand cards, one at a time and moving from one in-hand card to another, before said visual changes stop, and further where said visual changes stop as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner where said visually changed in-hand card and said same visually changed match card are consistent with said bonus winning amount.

23. The method of claim 14 where associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises positioning, in a fixed manner, said match card in a position that is one of:

visually above;

or, visually near, said in-hand card.

24. The method of claim 23 where said associated said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having a static visual connector between said cards, where the visual connector is one of:

an arrow;

or, a line.

25. The method of claim 14 further comprising choosing, before said simulated poker game play starts, one of a plurality of choices, said choices comprising different poker games.

26. The method of claim 14 further comprising choosing, before said simulated poker game play starts, a number of simultaneous poker hands to play.

27. A game device having at least one poker style game operably disposed therein and having a connection configured to be operable with at least one source useable to establish a winning amount having a 0 or greater value, comprising:

a display visible to a player;

at least one match card image capable of being visible to said player within said display and under operable control of said poker style game;

at least one set of in-hand card images capable of being visible to said player within said display and under operable control of said poker style game;

where said poker style game is further configured to associate said winning amount with one of said match card images and one of said set of in-hand cards images before said player is enabled to start a play sequence, and is configured to enable said player to complete a play sequence such that at the end of said play sequence said match card image and said set of in-hand card images, taken together, display a value equal to said winning amount.

28. A game device for simulating poker play, where a type of poker to be simulated is known at the start of a play sequence and where said type of poker has a defined set of player interactions, and where a predetermined winning amount having a 0 or greater value is associated with the play sequence and is known at the start of the play sequence, and where the game device provides a match card associable with an in-hand card, the game device comprising:

means for showing an initial set of cards comprising an initial hand in accordance with said type of poker game and in accordance with said predetermined winning amount;

means for allowing player interaction with said game device where said player interactions are in accordance with said type of poker and its defined player interactions;

means for determining a final set of cards in accordance with said initial set of cards and said player interactions and further having a value less than or equal to said predetermined winning amount, said value being a final hand amount;

means for calculating a difference between said predetermined winning amount and said final hand amount, said difference being a bonus amount;

means for making said determined final hand visible to a player; and

,

means for associating said match card with said in-hand card, where said match card and said in-hand card are shown as matched cards in an associated manner, and where a bonus is shown having a value comprising said bonus amount, if said bonus amount is not 0.

29. The game device of claim 28 further comprising means for associating said match card with said in-hand card, where said match card and said in-hand card are not matched cards, shown in an associated manner, and where said bonus is one of:

not shown;

or, shown as having no value, if said bonus amount is 0.

30. The game device of claim 28 where said poker type is five card draw, and said defined player interactions comprise holding one of:

any, some, or none of said initial set of cards.

31. The game device of claim 28 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises means for having said match card move on a screen in a manner visible to said player and stop in a manner that visually associates said match card and said in-hand card.

32. The method of claim 31 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises a means for allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said match card is moving and before said match card stops moving, and where said moving match card further stops moving as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner visually associating said match card with said in-hand card consistent with said bonus winning amount.

33. The game device of claim 28 where said associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises means for showing a moveable element on a screen visible to said player having a first end and a second end connected by a visible connector portion, where said first end is in visual association with said match card and said second end and said connector portion move on said screen and then stop moving such that said second end is in visible association with said in-hand card.

34. The game device of claim 33 where said means for associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises having means for allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said second end is moving and before said second end stops moving, and where said second end further stops moving as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner visually associating said second end with said in-hand card consistent with said bonus winning amount.

35. The game device of claim 28 where means for associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises means for creating a same visual change to both said match card and said in-hand card where said visual change comprising one of:

a color-based change;

an intensity-based change;

a hue-based change;

or, a combination of color, hue and intensity change.

36. The game device of claim 35 where said means for associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises means for allowing said player to interactively enter a stop request after said visual change is shown with said match card and while a similar visual change is being applied to said in-hand cards, one at a time and moving from one in-hand card to another, before said visual changes stop, and where said visual changes stop as quickly as possible after said game device receives said stop request and in a manner where said visually changed in-hand card and said same visually changed match card are consistent with said bonus winning amount.

37. The game device of claim 28 where said means for associating said match card with said in-hand card further comprises means for positioning, in a fixed manner, said match card in a position that is one of:

visually above;

or, visually near, said in-hand card.

38. The game device of claim 37 where said means for associated said match card with said in-hand card further comprises means for having a static visual connector between said cards, where the visual connector is one of:

an arrow;

or, a line.