Gaming device having perceived skill

• US 6,761,632 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bansemer, Mark W., Nolz, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US09/682,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/142 with pay-out or rewarding with a prize
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

The present invention includes a gaming device wherein a player'"'"'s skill at an action or event determines or appears to determine the player'"'"'s success or failure. In reality, a database of information stores a number of successful results, and the game selects an award for each successful result. The action or event involves skill in real life, which requires the player to estimate the time an action will require and/or requires the player to aim at an object or estimate the direction necessary to successfully produce a result. The game can employ software adapted to determine if a player'"'"'s aim or timing is successful. The game can alternatively randomly determine the player'"'"'s success. The game displays the player'"'"'s attempt or action on the screen depicting success or failure and awards gaming device credits or multipliers for successful results.

Claims

1. A gaming device having a bonus round comprising:

a display device;

a processor that communicates with the display device;

a player interface that communicates with the processor;

an event involving player skill displayed by the display device;

a randomly determined plurality of successful outcomes each provided to a player;

a plurality of attempts at the event involving player skill displayed by the display device, the attempts each initiated by the player activating the player interface, wherein the number of attempts are based on the attempts needed for the player to produce the determined plurality of successful outcomes; and

an award determined and provided to the player for producing each of the determined plurality of successful outcomes after each said successful outcome.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one criterion stored in a memory device accessible by the processor, wherein the processor determines whether an attempt produces a successful outcome based on said criterion.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes an attempt producing device displayed on the display device, which initiates the attempt on the display device when the player activates the player interface.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes an object displayed on the display device, which is effected by the attempt when a successful outcome occurs.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the successful outcomes is a wild symbol.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the wild symbol increases an average value of subsequently obtained awards.

7. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the wild symbol increases a probability of obtaining the successful outcome in a subsequent attempt.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of successful outcomes is determined by a plurality of symbols randomly appearing on base game reels controlled by processor.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the event involving player skill includes the player correctly timing the activation of the player interface.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the event involving player skill includes the player correctly aiming the player interface.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the event involving player skill includes multiple levels.

12. A gaming device having a bonus round comprising:

a display device;

a processor that communicates with the display device;

a player interface that communicates with the processor;

a randomly determined plurality of successful outcomes each provided to a player;

a plurality of attempts at producing the successful outcomes, the number of attempts based on the attempts needed for the player to produce the number of successful outcomes, the attempts including one of;

the player correctly timing an activation of the player interface and the player correctly aiming at the player interface;

at least one criterion stored in a memory device accessible by the processor, wherein the processor determines whether an attempt produces a successful outcome based on said criterion; and

an award determined and provided to the player for producing each of the determined plurality of successful outcomes after said successful outcome.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, which includes an attempt producing device displayed on the display device, which initiates the attempt on the display device when the player activates the player interface.

14. The gaming device of claim 12, which includes an object displayed on the display device, which is effected by the attempt when a successful outcome occurs.

15. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the successful outcome is a wild symbol.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the wild symbol increases an average value of subsequently obtained awards.

17. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of successful outcomes is determined by a plurality of symbols randomly appearing on base game reels controlled by the processor.

18. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of successful outcomes is randomly determined by the processor.

19. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of successful outcomes is determined by at least one card appearing in a base card game controlled by the processor.

20. A gaming device comprising:

a display device;

a processor that communicates with the display device;

a game displayed by the display device and controlled by the processor;

a determined plurality of separate awards in the game adapted to each be provided by the processor to a player; and

a skill event in the game which involves interaction by the player, wherein the player interaction in the skill event determines timing of the processor providing each of the separate awards to the player.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the game is a primary game.

22. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the game is a bonus game.