Gaming device and method

• US 6,805,629 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Casino Data Systems, Inc. (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Weiss, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/661,163
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 463/10, 463/16-22, 463/24-27, 463/30-32, 463/37, 463/42, 463/43, 273/138.1, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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

A method and device for gaming, in which an initial game is played toward an ultimate winning outcome, but with several intermediate winning outcomes possible before achieving the ultimate winning outcome. Several of these games may be played concurrently on the same device in pursuit of the ultimate winning outcome. Achieving the ultimate winning outcome may result in an award or in a subsequent gaming event. Play of a single gaming session need not take place in one sitting; the state of the current session may be saved, dispensed to the player in a physical form, and resumed at a later time.

Claims

1. A method for gaming, the steps including:

enabling a gaming device upon receipt of a wager,

evoking chance means to produce a plurality of indicia to be used in a plurality of concurrent games said indicia combining to produce an outcome for each said concurrent game, at least one of said plurality of concurrent games having an ultimate winning outcome and a plurality of intermediate winning outcomes,

displaying said indicia in said plurality of concurrent games,

comparing each said outcome for each said concurrent games to said ultimate winning outcome,

triggering an event subsequent to said plurality of concurrent games if any of said outcomes matches said ultimate winning outcome,

determining whether, if none of said outcomes matches said ultimate winning outcome, any of said outcomes matches any of said plurality of intermediate winning outcomes in any of said plurality of concurrent games,

awarding credits if any of said outcomes matches any of said plurality of intermediate winning outcomes,

continuing to evoke chance means to produce subsequent pluralities of indicia until said ultimate winning outcome is produced or until said subsequent outcomes are no longer possible, and

saving a current set of said outcomes and said subsequent outcomes on an encoded moveable media, said encoded moveable media dispensed to the player for later use.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of producing randomly-generated numbers corresponding to a randomly-numbered playfield oriented in a row-and-column (RXC) matrix, and wherein said ultimate winning outcome consists of matching all of said randomly-generated numbers to said randomly-numbered playfield.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of awarding a player for matching a subset of the numbers in said randomly-numbered playfield to said randomly-generated numbers if said ultimate winning outcome is not attained.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of configuring said subsequent event to include the steps of:

awarding credits, and

engaging in a subsequent gaming event.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the step of configuring said subsequent gaming event to include the steps of:

allowing a player to select a subset of outcomes from a set of possible outcomes,

generating outcomes,

comparing said selected subset of outcomes with said generated outcomes, and

awarding credits according to a paytable for matches between said selected subset of outcomes and said generated outcomes.

6. The method of claim 4 further including the step of configuring said subsequent gaming event to include the step of simulating a racing event.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein only a single player is involved.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein a plurality of players may participate in concurrent gaming sessions in competition with each other.

9. The method of claim 2 further including the step of configuring said subsequent event to include the steps of:

awarding credits, and

engaging in a subsequent gaming event.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of configuring said subsequent gaming event to include the steps of:

allowing a player to select a subset of outcomes from a set of possible outcomes,

generating outcomes,

comparing said selected subset of outcomes with said generated outcomes, and

awarding credits according to a paytable for matches between said selected subset of outcomes and said generated outcomes.

11. The method of claim 9 further including the step of configuring said subsequent gaming event to include the step of simulating a racing event.

12. The method of claim 2 further including the step of forming said R×

C matrix as a three dimensional array.

13. The method of claim 1 further including the step of configuring said subsequent event to include the step of awarding credits.

14. The method of claim 1 further including the step of configuring said subsequent event to include the step of awarding a plurality of complimentary items other than credits.

15. The method of claim 1 further including the step of configuring said subsequent event to include the step of engaging in a subsequent gaming event.

16. The method of claim 1 further including the step of configuring said subsequent event to include the steps of:

awarding credits, and

engaging in a subsequent gaming event.

17. The method of claim 16 including the step of configuring said subsequent gaming event to include the step of simulating a racing event.

18. The method of claim 16 further including the step of configuring said subsequent gaming event as Keno.

19. A gaming device, comprising, in combination:

a display,

a processor operatively coupled to said display, said processor including and activating random output means, said random output means generating indicia, said indicia combining to produce a plurality of outcomes, appearing on said display, applicable to a plurality of concurrent games,

means for comparing each of said plurality of outcomes to a set of winning outcomes for each of said plurality of concurrent games, said set of winning outcomes including, for at least one of said plurality of concurrent games, an ultimate winning outcome and a plurality of intermediate winning outcomes,

award means evoked if any of said plurality of outcomes matches one of said winning outcomes on any of said plurality of concurrent games, including means to trigger a subsequent gaming event if any of said plurality of outcomes matches said ultimate winning outcome,

continuance means for generating subsequent pluralities of outcomes, and

saving means to store the state of play on an encoded moveable media, including means to dispense said encoded moveable media for use at a later time.

20. A method for gaming, the steps inducing:

enabling a gaming device upon receipt of a wager;

evoking chance means to produce indicia, said indicia combining to produce a plurality of outcomes to be used in a plurality of concurrent games, at least one of said plurality of concurrent games having an ultimate winning outcome and a plurality of intermediate winning outcomes,

displaying said plurality of outcomes in said plurality of concurrent games,

comparing each of said plurality of outcomes for each of said plurality of concurrent games to said ultimate winning outcome,

triggering an event subsequent to said plurality of concurrent games if any of said plurality of outcomes matches said ultimate winning outcome, wherein said subsequent event comprises;

awarding credits, and

engaging in a subsequent gaming event, wherein said subsequent gaming event comprises;

allowing a player to independently select a subset of outcomes from a set of possible outcomes,

generating outcomes,

comparing said selected subset of outcomes with said generated outcomes, and

awarding credits according to a paytable for matches between said selected subset of outcomes and said generated outcomes;

determining whether, if none of said plurality of outcomes matches said ultimate winning outcome, any of said plurality of outcomes matches any of said plurality of intermediate winning outcomes;

awarding credits if any of said plurality of outcomes matches any of said plurality of intermediate winning outcomes;

continuing to evoke the chance means to produce subsequent pluralities of outcomes until said ultimate winning outcome is produced or until said subsequent outcomes are no longer possible; and

saving a current set of said outcomes and said subsequent outcomes on encoded moveable media, said encoded moveable media dispensed to the player for later use.