Gaming device having a graduating award exchange sequence with a tease consolation sequence and an initial qualifying sequence

• US 6,811,483 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Kaminkow, Joseph E., Webb, Bayard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/680,601
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/30, 463/31, 463/36, 463/43, 463/46, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/269, 283/903
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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

The present invention includes a method for operation a gaming device and preferably a bonus round of said device, whereby the game provides the player an initial sequence which results in a successful or unsuccessful outcome. If the player obtains a successful outcome, the player may use an award provided by obtaining said successful outcome. In a subsequent sequence wherein the player can selectively keep an award or attempt to sequentially exchange or trade up to a point or award total that enables the player to obtain a final and desirable ultimate award. The player preferably knows the existence of the ultimate award, and the present invention preferably discloses or reveals the value of the player'"'"'s currently held or currently obtained award. The game can also reveal the value of the intermediate award steps as the player decides to go for the ultimate award or settle for the currently held award. The game preferably provides a consolation award to a player upon an unsuccessful exchange. The game also preferably provides one or more tease sequences, wherein the game sequentially prompts a player who has decided to risk a current award by upgrading the current award and asking the player to rethink the player'"'"'s decision.

Claims

1. A method for operating a player tease sequence in a gaming device under the control of a processor, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) after accepting an input designating a player'"'"'s decision to risk a known currently held award to try for a higher value award exchange, increasing, said currently held award by at least one increment, wherein said increment is randomly determined from at least one predetermined range which is based on said higher value;

(b) without revealing a determination of said player'"'"'s success, enabling said player to input into the processor a decision to keep said increased award or to input into said processor a decision to risk losing said increased award to try for said higher value award exchange; and

(c) ending said tease sequence if said player inputs said decision to keep said increased award.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes the step of repeating steps (a) through (c) at least one time, each time increasing said increased award.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes the step of repeating steps (a) through (c) a randomly determined number of times, each time increasing said increased award.

4. The method of claim 1, which includes the step of exchanging said currently held award with said higher value award if said input to try for said higher value award exchange after step (b) is successful.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes the step of exchanging said currently held award with a lower value award if the determination of said input designating said player'"'"'s decision before step (a) is unsuccessful, and said player inputs decision said to try for said higher value award exchange in step (b).

6. The method of claim 5, which includes the step of revealing said higher value award and said lower value award.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes the step of revealing said higher value award and a lower value award if said player inputs said decision to keep said increased award.

8. A method for operating an award exchange sequence in a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to input into a processor a decision to keep a currently held award or to input Into the processor a decision to risk losing the currently held award to try for one of a plurality of other awards which include a higher value award than the currently held award, and wherein the inputted decision can produce a successful outcome or an unsuccessful outcome for the player in the sequence;

(b) lending said sequence if the player inputs the decision to keep the currently held award;

(c) if and after the player inputs the decision to try for one of the other awards, randomly determining whether the successful outcome or the unsuccessful outcome occurs by randomly determining if the player'"'"'s inputted decision yields the higher value award; and

(d) if and after the player inputs the decision to try for one of the other awards, performing a player tease sequence wherein the currently held award is increased to a value less than the average value of the other awards but greater than the currently held value if the unsuccessful outcome occurs.

9. A method for operating a gaming device under the control of a processor, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to input a decision into the processor to keep a currently held award or to input a decision to risk losing the currently held award to try for a higher value award, and wherein the inputted decision to try for the higher value award can produce a successful outcome or an unsuccessful outcome for the player;

(b) providing the currently held award to the player if the player inputs the decision to keep the currently held award; and

(c) if and after the player inputs the decision to try for the higher value award, randomly determining whether the successful outcome or the unsuccessful outcome occurs, providing the higher value award to the player if the successful outcome occurs, and if said unsuccessful outcome occurs;

(i) randomly determining whether to increase the currently held award based on a probability,

(ii) providing an award less than the currently held award to the player if said determination is not to increase the currently held award, and

(iii) if said determination is to increase the currently held award, increasing the currently held award and enabling the player to input a decision to keep the increased currently held award or to input a decision to risk losing the currently held award to try for the higher value award, providing the increased currently held award to the player if the player inputs the decision to keep the increased currently held award, and if and after the player inputs the decision to try for the higher value award instead of the increased currently held award, randomly determining whether to provide the higher value award to the player, and providing the higher value award or an award less than the increased currently held award to the player based on such determination.

10. A gaming device comprising:

a currently held award;

a plurality of other awards, wherein said plurality of other awards includes a higher value award than the currently held award;

a display device; and

a processor operable with said display device to;

(a) enable a player to input a decision to keep the currently held award or to risk losing the currently held award to try for one of said plurality of other awards, wherein the inputted decision can produce a successful outcome or an unsuccessful outcome for the player,

(b) perform a terminating event if the player inputs the decision to keep the currently held award; and

(c) if and after the player inputs the decision to try for one of the other awards;

(i) randomly determine whether the successful outcome or the unsuccessful outcome occurs by randomly determining if the players inputted decision yields the higher value award, and

(ii) perform a player tease sequence wherein the currently held award is increased to a value less than the average value of the other awards but greater than the currently held value if the unsuccessful outcome occurs.

11. A gaming device comprising:

a display device; and

a processor operable with said display device, wherein after accepting an input designating a player'"'"'s decision to risk a currently held award to try for a higher value award, said processor is operable to;

(a) increase said currently held award by at least one increment to form an increased award, wherein said increment is randomly determined from at least one predetermined range which is based on said higher value award;

(b) display said increased award to the player;

(c) without revealing a determination of the player'"'"'s success at obtaining said higher value award, enable the player to input a decision to keep said increased award or to risk losing said increased award to try for said higher value award; and

(d) perform a terminating event if the player inputs the decision to keep the increased award.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor is operable to repeat steps (a) through (d) at least one time, each time increasing the increased award.

13. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor is operable to repeat steps (a) through (d) a randomly determined number of times, each time increasing the increased award.

14. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor is operable to enable the player to exchange the currently held award with the higher value award if the player'"'"'s decision to risk losing said increased award to try for said higher value award is successful.

15. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor is operable to enable the player to exchange the currently held award with a lower value award if the player'"'"'s designation to risk the currently held award to try for said higher value award is unsuccessful and the player inputs a decision to risk losing said increased award to try for said higher value award.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein said processor is operable to reveal said higher value award and said lower value award.

17. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor is operable to reval said higher value award and a lower value award if the player inputs the decision to keep said increased award.

18. A gaming device comprising:

a display device; and

a processor operable with said display device to;

(a) display a currently held award to a player;

(b) enable the player to input a decision to keep the currently held award or to risk losing the currently held award to try for a higher value award, wherein the inputted decision to try for the higher value award can produce a successful outcome or an unsuccessful outcome for the player;

(c) provide the currently held award to the player if the player inputs the decision to keep the currently held award;

(d) if and after the player inputs the decision to try for the higher value award, randomly determine whether the successful outcome or the unsuccessful outcome occurs,

(e) display and provide the higher value award to the player if the successful outcome occurs, and

(f) if said unsuccessful outcome occurs;

(i) randomly determine whether to increase the currently held award based on a probability,

(ii) display and provide an award less than the currently held award to the player if said determination is not to increase the currently held award, and

(iii) if said determination is to increase the currently held award, increase the currently held award and enable the player to input a decision to keep the increased currently held award or to input a decision to risk losing the currently held award to try for the higher value award, display and provide the increased currently held award to the player if the player inputs the decision to keep the increased currently held award, and if and after the player inputs the decision to try for the higher value award instead of the increased currently held award, randomly determine whether to provide the higher value award to the player, and display and provide the higher value award or an award less than the increased currently held award to the player based on such determination.