Gaming device with bonus scheme providing increased reward for selecting related symbols

• US 6,878,061 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Blomquist, Cari L., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Peterson, Lance R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US10/690,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 463 9- 13, 463 16- 20, 463 25- 27, 463/30, 463/31, 463/35, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/236, 273/237, 273/273, 273/292, 283/903
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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 17/3262 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 bonus scheme for a gaming device which presents a plurality of selections to a player. When a player chooses a selection, the game exhibits a non-terminating symbol or a terminating symbol. Certain non-terminating symbols are related to other non-terminating symbols. The game awards the player with a basic value when the player chooses selections which are associated with non-terminating symbols. In addition, the game awards the player with a match value when the player chooses a selection and the game exhibits a symbol which is related to another exhibited symbol. The bonus round terminates when the player ultimately chooses a selection associated with a terminating symbol. Accordingly, the player is faced with an array of selections with the aim of locating as many related non-terminating symbols as possible, before reaching a terminating symbol. The game may also award a basic value to the player when the player chooses a selection associated with a terminating symbol.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of selections;

a plurality of symbols, wherein each of said symbols is associated with one of the selections and the plurality of symbols includes at least one pair of related symbols and at least one termination symbol;

at least one set of match values, wherein at least two match values in said set are different;

at least one termination scheme associated with the termination symbol which includes a predetermined number of picks of the selections;

at least one display device adapted to display the selections and the symbols to a player; and

a processor operable with the display device to enable the player to pick at least one of the selections, cause the symbol associated the player picked selection to be displayed by the display device, and upon the pair of related symbols being displayed by the display device randomly select at least one of the match values from the set of match values and award said randomly selected match value to the player and initiate the termination scheme associated with the termination symbol when the termination symbol is displayed by the display device.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of pairs of related symbols.

3. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of selections in a game;

a plurality of symbols in the game, wherein each of the symbols is associated with one of the selections, wherein said plurality of symbols includes at least one pair of related symbols and at least one termination symbol;

at least one set of match values in the game, wherein at least two match values in said set are different;

at least one termination scheme associated with said termination symbol in the game, wherein the game terminates upon a next pair of related symbols being displayed by the display device;

at least one display device adapted to display the selections and the symbols to a player; and

a processor operable with the display device to enable the player to pick at least one of the selections;

cause the display device to display the symbol associated with the player picked selection, upon the pair of related symbols being displayed by the display device, select at least one of the match values from the set of match values and award said selected match value to the player; and

initiate the termination scheme associated with the termination symbol when the termination symbol is displayed by the display device.

4. The gaming device of claim 3, which includes at least one basic value associated with each of the symbols, wherein said basic value is awarded to the player when the symbol associated with the basic value is displayed by the display device.

5. The gaming device of claim 3, which includes a plurality of said termination symbols, each termination symbol associated with at least one termination scheme.

6. The gaming device of claim 3, which includes a plurality of pairs of related symbols.

7. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of selections;

a plurality of symbols, wherein each of said symbols is associated with one of the selections, at least one pair of the symbols is related and at least one symbol is unrelated to any other of said symbols;

at least one match value associated with the pair of related symbols;

at least one termination scheme associated with the unrelated symbol, which includes a predetermined number of picks of the selections;

at least one display device adapted to display the selections and the symbols to a player; and

a processor operable with the display device to enable the player to pick a plurality of the selections, cause the display device to display the symbol associated with the player picked selection, award at least one match value associated with the pair of related symbols to the player when said pair is displayed by the display device, and initiate the termination scheme associated with the unrelated symbol when the unrelated symbol is displayed by the display device.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, which includes at least one basic value associated with each of the symbols, wherein said basic value is awarded to the player when the symbol associated with the basic value is displayed by the display device.

9. The gaming device of claim 7, which includes a plurality of pairs of related symbols.

10. A gaming device comprising:

a game;

a plurality of selections in said game;

a plurality of symbols, wherein each of said symbols is associated with one of the selections in said game, at least one pair of symbols is related and at least one symbol is unrelated to any other of said symbols;

at least one match value in said game, said match value associated with the pair of related symbols;

at least one display device adapted to display the selections and the symbols in the game to a player;

at least one termination scheme associated with the unrelated symbol, wherein the game terminates upon a next pair of related symbols being displayed by the display device; and

a processor operable with the display device to enable the player to pick at least one of the selections, cause the display device to display the symbol associated with the player picked selection, award the match value associated with the pair of related symbols to the player when said pair is displayed by the display device, and initiate the termination scheme associated with the unrelated symbol when the unrelated symbol is displayed by the display device.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, which includes at least one basic value associated with each of the symbols, wherein said basic value is awarded to the player when the symbol associated with the basic value is displayed by the display device.

12. The gaming device of claim 10, which includes a plurality of pairs of related symbols.

13. A method for playing a game of a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a plurality of selections for a player to select, wherein each selection is associated with one of a plurality of symbols and at least one pair of the symbols is related and at least one of the symbols is a termination symbol;

(b) enabling the player to pick at least one of the selections and displaying the symbol associated with the selection;

(c) if the pair of related symbols is displayed, randomly selecting a match value from at least one set of match values associated with the pair of related symbols, said set of match values includes at least two match values which are different;

(d) awarding the player the match value randomly selected from the predetermined set of match values; and

(e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until a termination symbol is displayed;

(f) if one of the termination symbols is displayed, initiating a termination scheme associated with said termination symbol and which includes enabling the player to pick a predetermined number of picks of the selections.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes the step of operating the gaming device through a data network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data network is an internet.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein computer instructions for implementing steps (a) to (f) are stored in a memory device.

17. A method for playing a game of a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a plurality of selections for a player to select in the game, wherein each selection is associated with one of a plurality of symbols and at least one pair of the symbols is related and at least one of the symbols is a termination symbol

(b) enabling the player to pick at least one of the selections and displaying the symbol associated with the selection;

(c) if the pair of related symbols is displayed, awarding the player at least one match value associated with the pair of related symbols;

(d) repeating steps (b) to (c) until the player picks a termination symbol; and

(e) terminating the game upon subsequent display of two related symbols after one of the termination symbols is displayed.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes awarding the player at least one basic value associated with the displayed symbol.

19. The method of claim 17, which includes the step of operating the gaming device through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein computer instructions for implementing steps (a) to (e) are stored in a memory device.

22. A method for playing a game of a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of selections for a player to select, wherein each selection is associated with one of a plurality of symbols and at least one pair of the symbols is related and at least one symbol is unrelated to any other of said symbols;

(b) enabling the player to pick a plurality of the selections and displaying the symbol associated with the selection;

(c) if the pair of related symbols is displayed, awarding the player at least one match value associated with the pair of related symbols;

(d) repeating steps (b) to (c) until one of the unrelated symbols is displayed by the display device;

(e) if one of the unrelated symbols is displayed, initiating a termination scheme associated with the unrelated symbol which includes enabling the player to pick a predetermined number of picks of the selections; and

(f) terminating the game when the predetermined number of picks by the player occurs.

23. A method for playing a game of a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of selections for a player to select, wherein each selection is associated with one of a plurality of symbols and at least one pair of the symbols is related and least one symbol is unrelated;

(b) enabling the player to pick at least one of the selections and displaying the symbol associated with the selection;

(c) if the pair of related symbols is displayed, awarding the player at least one match value associated with the pair of related symbols;

(d) repeating steps (b) to (c) until the player picks an unrelated symbol;

(e) when the player picks one of the unrelated symbols, terminating the game upon subsequent display of two related symbols.