Electronic gaming device offering a game of knowledge for enhanced payouts

• US 6,884,167 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S., Sparico, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/023,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/16, 463/20, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides for receiving an indication of a wager, displaying a set of spinning reels, receiving a response to a game of knowledge while the reels are spinning, determining a score based on the response, and determining a winner of a tournament based on the score.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a wager;

displaying a set of spinning reels;

receiving a response to a game of knowledge while the reels are spinning;

determining a score based on the response; and

determining a winner of a tournament based on the score.

2. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the indication of the wager comprises:

receiving the indication of the wager at a slot machine.

3. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the response comprises:

receiving the response from a player.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

entering the player in the tournament.

5. The method of claim 4, in which entering the player comprises:

entering the player in the tournament based on the response.

6. The method of claim 4, in which entering the player comprises:

entering the player in the tournament based on the score.

7. The method of claim 4, in which entering the player comprises:

determining an outcome of a play by the player of a slot machine game; and

entering the player in the tournament based on the outcome.

8. The method of claim 4, in which entering the player comprises:

determining complimentaries points associated with the player; and

entering the player in the tournament based on the complimentaries points.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a rate of play by a player; and

determining whether the player qualifies for the tournament based on the rate of play,

in which determining the winner comprises;

determining the winner of the tournament based on the score if the player qualifies for the tournament.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a rate of play; and

determining whether the response is eligible for the tournament based on the rate of play,

in which determining the winner comprises;

determining the winner of the tournament based on the score if the response is eligible for the tournament.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an outcome of a play by a player of a slot machine game; and

determining whether the player qualifies for the tournament based on the outcome,

in which determining the winner comprises;

determining the winner of the tournament based on the score if the player qualifies for the tournament.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a respective rank for each player of a plurality of players participating in the tournament.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying at least one respective rank.

14. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a wager by a first player at a first slot machine;

displaying to the first player a set of spinning reels of a first slot machine game;

receiving an indication of a first response by the first player to a game of knowledge, the first response being made while the reels of the first slot machine are spinning;

determining a first score based on the first response;

determining at least one second score, each at least one second score corresponding to a respective second player; and

determining a winner of a tournament based on the first score and the at least one second score.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a rate of play by the first player;

determining whether the first player qualifies for the tournament based on the rate of play; and

entering the first player in the tournament if the first player qualifies for the tournament.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining an outcome of the first slot machine game;

determining whether the first player qualifies for the tournament based on the outcome; and

entering the first player in the tournament if the first player qualifies for the tournament.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining complimentaries points associated with the first player;

determining whether the first player qualifies for the tournament based on the complimentaries points; and

entering the first player in the tournament if the first player qualifies for the tournament.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a rank of the first player.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying the rank.

20. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a wager by a first player at a first slot machine;

receiving an indication of a wager by a second player at a second slot machine;

displaying to the first player a set of spinning reels of a first slot machine game;

displaying to the second player a set of spinning reels of a second slot machine game;

receiving from the first player a first response to a first game of knowledge while the reels of the first slot machine are spinning;

receiving from the second player a second response to a second game of knowledge while the reels of the second slot machine are spinning;

determining a first score based on the first response;

determining a second score based on the second response; and

determining a reward for the first player based on the first score and the second score.