Gaming device having an interactive matrix game

• US 6,983,935 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kaminkow, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US10/160,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/138.3, 273/118.R, 273/121.D, 273/123.A, 273/125.A, 273/144.A, 273/144.B, 273/138.4, 463/13, 463/16, 463/18, 463/20, 463 21- 22, 463/26
• US Class Current: 273/139
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00094 Ticktacktoe
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0076 the playing bodies having the function of playing pieces, imitating a board game
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• 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

A gaming device and method having a bonus game including a matrix defining a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of members that engage the receptacles. The object of the game is to obtain at least one winning combination of members in the receptacles of the matrix. The gaming device provides a number of activations to the player. The player may choose members to eject or displace from the receptacles after each activation. The player continues to select members to eject from the receptacles in the matrix until the player obtains one or more winning combinations of members in the receptacles or until there are no activations remaining. The player receives at least one award for each winning combination of members that occur in the receptacles in the matrix.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a housing;

a matrix connected to the housing, said matrix defining a plurality of receptacles;

a plurality of members adapted to engage the receptacles;

a plurality of ejectors associated with the receptacles for displacing the members from the receptacles;

a designated number of ejections of the ejectors, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined; and

a processor in communication with the ejectors, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, the processor is operable to cause the ejectors to displace at least one of the members from the receptacles for each ejection up to the designated number of ejections, determine if any winning combination of members occur in the receptacles after the members re-engage the receptacles after each ejection and provide an award to a player if at least one winning combination of members engages the receptacles after at least one of the ejections.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the matrix includes M number of rows and N number of columns.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein M equals N.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of members is less than or equal to the number of receptacles.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning combination includes at least two designated members engaging adjacent receptacles.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the winning combination of members is at least one of the combinations selected from the group consisting of:

at least two designated members in a row of receptacles, at least two designated members in a column of receptacles, at least two designated members in a diagonal of receptacles and at least two designated members in at least two corner receptacles.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning combination is based on at least one designated receptacle in the matrix and the processor is operable to provide an award to the player when one of the members engages said receptacle.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the members include a plurality of first members and a plurality of second members.

9. The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the first members include a first characteristic and the second members include a second different characteristic.

10. The gaming device of claim 9, wherein the first characteristic is an “

X” and

the second characteristic is an “

O.”

11. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one sensor associated with each receptacle in the matrix, wherein each sensor detects whether one of members is engaged in said receptacle.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the sensors are selected from the group consisting of magnetic sensors, weight sensors, material sensors, optical sensors, color sensors, code sensors, analog signal sensors, and digital signal sensors.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the ejectors include solenoids.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the ejectors include air blowers.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the air blowers include valves.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes an additional award provided to the player when two or more winning combinations of members engaging the receptacles in the matrix.

17. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one additional ejection of at least one member associated with at least one of the receptacles in the matrix.

18. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one selector for enabling a player to independently accept or reject a winning combination of members in the matrix.

19. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one selector for enabling a player to pick and cause the ejector to eject one or more of the members from the receptacles in the matrix.

20. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one selector for enabling a player to pick and maintain one or more of the members in the receptacles in the matrix.

21. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the members are spherical.

22. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the matrix has at least one level.

23. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of members is greater than the number of receptacles.

24. A gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a housing;

a matrix connected to the housing, said matrix defining a plurality of receptacles;

a plurality of members adapted to engage the receptacles;

a plurality of member ejectors associated with the receptacles;

a selector for accepting or rejecting at least one combination of members engaged in the receptacles;

a designated number of ejections of the ejectors, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined; and

a processor in communication with the member ejectors and selector, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, said processor is operable to cause the ejectors to displace at least one of the members from the receptacles for each ejection up to the designated number of ejections, determine if the combinations of members occurring in the receptacles include any winning combinations after the members re-engage the receptacles after each ejection, cause the selector to enable a player to accept or reject one or more of the combination of members in the receptacles after each ejection, cause the ejectors to displace at least one of the members if the player rejects said combination of the members and provide an award to the player if the player accepts the combination of members in the receptacles and the combination of members includes a winning combination.

25. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined and based on the player'"'"'s wager in the primary game.

26. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein all of the combinations of the members engaged in the receptacles include winning combinations of the members.

27. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the designated number of ejections is determined in a separate game or in a sub-game.

28. A gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a housing;

a matrix connected to the housing, said matrix defining a plurality of receptacles;

a plurality of members adapted to engage the receptacles;

a plurality of member ejectors associated with the receptacles;

a selector associated with each receptacle for independently selecting members to displace from each said receptacle;

a designated number of ejections of the ejectors, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined; and

a processor in communication with the ejectors and selectors, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, said processor is operable to cause the ejectors to displace at least one of the members from the receptacles for each ejection up to the designated number of ejections, determine if any winning combinations of members occur in the receptacles after the members re-engage the receptacles after each ejection, cause the selector to enable a player to independently select members to eject from the receptacles after each ejection, cause the ejectors to displace the selected members from the receptacles and provide an award to the player for any winning combinations of members that occur in the receptacles.

29. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein the plurality of selectors are provided by a touch screen.

30. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined and based on the player'"'"'s wager in the primary game.

31. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein the designated number of ejections is determined in a separate game or in a sub-game.

32. A gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a housing;

a matrix connected to the housing, said matrix defining a plurality of receptacles;

a plurality of first and second members adapted to engage the receptacles;

a plurality of member ejectors associated with the receptacles;

a selector associated with each receptacle for independently selecting first and second members to eject from said receptacles;

a designated number of ejections of the ejectors, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined; and

a processor in communication with the ejectors and selectors, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, said processor is operable to cause the ejectors to displace at least one of the first and second members from the receptacles for each ejection up to the designated number of ejections, determine if any winning combinations of first or second members occur in the receptacles after the first and second members re-engage the receptacles after each ejection, cause the selector to enable the player to independently select first and second members to eject from the receptacles after each ejection, cause the ejectors to displace the selected first and second members from the receptacles and provide an award to the player for any winning combinations of first or second members that occur in the receptacles.

33. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the first members include a first characteristic and the second members include a second different characteristic.

34. The gaming device of claim 32, which includes means for enabling the player to select whether the first or second members are included in the winning combinations.

35. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined and based on the player'"'"'s wager in the primary game.

36. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the designated number of ejections is determined in a separate game or in a sub-game.

37. A gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a housing;

a M×

N matrix connected to the housing which defines a plurality of receptacles, wherein M represents the number of rows and N represents the number of columns of the receptacles in said matrix;

a plurality of first and second members adapted to engage the receptacles;

a plurality of member ejectors associated with the receptacles;

a number of activations of the ejectors, said number of activations randomly determined;

a selector associated with each receptacle for selecting first and second members to displace from the receptacles; and

a processor in communication with the ejectors and selectors, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, said processor is operable to cause the ejectors to displace the first and second members from the receptacles until at least one winning combination occurs in the receptacles or until there are no activations remaining, determine if any winning combinations of first or second members occur in the receptacles after each time the first and second members re-engage the receptacles, cause the selectors to enable the player to independently select first and second members to displace from the receptacles, cause the ejectors to displace the selected first and second members from the receptacles, and provide an award to the player for any winning combinations of first or second members that occur in the receptacles.

38. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein M and N are each at least two.

39. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the winning combination of first and second members is M first or second members aligned in horizontally arranged receptacles in the matrix.

40. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the winning combination of first and second members is N first or second members aligned in vertically arranged receptacles in the matrix.

41. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the winning combination of first and second members includes a diagonal arrangement of first or second members in the receptacles in the matrix.

42. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the winning combination includes at least one first or second member in a plurality of corner receptacles in the matrix.

43. The gaming device of claim 37, which includes an additional award provided to a player for obtaining multiple winning combinations of first and second members in the receptacles in the matrix.

44. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the number of activations is randomly determined and based on the player'"'"'s wager in the primary game.

45. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the designated number of ejections is determined in a separate game or in a sub-game.

46. A gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a housing;

a holding device connected to the housing, said holding device defining a plurality of first receptacles;

a matrix connected to the housing, said matrix defining a plurality of second receptacles;

a plurality of members adapted to engage the first and second receptacles, wherein the members are initially held by the first receptacles of the holding device;

at least one selector associated with the first receptacles; and

a processor in communication with the selector, said processor operable to enable the player to independently select members to release from the first receptacles, cause the first receptacles in the holding device to release the selected members to engage the second receptacles, and provide an award to the player for one or more winning combinations of members that occur in the second receptacles.

47. The gaming device of claim 46, wherein the members include a plurality of first members and a plurality second members.

48. The gaming device of claim 47, wherein the first members include a first characteristic and the second members include a second different characteristic.

49. The gaming device of claim 48, wherein the first characteristic is an “

X” and

the second characteristic is an “

O.”

50. The gaming device of claim 46, which includes at least one second selector associated with the second receptacles, wherein said second selector enables a player to independently select and displace members from the second receptacles in the matrix.

51. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the designated number of displacements may be used in the primary game and the secondary game.

52. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the designated number of displacements may be used in the primary game and which includes a randomly determined number of secondary game displacements that may be used in the secondary game.

53. The gaming device of claim 46, wherein the winning combination of members is at least one of the combinations selected from the group consisting of:

at least two members in a row of receptacles, at least two members in a column of receptacles, at least two members in a diagonal of receptacles and at least two members in at least two corner receptacles.

54. The gaming device of claim 46, wherein the winning combination is based on at least one receptacle in the matrix and wherein the gaming device provides any award to the player when one of the members engages said receptacle.

55. A wagering gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a plurality of members;

a cabinet;

at least one receptacle connected to the cabinet, said receptacle adapted to receive each said member, one at a time;

a member ejector associated with each receptacle;

a number of ejections of the ejector, said number of ejections being randomly determined;

an award provided to a player based on which member is received in the receptacle; and

a processor in communication with the receptacle, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, the processor is operable to cause each of the members to be received by the receptacle one at a time for the number of ejections and provide any awards to the player based on the members received by the receptacle.

56. The wagering gaming device of claim 55, which includes a plurality of receptacles, wherein the award provided to the player is based on which members are received in the receptacles.

57. A wagering gaming device comprising:

a primary game operable upon a wager made by a player;

a secondary game initiated upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

a cabinet;

a member;

a plurality of receptacles connected to the cabinet, said receptacles each adapted to receive said member;

a member ejector associated with each receptacle;

a number of ejections of the ejectors, said number of ejections randomly determined;

an award provided to a player based on which receptacle receives the member; and

a processor in communication with the receptacle, wherein upon the initiation of the secondary game, the processor is operable to cause the member to be received by one of the receptacles prior to each ejection and provide any awards to the player based on which receptacle received the member until there are no ejections remaining.

58. A method of operating a wagering gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a primary game to a player, wherein the primary game is operable upon a wager made by the player;

(b) initiating a secondary game upon an occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

(c) displaying a plurality of receptacles to a player, wherein a plurality of members are engaged in said receptacles;

(d) ejecting at least one of the members from the receptacles for a designated number of ejections, wherein the designated number of ejections is randomly determined;

(e) determining if any winning combinations of members occur in the receptacles after the members re-engage the receptacles for each of the ejections; and

(f) providing an award to the player if at least one winning combination of members occurs in the receptacles for each of the ejections.

59. The method of claim 58, which includes the step of detecting whether a particular member is engaged in one of the receptacles using at least one sensor.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the winning combination of members is at least one of the combinations selected from the group consisting of:

at least two members in a row of receptacles, at least two members in a column of receptacles, at least two members in a diagonal of receptacles and at least two members in at least two corner receptacles.

61. The method of claim 58, which includes the step of enabling the player to independently select and displace members from the receptacles.

62. The method of claim 58, which includes the step of enabling the player to select and reject one or more combinations occurring in the receptacles.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the gaming device is operated through a data network.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the data network is an internet.

65. The method of claim 58, wherein determining the designated number of ejections includes randomly determining the number of ejections and modifying the randomly determined number of ejections based on the player'"'"'s wager in the primary game.

66. The method of claim 58, wherein determining the designated number of ejections includes randomly determining the number of ejections in a separate game or in a sub-game.

67. A method of operating a wagering gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a primary game to a player, wherein the primary game is operable upon a wager made by the player;

(b) initiating a secondary game upon an occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

(c) randomly determining a number of ejections of a plurality of first and second members and modifying said number of ejections based on the wager made by the player in the primary game;

(d) displaying a plurality of receptacles to a player in the secondary game, wherein the plurality of first and second members are engaged in said receptacles and wherein the first and second members are different;

(e) ejecting at least one of the first and second members from the receptacles;

(f) determining if any winning combinations of first or second members occur in the receptacles after the first and second members re-engage the receptacles;

(g) enabling the player to accept or reject the winning combinations of first and second members that occur in the receptacles;

(h) ejecting at least one of the first and second members from the receptacles in the matrix if the player rejects the winning combinations of first or second members that occur in the receptacles;

(i) providing an award to the player if the player accepts any winning combinations of first or second members that occur in the receptacles; and

(j) repeating steps (e) to (i) until the player accepts any winning combinations or until there are no ejections remaining.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the gaming device is operated through a data network.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the data network is an internet.

70. A method of operating a wagering gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a primary game to a player, wherein the primary game is operable upon a wager made by the player;

(b) initiating a secondary game upon an occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

(c) displaying a plurality of receptacles to a player wherein a plurality of first and second members are engaged in said receptacles upon the initiation of the secondary game;

(d) randomly determining a number of ejections of the members and modifying said number of ejections based on the wager made by the player in the primary game;

(e) ejecting at least one of the first and second members from the receptacles in the matrix;

(e) enabling the player to independently select first and second members to eject from the receptacles after the first and second members re-engage the receptacles;

(f) ejecting the selected first and second members from the receptacles in the matrix;

(g) providing an award to the player if any winning combinations of first and/or second members occur in the receptacles in the matrix after the first and second members re-engage the receptacles; and

(h) repeating steps (e) to (g) until at least one winning combination of first or second members occurs in the receptacles or until there are no ejections remaining.

71. The method of claim 70, which includes the step of providing an additional award to the player when at least two winning combinations of first or second members occur in the receptacles.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the gaming device is operated through a data network.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the data network is an internet.

74. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a primary game to a player, wherein the primary game is operable upon a wager made by the player;

(b) initiating a secondary game upon an occurrence of a triggering event in the primary game;

(c) displaying a plurality of members in a holding device defining a plurality of first receptacles;

(d) enabling a player to independently select members to release from the first receptacles to engage a plurality of second receptacles;

(e) enabling the player to independently select particular members in the second receptacles in the matrix for a number of activations;

(f) ejecting the selected members from the second receptacles;

(g) providing an award to the player if at least one winning combination of first or second members occurs in the second receptacles after the selected members re-engage the second receptacles; and

(h) repeating steps (e) to (g) until at least one winning combination of first or second members occurs in the second receptacles or until there are no ejections remaining.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein the gaming device is operated through a data network.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the data network is an internet.