Slot machine game and system with improved jackpot feature

• US 7,056,215 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Olive, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/462,717
• Time in Patent Office: 2,890 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463 25- 28, 463/30, 463/37, 463 40- 42, 273/138.1, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/27
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A plurality of electronic gaming machines (10) are connected to a network (11), to which a feature jackpot controller (12) and display means (13) are also connected. Each of the electronic gaming machines (10) are provided with a network interface arranged to provide a signal onto the network (11) on each occurrence of an operation of a respective machine and the jackpot controller (12) is arranged to receive each of the machine operation signals and to increment the value of a random jackpot prize on the occurrence of each of these operation signals. Prior to each game, the gaming machine (10) selects a random number from a range of numbers and during each game, the machine allocates the first n numbers in the range, where n is the number of credits bet by the player in that game. At the end of the game, the randomly selected number is compared with the numbers allocated to the player and if a match occurs the particular machine is switched into a feature game mode in which a jackpot game is played for all or part of the incremental jackpot prize.

Claims

1. In a network of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines having a user interface activatable by a player to affect game display, each of said gaming machines being capable of accepting different wager amounts made by the player, a method of randomly awarding one progressive prize from a plurality of progressive prizes using a second game to select said one progressive prize, a display of said second game being triggered upon an occurrence of a random trigger condition having a probability of occurrence related to the amount of the wager, comprising:

making a wager at a particular gaming machine in the network of gaming machines;

initiating a first main game at said particular gaming machine;

causing a second game trigger condition to occur as a result of said first main game being initiated, said second game trigger condition occurring randomly and having a probability of occurrence dependent on the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine, said step of causing the second game trigger condition including;

(1) selecting a random number from a predetermined range of numbers;

(2) allotting a plurality of numbers from the predetermined range of numbers in proportion to the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine, said step of allotting including allotting one number for each unit of currency of the amount wagered; and

(3) indicating the occurrence of the second game trigger condition if one of the allotted numbers matches the selected random number;

triggering a second game to appear at said particular gaming machine in response to said occurrence of said second game trigger condition, said second game appearing after completion of said first main game;

randomly selecting said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won;

displaying said second game to the player at said particular gaming machine in response to said triggering;

activating said user interface at said particular gaming machine by said player during said displaying of said second game to affect the display of said second game;

identifying to the player said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won; and

awarding said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won.

2. In a network of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines having a user interface activatable by a player to affect game display, each of said gaming machines being capable of accepting different wager amounts made by the player, a method of randomly awarding one progressive prize from a plurality of progressive prizes using a second game to select said one progressive prize, a display of said second game being triggered upon an occurrence of a random trigger condition having a probability of occurrence related to the amount of the wager, comprising:

making a wager at a particular gaming machine in the network of gaming machines;

initiating a first main game at said particular gaming machine;

causing a second game trigger condition to occur as a result of said first main game being initiated, said second game trigger condition occurring randomly and having a probability of occurrence dependent on the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine, said step of causing a second game trigger condition to occur including;

(1) selecting a random number from a predetermined range of numbers;

(2) allotting a plurality of numbers from the predetermined range of numbers in proportion to the amount of the wager made at said particular gaming machine; and

(3) indicating the occurrence of the trigger condition if one of the allotted number matches the selected random number;

triggering a second game to appear at said particular gaming machine in response to said occurrence of said second game trigger condition, said second game appearing after completion of said first main game;

randomly selecting said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won;

displaying said second game to the player at said particular gaming machine in response to said triggering;

activating said user interface at said particular gaming machine by said player during said displaying of said second game to affect the display of said second game;

identifying to the player said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won; and

awarding said one progressive prize from said plurality of progressive prizes that has been won.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the amount of the wager is an amount in credits.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of making a wager includes betting a plurality of credits, and wherein said step of allotting includes allotting one number for each credit bet.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of selecting a random number includes generating a random number from a random number generator.