Method of playing a multi-player game

• US 7,081,050 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Colepat, LLC
• Inventors: Tarantino, Elia Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim
• Application Number:
  US10/636,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20040033831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 463/10, 463 12- 14, 463 16- 22, 463 25- 28, 463 30- 31, 463/37, 463/42, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.A, 273/143.R, 273/145.R, 273/146, 700/92
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• 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

A multi-player game includes both individual and bonus game aspects. Players play individual games for a score. In one embodiment, game scores comprise an aggregate of scores from individual rounds of play in which indicia are displayed, held and replaced in an attempt to obtain the maximum number of matching indicia. If a player achieves a sufficiently high score, the player is permitted to play the game in a bonus round for a bonus score. A pool of players is determined from the bonus scores of players who play during a predetermined interval of time. A jackpot is awarded to one or more of the players of the pool based upon their bonus scores, such as the players with the highest bonus scores. In one embodiment, players use portable devices such as cellular phones to play the game and the jackpot is funded from charges associated with air time.

Claims

1. A method of playing a multi-player game comprising:

presenting an individual game having a plurality of rounds, each round comprising the steps of;

(a) displaying a plurality of indicia;

(b) permitting a player to hold none, one or more of said plurality of indicia and replace indicia and replace indicia which are not held a predetermined maximum number of times to generate a hand of indicia;

(c) determining a score for said round based upon said hand of indicia received for said round;

(d) repeating steps (a)–

(c) until said plurality of rounds are completed;

determining a score for said game, said score for said game comprising the sum of said scores of said rounds;

determining if said score for said game exceeds a predetermined threshold;

ending said game if said score for said game does not exceed said threshold;

permitting said player to play a bonus game comprising a play of another of said individual games if said score for said game exceeds said threshold, a score for said bonus game comprising a bonus game score;

providing a jackpot amount;

determining a pool of one or more players entitled to participate in said jackpot amount based upon the bonus game scores of said players; and

awarding said one or more players of said pool at least a portion of said jackpot amount.

2. The game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of determining a score for said round comprises the steps of:

(a) determining a score based upon said hand of indicia;

(b) determining a multiplier; and

(c) calculating said score for said round by multiplying said multiplier times said determined score.

3. The game in accordance with claim 1 including the step of awarding a payout for each round of said individual game, said payout for each round based upon said hand of indicia received for said round.

4. The game in accordance with claim 1 including the step of funding said jackpot amount, said jackpot amount funded at least in part by said players of said individual games.

5. The game in accordance with claim 4 wherein said funding is provided at least in part by fees paid by players to access play to said individual game.

6. The game in accordance with claim 5 wherein said fees comprise air time for establishing a communication link between a device used to present said individual game to said player and a game server.

7. The game in accordance with claim 1 wherein said indicia comprise simulated dice sides.

8. The game in accordance with claim 1 including the step of determining said pool of one or more players entitled to participate in said jackpot amount based upon the bonus game scores received by said players playing said bonus game during a predetermined period of time.

9. A method of playing a multi-player game having a base game feature and a bonus game feature comprising:

presenting an individual game to a player, said individual game having a plurality of rounds, each round comprising the steps of;

(a) displaying a plurality of indicia representing sides of dice;

(b) permitting said player to hold none, one or more of said plurality of indicia and replace indicia which are not held a predetermined maximum number of times to generate a hand of indicia;

(d) determining a score for said hand of indicia;

(e) generating a multiplier;

(f) determining a score for said round by multiplying said multiplier times said score for said hand of indicia;

(g) awarding winnings to said player based upon said hand of indicia; and

(h) repeating steps (a)–

(g) until said plurality of rounds are completed;

determining a score for said game, said score for said game comprising the sum of said scores of said rounds;

determining if said score for said game exceeds a predetermined threshold;

ending said game if said score for said game does not exceed said threshold; and

permitting said player to participate in a bonus game if said score exceeds said threshold, said bonus game comprising the steps of;

permitting said player to another of said individual game, a score of said game comprising a bonus score;

providing a jackpot amount;

determining a pool of one or more players entitled to participate in said jackpot amount based upon the bonus game scores of said players received during a predetermined interval of time; and

awarding said one or more players of said pool at least a portion of said jackpot amount.

10. The game in accordance with claim 9 wherein said step of generating a multiplier comprises generating two dice indicia and summing the values of said two dice indicia.

11. The game in accordance with claim 9 wherein said hand of indicia is determined from the maximum number of indicia which are the same.

12. The game in accordance with claim 9 wherein there are six rounds and the indicia which is associated with the maximum number of indicia for each round is removed from play before the next round.