Gaming system having multiple gaming devices that share a multi-outcome display

• US 7,311,604 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Carlisle, Christopher D., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Tedsen, Kirk A., Brill, Zeke, LeSourd, Kehl T., Kaminkow, Joseph E., Elias, Hans, MacVittie, Michael, Rodgers, Paulina, Wagner, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US11/212,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 12- 13, 463 16- 20, 463/25, 463/29, 463 30- 31, 463 40- 42, 463/46, 463/47, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/142.R, 273/143.R, 273/143.A, 273/138.2, 273/148.R, 273/309, 273/148.B, 273459-461
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems

Abstract

A gaming device system in which a plurality of gaming devices are linked by a common bonus event is provided. In one embodiment, the linked gaming device system includes a shared symbol generation display that is positioned adjacent to each of a plurality of associated gaming devices and has a plurality of sections and values displayed at each section. Upon a triggering of the bonus event, any player eligible to participate in the bonus may achieve an outcome generated from the bonus event including the shared display. When the shared display is activated, it simultaneously generates a separate or individual outcome associated with each of the gaming devices. The outcomes are spatially related to one another so that a random generation of an outcome associated with one gaming device automatically generates random outcomes associated with each gaming device. Each gaming device however receives the outcome only if it has participated in the random generation.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one game operable upon a wager by a player; and

a movable shared display associated with said gaming devices, and including a plurality of sections and a plurality of outcomes, wherein

(a) each of the sections displays one of the outcomes and each of the outcomes are awardable to one of the players of the gaming devices,

(b) each section has a fixed relationship with respect to each other section such that each outcome has a fixed relationship with respect to each other outcome, and

(c) for at least one activation of the shared display,

(i) the shared display is configured to move to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously associate and display a separate one of the sections for each of the gaming devices based at least in part on locations of the gaming devices, and

(ii) a plurality of the gaming devices are each configured to provide the outcome associated with said gaming device to the player of said gaming device.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for at least one activation of the shared display, the shared display is configured to display a separate one of the sections for each of the gaming devices regardless of whether each one of the gaming devices will provide the outcome associated with said gaming device to a player of said gaming device.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game is selected from the group consisting of:

slot, poker, keno, blackjack, craps, bunco, checkers and any combination thereof.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game operable upon the wager by the player is a primary game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display is configured and arranged so that a player at one of the gaming devices can see a plurality of the outcomes of the shared display for a plurality of the other gaming devices.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the outcomes include a plurality of awards.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of gaming devices are arranged in a shape selected from the group consisting of:

a circle, a semi-circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, a pentagon, a diamond, a linear configuration, an indented oval, and a curved configuration.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display has a shape selected from the group consisting of:

a cone, a semi-circle, a circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, a pentagon, a diamond, a linear configuration, an indented oval, and a curved configuration.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display is selected from the group consisting of:

a wheel, a cone, a sphere, a reel, a ring, a disk and a die.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display is remote from at least one of the gaming devices.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the outcomes are the same.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the outcomes are different.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display includes a substantially horizontally disposed wheel supported by a frame and having a plurality of sections which display the outcomes, the plurality of individual gaming devices arranged around the wheel, each gaming device including a pointer positioned to indicate a section of the wheel and a candle extending upwardly from the pointer, and wherein when a triggering event occurs on one of the gaming devices, said gaming device enables the player of the gaming device to enter an input which indicates that the player wants to obtain one of the outcomes from a next activation of the wheel.

15. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the game is selected from the group consisting of:

slot, poker, keno, blackjack, craps, bunco, checkers and any combination thereof.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, the game operable upon the wager by the player is a primary game.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of individual gaming devices, each gaming device including a game operable upon a wager by a player;

a movable shared display common to all of the gaming devices, the shared display including a plurality of outcomes having a fixed relationship with respect to each other and each of the outcomes are awardable to one of the players of the gaming devices, the shared display arranged to move to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously display a separate one of the outcomes for each of the plurality of gaming devices such that at least one of the outcomes for one of the gaming devices depends on one of the outcomes for another one of the gaming devices and is based at least in part on locations of the gaming devices; and

a plurality of awards, said awards adapted to be provided to a plurality of players of the gaming devices for one activation of the shared display, wherein for each of said plurality of gaming devices, the award provided by said gaming device for said activation of the shared display is based, at least in part, on the outcome displayed by the shared display for said gaming device.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display is configured and arranged so that a player at one of the gaming devices can see a plurality of the outcomes of the shared display for a plurality of the other gaming devices.

18. This gaming system of claim 14, wherein the outcomes include the plurality of awards.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of gaming devices are arranged in a shape selected from the group consisting of:

a circle, a semi-circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, a pentagon, a diamond, a linear configuration, an indented oval, and a curved configuration.

20. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display has a shape selected from the group consisting of:

a cone, a semi-circle, a circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, a pentagon, a diamond, a linear configuration, an indented oval, and a curved configuration.

21. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display is selected from the group consisting of a wheel, a cone, a sphere, a reel, a ring, a disk and a die.

22. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein each of the gaming devices has substantially a same probability of triggering an activation of the shared display.

23. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display is movable to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously display a separate one of the outcomes in association with each of the gaming devices based on the location of the shared display relative to the gaming devices after the shared display stops moving.

24. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display is remote from at least one of the gaming devices.

25. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein a plurality of the outcomes are the same.

26. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein each of the outcomes are different.

27. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including at least one game operable upon a wager by a player; and

a movable shared display associated with said gaming devices, and including a plurality of awards, each award having a fixed relationship with respect to each other award and each of the awards are awardable to one of the players of the gaming devices;

wherein for at least one activation of the shared display

(a) the shared display is operable to move to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously display a separate one of the awards in association with each of the gaming devices based on the position of the shared display relative to the gaming devices, and

(b) each gaming device is operable to provide a separate one of the awards to the player of said gaming device based on the award displayed in association with said gaming device.

28. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the game is selected from the group consisting of:

slot, poker, keno, blackjack, craps, bunco, checkers and any combination thereof.

29. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein a plurality of the gaming devices each operate a same type of game.

30. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the shared display is triggered upon an occurrence of a triggering event in a play of one of the games.

31. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of gaming devices are arranged in a shape selected from the group consisting of:

a circle, a semi-circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, a pentagon, a diamond, a linear configuration, an indented oval, and a curved configuration.

32. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the shared display has a shape selected from the group consisting of:

a cone, a circle, a semi-circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, a pentagon, a diamond, a linear configuration, an indented oval, and a curved configuration.

33. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the shared display is selected from the group consisting of:

a wheel, a cone, a sphere, a reel, a ring, a disk and a die.

34. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein each of the gaming devices has substantially a same probability of triggering an activation of the shared display.

35. The gaming system of claim 27, which includes a processor programmed in accordance with a queuing method to control a situation occurring when two or more gaming devices trigger an activation of the shared display prior to a next activation of the shared display.

36. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the shared display is remote from at least one of the gaming devices.