Apparatus and method for facilitating team play of slot machines

• US 7,364,510 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Fincham, Magdalena M., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/811,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A method for team play of slot machines, including determining a first result corresponding to a first player on a team, determining a second result corresponding to a second player, determining whether the second player is on the team, and determining a result based on the first result and the second result if the second player is on the team. Various embodiments further include awarding comp points to the team based on the play of the first player and the second player. Various embodiments further include joint participation in a bonus round by members of a team.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a team of players, wherein membership in the team is independent of gaming devices on which the players play;

allowing members of the team to participate jointly in determining a single outcome for the team by;

accepting a first input from a first player at a first gaming device;

accepting a second input from a second player who is not the first player, the second player at a second gaming device which is not the first gaming device;

generating the single outcome for the team, and presenting the single outcome to the team as if the single outcome were a function of the first input and the second input, wherein the single outcome indicates a team payout for the team and is not formed from outcomes that define individual payouts.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting a grid of opaque symbols on display screens of each gaming device on which the players play and wherein behind each opaque symbol is a hidden game symbol.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the hidden symbols are identical between team members.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the grid has rows and columns.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first input from the first player is a selection of a row.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the second input from the second player is a selection of a column.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first input from the first player is a selection of a row.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising revealing a corresponding hidden symbol based on the row and column selections received.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing the team payout.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first input comprises a first seed number.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second input comprises a second seed number.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising combining the first and second seed numbers to make a combined seed.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein combining the first and second seed numbers comprises adding the first and second seed numbers.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein combining the first and second seed numbers comprises multiplying the first and second seed numbers.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising using the combined seed in a random number generator to initialize the random number generator.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising deriving the first seed number from a digital representation of a fingerprint provided by the first player.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the first input comprises the first player initiating spinning of reels.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the second input comprises the second player stopping the spinning of reels.

19. A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions adapted to:

define a team of players, wherein membership in the team is independent of gaming devices on which the players play;

allow members of the team to participate jointly in determining a single outcome for the team by;

accepting a first input from a first player at a first gaming device;

accepting a second input from a second player who is not the first player, the second player at a second gaming device which is not the first gaming device;

generating the single outcome for the team, and presenting the single outcome to the team as if the single outcome were a function of the first input and the second input, wherein the single outcome indicates a team payout for the team and is not formed from outcomes that define individual payouts.

20. A system comprising:

a first gaming device;

a second gaming device, which is not the first gaming device; and

a controller operatively coupled to the first and second gaming devices and adapted to;

define a team of players, wherein membership in the team is independent of gaming devices on which the players play;

allow members of the team to participate jointly in determining a single outcome for the team by;

accepting a first input from a first player at the first gaming device;

accepting a second input from a second player who is not the first player, the second player at a second gaming device;

generating the single outcome for the team, and presenting the single outcome to the team as if the single outcome were a function of the first input and the second input, wherein the single outcome indicates a team payout for the team and is not formed from outcomes that define individual payouts.

21. A method comprising:

providing a first gaming device;

providing a second gaming device distinct from the first gaming device;

accepting a first input from a first player at the first gaming device;

accepting a second input from a second player at the second gaming device, wherein neither the first input nor the second input comprises indicia found on a paytable associated with either gaming device;

generating an outcome; and

presenting the outcome to the first and second players as if the outcome were a function of the first input and the second input.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first input is a request to initiate spinning of reels.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the second input is a request to halt the reels.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the first input comprises a first seed number.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the second input comprises a second seed number.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising combining the first and second seed numbers to make a combined seed.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising using the combined seed in a random number generator to generate the outcome.

28. A method comprising:

providing a first gaming device with a first display;

providing a second gaming device with a second display, wherein the second gaming device is not the first gaming device;

generating a grid comprising a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows;

populating the grid with symbols;

presenting the grid on the first display and the second display such that the symbols populating the grid are occluded;

receiving a first indication from a first player at the first gaming device indicating a first selection of a row from the plurality of rows;

receiving a second indication from a second player at the second gaming device indicating a second selection of a column from the plurality of columns; and

revealing one of the symbols based on the first and second selections.