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

• US 7,448,949 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• 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:
  US11/830,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/22, 463 25- 27, 463 30- 31, 463 35- 36, 463/42, 463 46- 47, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/142.R, 273/143.R, 273/143.A, 273/148.R, 273/309, 273/138.2, 273/148.B, 273459-461
• US Class Current: 463/26
• 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 machines, each gaming machine including at least one display device configured to display a game operable upon a wager;

a shared display device associated with the gaming machines and including a plurality of sections and a plurality of outcomes, wherein each of the sections displays one of the outcomes and each section has a predetermined relationship with respect to each other section such that each outcome has a predetermined relationship with respect to each other outcome;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the gaming machines and the shared display device to;

(a) after an occurrence of a triggering event at one of said gaming machines, display one of said outcomes in association with said gaming machine, said gaming machine being a triggering gaming machine and the other gaming machines being non-triggering gaming machines, wherein said displayed outcome is based, at least in part, on a location of said triggering gaming machine relative to the shared display device;

(b) provide a portion of an award to a player of said triggering gaming machine based, at least in part, on said displayed outcome; and

(c) provide another portion of said award to a player of one of the non-triggering gaming machines.

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

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shared display device 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.

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

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

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

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory device stores the plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the gaming machines and the shared display device to provide equal portions of said award to a plurality of players of said non-triggering gaming machines.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory device stores the plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the gaming machines and the shared display device to determine portions of said award to provide to a plurality of players of said non-triggering gaming machines based, at least in part, on game events occurring at said non-triggering gaming machines.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory device stores the plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the gaming machines and the shared display device to determine portions of said award to provide to a plurality of players of said non-triggering gaming machines based, at least in part, on an amount wagered by each of said plurality of players of said non-triggering gaming machines.

9. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine including at least one display device configured to display at least one game operable upon a wager;

a shared display device associated with said gaming machines and including a plurality of sections and a plurality of outcomes, wherein each section has a predetermined relationship with respect to each of the other sections, such that each outcome has a predetermined relationship with respect to each other outcome;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the gaming machines and the shared display device for at least one activation of the shared display device to move the shared display device to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously display a separate one of the outcomes in association with each of the gaming machines based on a position of the gaming machine relative to a position of the shared display device,

wherein each gaming machine is configured to display a separate award to a player of said gaming machine based on the outcome displayed in association with said gaming machine.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the game operable upon the wager is a primary game.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the shared display device 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.

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

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

13. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein a plurality of the outcomes are the same.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, wherein a first gaming machine is configured to enable a first player to place a wager to play at least one first game and a second gaming machine is configured to enable a second player to place a wager to play at least one second game;

a shared display device associated with the gaming machines and including a plurality of sections and a plurality of outcomes, wherein each of the sections displays one of the outcomes and each section has a predetermined relationship with respect to each other section such that each outcome has a predetermined relationship with respect to each other outcome;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the gaming machines and the shared display device for at least one activation of the shared display device to move the shared display device to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously generate a first outcome for said first gaming machine and a second separate outcome for said second gaming machine, wherein said first outcome and said second outcome are generated based at least in part on a location of said first gaming machine and a location of said second gaming machine relative to said shared display device.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display device 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.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the shared display device is selected from the group consisting of:

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