Gaming device having secondary game played in parallel with primary game

• US 7,513,828 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh T., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US10/780,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming device having a primary game and a secondary game is provided. The gaming device includes a primary game operable upon a wager by a player, and a secondary game, wherein a play provides a gaming element for the secondary game. The gaming element of the secondary game is provided by playing the primary game regardless of any event or outcome in the primary game. The secondary game can achieve a winning outcome with the gaming elements provided by playing the primary game.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

at least one in put device;

a display device adapted to display a primary game and a secondary game, said secondary game having a winning outcome including a plurality of gaming elements; and

at least one processor programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to;

(a) display a play of the primary game upon a wager by a player, wherein if an outcome generated for the play of the primary game is a winning outcome, an award associated with the generated outcome is displayed and wherein the play of the primary game provides at least one of the gaming elements for the secondary game regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game; and

(b) determine whether to display and provide the winning outcome in the secondary game, wherein said determination is based upon the plurality of gaming elements provided for playing the primary game a plurality of times.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the primary game includes a risk, skill, random or knowledge based event.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein for each play of the primary game, one gaming element of the secondary game is provided regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of gaming elements provided for the secondary game is based on an amount wagered in the primary game.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to enable the player to use the primary award as a separate wager for the secondary game.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to enable the player to place a separate wager on the secondary game.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning outcome of the secondary game is at least in part dependent on a decision by the player.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning outcome of the secondary game is based on a risk, skill or knowledge event.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the winning outcome of the secondary game is at least in part based on a random event.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to provide the player a secondary game award if the winning outcome is obtained in the secondary game.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the secondary game award is a progressive award.

12. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the secondary game award is at least one activation of a wide area progressive slot game.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a primary pay table associated with the primary game and a secondary pay table associated with the secondary game.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the secondary pay table is based on any generated winning outcome in the primary game.

15. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the secondary pay table is based on the wager made in the primary game.

16. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the secondary pay table is based on a wager made in the secondary game.

17. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the secondary game is displayed on a second display device different than the display device which displays the primary game.

18. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the secondary game includes a secondary card game having at least one winning outcome, wherein the gaming elements include cards for the secondary card game.

19. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming elements include a plurality of different shaped blocks for the secondary game.

20. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the secondary game includes a wide area progressive slot game having at least one winning outcome, wherein the game elements include activations of the secondary slot game.

36. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of gaming elements provided for the secondary game is selected from the group consisting of:

a constant number, a randomly determined number and a predetermined number.

37. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of secondary games each having a winning outcome including a plurality of gaming elements, wherein the play of the primary game provides at least one of the gaming elements for at least one of the secondary games regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game.

38. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of secondary games each having a winning outcome including a plurality of gaming elements, wherein the play of the primary game provides at least one of the gaming elements for said plurality secondary games regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game.

21. A gaming device comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device adapted to display a primary game and a secondary card game having a winning outcome including a plurality of gaming cards; and

at least one processor programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said at least one display device to;

(a) display a play of the primary game upon a wager by a player, wherein if an outcome generated for the play of the primary game is a winning outcome, an award associated with the generated outcome is displayed and wherein the play of the primary game provides at least one of the gaming cards for the secondary card game regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game; and

(b) determine whether to display and provide the winning outcome in the secondary card game based upon the plurality of gaming cards provided for playing the primary game a plurality of times.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, which includes a secondary award associated with the winning outcome in the secondary card game.

23. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the winning outcome occurs when the plurality of gaming cards forms a predetermined set.

24. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to enable the player to use the plurality of gaming cards as part of a set for the secondary card game.

25. The gaming device of claim24, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to enable the player to compete against the gaming device in the secondary card game using the set of the plurality of gaming cards.

26. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate with said at least one input device and said display device to enable the player to place an additional wager on the secondary card game.

27. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the secondary card game is a poker game.

28. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the secondary card game is a blackjack game.

29. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the plurality of gaming cards can be replaced with other cards.

30. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a wager by a player;

(b) initiating a primary game upon receiving the wager by the player;

(c) generating an outcome in the primary game;

(d) if the generated outcome in the primary game is a winning outcome, displaying an award associated with the generated outcome in the primary game;

(e) providing at least one gaming element of a secondary game regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game;

(f) determining whether a winning outcome occurs in the secondary game, wherein the winning outcome is based on the gaming elements of the secondary game that are provided for playing the primary game a plurality of times; and

(g) repeating steps (b) to (f) upon another wager by the player.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said steps are provided to the player through a data network.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the data network is an internet.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the primary game includes a risk, skill, random or knowledge based event.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein for each play of the primary game, one gaming element of the secondary game is provided regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein the number of gaming elements provided for the secondary game is based on an amount wagered in the primary game.

42. The method of claim 41, which includes enabling the player to use the primary award as a separate wager for the secondary game.

43. The method of claim 30, which includes enabling the player to place a separate wager on the secondary game.

44. The method of claim 30, wherein the winning outcome of the secondary game is at least in part dependent on a decision by the player.

45. The method of claim 30, wherein the winning outcome of the secondary game is based on a risk, skill or knowledge event.

46. The method of claim 30, wherein the winning outcome of the secondary game is at least in part based on a random event.

47. The method of claim 30, which includes providing the player a secondary game award if the winning outcome is obtained in the secondary game.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the secondary game award is a progressive award.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the secondary game award is at least one activation of a wide area progressive slot game.

50. The method of claim 30, which includes a primary pay table associated with the primary game and a secondary pay table associated with the secondary game.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the secondary pay table is based on any winning outcome generated in the primary game.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the secondary pay table is based on the wager made in the primary game.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the secondary pay table is based on a wager made in the secondary game.

54. The method of claim 30, wherein the gaming elements include a plurality of different shaped blocks for the secondary game.

55. The method of claim 30, wherein the secondary game includes a wide area progressive slot game having at least one winning outcome, wherein the game elements include activations of the secondary slot game.

56. The method of claim 30, wherein the number of gaming elements provided for the secondary game is selected from the group consisting of:

a constant number, a randomly determined number and a predetermined number.

57. The method of claim 30, which includes providing at least one of the gaming elements for at least one of a plurality of secondary games regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game.

58. The method of claim 30, which includes providing at least one of the gaming elements for a plurality of secondary games regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game.

33. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a wager by a player;

(b) initiating a primary game upon receiving the wager by the player;

(c) generating an outcome in the primary game;

(d) if the generated outcome in the primary game is a winning outcome, displaying an award associated with the generated outcome in the primary game;

(e) providing at least one gaming card of a secondary game regardless of any event in the primary game and regardless of any generated outcome of the primary game;

(f) determining whether a winning outcome occurs in the secondary game, wherein the winning outcome is based on the gaming cards of the secondary card game that are provided for playing the primary game a plurality of times; and

(g) repeating steps (b) to (f) upon another wager by the player.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said steps are provided to the player through a data network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the data network is an internet.

59. The method of claim 33, which includes a secondary award associated with the winning outcome in the secondary card game.

60. The method of claim 33, wherein the winning outcome occurs when the plurality of gaming cards forms a predetermined set.

61. The method of claim 33, which includes enabling the player to use the plurality of gaming cards as part of a set for the secondary card game.

62. The method of claim 61, which includes enabling the player to compete against the gaming device in the secondary card game using the set of the plurality of gaming cards.

63. The method of claim 33, which includes enabling the player to place an additional wager on the secondary card game.

64. The method of claim 33, wherein the secondary card game is a poker game.

65. The method of claim 33, wherein the secondary card game is a blackjack game.

66. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a first wager amount by a first player;

(b) initiating a first primary game upon receiving the first wager amount by the first player;

(c) providing at least one gaming element of a secondary game regardless of any event in the first primary game and regardless of any outcome of the first primary game;

(d) determining whether a winning outcome occurs in the secondary game, wherein the winning outcome is based, at least in part, on the gaming elements of the secondary game that are provided for playing the first primary game; and

(e) if the determination is that the winning outcome does not occur in the secondary game;

(i) receiving a second wager amount by a second player;

(ii) initiating a second primary game upon receiving the second wager amount by the second player;

(iii) providing at least one gaming element of the secondary game regardless of any event in the second primary game and regardless of any outcome of the second primary game; and

(iv) determining whether a winning outcome occurs in the secondary game, wherein the winning outcome is based, at least in part, on the gaming elements of the secondary game that are provided for playing the second primary game.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein for each play of the first primary game, one gaming element of the secondary game is provided regardless of any event in the first primary game and regardless of any outcome of the first primary game.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the number of gaming elements provided for the secondary game is based on the amount wagered.

69. The method of claim 66, which includes enabling the placement of a separate wager on the secondary game.

70. The method of claim 66, which includes providing a secondary game award if the winning outcome is obtained in the secondary game.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the secondary game award is a progressive award.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the secondary game award is at least one activation of a wide area progressive slot game.

73. The method of claim 66, wherein the number of gaming elements provided for the secondary game is selected from the group consisting of:

a constant number, a randomly determined number and a predetermined number.

74. The method of claim 66, which includes providing at least one of the gaming elements for at least one of a plurality of secondary games regardless of any event in the first primary game and regardless of any outcome of the first primary game.

75. The method of claim 66, which includes providing at least one of the gaming elements for a plurality secondary games regardless of any event in the first primary game and regardless of any outcome of the first primary game.

76. The method of claim 66, wherein the first primary game and the second primary game are the same game.

77. The method of claim 66, wherein the winning outcome in the secondary game is based, at least in part, on the gaming elements of the secondary game that are provided for playing the second primary game and based, at least in part, on the gaming elements of the secondary game that are provided for playing the first primary game.

78. The method of claim 66, which is provided through a data network.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the data network is an internet.