Gaming device having multiple interrelated secondary games

• US 7,614,953 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Souza, Roman A., Vorias, William E., Mead, Randall D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Milap
• Application Number:
  US11/868,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20080026840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42, 273/138.1
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A gaming device and a method for operating the gaming device including interrelating bonus games in a bonus round by providing outcomes which transfer the player to one of the other interrelated bonus games. Each bonus game includes a different set of outcomes depending on what order the bonus game is selected by the gaming device or the player. Once an initial bonus game is selected, the player is presented with a plurality of selections which can include awards, award digits, modifiers, terminators, and other outcomes in addition to transfers to other bonus games.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

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 at least one input device and the at least one display device to;

(a) display a play of primary game upon a wager,

(b) display a play of one of a plurality of bonus games as a first bonus game, wherein the plurality of bonus games are displayable in at least two different sequential orders, wherein the two different sequential orders both include each of the plurality of bonus games, and each of the plurality of bonus games include a plurality of different sets of outcomes, and

(c) thereafter, display a play of another one of the bonus games as a second bonus game, wherein for each of the bonus games, the set of outcomes available to be provided to a player for the play of said bonus game is at least partly based on which of the at least two different sequential orders said bonus games are displayed.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the set of outcomes available to the player for each of said bonus games is based on the order said games are displayed.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonus games includes different probabilities associated with outcomes of said bonus game, wherein the probabilities used in the play of said bonus game is based on the order said bonus game is displayed.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonus games includes different functions associated with outcomes of said bonus game, wherein the functions employed in the play of said bonus game is based on the order said bonus game is displayed.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first bonus game displayed is randomly determined.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one outcome that is at least partly based on which of the at least two different sequential orders said bonus games are displayed is in the second bonus game.

7. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming machine; and

at least one central controller configured to operate with the at least one gaming machine to;

cause the display of a play of a primary game upon a wager,

cause the display of a play of one of a plurality of bonus games as a first bonus game, wherein the bonus games are displayable in at least two different sequential orders, wherein the two different sequential orders both include each of the plurality of bonus games, and each of the plurality of bonus games include a plurality of different sets of outcomes, and

thereafter, cause the display of a play of another one of the bonus games as a second bonus game, wherein for each of the bonus games, the set of outcomes available to the player for the play of said bonus game is at least partly based on which of the at least two different sequential orders the bonus games are displayed.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the set of outcomes available to the player for each of said bonus games is based on the order said bonus games are displayed.

9. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonus games includes different probabilities associated with outcomes of said bonus game, wherein the probabilities used in the play of said bonus game is based on the order said bonus game is displayed.

10. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonus games includes different functions associated with outcomes of said bonus game, wherein the functions employed in the play of said bonus game is based on the order said bonus game is displayed.

11. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein the first bonus game displayed is randomly determined.

12. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the at least one outcome that is at least partly based on which of the at least two different sequential orders said bonus games are displayed is in the second bonus game.

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

causing at least one display device to the display of a play of primary game upon a wager;

causing the at least one display device to display a play of one of a plurality of bonus games as a first bonus game, wherein the bonus games are displayable in at least two different sequential orders, wherein the two different sequential orders both include each of the plurality of bonus games, and each of the plurality of bonus games include a plurality of different sets of outcomes, and

thereafter, causing the at least one display device to display a play of another one of the bonus games as a second bonus game, wherein for each of the bonus games, the set of outcomes available to be provided to a player for the play of said bonus game is at least partly based on which of the at least two different sequential orders the bonus games are displayed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of outcomes available to the player for each of said bonus games is based on the order said bonus games are displayed.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonus games includes different probabilities associated with outcomes of said bonus game, wherein the probabilities used in the play of said bonus game is based on the order said bonus game is displayed.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonus games includes different functions associated with the outcomes of said bonus game, wherein the functions employed in the play of said bonus game is based on the order said bonus game is displayed.

17. The method of claim 13, which includes randomly determining which bonus games is the first bonus game displayed.

18. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data network is an internet.