Gaming device system having partial progressive payout

• US 7,651,392 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Pennington, Richard M., Nguyen, Binh T., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Michaelson, Richard E., Paulsen, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn; Corbett B
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US11/221,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 17, 463 25- 27, 273/142.H, 273/142.R
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system includes a first gaming device, a second gaming device and an outcome display shared by the first and second gaming devices. The outcome display includes multiple symbols, the symbols in combination with an available amount defining mathematically a portion of the available amount to be provided to a player playing one of the gaming devices.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a first gaming device having a first game operable upon a wager;

a second gaming device having a second game operable upon a wager;

a first display controlled by at least one processor; and

an outcome display controlled by the at least one processor and shared by the first and second gaming devices, the outcome display including a plurality of displayed symbols, at least two of said symbols being different and each of said symbols having a displayed predetermined relationship to each other symbol of said plurality of displayed symbols, wherein for each occurrence of a designated triggering event on the first gaming device, the at least one processor is programmed to operate with the first display and the outcome display to;

(a) activate the outcome display,

(b) display an available amount on the first display, said available amount being greater than zero,

(c) randomly determine a first one of the symbols,

(d) cause an indication of the first symbol,

(e) cause the first symbol in combination with the available amount to mathematically define a first portion of the available amount to be displayed and provided to a player of the first gaming device,

(f) determine a second one of the symbols based on the displayed predetermined relationship between the first symbol and the determined second symbol,

(g) cause an indication of the second symbol,

(h) cause the second symbol in combination with the available amount to mathematically define a second portion of the available amount to be displayed and provided to a player of the second gaming device,

(i) cause each of the first and second portions to be greater than zero and less than one hundred percent of the available amount, and

(j) deactivate the outcome display.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the displayed symbols of the outcome display are of a type selected from the group consisting of:

percentages, factors and numbers less than one.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the available amount is of at least one type selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a jackpot amount;

(ii) a progressive amount;

(iii) a static amount;

(iv) a randomly determined amount;

(v) an amount determined in a base game played on one of the gaming devices;

(vi) an amount determined in a bonus game played on one of the gaming devices;

(vii) an amount determined at least partially by the outcome display; and

(viii) an amount determined at least partially by the at least one processor controlling the first display and the outcome display.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, which is configured to randomly select the displayed available amount from a plurality of available amounts, at least two of said available amounts being different.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of available amounts have at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

(i) being progressive amounts;

(ii) being preset;

(iii) being displayed on the outcome display;

(iv) being displayed on the first display; and

(v) being displayed on the first and second gaming devices.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the displayed available amount is a first available amount, and which is configured to determine a second available amount after the portions of the first available amount are provided to the players, the second available amount including at least the portion of the first available amount not provided to the players.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the outcome display is of a type selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a horizontally disposed wheel positioned adjacent to the first and second gaming devices;

(ii) a vertically disposed wheel positioned adjacent to the first and second gaming devices;

(iii) an overhead video monitor viewable from the first and second gaming devices; and

(iv) a reel positioned adjacent to the first and second gaming devices.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a sum of all of the symbols equals or is substantially equal to 100%.

9. The gaming system of the claim 1, wherein a sum of all of the displayed symbols of the outcome display equals or is substantially equal to 100%.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one coordinate corresponds to each of the displayed symbols of the outcome display, and the displayed symbols of the outcome display are selected by selecting at least one of the coordinates.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated triggering event is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a random generation of a triggering condition by the at least one processor controlling the first display and the outcome display;

(ii) a random generation of a triggering condition by the first gaming device;

(iii) random generations of triggering conditions by the first gaming device and by the second gaming device;

(iv) a specified amount of game play on one of the first and second gaming devices;

(v) a specified amount of game play on both of the first and second gaming devices; and

(vi) a combination of base game results from the first and second gaming devices.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the outcome display is configured to indicate at least one of game credits, game credit modifiers and free spins as potential alternative awards.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the available amount is displayed on the first display and at least one of:

(i) the outcome display; and

(ii) the first and second gaming devices.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each gaming device includes a game processor, and wherein the at least one processor which controls the first display and the outcome display is separate from the game processors.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the games operable upon a wager is selected from the group consisting of:

slot, poker, keno and blackjack.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a third gaming device having a third game operable upon a wager, wherein for each occurrence of the designated triggering event on the first gaming device, the at least one processor is programmed to:

(a) cause a third one of the symbols in combination with the available amount to mathematically define a third portion of the available amount to be displayed and provided to a player of the third gaming device, and

(b) cause the third portion to be one hundred percent of the available amount.

17. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the displayed predetermined relationship between each symbol of said plurality of displayed symbols is a spatial relationship.

18. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices each having a game operable upon a wager and a designated triggering event in said game;

a first display controlled by at least one processor; and

an outcome display controlled by the at least one processor and shared by at least two of the gaming devices, the outcome display including multiple displayed symbols, at least two of said symbols being different, and each of said symbols having a displayed predetermined relationship to each other symbol of said plurality of displayed symbols wherein for each occurrence of one of the designated triggering events on the first gaming device, the at least one processor is programmed to operate with the first display and the outcome display to;

(a) activate the outcome display,

(b) display an available amount on the first display, said available amount being greater than zero,

(c) randomly determine a first one of the symbols,

(d) cause an indication of the first symbol,

(e) cause the first symbol in combination with the available amount to mathematically define a portion of the available amount to be displayed and provided to a player of a first actively played gaming device in a designated period relative to the occurrence of said designated triggering event,

(f) for each remaining actively played gaming device in the designated period;

(i) determine an additional one of the symbols based on the displayed predetermined relationship between the first symbol and said additional symbol,

(ii) cause an indication of said additional symbol, and

(iii) cause said additional symbol in combination with the available amount to mathematically define a portion of the available amount to be displayed and provided to a player of said actively played gaming device,

(g) cause each portion for each actively played gaming device to be greater than zero,

(h) cause at least one of the portions to be less than one hundred percent of the available amount, and

(i) deactivate the outcome display.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the displayed symbols of the outcome display are of a type selected from the group consisting of:

percentages, factors and numbers less than one.

20. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the available amount is of at least one type selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a jackpot amount;

(ii) a progressive amount;

(iii) a static amount;

(iv) a randomly determined amount;

(v) an amount determined in a base game played on one of the gaming devices;

(vi) an amount determined in a bonus game played on one of the gaming devices;

(vii) an amount determined at least partially by the shared outcome display; and

(viii) an amount determined at least partially by the at least one processor controlling the first display and the outcome display.

21. The gaming system of claim 18, which is configured to randomly select the available amount from a plurality of available amounts, at least two of said available amounts being different.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of available amounts have at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

(i) being progressive amounts;

(ii) being preset;

(iii) being displayed on the outcome display;

(iv) being displayed on the first display; and

(v) being displayed on the first and second gaming devices.

23. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the available amount is a first available amount, and which is configured to determine a second available amount after the portions of the first available amount are provided to the players, the second available amount including at least the portion of the first available amount not provided to the players.

24. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the outcome display is of a type selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a horizontally disposed wheel positioned adjacent to the first and second gaming devices;

(ii) a vertically disposed wheel positioned adjacent to the first and second gaming devices;

(iii) an overhead video monitor viewable from at least two of the gaming devices; and

(iv) a reel positioned adjacent to at least two of the gaming devices.

25. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the available amount is displayed on the first display and at least one of:

(i) the outcome display; and

(ii) at least two of the gaming devices.

26. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein each gaming device includes a game processor, and wherein the at least one processor which controls the first display and the outcome display is separate from the game processors.

27. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the games operable upon a wager is selected from the group consisting of:

slot, poker, keno and blackjack.

28. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein for each occurrence of the designated triggering event on the first gaming device, the at least one processor is programmed to cause at least one of the portions to be one hundred percent of the available amount.

29. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the displayed predetermined relationship between each symbol of said plurality of displayed symbols is a spatial relationship.