Electronic game apparatus and method providing a secondary game triggered apart from a primary game

• US 7,722,462 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Mayeroff, Jason M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, JEFFREY KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/558,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/16, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A gaming device and method where there is a primary game and a bonus game. The player makes a wager and plays the primary game to obtain an outcome. Before, during or after the primary game a bonus game is played, apart from the primary game, which can trigger an separate, unrelated award. A bonus award display displays any award from the bonus game.

Claims

1. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a primary game display device supported by the housing, said primary game display device configured to display a primary game operable upon a wager by a player, said primary game including a plurality of primary game outcomes, said primary game outcomes including a plurality of primary game losing outcomes and a plurality of primary game winning outcomes, each primary game winning outcome associated with one of a plurality of primary game awards and having one of a plurality of first probabilities of being selected in a play of the primary game, wherein said primary game awards and said first probabilities form a primary game payback percentage;

at least one input device supported by the housing;

a mechanical secondary game display device supported by the housing, wherein said secondary game display device displays a plurality of secondary game awards prior to a selection of a secondary game trigger condition, said secondary game display device is physically distinct from said primary game display device, each secondary game award has one of a plurality of second probabilities of being selected and said secondary game awards and said second probabilities form a secondary game payback percentage which is independent of said primary game payback percentage; and

said at least one processor is programmed to operate with the primary game display device, the at least one input device and the mechanical secondary game display device to;

(a) for each play of the primary game, randomly generate one of the primary game winning outcomes or one of the primary game losing outcomes;

(b) if the generated primary game outcome is one of the primary game winning outcomes, provide the player the primary game award associated with the generated primary game winning outcome;

(c) independent of the generated primary game outcome and independent of the primary game payback percentage, determine whether the secondary game trigger condition occurs; and

(d) if the secondary game trigger condition occurs, cause a random generation of one of the secondary game awards and cause the generated secondary game award to be provided to the player.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said determination of whether the secondary game trigger condition occurs is based, at least in part, on a random determination.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, which includes a separate display, operable to display the random determination of whether the secondary game trigger condition occurs.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes a first processor supported by the housing and a second processor located remote from the housing.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the first processor controls the secondary game display device to rotate about an axis to generate one of the secondary game awards.

6. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the second processor controls the secondary game display device to rotate about an axis to generate one of the secondary game awards.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said mechanical secondary game display device includes a rotatable wheel.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said rotatable wheel includes a plurality of segments that each display one of said secondary awards.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the primary game payback percentage and the secondary game payback percentage form an overall payback percentage for said gaming device.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the secondary game display device includes an indicator such that at least one of said indicator and said mechanical secondary game display device are rotatable about an axis.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein an alignment of said indicator and said display of said secondary game awards determines which of the secondary game awards is generated.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein if the wager is at least a designated wager amount, the at least one processor determines whether the secondary game trigger condition occurs, wherein said determination is independent of the size of the wager.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the secondary game awards is generated if the secondary game trigger condition occurs and the wager is at least the designated wager amount.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said displayed secondary game awards of said secondary game display device are rotatable about an axis relative to said secondary game display device.

15. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of reels supported by the housing, said reels configured to display a plurality of reel game outcomes, said reel game outcomes including a plurality of reel game losing outcomes and a plurality of reel game winning outcomes, each reel game winning outcome associated with one of a plurality of reel game awards and having one of a plurality of first probabilities of being selected in a play of a reel game;

a mechanical wheel supported by the housing, said wheel displaying a plurality of wheel game awards, said mechanical wheel physically distinct from said plurality of reels, wherein each wheel game award has one of a plurality of second probabilities of being selected;

at least one input device supported by the housing;

said at least one processor programmed to operate with said plurality of reels, said wheel, and said at least one input device to;

(a) for play of the reel game, randomly generate one of the reel game winning outcomes or one of the reel game losing outcomes, and if the generated reel game outcome is one of the reel game winning outcomes, display and provide a player the reel game award associated with said generated reel game winning outcome; and

(b) for play of the wheel game, randomly generate one of the wheel game awards and cause the generated wheel game award to be provided to the player, wherein each of said plays of the wheel game occurs if a wheel game trigger condition randomly occurs independent of any of said displayable reel game outcomes.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein said reel game awards and said first probabilities form a reel game payback percentage and said wheel game awards and said second probabilities form an independent wheel game payback percentage.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein said wheel game trigger condition randomly occurs independent of the reel game payback percentage.

18. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of reels supported by the housing, said reels configured to display a plurality of reel game outcomes, said reel game outcomes including a plurality of reel game losing outcomes and a plurality of reel game winning outcomes, each reel game winning outcome associated with one of a plurality of reel game awards and having one of a plurality of first probabilities of being selected in a play of a reel game;

a mechanical wheel supported by the housing, said wheel displaying a plurality of wheel game awards, said mechanical wheel physically distinct from said plurality of reels, wherein each wheel game award has one of a plurality of second probabilities of being selected;

at least one input device supported by the housing;

said at least one processor programmed to operate with said plurality of reels, said wheel, and said at least one input device upon a wager by a player to;

(a) randomly determine whether to generate one of said wheel game awards, wherein said random determination is independent of any displayable reel game outcomes; and

(b) if the determination is to generate one of said wheel game awards;

(i) cause a random generation of one of the wheel game awards, and

(ii) cause the generated wheel game award to be provided to the player.

19. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein said reel game awards and said first probabilities form a reel game payback percentage and said wheel game awards and said second probabilities form an independent wheel game payback percentage.

20. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein random determination of whether to generate one of said wheel game awards is independent of the reel game payback percentage.

21. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a primary game display device supported by the housing, said primary game display device configured to display a primary game operable upon a wager by a player, said primary game including a plurality of primary game outcomes, said primary game outcomes including a plurality of primary game losing outcomes and a plurality of primary game winning outcomes, each primary game winning outcome associated with one of a plurality of primary game awards and having one of a plurality of first probabilities of being selected in a play of the primary game, wherein said primary game awards and said first probabilities form a primary game payback percentage;

at least one input device supported by the housing;

a mechanical secondary game display device supported by the housing, wherein said secondary game display device displays a plurality of secondary game awards prior to a selection of a secondary game trigger condition, said secondary game display device is physically distinct from said primary game display device, each secondary game award has one of a plurality of second probabilities of being selected and said secondary game awards and said second probabilities form a secondary game payback percentage which is independent of said primary game payback percentage;

a secondary game trigger condition display device supported by the housing and configured to display information associated with a selection process of the secondary game trigger condition; and

said at least one processor programmed to operate with the primary game display device, the at least one input device and the mechanical secondary game display device to;

(a) for each play of the primary game, randomly generate one of the primary game winning outcomes or one of the primary game losing outcomes;

(b) if the generated primary game outcome is one of the primary game winning outcomes, provide the player the primary game award associated with the generated primary game winning outcome;

(c) independent of the generated primary game outcome and independent of the primary game payback percentage, perform the selection process to determine whether the secondary game trigger condition occurs; and

(d) if the secondary game trigger condition occurs, cause a random generation of one of the secondary game awards and cause the generated secondary game award to be provided to the player.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor includes a first processor supported by the housing and a second processor located remote from the housing.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the first processor controls the secondary game display device to rotate about an axis to generate one of the secondary game awards.

24. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the second processor controls the secondary game display device to rotate about an axis to generate one of the secondary game awards.

25. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein said mechanical secondary game display device includes a rotatable wheel.

26. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein said rotatable wheel includes a plurality of segments that each display one of said secondary awards.

27. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the primary game payback percentage and the secondary game payback percentage form an overall payback percentage for the gaming device.

28. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein the mechanical secondary game display device includes an indicator such that at least one of said indicator and said mechanical secondary game display device are rotatable about an axis.

29. The gaming device of claim 28, wherein an alignment of said indicator and one of the displayed secondary game awards determines which of the secondary game awards is generated.

30. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein if the wager is at least a designated wager amount, the at least one processor performs the selection process to determine whether the secondary game trigger condition occurs, wherein said determination is independent of the size of the wager.

31. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein at least one of the secondary game awards is generated if the secondary game trigger condition occurs and the wager is at least the designated wager amount.

32. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein said displayed secondary game awards of said secondary game display device are rotatable about an axis relative to said secondary game display device.