Gaming system with multiple game apparatus and method of use

• US 7,727,065 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company Incorporated (Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service)
• Inventors: Seelig, Jerald C., Henshaw, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US12/042,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463 25- 27, 463/46, 273/144.R, 273/144.A, 273/144.B, 273/269, 273/274, 273/138.2, 273/138.1, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system having a centralized controller coupled to an array of game apparatus; a display device, including a plurality of prize object displays, for displaying a bonus event prize for at least one game apparatus in the array; and provision for holding prize objects in an individually controlled manner, is disclosed. In another embodiment, a gaming system including a plurality of game apparatus, each game apparatus having a plurality of prize objects where at least one prize object is a dynamic prize object, the latter being distinguishable from other prize objects; and a central controller in communication with the plurality of game apparatus, the central controller being configured to assign a prize value to a selected prize object if the selected prize object is a dynamic prize object and cause the prize value to be displayed to a player on the associated game apparatus, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

(A) a plurality of game apparatus, each game apparatus configured to play a game of chance and display a game outcome for a primary game;

(B) at least one display device visible to players of the plurality of game apparatus, comprising;

a. a container configured to hold a plurality of display objects wherein at least a portion of the container is sufficiently transparent to allow the players to view contents of the container;

b. an agitator configured to agitate the plurality of display objects;

c. at least one prize object holder configured to hold a plurality of prize objects in an individually controlled manner; and

d. at least one prize object display configured to receive at least one prize object from the prize object holder; and

(C) a central controller in communication with the plurality of game apparatus and the at least one display device, wherein when a bonus prize event has occurred, the central controller is configured to;

a. determine a random bonus game outcome corresponding to;

(i) a bonus prize for at least one of the plurality of game apparatus;

or

(ii) a community bonus prize for all of the plurality of game apparatus;

b. subsequently select at least one prize object from the plurality of prize objects; and

c. cause the display device to display the selected prize object to communicate the random bonus game outcome to the players.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of game apparatus comprises a plurality of game apparatus arrays, each game apparatus array further comprising a plurality of game apparatus.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the at least one display device comprises a plurality of prize object displays and each game apparatus is associated with at least one of the prize object displays in the at least one display device.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 further comprising at least one prize object actuator associated with the prize object holder, the actuator being configured to cause the selected prize object to move into the prize object display by activation of the prize object actuator.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the prize object display comprises game-related indicia located thereon and wherein the game-related indicia are used to communicate the bonus game outcome to the player.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of prize objects comprise game-related indicia located thereon and wherein the game-related indicia are used to communicate the bonus game outcome to the player.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the prize object display is selected from a group consisting of an exhibition tube, a multi-segmented exhibition tube, a tube with an attached exhibition chamber, and a tube with an attached multi-segmented exhibition chamber.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the prize object holder is hidden from view of the player.

9. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the selected prize object and the at least one prize object display are configured to provide an illusion to the player that the selected prize object originates from the plurality of display objects.

10. A gaming system comprising:

(A) a plurality of game apparatus means for allowing players to play a game of chance;

(B) at least one display means comprising;

(a) at least one prize object holding means for storing a plurality of prize object means in an individually controlled manner;

(b) a plurality of display object means for entertaining a player;

(c) at least one prize object display means for receiving at least one prize object means from the prize object holding means and displaying a selected prize object means to convey a bonus game outcome to the player; and

(d) container means for holding the plurality of display object means, holding the prize object display means, and providing the players with view of contents of the container means; and

(C) central controller means for;

(a) determining a random bonus game outcome for the plurality of game apparatus means when a bonus prize event has occurred;

(b) selecting at least one prize object means from the plurality of prize object means for at least partially conveying the bonus game outcome to the player;

(c) causing a selected prize object means to be displayed in the at least one prize object display means; and

(d) wherein the central controller means is in communication with the plurality of game apparatus means and the at least one display means.

11. The gaming system of claim 10 wherein each of the game apparatus means is associated with a specific prize object display means.

12. The gaming system of claim 10 wherein the prize object holding means is configured to be hidden from view of the player.

13. The gaming system of claim 10 further comprising agitation means for agitating the display object means within the container means.

14. The gaming system of claim 10 wherein the display means is configured to simulate one or more of a mushroom, an umbrella, a volcano, a fire hydrant and a plurality of cannon displays.

15. The gaming system of claim 10 further comprising illusion means for providing an illusion to the player that the selected prize object means originate from the plurality of display object means.

16. The gaming system of claim 10 further comprising prize object actuator means for causing the selected prize object means to move from the prize object holding means to, and be displayed in, the prize object display means.

17. The gaming system of claim 10 further comprising additional prize object display means inside the container means wherein the additional prize object display is associated with each of the plurality of game apparatus means.

18. A gaming system comprising:

(A) a plurality of game apparatus, each game apparatus configured to play a game of chance wherein each game apparatus comprises;

(a) at least one display device comprising;

(i) at least one prize object holder configured to hold a plurality of prize objects in an individually controlled manner, wherein at least one of the prize objects is a dynamic prize object, the dynamic prize object being distinguishable from all other prize objects; and

(ii) at least one prize object display configured to receive at least one prize object from the at least one prize object holder; and

(b) at least one controller configured to;

(i) determine a random game outcome;

(ii) select at least one prize object from the plurality of prize objects associated with the random game outcome; and

(iii) cause the at least one display device to display the selected prize object to the player; and

(B) a central controller in communication with the plurality of game apparatus and the at least one controller of each of the plurality of game apparatus wherein when the selected prize object of (A)(b)(iii) is the dynamic prize object, the central controller is configured to;

(a) determine a second random game outcome associated with selection of the dynamic prize object;

(b) assign a prize value associated with the selected dynamic prize object; and

(c) cause the game apparatus corresponding to the selected dynamic prize object to display the prize value to communicate the second random game outcome.

19. A method of operating a multi-apparatus gaming system comprising, but not all necessarily in order shown:

(A) providing a plurality of game apparatus configured to display an outcome for a primary game, wherein each game apparatus;

(a) allows a player to place a wager to initiate game play on the game apparatus;

(b) stores a plurality of prize objects in an individually controlled manner;

(c) locates at least one prize object display inside of a container on the game apparatus;

(d) provides a plurality of display objects inside the container and agitates the display objects on the game apparatus; and

(e) allows the player to view contents of the container; and

(B) when a bonus prize event has occurred, using a centrally controller to;

(a) determine a random bonus game outcome for at least one of the plurality of game apparatus;

(b) select at least one of the plurality of prize objects; and

(c) display the selected prize object in the at least one prize object display to communicate the random bonus game outcome to the player.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising hiding the prize objects from view of the player while storing the prize objects.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the selected prize object appears to originate from the plurality of display objects in the container.

22. The method of claim 19 comprising providing the display objects in the form of display balls and further jumbling the display balls in the container.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising allowing the player to apparently select the prize object from the plurality of prize objects prior to determining the random game outcome and displaying the selected prize object in the prize object display.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing an additional prize object display inside of the container and associating the additional prize object display with each of the plurality of game apparatus.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising storing the plurality of prize objects in a single prize object holder and configuring the single prize object holder to provide a selected prize object for all of the prize object displays and corresponding associated game apparatus.