Entertainment and gaming devices coupled to an indication of payout percentage characteristics

• US 7,749,069 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Barcrest Group Limited (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: International Game Technology
• Inventors: Randall, Dov L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/844,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20050208992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 30- 33, 463/42, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

Coin-operated player-operable entertainment machines, such as fruit machines with symbol-selecting reels, are linked to a common display device. The machines are used to play games which may result in wins, dependent upon at least one machine parameter. The machine parameter may be the percentage pay out for which the machines are set, i.e., the proportion of stake value returned as awards. The percentages may be different for different machines and this may be shown on the common display device.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a plurality of coin-operated player-operable entertainment machines, each one of the machines configured to implement one of a plurality of different payout percentages, each different payout percentage determined based on;

(i) a plurality of awards associated with a plurality of winning outcomes and (ii) for each of the plurality of winning outcomes, a probability of said winning outcome occurring in a play of a game;

at least one common display device for the plurality of machines; and

at least one processor configured to cause the at least one common display device to indicate a plurality of the different payout percentages which are currently being implemented by the plurality of machines, the indication occurring;

(i) without outputting an identification of which of the machines are currently implementing which of the indicated payout percentages, and

(ii) independent of any of the outcomes generated by any of the plurality of machines.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein;

(a) at least one of the different payout percentages is an adjustable payout percentage; and

(b) the at least one processor is configured to;

(x) monitor the adjustable actual payout percentage; and

(y) control a deviation of the adjustable actual payout percentage relative to a pre-set payout percentage.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the payout percentages is an adjustable actual pay out percentage.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the payout percentages is a pre-set payout percentage.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the payout percentages is adjustable.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the common display device includes a device separate from the machines.

7. The assembly of claim 1, which includes a data link between the common display device and the machines.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the data link includes an intermediary device between the common display device and the machines.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the game of at least one of the machines includes a combination of symbols displayed on a main display device.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the main display device comprises rotatable side-by-side symbol-bearing reels.

24. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the common display device includes an illuminable printed panel.

25. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the common display device indication includes a qualitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

26. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the common display device indication includes a quantitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

11. A gaming device having a game configured to operate upon a wager, the gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a display device supported by the cabinet; and

a processor configured to operate with a server, the processor configured to;

(a) operate the game using at least a first one plurality of different payout percentages, the plurality of payout percentages being usable by each of the processor and a plurality of gaming device processors of a plurality of other gaming devices, each different payout percentage determined based on;

(i) a plurality of awards associated with a plurality of winning outcomes and (ii) for each of the plurality of winning outcomes, a probability of said winning outcome being generated in a play of the game;

(b) receive data from the server, said data causing the processor to use the first one of the payout percentages, the server being in communication with a display apparatus selected from the group consisting of;

the display device supported by the cabinet and a common display device; and

(c) cause the display apparatus to indicate a plurality of the different payout percentages while the indicated payout percentages are currently being used by each of the processor and the other gaming device processors, the indication occurring;

(i) without outputting an identification of which of the processors are currently using which of the indicated payout percentages, and

(ii) independent of any of the outcomes generated by the processors of any of the plurality of gaming devices; and

(d) provide at least one of the outcomes depending, at least in part, on the first one of the payout percentages.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein:

(a) the first one of the payout percentages is an adjustable actual payout percentage; and

(b) the processor is configured to;

(x) monitor the adjustable actual payout percentage; and

(y) control a deviation of the adjustable actual payout percentage relative to a pre-set payout percentage.

13. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the display apparatus includes a display panel positioned apart from the gaming devices.

27. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the first one of the payout percentages is an adjustable actual payout percentage.

28. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the first one of the payout percentages is a pre-set payout percentage.

29. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the display device supported by the cabinet includes an illuminable printed panel.

30. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the display device apparatus indication includes a qualitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

31. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the display device apparatus indication includes a quantitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

14. A gaming device having a game configured to operate upon a wager, the gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a display device supported by the cabinet; and

a processor configured to;

(a) operate the game using a first one of a plurality of different payout percentages, the plurality of payout percentages being useable by each of;

(i) the processor; and

(ii) a plurality of gaming device processors of a plurality of other gaming devices, each different payout percentage determined based on;

(i) a plurality of awards associated with a plurality of winning outcomes and (ii) for each of the plurality of winning outcomes, a probability of said winning outcome being generated in a play of the game;

(b) enable data to pass from the processor to a controller of a different display device, said data associated with the first payout percentage; and

(c) cause said different display device to indicate a plurality of the different payout percentages while the indicated payout percentages are currently being used by each of the processor and the other gaming device processors, the indication occurring;

(i) without outputting an identification of which of the processors are currently using which of the indicated payout percentages, and

(ii) independent of any outcomes generated by the processors of any of the plurality of gaming devices; and

(d) provide at least one of the outcomes depending, at least in part, on the first one of the payout percentages.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein:

(a) the first one of the payout percentages is an adjustable actual percentage; and

(b) the processor is configured to;

(x) monitor the adjustable actual payout percentage; and

(y) control a deviation of the adjustable actual payout percentage relative to a pre-set payout percentage.

16. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the different display device includes a display panel positioned apart from each of the gaming devices.

32. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the first one of the payout percentages is an adjustable actual payout percentage.

33. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the first one of the payout percentages is a pre-set payout percentage.

34. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the display device supported by the cabinet includes an illuminable printed panel.

35. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the different display device indication includes a qualitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

36. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the different display device indication includes a quantitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

17. A gaming device having a game configured to operate upon a wager, the gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

a display device supported by the cabinet; and

a gaming device processor configured to operate the game based, at least in part, on a first one of a plurality of different payout percentages, the plurality of different payout percentages being usable by each of the processor and a plurality of gaming device processors of a plurality of other gaming devices, each different payout percentage determined based on;

(i) a plurality of awards associated with a plurality of winning outcomes and (ii) for each of the plurality of winning outcomes, a probability of said winning outcome being generated in a play of the game wherein the gaming device processor is configured to operate with an additional processor of an additional display device, the additional processor being configured to;

(a) process data corresponding to the first one of the payout percentages;

(b) process data corresponding to a second one of the plurality of different payout percentages of at least one of the other gaming devices; and

(c) cause the additional display device to indicate a plurality of the different payout percentages while the indicated payout percentages are currently being used by each of the processor and the other gaming device processors, the indication occurring;

(i) without outputting an identification of which of the processors are currently implementing which of the different indicated payout percentages, and

(ii) independent of any of the outcomes generated by the processors of any of the plurality of gaming devices.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein:

(a) the first one of the payout percentages is an adjustable actual payout percentage; and

(b) the additional processor is configured to;

(x) monitor actual payout percentage; and

(y) control a deviation of the adjustable actual payout percentage relative to a pre-set payout percentage.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the second one of the payout percentages of the at least one of the other gaming devices is an adjustable actual payout percentage.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the first one of the payout percentages is a pre-set payout percentage.

21. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the display device supported by the cabinet includes an illuminable printed panel.

22. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the additional display device indication includes a qualitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.

23. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the additional display device indication includes a quantitative indication of the plurality of different payout percentages.