Slot driven video story

• US 7,753,780 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Fink, Jesse M., Jorasch, James A., Sparico, Thomas M., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US11/677,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

A gaming system includes a network server connected to a plurality of gaming devices that are adapted to provide a video payout on each play based on a set of payout parameters. Memory at each gaming device stores payout parameters that correspond to each possible gaming result or outcome. When a play is initiated by a player, a gaming result is generated at a gaming device. The gaming device responds by accessing a corresponding payout parameter from the memory which may be a monetary amount, a video presentation segment or a combination thereof. If the payout is video, the network server receives the payout parameter and transmits video presentation segment to the gaming device accordingly. The gaming device then provides a video payout, in the form of displayed video presentation, to the player. The player thus receives at least one form of payment on each play.

Claims

1. A method of operating a video poker gaming device including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an outcome associated with a play of a video poker game;

causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the outcome corresponds to a video presentation which is in addition to any display of the play of the video poker game;

if the outcome corresponds to the video presentation, causing at least one display device to display the video presentation to a player; and

causing the at least one display device to display an indication of the outcome of the play of the video poker game play distinctly from the video presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the at least one display device to display the indication of the outcome of the play of the video poker game play distinctly from the video presentation includes causing the at least one display device to display the indication of the outcome in a first game play area and causing the at least one display device to display the video presentation in a separate second video presentation area of the video poker gaming device.

3. The method of claim 1, further including storing the video presentation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein storing the video presentation includes storing the video presentation at the video poker gaming device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein storing the video presentation includes storing the video presentation at a device other than the video poker gaming device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein storing the video presentation includes storing the video presentation at a server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the video presentation includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a movie, a music video, a soap opera and a sporting event.

8. The method of claim 1, further including causing the processor to determine a second portion of the video presentation to be provided based on a previously provided first portion of the video presentation.

9. The method of claim 1, further including causing the processor to determine a termination point of the video presentation and causing the at least one display device to terminate the display of the video presentation at the termination point.

10. The method of claim 9, further including causing the processor to determine a second outcome associated with the play of the video poker game that corresponds to a video payout and causing the at least one display device to resume display of the video presentation from the termination point to provide the video payout if the second outcome is generated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the outcome corresponds to the video presentation includes determining if the outcome is a video poker hand of a predetermined rank.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the video poker game is a primary game.

13. A system comprising:

an input device;

a processor;

at least one display device; and

a memory device, said memory device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the at least one display device and the input device to;

(a) determine an outcome associated with a play of a video poker game;

(b) determine if the outcome corresponds to a video presentation;

(c) if the outcome corresponds to the video presentation, display the video presentation to a player which is in addition to any display of the play of the video poker game; and

(d) display an indication of the outcome of the play of the video poker game distinctly from the video presentation.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the input device is a touch screen and the display device is positioned behind the touch screen.

15. A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions to:

(a) determine an outcome associated with a play of a video poker game at a video poker gaming device;

(b) determine if the outcome corresponds to a video presentation;

(c) if the outcome corresponds to the video presentation, cause the video poker gaming device to provide the video presentation to a player which is in addition to any display of the play of the video poker game; and

(d) cause a display device to display an indication of the outcome of the game play distinctly from the video presentation.

16. A method of operating a gaming device including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

(a) causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an outcome associated with a play of a video poker game;

(b) causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the outcome corresponds to a video presentation, video presentation being repurposed from its original use;

(c) if the outcome corresponds to the video presentation, causing at least one display device to display the video presentation to a player which is in addition to any display of the play of the video poker game; and

(d) causing the at least one display device to display an indication of the outcome of the play of the video poker game distinctly from the video presentation.

17. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:

(a) causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to create a database that has entries corresponding to numbers capable of being generated by a random number generator of a gaming device;

(b) causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate at least one video payout with at least one of the entries; and

(c) adapting the database for use in the gaming device such that if the random number generator of the gaming device generates a number corresponding to the entry in the database that corresponds to the at least one video payout, the video payout is provided to a player of the gaming device which is in addition to any display of a video poker game.

18. The method of claim 17, further including associating a monetary payout with at least a second entry in the database.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the monetary payout is zero.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the monetary payout is greater than zero.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the video payout includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a movie, a music video, a soap opera, and a sporting event.

22. The method of claim 17, further including causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of video payouts with the entries.

23. The method of claim 22, further including causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to associate a plurality of monetary payouts with the entries.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each of a plurality of the entries are only associated with one of the plurality one video payouts each of a plurality of the entries are only associated with associated with one of a plurality of the monetary payouts;

and each of a plurality of the entries are associated with one of the video payouts and one of the monetary payouts.

25. The method of claim 17, further including storing the database in the gaming device.

26. The method of claim 17, further including storing the database in a server positioned remotely from the gaming device and allowing the gaming device to access the database selectively.

27. A system comprising:

a user interface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and configured to;

(a) create a database that has entries corresponding to numbers capable of being generated by a random number generator of a gaming device;

(b) associate at least one video payout with at least one of the entries; and

(c) adapt the database for use in the gaming device such that if the random number generator of the gaming device generates a number whose entry in the database corresponds to the at least one video payout, the video payout is provided to a player of the gaming device which is in addition to any display of a game.

28. A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions to:

(a) create a database that has entries corresponding to numbers capable of being generated by a random number generator of a gaming device;

(b) associate at least one video payout with at least one of the entries; and

(c) adapt the database for use in the gaming device such that if the random number generator of the gaming device generates a number corresponding to the entry in the database associated with the at least one video payout, the at least one video payout is provided to a player of the gaming device which is in addition to any display of any game.