Gaming device having multiple offer and acceptance rounds

• US 7,794,316 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Palmer, Gregg J., Schlegel, Megan Nicole, Baerlocher, Anthony J., Webb, Bayard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/860,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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

Abstract

A gaming device which provides a plurality of multi-component offers to a player and displays each offer to the player. Each multi-component offer includes a plurality of components having sub-components. The player can independently accept each component. Once a player accepts a component, the player receives a value based on the sub-components associated with that accepted component. The player continues to play the bonus game until the player has accepted all of the components in the offers or until there are no offers remaining. The gaming device then provides an award to the player based on the values of the accepted components of the offers.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) select a multi-component numerical value offer from a plurality of at least three multi-component numerical value offers, each of said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers including a plurality of numerical value components, each of said numerical value components including a plurality of numerical value sub-components, wherein an amount of each numerical value component is based on the numerical value sub-components of said numerical value component;

(b) display the selected multi-component numerical value offer by displaying each of the numerical value components and each of the numerical value sub-components of the selected multi-component numerical value offer;

(c) for each of the plurality of numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer, enable a player to independently accept said numerical value component regardless of whether the player accepts any of the other numerical value components;

(d) if the player has accepted a predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a first award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined first award to the player;

(e) if the selected multi-component numerical value offer is a final multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a second award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined second award to the player; and

(f) if the player has not accepted the predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer and at least one of the plurality of multi-component numerical value offers remains unselected;

(i) select another multi-component numerical value offer from said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (f) at least once.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each numerical value component includes at least one static numerical value sub-component.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each numerical value component includes at least one variable numerical value sub-component.

4. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the variable numerical value sub-component for each multi-component numerical value offer.

5. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the variable numerical value sub-component for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers.

6. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the variable numerical value sub-component for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers by at least one amount selected from the group consisting of:

a predetermined amount, a random amount, an amount in a range of values and an average amount.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the average amount is approximately zero.

8. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the average amount is zero.

9. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to select the variable value numerical sub-component from a range of values.

10. The gaming device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate a probability of being selected with each value in the range of values.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display the range of values.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each numerical value sub-component includes at least one static numerical value sub-component and at least one variable numerical value sub-component.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein each of the value components equals the static numerical value sub-component multiplied by the variable numerical value sub-component for said value component.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the numerical value components to increase, decrease or remain unchanged for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the numerical value components for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers by at least one amount selected from the group consisting of:

a predetermined amount, a random amount, an amount in a range of numerical values and an average amount.

16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the average amount is approximately zero.

17. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the average amount is zero.

18. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of multi-component numerical value offers is predetermined.

19. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of multi-component numerical value offers is randomly determined.

20. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of numerical value component acceptors and at least one numerical value component acceptor is associated with each of the numerical value components.

21. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value component rejector associated with the numerical value components.

22. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value offer requestor associated with the multi-component numerical value offers.

23. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display the numerical value components of at least one of said multi-component numerical value offers to the player.

24. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display the numerical value components of a plurality of said multi-component numerical value offers to the player.

25. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display the numerical value components of each multi-component numerical value offer to the player.

26. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) select a multi-component numerical value offer from a plurality of at least three multi-component numerical value offers, each of said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers including a plurality of numerical value components, each of said numerical value components including a plurality of numerical value sub-components, wherein an amount of each numerical value component is based on the numerical value sub-components of said numerical value component, and each numerical value component includes at least one variable numerical value sub-component selected from a range of numerical values;

(b) display the selected multi-component numerical value offer by displaying each of the numerical value components and each of the numerical value subcomponents of the selected multi-component numerical value offer;

(c) for each of the plurality of numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer, enable a player to independently accept said numerical value component regardless of whether the player accepts any of the other numerical value components;

(d) display the range of numerical values to the player;

(e) if the player has accepted a predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a first award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined first award to the player;

(f) if the selected multi-component numerical value offer is a final multi-component numerical value component;

(i) determine a second award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined second award to the player; and

(g) if the player has not accepted the predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer and at least one of the plurality of multi-component numerical value offers remains unselected;

(i) select another multi-component numerical value offer from said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (q) at least once.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate a probability of being selected with each value in the range of values.

28. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of ranges of numerical values.

29. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to simultaneously display the numerical value offer components of each multi-component numerical value offer to the player.

30. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) select a multi-component numerical value offer from a plurality of at least three multi-component numerical value offers, each of said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers including a plurality of numerical value components, each of said numerical value components including at least one static numerical value sub-component and at least one variable numerical value sub-component, wherein each numerical value component is based on an amount of the static numerical value sub-components and an amount of the variable numerical value sub-components of said numerical value component;

(b) display the selected multi-component numerical value offer by displaying each of the numerical value components and each of the numerical value sub-components of the selected multi-component numerical value offer;

(c) for each of the plurality of numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer, enable a player to independently accept said numerical value component regardless of whether the player accepts any of the other numerical value components;

(d) if the player has accepted a predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a first award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined first award to the player;

(e) if the selected multi-component numerical value offers is a final multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a second award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined second award to the player; and

(f) if the player has not accepted the predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer and at least one of the plurality of multi-component numerical value offers remains unselected;

(i) select another multi-component numerical value offer from said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (f) at least once.

31. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the variable value numerical sub-component in each multi-component numerical value offer.

32. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the variable numerical value sub-component after a plurality of multi-component numerical value offers.

33. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the variable numerical value sub-component by at least one amount selected from the group consisting of:

a predetermined amount, a random amount, a range of numerical values and an average amount.

34. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein the average amount is approximately zero.

35. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein the average amount is zero.

36. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate the variable numerical value sub-component with a range of numerical values.

37. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein a probability of being selected is associated with each numerical value in the range of numerical values.

38. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display the range of values.

39. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the amount of each of the numerical value components equals the static numerical value sub-component multiplied by the variable numerical value sub-component of said numerical value component.

40. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the numerical value components to increase, decrease or remain unchanged for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers.

41. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the numerical value components for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers by at least one amount selected from the group consisting of:

a predetermined amount, a random amount, an amount in a range of numerical values and an average amount.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the average amount is approximately zero.

43. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the average amount is zero.

44. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the number of multi-component numerical value offers is predetermined.

45. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the number of multi-component numerical value offers is randomly determined.

46. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of numerical value component acceptors and at least one numerical value component acceptor is associated with each of the numerical value components.

47. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value component rejector associated with the numerical value components.

48. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value offer requestor associated with the numerical value offers.

49. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display the numerical value offer numerical value components of each multi-component numerical value offer to the player.

50. A gaming device operable under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) select a price offer from a plurality of at least three price offers, each of said price offers including a plurality of numerical value components, each of said numerical value components including a plurality of numerical value sub-components, said numerical value sub-components including at least one numerical unit quantity and at least one numerical unit price, wherein an amount of each numerical value component is based on the numerical unit quantity and the numerical unit price of said numerical value component;

(b) display the selected price offer by displaying each of the numerical value components and each of the numerical value sub-components of the selected price offer;

(c) for each of the plurality of numerical value components of said displayed price offer, enable a player to independently accept said numerical value component regardless of whether the player accepts any of the other numerical value components;

(d) if the player has accepted a predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed price offer;

(i) determine a first total value based on the numerical unit quantity and the numerical unit price of each of the accepted components, and

(ii) provide the determined first total value to the player;

(e) if the selected price offer is a final price offer;

(i) determine a second total value based on the numerical quantity and the numerical unit price of each of the accepted components; and

(ii) provide the determined second total value to the player; and

(f) if the player has not accepted the predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed price offer and at least one of the plurality of price offers remains unselected;

(i) select another price offer from said plurality of price offers, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (f) at least once.

51. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to increase or decrease at least one of the numerical unit quantities by a random amount for each of a plurality of the price offers.

52. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate the amount of the increase or decrease of the numerical unit quantity with a probability of being selected.

53. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate the numerical unit quantities with probabilities of being selected.

54. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate the numerical unit prices with probabilities of being selected.

55. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate the numerical unit prices with a range of numerical unit prices.

56. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to increase or decrease the numerical unit prices by a random amount.

57. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to increase or decrease the numerical unit prices by a static amount in each of said price offers determined from a range of integer values including zero.

58. The gaming device of claim 57, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate each integer value with a probability of being selected.

59. The gaming device of claim 57, wherein the average integer value equals zero.

60. The gaming device of claim 57, wherein the average integer value is approximately zero.

61. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to increase or decrease the numerical unit prices by a static amount for each of a plurality of the price offers, wherein each increase or decrease is related to the previous increase or decrease in amount.

62. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the at least one display device includes a price display.

63. The gaming device of claim 62, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the price display to display a plurality of numerical unit price ranges wherein each of the numerical unit price ranges is associated with one of the units.

64. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the number of said price offers is predetermined.

65. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the number of said price offers is randomly determined.

66. The gaming device of claim 65, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate the number of said price offers with a probability of being selected.

67. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to associate said numerical unit values with probabilities of being associated with the numerical value components.

68. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the units are shares of stock and the numerical unit prices are share prices associated with said shares of stock.

69. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of numerical value component acceptors and at least one numerical value component acceptor is associated with each of the numerical value components.

70. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value component rejector associated with the numerical value components.

71. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value offer requestor associated with the price offers.

72. The gaming device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display the numerical value components of each price offer to the player.

73. A gaming device operable under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

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

(a) select a multi-component numerical value offer from a plurality of at least three multi-component numerical value offers, each of said multi-component numerical value offers including a plurality of numerical value components;

(b) display the selected multi-component numerical value offer by displaying each of the numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer;

(c) for each multi-component numerical value offer, display a plurality of first numerical value sub-components and a plurality of second numerical value sub-components, wherein the first numerical value sub-components are related to the second numerical value sub-components;

(d) for each of the plurality of numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer, enable a player to independently accept said numerical value component regardless of whether the player accepts any of the other numerical value components;

(e) if the player has accepted a predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a first award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined first award to the player;

(f) if the selected multi-component numerical value offer is a final multi-component numerical value offer;

(i) determine a second award based on the amounts of any accepted numerical value components, and

(ii) provide the determined second award to the player; and

(g) if the player has not accepted the predetermined number of at least two of said numerical value components of said displayed multi-component numerical value offer and at least one of the plurality of multi-component numerical value offers remains unselected;

(i) select another multi-component numerical value offer from said plurality of multi-component numerical value offers, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (g).

74. The gaming device of claim 73, wherein the first numerical value sub-component and the second numerical value sub-component each include a variable numerical value.

75. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change the first and second numerical value sub-components in each multi-component numerical value offer.

76. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause each variable numerical value sub-component to increase, decrease or remain unchanged in each multi-component numerical value offer.

77. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to change a plurality of the variable numerical value sub-components for each of a plurality of the multi-component numerical value offers.

78. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of numerical value component acceptors and at least one numerical value component acceptor is associated with each of the numerical value components.

79. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value component rejector associated with the numerical value components.

80. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one numerical value offer requestor associated with the numerical value offers.

81. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the at least one input device includes a decision input operable to enable the player to input at least one decision.

82. The gaming device of claim 81, wherein the decision input includes a keyboard.

83. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the at least one display device is a touch screen.

84. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display the numerical value components of each multi-component numerical value offer to the player.