Devices and methods for feature ball bingo

• US 7,874,907 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGS LLC (PlayAGS, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cadillac Jack Incorporated (PlayAGS, Inc.)
• Inventors: Macke, Michael, Lozano, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoo; Jasson H
• Application Number:
  US10/572,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20090011814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 273/269
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

An electronic bingo game and method for playing the same wherein a random number generator selects bingo balls from a predetermined range that includes regular bingo balls (210) and one or more feature balls (208). As regular bingo balls (210) are selected they are compared to the numbers on a bingo card (206). The card is marked when a match occurs. Eventually, if the spaces marked on the player'"'"'s card match one or more of the winning patterns, the player receives an award. The selection of a feature ball (208) triggers a game altering function such as terminating the game and comparing the marked spaces on the bingo card to a set of winning patterns, or, alternatively, terminating the game and paying additional winnings for bingo patterns marked on the player'"'"'s bingo card prior to selection of the Feature Ball (208). Other feature ball functions may also be implemented.

Claims

1. An electronic method of implementing an electronic Bingo game on a Bingo gaming device comprising:

providing a processor in the Bingo gaming device, said processor programmed to perform the steps of;

selecting a random number from a universe of numbers, wherein the universe of numbers includes a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers and at least one game altering feature ball said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers;

evaluating the random number as it is drawn as either a number within the predefined range or the at least one game altering feature ball;

identifying a bingo space on a bingo card corresponding to the random number thereby creating a Bingo pattern; and

if the random number corresponds to the at least one game altering feature ball, performing a game altering function associated with the at least one game altering feature ball, wherein the game altering function includes terminating the game and comparing the Bingo pattern to at least one winning Bingo pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game altering function further includes multiplying an award associated with the at least one winning Bingo pattern by a multiple associated with the at least one game altering feature ball.

3. A method of implementing an electronic Bingo game comprising:

providing a processor in the electronic Bingo game, said processor programmed to perform the steps of;

pre-establishing a set of one or more winning Bingo patterns;

selecting a random number from a universe of numbers, wherein the universe of numbers includes a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers and at least one game altering feature ball, said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers;

evaluating the random number as it is drawn as either a number within the predefined range or the at least one game altering feature ball;

identifying a Bingo space on a Bingo card corresponding to the random number thereby creating a Bingo pattern; and

if the random number corresponds to the at least one game altering feature ball, performing a game altering function associated with the at least one game altering feature ball, wherein the game altering function performs one of the steps of terminating the game, multiplying an award associated with said Bingo pattern if said Bingo pattern is included in the set of one or more winning Bingo Patterns by a multiple associated with the at least one game altering ball, and associating at least one additional winning Bingo pattern with the game.

4. An electronic Bingo game comprising:

a display, wherein the display is capable of displaying at least one Bingo card having a plurality of spaces;

at least one interface that accepts instructions from a user to initiate play of the Bingo game;

a memory, wherein the memory stores a plurality of software instructions, at least one winning Bingo pattern and pay table information corresponding to the at least one winning Bingo pattern;

a random number generator in the form of a program stored in a memory location that randomly selects a number from a universe of numbers, wherein the universe of numbers includes a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers and at least one game altering feature ball, said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers;

a processor identifying a Bingo space on a bingo card corresponding to the random number thereby creating a Bingo pattern; and

the processor controlling the display, the at least one interface and the random number generator, wherein the processor is capable of processing a game altering function located in the plurality of software instructions associated with at least one game altering feature ball, wherein the game altering function includes terminating the game and comparing the Bingo pattern to at least one winning Bingo pattern.

5. The electronic Bingo game of claim 4, wherein the game altering function increases an award amount associated with the at least one winning Bingo pattern.

6. An electronic Bingo game comprising:

a display, wherein the display is capable of displaying at least one Bingo card having a plurality of spaces;

at least one interface that accepts instructions from a user to initiate play of the Bingo game;

a memory, wherein the memory stores a plurality of software instructions, at least one winning Bingo pattern and pay table information corresponding to the at least one winning Bingo pattern;

a random number generator in the form of a program stored in a memory location that randomly selects a number from a universe of numbers, wherein the universe of numbers includes a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers and at least one game altering feature ball, said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers;

a processor identifying a Bingo space on a Bingo card corresponding to the random number thereby creating a Bingo pattern; and

the processor controlling the display, the at least one interface and the random number generator, wherein the processor is capable of processing a game altering function located in the plurality of software instructions associated with at least one game altering feature ball, wherein the game altering function performs one of the functions of terminating the game, multiplying an award with said Bingo pattern if said Bingo pattern is at least one winning Bingo pattern by a multiple associated with the at least one game altering feature ball, and associating at least one additional winning Bingo pattern with the game.

7. A server connecting at least two Bingo gaming machines comprising:

at least one interface that receives instructions from at least one Bingo gaming machine and transmits game related data to the at least one Bingo gaming machine;

a memory, wherein the memory stores a plurality of software instructions, at least one winning Bingo pattern and pay table information corresponding to the at least one winning Bingo pattern;

a random number generator in the form of a program stored in a memory location that randomly assigning numbers to each of a plurality of spaces located on at least one Bingo card, the numbers being within a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers; and

a processor, wherein the processor implements the following software instructions;

(a) selecting a random number from a universe of numbers, the universe comprising the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers in addition to at least one game altering feature ball, said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers; and

(b) evaluating the selected random number as either a number within the predefined range or the at least one game altering feature ball and (i) if the selected random number is within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers, comparing the random number to the numbers assigned to the Bingo card and, where a match occurs, controlling a display to identify the space corresponding to the match thereby forming a Bingo pattern, or (ii) if the selected random number corresponds to the at least one game altering number, terminating the game and comparing the Bingo pattern to the at least one winning Bingo pattern and paying an award to the player based upon the pay table information; and

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until a Bingo game is terminated.

8. The server connecting at least two Bingo gaming machines of claim 7, wherein the game altering feature ball is a multiple associated with the pay table information altering a pay out associated with the at least one winning Bingo pattern.

9. A server connecting at least two Bingo gaming machines comprising:

at least one interface that receives instructions from at least one Bingo gaming machine and transmits game related data to the at least one Bingo gaming machine;

a memory, wherein the memory stores a plurality of software instructions, at least one winning Bingo pattern and pay table information corresponding to the at least one winning Bingo pattern;

a random number generator in the form of a program stored in a memory location that randomly assigning numbers to each of a plurality of spaces located on at least one Bingo card, the numbers being within a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers; and

a processor, wherein the processor implements the following software instructions;

(a) selecting a random number from a universe of numbers, the universe comprising the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers in addition to at least one game altering feature ball, said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers;

(b) evaluating the selected random number as either a number within the predefined range or the at least one game altering feature ball and (i) if the selected random number is within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers, comparing the random number to the numbers assigned to the Bingo card and, where a match occurs, controlling a display to identify the space corresponding to the match thereby forming a Bingo pattern, or (ii) if the selected random number corresponds to the at least one game altering feature ball, performing one of the functions of terminating the game, multiplying an award associated with the Bingo pattern if said Bingo pattern is at least one winning Bingo pattern by a multiple associated with the at least one game altering feature ball, and associating at least one additional winning Bingo pattern with the game; and

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until a Bingo game is terminated.

10. An electronic Bingo game comprising:

a display, wherein the display is capable of displaying at least one Bingo card having a plurality of spaces;

at least one interface that accepts instructions from a user to initiate play of the Bingo game;

a memory, wherein the memory stores a plurality of software instructions, at least one winning Bingo pattern and pay table information corresponding to the at least one winning Bingo pattern;

a random number generator in the form of a program stored in a memory location that randomly assigning numbers to each of the plurality of spaces located on at least one Bingo card, the numbers being within a predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers; and

a processor, wherein the processor implements the following software instructions;

(a) selecting a random number from a universe of numbers, the universe comprising the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers in addition to at least one game altering feature ball, said game altering feature ball not within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers;

(b) evaluating the selected random number as either a number within the predefined range or the at least one game altering feature ball and (i) if the selected random number is within the predefined range of conventional Bingo numbers, comparing the random number to the numbers assigned to the Bingo card and, where a match occurs, controlling the display to identify the space corresponding to the match thereby forming a Bingo pattern, or (ii) if the selected random number corresponds to the at least one game altering feature ball, terminating the game and comparing the Bingo pattern to the at least one winning Bingo pattern and paying an award to the player based upon the pay table information; and

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until a Bing game is terminated.

11. The electronic Bingo game of claim 10, wherein the game altering feature ball is a multiple associated with the pay table information altering a pay out associated with the at least one winning Bingo pattern.