Method and apparatus for collecting indicia for a secondary game from a primary wagering game

• US 7,922,579 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIDDLE, JAY TRENT
• Application Number:
  US11/311,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 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 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 method and apparatus for a wagering game is described that allows a player to collect indicia from a series of individual primary games to form a winning game outcome in a single secondary game. In one embodiment, the secondary game is won through the collection of a specified number and/or type of indicia. The primary game may have its own pay table with, for example, traditional winning game outcomes for card type games. The number of primary games available to contribute toward a winning secondary game outcome may be limited to a predetermined number of primary game outcomes or a period of time during which game outcomes may be obtained. Alternatively, or in addition, collected indicia obtained from a series of primary game outcomes may expire after a predetermined duration.

Claims

1. A method of playing a wagering game, comprising the performance of each of the following steps via a processor of a device operable to facilitate a wagering game:

recognizing a wager;

forming a plurality of primary games, wherein forming each primary game of the plurality of primary games comprises;

receiving a first set of indicia;

discarding a subset of the first set of indicia to create a held set of indicia;

receiving a randomly selected replacement set of indicia; and

forming a primary game outcome comprising the replacement set of indicia and the held set of indicia;

counting each occurrence of a predetermined indicium in the plurality of primary games to determine a secondary game outcome;

providing a first award for a winning primary game outcome;

providing a second award for a winning secondary game outcome if a total count of each occurrence of the predetermined indicium satisfies a predetermined threshold;

determining a number of occurrences of the predetermined indicium over a course of the plurality of primary games;

determining a number of times the predetermined indicium has been discarded over the course of the plurality of primary games; and

outputting a message encouraging the discarding of the predetermined indicium from a subsequent first set of indicia if the determined number of occurrences is greater than a predetermined number and the ratio of the number of times the predetermined indicium has been discarded to the number of times the predetermined indicium has appeared in the first set of indicia is less than a predetermined ratio.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of primary games are formed.

3. The method as described in claim 1, further including subtracting from the total count of each occurrence the counted occurrence of each predetermined indicium after a predetermined number of primary game outcomes.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the subset of the first set of indicia.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the first set of indicia.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the replacement set of indicia.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the held set of indicia.

8. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of counting each occurrence includes randomly selecting the predetermined indicium.

9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the first set of indicia and the replacement set of indicia.

10. A method of playing a wagering game, comprising performance of each of the following steps by a processor of a device operable to facilitate a wagering game:

recognizing a wager for a gaming session;

determining a duration for the gaming session;

forming a plurality of primary games comprising a plurality of indicia;

counting each occurrence of a predetermined indicium in the plurality of primary games to determine a secondary game outcome;

providing a first award for a winning primary game outcome;

providing a second award for a winning secondary game outcome if a total count of each occurrence of the predetermined indicium satisfies a predetermined threshold;

determining a number of occurrences of the predetermined indicium over a course of the plurality of primary games;

determining a number of times the predetermined indicium has been discarded over the course of the plurality of primary games; and

outputting a message encouraging the discarding of the predetermined indicium from a subsequent primary game if the determined number of occurrences is greater than a predetermined number and the ratio of the number of times the predetermined indicium has been discarded to the number of times the predetermined indicium has appeared in the first set of indicia is less than a predetermined ratio.

11. The method as described in claim 10, further including subtracting from the total count of each occurrence the counted occurrence of each predetermined indicium after a predetermined number of primary game outcomes.

12. The method as described in claim 10, wherein forming each of the primary games comprises:

receiving a first set of indicia;

discarding a subset of the first set of indicia to create a held set of indicia;

receiving a set of replacement indicia; and

forming a second set of indicia to determine the outcome of the primary game.

13. The method as described in claim 12, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the subset of the first set of indicia.

14. The method as described in claim 12, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the held set of indicia.

15. The method as described in claim 12, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the first set of indicia.

16. The method as described in claim 12, wherein each occurrence of the predetermined indicium is counted from the first set of indicia and the replacement set of indicia.