Gaming device having a game with multiple selections and progressive game incrementation

• US 7,942,737 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cregan, Karen M., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Rodgers, Paulina
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCULLOCH JR, WILLIAM H
• Application Number:
  US11/553,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 28, 463/16
• US Class Current: 463/27
• 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 having a game involving a plurality of selections and at least one progressive game increment associated with at least one of the selections. The gaming device has a progressive award which is displayable if the player picks a selection associated with a progressive game increment.

Claims

1. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by said 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) enable a player to place a wager to play a base game;

(b) for the play of the base game;

(i) randomly generate a base game outcome,

(ii) determine any base game award associated with the randomly generated base game outcome,

(iii) display any determined base game award, and

(iv) provide any determined base game award; and

(c) if a triggering condition occurs;

(i) display a plurality of selections in a play of a bonus game,

(ii) enable the player to pick at least one of the selections in said play of the bonus game, and

(iii) if the player picks one of the selections which has a progressive game increment associated with said selection, cause;

(A) an amount of a progressive award to increase by a designated amount; and

(B) a display of the increased progressive award.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to maintain the progressive award.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide a total number of picks of the selections for the player for said play of the bonus game.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the designated amount is predetermined.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause said at least one processor to subsequently provide the progressive award to said player in said play of the bonus game.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause said at least one processor to provide the progressive award to the player if the player picks a designated combination of the selections in said play of the bonus game.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of additional awards associated with the plurality of selections.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the additional awards are selected from the group consisting of:

a number of gaming device credits, a number of award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks of the selections, a number of free activations, an advance indicator and any combination thereof.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes a remote processor configured to maintain the progressive award.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said play of the bonus game occurs after an occurrence of a randomly determined triggering condition.

11. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by said 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) enable a player to place a wager to play a base game;

(b) for the play of the base game;

(i) randomly generate a base game outcome,

(ii) determine any base game award associated with the randomly generated first base game outcome,

(iii) display any determined base game award, and

(iv) provide any determined base game award; and

(c) if a triggering condition occurs;

(i) associate a plurality of bonus game awards with a plurality of selections,

(ii) associate a progressive game increment with one of said selections,

(iii) display the plurality of selections,

(iv) enable the player to pick at least one of the selections which is unpicked, and

(v) provide any bonus game award associated with the at least one picked selection to the player, and if the player picks the selection having the associated progressive game increment, cause an amount of a progressive award to increase by a designated amount.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause said at least one processor to repeat (c)(iv) and (c)(v) if a predetermined condition is satisfied.

13. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to maintain the progressive award.

14. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide a total number of picks of the selections for the player.

15. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the designated amount is predetermined.

16. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause said at least one processor to provide the progressive award to the player if the player picks a designated combination of the selections.

17. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the awards are selected from the group consisting of:

a number of gaming device credits, a number of award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks of the selections, a number of free activations, an advance indicator and any combination thereof.

18. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor includes a remote processor configured to maintain the progressive award.

19. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide the progressive award to the player upon an occurrence of a predetermined event.

20. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the display of said selections occurs after an occurrence of a randomly determined triggering condition.

21. A gaming device operable under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

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

(a) enable a player to place a wager to play a base game;

(b) for the play of the base game;

(i) randomly generate a base game outcome,

(ii) determine any base game award associated with the randomly generated first base game outcome,

(iii) display any determined base game award, and

(iv) provide any determined base game award; and

(c) if a triggering condition occurs;

(i) display a first selection group having a plurality of first selections, at least one of the first selections associated with a bonus game award, and at least one of the first selections associated with a progressive award incrementor,

(ii) display a second selection group having at least one second selection associated with a progressive award having a value, said value of the progressive award determined at least in part on whether the first selection associated with the progressive award incrementor is selected by the player, and

(iii) provide the player the progressive award if the player picks a designated number of first and second selections associated with the progressive award, said designated number being at least one.

22. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to maintain the progressive award.

23. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein a plurality of additional awards are associated with the selections.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the additional awards are selected from the group consisting of:

a number of gaming device credits, a number of award multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of additional picks from the selection groups, a number of free activations, an advance indicator and any combination thereof.

25. The gaming device of claim 21, wherein a predetermined value is associated with the progressive award incrementor.