Fixed pool bonus method and apparatus

• US 7,967,675 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: White, Warren R., Nelson, Loren T., Luciano, Robert A. Jr., Delaney, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US10/645,153
• Time in Patent Office: 2,868 Days
• Field of Search: 463/21, 463/22, 463/25, 463/36, 463 16- 20, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system that uses centrally determined game outcomes to generate both a simulated primary game and a multiplicity of bonus games are revealed. The predetermined outcome bonus games are designed to mimic actual Nevada-style bonus games using novel methods to both create the look-and-feel of the actual bonus games as well as being able to use existing central determination game system protocols, which have severe limitations in their message fields.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a central server configured to generate game results using fixed-pools of elements derived from a non-fixed-pool slot machine game, each element corresponding to a single game play result determined prior to base and bonus game play and divided into a base game play result and a bonus game play result;

a player terminal in operable communication with the central server, configured to send game play requests to the central server and receive game play results from the central server; and

the player terminal further configured to determine a base game play result and a bonus game play result from a single game play result received from the central server, to reverse-map the base game play result into a display such that the display simulates the non-fixed-pool slot machine game by showing game indicia having a value corresponding to the base game play result, and further shows bonus game indicia, different from the base game play display, having a value corresponding to the bonus game play result, wherein the single game play result is a fixed sum that is awarded to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bonus game indicia further comprises a plurality of indicia.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of indicia is selectable, and where the bonus result is divided into a set of partial win results that, in total, are an amount equal to the bonus result, and where the partial win results are awarded one at a time as a result of a selectable indicium being selected, until all of the partial win results are awarded.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game play result further includes an indicator recognizable by the player terminal, the indicator indicating that the game play result comprises a base game play result and a bonus game play result.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the bonus game play amount is calculated by subtracting a known base game amount from the game play result.

6. A method of gaming on a gaming system, the method comprising:

enabling a fixed pool of game results derived from a non-fixed-pool slot machine game, a game result being selectable upon a request from a player terminal;

selecting a game play result after receiving the game result request from a player terminal, wherein the game play result represents a fixed sum award determined prior to base and bonus game play and having a base game play result and a bonus game play amount;

sending the game play result to the player terminal;

receiving the game play result at the player terminal;

determining a base game play result and a bonus game play amount from the game play result; and

simulating the non-fixed-pool slot machine game by;

awarding the base game play result;

starting a bonus game;

enabling play of the bonus game; and

awarding the bonus game play amount.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the bonus game comprises a plurality of indicia.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of indicia is selectable, and wherein the bonus game play result is divided into a set of partial win results that, in total, are an amount equal to said bonus game play result, and wherein the partial win results are awarded one at a time as a result of a selectable indicium being selected, until all of said partial win results are awarded.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

including, in the game play result, an indicator recognizable by the player terminal, the indicator indicating that the game play result comprises a base game play result and a bonus game play result.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

calculating the bonus game play amount by subtracting a base game amount from the game play result.

11. A method of play in a gaming system, the method comprising:

receiving a wager on a game at a player terminal;

generating a game result request;

selecting a game result from a fixed pool of game results derived from a non-fixed-pool slot machine game, wherein the game play result represents a fixed sum award determined prior to base and bonus game play and having a base game play result and a bonus game amount;

determining the base game result and the bonus game amount from the selected game result; and

simulating the non-fixed pool slot machine game by;

playing the game and awarding the base game result;

starting a bonus game;

enabling play of the bonus game; and

awarding the bonus game amount.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bonus game comprises a plurality of indicia.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

dividing the bonus game play amount into a set of partial win results that, in total, are an amount equal to the bonus game result;

selecting bonus game indicia;

awarding one of the partial win results; and

repeating the selecting and awarding until all of the partial win amounts are awarded.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

recognizing, in the game result, an indicator indicating that the game result

comprises a base game result and a bonus game result.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating the bonus game result by subtracting a base game result from the game result.