Casino gaming apparatus with a bonus associated with a cash out

• US 7,976,382 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Benbrahim, Jamal
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Milap
• Application Number:
  US11/668,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463 16- 20, 463/29, 273/138.1, 273/139, 705/14.12
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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

Abstract

A casino gaming apparatus may include a display unit capable of generating video images, a value input device, a user input device and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit. The controller may comprise a processor and a memory and may be programmed to allow a person to make a wager, to cause a video image to be generated on the display unit, to cause a bonus image to be generated on the display unit for a time period in response to a trigger event, to award a bonus in response to the person making an input via the user input device in response to generation of the bonus image on the display unit, and to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the game.

Claims

1. A gaming apparatus comprising:

a display unit that is capable of generating video images;

at least one input device including a cash out button; and

a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said at least one input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said controller being programmed to operate with said display unit and said at least one input device to;

(a) receive a wager from a player,

(b) display a play of a wagering game,

(c) determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said play of the wagering game,

(d) determine whether to provide a bonus to the player in addition to any value payouts, and

(e) if the determination is to provide the bonus to the player;

(i) determine a value of the bonus,

(ii) determine if the bonus has been provided to the player before the cash out button is pressed, and

(iii) if the bonus has not been provided to the player before the cash out button is pressed, in response to the cash out button being pressed, cause an indication to the player that the player has won the bonus and provide the bonus to the player.

2. The gaming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bonus is at least one of:

a number of game credits and a number of additional wagering games.

3. The gaming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to operate with the display unit to cause at least one of:

a visual indication and an audio indication to the player that the player has won the bonus.

4. The gaming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to operate with the display unit to provide the bonus to the player by at least one of:

displaying the bonus to the player and increasing the player'"'"'s number of game credits.

5. A gaming apparatus comprising:

at least one display unit;

at least one input device including at least one credit meter;

a game operable upon a wager by a player; and

at least one controller programmed to operate with the at least one display unit and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a play of the game;

(b) determine an outcome of said play of the game and, if said outcome is a winning outcome, determine a value payout to provide to the player;

(c) determine whether to provide a bonus to the player in addition to any value payouts;

(d) if the determination is to provide the bonus to the player, determine if the bonus has been provided to the player before the player cashes out; and

(e) if the bonus has not been provided to the player before the player cashes out, cause an indication to the player that the player has won the bonus when the player cashes out.

6. The gaming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the bonus is at least one of:

a number of game credits and a number of additional games.

7. The gaming apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one controller is programmed to operate with the at least one display unit to cause at least one of:

a visual indication and an audio indication to the player that the player has won the bonus.

8. The gaming apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one controller is programmed to operate with the at least one display unit to provide any determined bonus to the player by at least one of:

displaying the bonus to the player, awarding the bonus to the player, and increasing the player'"'"'s number of game credits on the credit meter.

9. The gaming apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one controller is programmed to perform at least one of:

determining a value of the bonus and receiving a determined value of the bonus.

10. A gaming apparatus comprising:

at least one display unit;

at least one input device;

a game operable upon a wager by a player; and

at least one controller programmed to operate with the at least one display unit and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a play of the game and provide the player with any awards associated with said play of the game; and

(b) if a bonus is determined to be provided to the player;

(i) determine if the bonus has been provided to the player before the player cashes out, and

(ii) if the bonus has not been provided to the player before the player cashes out, cause an indication to the player that the player has won the bonus when the player cashes out.

11. The gaming apparatus of claim 10, wherein the bonus is at least one of:

a number of game credits and a number of additional games.

12. The gaming apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one controller is programmed to operate with the at least one display unit to cause at least one of:

a visual indication and an audio indication to the player that the player has won the bonus.

13. The gaming apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one controller is programmed to operate with the at least one display unit to provide any determined bonus to the player by at least one of:

displaying the bonus to the player, awarding the bonus to the player and increasing the player'"'"'s number of game credits.

14. The gaming apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one controller is programmed to perform at least one of:

determining a value of the bonus, receiving a determined value of the bonus, determining if the bonus is to be provided to the player, and receiving a determination if the bonus is to be provided to the player.

15. A method of operating a gaming apparatus, said method comprising:

causing a controller to operate with at least one input device and at least one display unit to;

(a) display a play of a game upon a wager by a player;

(b) determine an outcome of said play of the game and, if said outcome is a winning outcome, determine a value payout to provide to the player;

(c) determine whether to provide a bonus to the player in addition to any value payouts;

(d) if the determination is to provide the bonus to the player, determine if the bonus has been provided to the player before the player cashes out; and

(e) if the bonus has not been provided to the player before the player cashes out, cause an indication to the player that the player has won the bonus when the player cashes out.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the bonus is at least one of:

a number of game credits and a number of additional games.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the indication to the player that the player has won the bonus is at least one of:

a visual indication and an audio indication.

18. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the controller to operate with the at least one display unit to provide any determined bonus to the player by at least one of:

displaying the bonus to the player, awarding the bonus to the player, and increasing the player'"'"'s number of game credits on the credit meter.

19. The method of claim 15, which includes at least one of:

causing the controller to determine a value of the bonus and causing the controller to receive a determined value of the bonus.

20. The method of claim 15, which is provided through a data network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the data network is the internet.

22. A method of operating a gaming apparatus, said method comprising:

causing a controller to operate with at least one input device and at least one display unit to;

(a) display a play of a game upon a wager by the player and provide the player with any awards associated with said play of said game; and

(b) if a bonus is determined to be provided to the player;

(i) determine if the bonus has been provided to the player before the player cashes out, and

(ii) if the bonus has not been provided to the player before the player cashes out, cause an indication to the player that the player has won the bonus when the player cashes out.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the bonus is at least one of:

a number of game credits and a number of additional games.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the indication to the player that the player has won the bonus is at least one of:

a visual indication and an audio indication.

25. The method of claim 22, which includes causing the controller to operate with the at least one display unit to provide any determined bonus to the player by at least one of:

displaying the bonus to the player, awarding the bonus to the player, and increasing the player'"'"'s number of game credits.

26. The method of claim 22, which includes at least one of:

causing the controller to determine a value of the bonus, causing the controller to receive a determined value of the bonus, causing the controller to determine if the bonus is to be provided to the player, and causing the controller to receive a determination if the bonus is to be provided to the player.

27. The method of claim 22, which is provided through a data network.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data network is the internet.

29. A method of operating a gaming apparatus, said method comprising:

causing a controller to operate with at least one input device including a cash out button and at least one display unit to;

(a) receive a wager from a player,

(b) display a play of a wagering game,

(c) determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said play of the wagering game,

(d) determine whether to provide a bonus to the player in addition to any value payouts, and

(e) if the determination is to provide the bonus to the player;

(i) determine a value of the bonus,

(ii) determine if the bonus has been provided to the player before the cash out button is pressed, and

(iii) if the bonus has not been provided to the player before the cash out button is pressed, in response to the cash out button being pressed, cause an indication to the player that the player has won the bonus and provide the bonus to the player.

30. The gaming apparatus of claim 29, wherein the bonus is at least one of:

a number of game credits and a number of additional wagering games.

31. The gaming apparatus of claim 29, which includes causing the controller to operate with at least one the display unit to cause at least one of:

a visual indication and an audio indication to the player that the player has won the bonus.

32. The gaming apparatus of claim 29, which includes causing the controller to operate with the at least one display unit to provide the bonus to the player by at least one of:

displaying the bonus to the player and increasing the player'"'"'s number of game credits.

33. The method of claim 29, which is provided through a data network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the data network is the internet.