Bingo system with downloadable common patterns

• US 8,070,579 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bienvenue, Lesley, Wolf, Bryan, Gail, Ted, Powell, Tracy, Krum, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/312,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,178 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19, 463/16, 463 20- 30
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Novel methods, devices and systems are described for mapping a variety of Class III game outcomes to a common set of bingo patterns. Each game theme may have a different entertaining display, based upon a corresponding Class III game. Preferably, each game theme will offer game play and paytable percentages closely matching those of the original Class III game. Some implementations provide a system wherein electronic gaming machines presenting entertaining displays of various Class III game themes are linked to a single bingo server. By linking many participating electronic gaming machines to a single server, some implementations of the invention allow all of the progressive contributions to be pooled into one large progressive jackpot, thereby making the game more attractive to players.

Claims

1. A method of forming data sets for providing games of chance, the method comprising:

selecting first through N^th Class III games;

forming a global payout set consisting of a plurality of payout amounts achievable in the first through N^th Class III games, wherein each payout amount is associated with one or more target probabilities, wherein each target probability and associated payout amount represent the probability of the associated payout amount occurring in a Class III game in the first through Nth Class III games in which the associated payout amount is achievable;

ranking each payout amount in the global payout set by value;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each payout amount of the global payout set, thereby forming a global bingo payout set; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers for each bingo pattern assigned to each payout amount and associated target probability, wherein the probability of obtaining each bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern has been drawn is approximately equal to or less than the target probability associated with the payout amount to which the bingo pattern is assigned.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of obtaining each bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern has been drawn is the probability of hitting the bingo pattern without first hitting other bingo patterns which are assigned to payout amounts which are both ranked higher in the global bingo payout set than that bingo pattern and associated with target probabilities associated with the same Class III game as that bingo pattern'"'"'s associated target probability.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a Class III game payout set for each of the first through N^th Class III games, each Class III game payout set including the payout amounts from the plurality of payout amounts which correspond to an individual Class III game; and

associating at least one Class III game outcome with each payout amount of each Class III game payout set, thereby forming first through N^th theme-specific data sets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to a payout amount of the global payout set and wherein the probability of obtaining a bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern and an associated target probability has been drawn is approximately equal to the associated target probability.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to a payout amount of the global payout set and wherein the probability of obtaining a bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern and an associated target probability has been drawn is less than the associated target probability and wherein the sum of the probabilities of obtaining the one or more bingo patterns assigned to the payout amount and the associated target probability is less than the associated target probability.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating step is performed at least once for each Class III game.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating step is performed for each bet level of each Class III game.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selecting an additional Class III game;

forming an additional theme-specific data set for the additional Class III game; and

determining whether each payout amount achievable in the additional Class III game is a member of the global payout set.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming an updated global bingo payout set when it is determined that at least one payout amount achievable in the additional Class III game is not a member of the global payout set.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the process of forming an updated global bingo payout set comprises:

assigning a new bingo pattern to each additional payout amount of the additional Class III game not previously included in the global bingo payout set, wherein each additional payout amount is associated with a target probability; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers for each new bingo pattern assigned to each additional payout amount and associated target probability, wherein the probability of obtaining each new bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the new bingo pattern has been drawn is approximately equal to or less than the target probability associated with the additional payout amount to which the new bingo pattern is assigned.

11. Software embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable medium, the software comprising instructions for controlling a device to form data sets for providing games of chance by:

selecting first through N^th Class III games;

forming a global payout set consisting of a plurality of payout amounts achievable in the first through N^th Class III games, wherein each payout amount is associated with one or more target probabilities, wherein each target probability and associated payout amount represent the probability of the associated payout amount occurring in a Class III game in the first through Nth Class III games in which the associated payout amount is achievable;

ranking each payout amount in the global payout set by value;

assigning at least one bingo pattern to each payout amount of the global payout set, thereby forming a global bingo payout set; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers for each bingo pattern assigned to each payout amount and associated target probability, wherein the probability of obtaining each bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern has been drawn is approximately equal to or less than the target probability associated with the payout amount to which the bingo pattern is assigned.

12. The software of claim 11, wherein the the probability of obtaining each bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern has been drawn is the probability of hitting the bingo pattern without first hitting other bingo patterns which are assigned to payout amounts which are both ranked higher in the global bingo payout set than that bingo pattern and associated with target probabilities associated with the same Class III game as that bingo pattern'"'"'s associated target probability.

13. The software of claim 11, further comprising instructions for controlling the device to form data sets for providing games of chance by:

forming a Class III game payout set for each of the first through N^th Class III games, each Class III game payout set including the payout amounts from the plurality of payout amounts which correspond to an individual Class III game; and

associating at least one Class III game outcome with each payout amount of each Class III game payout set, thereby forming first through N^th theme-specific data sets.

14. The software of claim 11, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning only one bingo pattern to a payout amount of the global payout set and wherein the probability of obtaining a bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern and an associated target probability has been drawn is approximately equal to the associated target probability.

15. The software of claim 11, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning more than one bingo pattern to a payout amount of the global payout set and wherein the probability of obtaining a bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the bingo pattern and an associated target probability has been drawn is less than the associated target probability and wherein the sum of the probabilities of obtaining the one or more bingo patterns assigned to the payout amount and the associated target probability is less than the associated target probability.

16. The software of claim 13, wherein the calculating step is performed at least once for each Class III game.

17. The software of claim 13, wherein the calculating step is performed for each bet level of each Class III game.

18. The software of claim 13, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to perform the following steps:

selecting an additional Class III game;

forming an additional theme-specific data set for the additional Class III game; and

determining whether each payout amount achievable in the additional Class III game is a member of the global payout set.

19. The software of claim 18, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to form an updated global bingo payout set when it is determined that at least one payout amount achievable in the additional Class III game is not a member of the global payout set.

20. The software of claim 19, wherein the process of forming an updated global bingo payout set comprises:

assigning a new bingo pattern to each additional payout amount of the additional Class III game not previously included in the global bingo payout set, wherein each additional payout amount is associated with a target probability; and

calculating a maximum quantity of bingo numbers for each new bingo pattern assigned to each additional payout amount and associated target probability, wherein the probability of obtaining each new bingo pattern when the maximum quantity of bingo numbers calculated for the new bingo pattern has been drawn is approximately equal to or less than the target probability associated with the additional payout amount to which the new bingo pattern is assigned.

21. A method of forming data sets for a bingo game, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of payout amounts, each payout amount associated with a target probability and achievable in a Class III game selected from one or more Class III games;

ranking the payout amounts by value;

assigning one or more bingo patterns to each payout amount and associated target probability, wherein each assigned bingo pattern is associated with a maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers, wherein achievement of the bingo pattern in a bingo game when no more than the maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers for the bingo pattern has been drawn results in an award of the payout amount to which the bingo pattern is assigned, and wherein achievement of the bingo pattern in a bingo game when more than the maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers for the bingo pattern has been drawn will not result in an award of the payout amount to which the bingo pattern is assigned, and wherein the maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers for a bingo pattern determines a pattern probability of achieving the bingo pattern in a bingo game,

calculating the maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers for each bingo pattern assigned to a payout amount and associated target probability such that the pattern probability is less than or approximately equal to the target probability.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein only one bingo pattern is assigned to a payout amount and associated target probability, and wherein the maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers for the bingo pattern assigned to the payout amount and associated target probability is calculated such that the pattern probability is approximately equal to the associated target probability.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein more than one bingo pattern is assigned to a payout amount and associated target probability, and wherein the maximum allowable quantity of bingo numbers for each bingo pattern assigned to the payout amount and associated target probability is calculated such that the pattern probability of achieving the bingo pattern is less than the associated target probability.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the sum of the pattern probabilities for the bingo patterns assigned to the payout amount and associated target probability is approximately equal to the associated target probability.