Multi-player bingo game with multiple alternate outcome displays

• US 8,197,326 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Chamberlain, John W., Saffari, Ali M., Wolf, Bryan D., Gail, Ted
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/764,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20100210339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19, 463/22
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a multi-player wagering game, such as a Bingo game, in which at least one of the players may win the occurrence of the wagering game by matching a predetermined game-winning pattern of game indicia on one or more game arrays having unique combinations of game indicia based on matching the game indicia on the game arrays to game indicia randomly selected for the occurrence of the wagering game. The outcome of the multi-player wagering game may be displayed to the player at the gaming unit, along with an alternate outcome display at two or more alternate outcome display devices at the gaming unit. In one embodiment, an outcome of a Bingo game may be mapped to an outcome of a slot machine having a bonus feature such as a wheel. Outcomes of the Bingo game may then be displayed on the plurality of alternate display devices as outcomes of the slot game and accompanying bonus feature.

Claims

1. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a network computer operatively coupled to a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, the method comprising:

enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each player may enroll a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

transmitting information from the gaming units to the network computer regarding the game indicia for each of the game arrays enrolled in the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

determining at least one game-winning pattern for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

randomly selecting game indicia from the range of game indicia at the network computer;

determining at the network computer whether each randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of each of the game array for each player in the order that the randomly selected game indicia are selected;

determining at the network computer that at least one of the enrolled game arrays has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game array with the randomly selected game indicia;

transmitting the randomly selected game indicia required for the at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match the game-winning pattern of game indicia from the network computer to the gaming units;

comparing the transmitted randomly selected game indicia to the game indicia of each of the game arrays at the corresponding gaming units;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the randomly selected game indicia; and

displaying the game arrays and the randomly selected game indicia at the gaming units.

2. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

providing a player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount;

randomly selecting additional game indicia from the range of game indicia in response to determining that no player matching a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia has made the input selection within the player input time period;

determining at the network computer whether each additional randomly selected game indicia matches any of the game indicia of each of the game array for each player in the order that the additional randomly selected game indicia are selected;

determining at the network computer that at least one of the enrolled game arrays has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia on the player'"'"'s game array with the additional randomly selected game indicia;

transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia required for the at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match the game-winning pattern of game indicia from the network computer to the gaming units;

comparing the transmitted additional randomly selected game indicia to the game indicia of each of the game arrays at the corresponding gaming units;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

displaying the additional randomly selected game indicia at the gaming units.

3. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game array did not match the game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia.

4. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game-winning pattern of game indicia matched by the additional randomly selected game indicia is different than a game-winning pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia.

5. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

providing a plurality of interim patterns each having a corresponding interim pattern award, wherein a player may receive an interim pattern award by making the input selection within a player input time period;

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining an interim pattern award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a first interim pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the first interim pattern of game indicia matched by the additional randomly selected game indicia is different than a second interim pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia, wherein the interim pattern award amount is equal to the lesser of the interim pattern award corresponding to the first interim pattern and the interim pattern award corresponding to the second interim pattern.

6. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

transmitting a first subset of the randomly selected game indicia from the network computer to the gaming units, wherein the first subset includes fewer than the randomly selected game indicia required for the at least one of the game arrays to match the game-winning pattern of game indicia;

comparing the transmitted first subset of the randomly selected game indicia to the game indicia of each of the game arrays at the corresponding gaming units;

providing a player input time period within which players must make an input selection at the corresponding gaming unit; and

transmitting a second subset of the randomly selected game indicia from the network computer to the gaming units, wherein the second subset includes the remaining randomly selected game indicia required for the at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match the game-winning pattern of game indicia.

7. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a network computer operatively coupled to a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, the method comprising:

enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each player may enroll a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

randomly selecting the game indicia from the range of game indicia at the network computer;

transmitting the entire range of game indicia from the network computer to the gaming units in the sequence that the game indicia are randomly selected from the range of game indicia in a single transmission;

comparing the transmitted game indicia to the game indicia of each of the enrolled game arrays at the corresponding gaming units in the sequence that the game indicia is randomly selected from the range of game indicia;

determining at the gaming units the number of selected game indicia required for each enrolled game array to match a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the randomly selected game indicia;

transmitting the number of selected game indicia required for each enrolled game array to first match a game-winning pattern from the gaming units to the network computer;

determining at the network computer the minimum number of game indicia required for at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match a game-winning pattern;

transmitting the minimum number of game indicia required for at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match a game-winning pattern from the network computer to the gaming units;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the minimum number of game indicia; and

displaying the game arrays and the minimum number of game indicia at the gaming units.

8. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

providing a player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount;

determining at the network computer the next lowest number of game indicia required for at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match a game-winning pattern in response to determining that no player matching a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously determined minimum number of game indicia has made the input selection within the player input time period;

transmitting the next lowest number of game indicia required for at least one of the enrolled game arrays to match a game-winning pattern from the network computer to the gaming units;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

displaying the additional randomly selected game indicia at the gaming units.

9. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the next lowest number of game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia within the next lowest number of game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game array did not match the game-winning pattern of game indicia within the minimum number of game indicia.

10. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the next lowest number game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the next lowest number of game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game-winning pattern of game indicia matched by the next lowest number of game indicia is different than a game-winning pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the minimum number of game indicia.

11. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

providing a plurality of interim patterns each having a corresponding interim pattern award, wherein a player may receive an interim pattern award by making the input selection within a player input time period;

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the next lowest number of game indicia; and

determining an interim pattern award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a first interim pattern of game indicia with the next lowest number of game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the first interim pattern of game indicia matched by the next lowest number of game indicia is different than a second interim pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the minimum number of game indicia, wherein the interim pattern award amount is equal to the lesser of the interim pattern award corresponding to the first interim pattern and the interim pattern award corresponding to the second interim pattern.

12. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a network computer operatively coupled to a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, the method comprising:

enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each player may enroll a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

randomly selecting one of the game indicia from the range of game indicia at the network computer;

transmitting the selected game indicium from the network computer to the gaming units;

comparing the transmitted game indicium to the game indicia of each of the enrolled game arrays at the corresponding gaming units;

transmitting a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit to the network computer in response to determining that a corresponding game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the randomly selected game indicia;

randomly selecting and transmitting additional game indicia from the range of game indicia one at a time in response to not receiving a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

transmitting a corresponding game-winning pattern matched message from the network computer to the gaming units in response to receiving a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the transmitted game indicia; and

displaying the game arrays and the transmitted game indicia at the gaming units.

13. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

providing a player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount in response to the game-winning pattern matched message;

randomly selecting and transmitting additional game indicia from the range of game indicia one at a time in response to determining that no player matching a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia has made the input selection within the player input time period, and to not receiving a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

transmitting a corresponding game-winning pattern matched message from the network computer to the gaming units in response to receiving a second game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

displaying the additional randomly selected game indicia at the gaming units.

14. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game array did not match the game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia.

15. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game-winning pattern of game indicia matched by the additional randomly selected game indicia is different than a game-winning pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia.

16. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

providing a plurality of interim patterns each having a corresponding interim pattern award, wherein a player may receive an interim pattern award by making the input selection within a player input time period;

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining an interim pattern award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a first interim pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the first interim pattern of game indicia matched by the additional randomly selected game indicia is different than a second interim pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia, wherein the interim pattern award amount is equal to the lesser of the interim pattern award corresponding to the first interim pattern and the interim pattern award corresponding to the second interim pattern.

17. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

determining at least one game-winning pattern for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

determining that at least one of the game arrays has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the randomly selected game indicia;

providing a player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount, wherein said randomly selecting and transmitting includes randomly selecting and transmitting the additional game indicia from the range of game indicia in response to determining that no player matching a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia has made the input selection within the player input time period;

comparing the transmitted additional randomly selected game indicia to the game indicia of each of the game arrays at the corresponding gaming units;

providing a plurality of interim patterns each having a corresponding interim pattern award, wherein a player may receive an interim pattern award by making the input selection within a player input time period;

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional randomly selected game indicia; and

determining an interim pattern award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a first interim pattern of game indicia with the additional randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the first interim pattern of game indicia matched by the additional randomly selected game indicia is different than a second interim pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted randomly selected game indicia, wherein the interim pattern award amount is equal to the lesser of the interim pattern award corresponding to the first interim pattern and the interim pattern award corresponding to the second interim pattern.

18. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game on a gaming network having a network computer operatively coupled to a plurality of gaming units wherein each player has at least one game array having a unique combination of indicia from a range of game indicia for an occurrence of the wagering game, the method comprising:

enrolling a plurality of players at corresponding gaming units for an occurrence of the multi-player wagering game, wherein each player may enroll a plurality of game arrays for the occurrence of the multi-player wagering game;

randomly selecting a first batch of game indicia from the range of game indicia at the network computer;

transmitting the selected first batch of game indicia from the network computer to the gaming units;

comparing the game indicia in the transmitted first batch of game indicia to the game indicia of each of the enrolled game arrays at the corresponding gaming units;

transmitting a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit to the network computer in response to determining that a corresponding game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the game indicia in the transmitted first batch of game indicia;

randomly selecting and transmitting additional batches of game indicia from the range of game indicia in response to not receiving a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

transmitting a corresponding game-winning pattern matched message from the network computer to the gaming units in response to receiving a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the transmitted game indicia; and

displaying the game arrays and the transmitted game indicia at the gaming units.

19. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 18, comprising:

providing a player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount in response to the game-winning pattern matched message;

randomly selecting and transmitting additional batches of game indicia from the range of game indicia in response to determining that no player matching a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted batch of randomly selected game indicia has made the input selection within the player input time period, and to not receiving a game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

transmitting a corresponding game-winning pattern matched message from the network computer to the gaming units in response to receiving a second game-winning pattern matched message from a gaming unit at the network computer;

determining a game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia; and

displaying the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia at the gaming units.

20. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 19, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game array did not match the game-winning pattern of game indicia with the previously transmitted batches of randomly selected game indicia.

21. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 19, comprising:

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia; and

determining the game-winning award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a game-winning pattern of game indicia with the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the game-winning pattern of game indicia matched by the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia is different than a game-winning pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted batches of randomly selected game indicia.

22. A method for providing a multi-player wagering game in accordance with claim 19, comprising:

providing a plurality of interim patterns each having a corresponding interim pattern award, wherein a player may receive an interim pattern award by making the input selection within a player input time period;

providing a second player input time period within which players must make an input selection to claim a game-winning award amount after transmitting the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia; and

determining an interim pattern award amount for a game array in response to determining that the game array has matched a first interim pattern of game indicia with the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia, that the corresponding player has made the input selection, and that the first interim pattern of game indicia matched by the additional batch of randomly selected game indicia is different than a second interim pattern of game indicia matched on the game array by the previously transmitted batches of randomly selected game indicia, wherein the interim pattern award amount is equal to the lesser of the interim pattern award corresponding to the first interim pattern and the interim pattern award corresponding to the second interim pattern.