Apparatus for providing amusement

• US 8,308,546 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Kroeckel, John G., Soliterman, Gennady I., Kelly, Bryan M., Lockard, Dennis, Tallcott, Jeffrey C., Allen, Jeffrey, Luciano, Robert, Luciano, legal representative, Robert Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/849,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25, 463/31, 463/36, 463/43
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Certain non-limiting exemplary embodiments are taught which include a game comprising, a digital processor, digital storage coupled to the digital processor for storing instructions, a display coupled to the digital processor displaying a first plurality of indicia arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns such that there are a plurality of paylines through a contiguous plurality of indicia, a user interface coupled to the digital processor to select a subset of the first plurality of indicia taken along at least one column and to initiate a display of a second plurality of indicia which includes the selected subset of the first plurality of indicia on the display, and an award dispenser providing an award which is at least as large as the largest award associated with the plurality of paylines.

Claims

1. A game comprising:

a digital processor;

digital storage coupled to the digital processor for storing instructions;

a display coupled to the digital processor displaying a first plurality of indicia arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns such that there are a plurality of paylines through a contiguous plurality of indicia;

a user interface coupled to the digital processor to select a subset of the first plurality of indicia taken along at least one column and to initiate a display of a second plurality of indicia which includes the selected subset of the first plurality of indicia on the display; and

an award dispenser providing an award equal to the largest award associated with a single payline of the plurality of paylines to limit the award to a predetermined maximum value.

2. A game as recited in claim 1 wherein the digital processor includes a microprocessor, and wherein the digital storage includes a read-only memory.

3. A game as recited in claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a monetary interface and a game play interface.

4. A game as recited in claim 3 wherein the monetary interface accepts legal tender.

5. A game as recited in claim 3 wherein the monetary interface accepts a token.

6. A game as recited in claim 5 wherein the token is a non-electronic token.

7. A game as recited in claim 6 wherein the token is a ticket including printed indicia.

8. A game as recited in claim 5 wherein the token is an electronic token.

9. A game as recited in claim 1 wherein the award dispenser dispenses legal tender.

10. A game as recited in claim 1 wherein the award dispenser dispenses a token.

11. A game as recited in claim 10 wherein the token is a non-electronic token.

12. A game as recited in claim 11 wherein the token is a ticket including printed indicia.

13. A game as recited in claim 10 wherein the token is an electronic token.