Outcome determination method for gaming device

• US 8,313,369 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Patent Investment & Licensing Company
• Inventors: Acres, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US12/579,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20110086690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/22, 463/25, 463/26
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• 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 17/3267 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

Embodiments of this concept are directed to a method of operating a gaming device to determine game outcomes by using a range of game numbers for winning game outcomes. That is, the gaming device includes a range of numbers associated with a generic winning outcome or each winning outcome to ensure that a winning outcome or specific winning outcome will hit within the specified range. This method may be used a variety of game types including slot machines, video poker, keno, video pachinko, etc. These gaming machines may additionally include one or more proximity indicators or meters associated with the various outcomes.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic gaming device operable to repeatedly play a game responsive to a game initiating input by a player, the method comprising:

determining a game number count;

establishing a different, predetermined range of game numbers for each of a plurality of different winning game outcomes;

selecting a different triggering game number from within each predetermined range of game numbers;

receiving a game initiating input at the electronic gaming device;

incrementing the game number count; and

displaying on the gaming device the winning game outcome associated with each range when game number count is greater than or equal to the range'"'"'s triggering game number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering the selected triggering game numbers in a common game outcome table.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the remaining entries of the common game outcome table are filled with a generic losing game outcome.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein incrementing a game number count includes advancing to a next entry in the common game outcome table.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering each selected triggering game number in a corresponding one of a plurality of game outcome tables.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein incrementing a game number count includes advancing to a next entry in each of the game outcome tables.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a different triggering game number from within each predetermined range of game numbers includes:

selecting multiple triggering game numbers from a predetermined range of game numbers for at least one of the plurality of winning game outcomes; and

entering the multiple triggering game numbers is a selection chart.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting another triggering game number from the predetermined range of game numbers for the winning game outcome after the winning game outcome is displayed.

9. A method of operating an electronic gaming device operable to repeatedly play a game responsive to a game initiating input by a player, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of different winning game outcomes;

determining a game number count;

for each winning game outcome, establishing a different, predetermined range of game numbers within which the associated winning game outcome must occur;

selecting a different triggering game number from within each predetermined range of game numbers;

entering each triggering game number and the associated winning game outcome into a table of game outcomes;

entering losing game outcomes into the table of outcomes;

receiving a game initiating input at the electronic gaming device;

incrementing a game counter to indicate an entry in the table of game outcomes;

displaying the associated winning game outcome on the gaming device when the indicated entry is a triggering game number; and

selecting and displaying an outcome when the indicated entry is a losing outcome.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the associated winning game outcome on the gaming device when the indicated entry is a triggering game number includes:

selecting display characteristics for the winning outcome; and

displaying the winning outcome using the selected display characteristics.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein when the indicated entry includes first and second winning outcomes, and wherein the method further includes:

displaying the first winning outcome; and

thereafter automatically displaying the second winning outcome.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein when the indicated entry includes first and second winning outcomes, and wherein the method further includes:

determining which of the first and second winning outcomes is associated with a larger award; and

displaying the determined outcome with the larger associated award.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein when the indicated entry includes first and second winning outcomes, and wherein the method further includes:

displaying the first winning outcome;

receiving another game initiating input; and

thereafter displaying the second winning outcome.

14. A method of operating an electronic gaming device operable to repeatedly play a game responsive to a game initiating input by a player, the method comprising:

presenting a player with a particular type of winning game outcome;

selecting a next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome from a range of numbers associated with the particular type of winning game outcome;

entering the selected next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome in a table of game outcomes;

incrementing a game counter that indicates a current game outcome in the table of game outcomes in response to wagers placed on the gaming device; and

presenting the player with the particular type of winning game outcome on the electronic gaming device when the game counter indicates the next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome in a table of game outcomes, wherein selecting a next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome includes;

randomly selecting a number within the range of numbers associated with the particular type of winning game outcome; and

combining the randomly selected number with a current value of the game counter; and

wherein entering the selected next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome in a table of game outcomes includes associating next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome with a game number in the table of game outcomes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein incrementing a game counter includes sequentially moving between game numbers associated with game outcomes in the table of game outcomes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein presenting the player with the particular type of winning game outcome when the game counter indicates the next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome in a table of game outcomes includes displaying a winning game outcome and providing an award corresponding to the winning game outcome when the game counter indicates the game number associated with the next occurrence of the particular type of winning game outcome.

17. A game device comprising:

a player interface panel including at least one game initiation device;

a memory to store a table of sequential game outcomes, the table of sequential game outcomes being configured to identify whether each stored game outcome is one of a plurality of possible winning game outcomes or a generic losing outcome;

a processor configured to increment a game counter that indicates at least one of the sequential game outcomes and further configured to determine display parameters of each indicated game outcome;

a game display to show each indicated game outcome having the determined display parameters; and

a plurality of win proximity meters respectively corresponding to each of the plurality of possible winning game outcomes.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a game outcome associated with an award by selecting reel stops corresponding to the game outcome.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a losing game outcome by selecting reel stops and confirming that the selected reel stops do not result in a winning outcome.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a game outcome associated with an award by selecting cards corresponding to the game outcome.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to rearrange an order of the selected cards and confirm that the rearranged order will result in the game outcome using a best strategy.

22. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to determine the display parameters of a losing game outcome by selecting cards and confirming that the selected cards do not result in a winning outcome when using a best strategy.

23. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of possible winning outcomes has a corresponding range within which it will appear in the stored table of sequential game outcomes.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to select a number within a corresponding range to determine an entry in the table of sequential game outcomes to place a winning game outcome.

25. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to fill any empty entries in the table of sequential game outcomes with the generic losing outcome.

26. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the ranges respectively corresponding to the plurality of winning game outcomes is modifiable by a casino operator to alter the table ranges of each outcome.

27. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the ranges respectively corresponding to the plurality of winning game outcomes is modifiable based on game events occurring on the game device.

28. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the ranges respectively corresponding to the plurality of winning game outcomes is modifiable based on characteristics of a player.