Apparatus for providing amusement

• US 8,317,588 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• 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:
  US12/849,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25
• 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 skill game including:

a playfield with a plurality of potential outcomes;

selectable elements associated with the playfield; and

a game-generated informational portal having a message mode for providing information concerning game play.

2. A skill game as recited in claim 1 wherein the game-generated informational portal provides a skillful play suggestion.

3. A skill game as recited in claim 1 including a portal switch controlling activation or de-activation of the message mode.

4. A skill game as recited in claim 1 including a set of rules for generating a message through the portal.

5. A gaming machine comprising:

a plurality of reels;

a selectable reel locking mechanism;

one or more of the reels being lockable for at least one spin;

an outcome from each spin is ranked according to an amount of potential award; and

an award determined by the most highly ranked outcome.

6. A skill game including:

a playfield with a plurality of potential outcomes;

one or more selectable elements associated with the playfield to obtain a favorable outcome; and

a timed game play feature enabling a player to play repeatedly to obtain one or more favorable outcomes during a timed period.

7. A skill game as recited in claim 6 including one or more awards associated with one or more of the plurality of potential outcomes.

8. A skill game as recited in claim 7 further comprising a take score player interface enabling a player to complete a game, accept an award based upon a favorable outcome, and initiate a subsequent game.

9. A game including:

a playfield with a plurality of potential outcomes;

one or more awards associated with one or more potential outcomes; and

a prize redemption portion with one or more prizes exchangeable for a portion of any received of the one or more

awards.

10. A game as recited in claim 9 wherein the prize redemption portion includes:

a virtual shopping cart for identifying and collecting selected of the one or more prizes; and

a checkout portion for providing delivery information and exchanging an identified amount of the received awards.

11. A game as recited in claim 9 further comprising a check order status portion enabling a player or prize recipient to obtain an update on delivery status.

12. A game as recited in claim 11 wherein the check order status portion is remotely accessible.