Providing non-bingo outcomes for a bingo game

• US 8,562,415 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gail, Ted, Bansemer, Mark, Wolf, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/092,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20110212759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/43, 710 52- 54
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and devices for providing a first wagering game (such as a bingo game) that presents a changing pool of displayed game outcomes for a second wagering game (such as a Class III game), preferably on a network of gaming machines. Some implementations of the invention provide a bingo game that presents a changing pool of displayed game outcomes for a slot game or a poker game. In some preferred implementations, game outcomes are generated, e.g., by individual gaming machines, on an ongoing basis and stored in memory. Each of the game outcomes corresponds with a bingo outcome. Preferably, the game outcomes are sorted and stored according to payout amounts for various bingo outcomes. In some implementations, the game outcomes are stored in the form of random number generating (“RNG”) seeds, but in other implementations the game outcomes are stored in a variety of other forms.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each generated non-bingo game outcome associated with one of a plurality of different payout amounts;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue associated with a different one of the plurality of payout amounts;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each generated non-bingo game outcome, assign said generated non-bingo game outcome to the queue associated with the payout amount with which said generated non-bingo game outcome is associated;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding to one of the plurality of payout amounts;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select one of the non-bingo game outcomes from the queue associated with the payout amount corresponding to said bingo payout amount;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide the selected non-bingo game outcome;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to remove the provided non-bingo game outcome from the queue to which the provided non-bingo game outcome is assigned;

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate a replacement non-bingo game outcome associated with the payout amount associated with the provided non-bingo game outcome; and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to assign the replacement non-bingo game outcome to the queue from which the provided non-bingo game outcome was removed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated non-bingo game outcomes are random number seeds.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide the selected non-bingo game outcome to a random number generator; and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to process the selected non-bingo game outcome with the random number generator.

4. The method of claim 3, which includes:

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause at least one display device to display the selected non-bingo game outcome as a combination of game symbols determined by the random number generator in response to processing the selected non-bingo game outcome.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide the selected non-bingo game outcome after each queue in the plurality of queues includes a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes may vary from queue to queue.

6. A computer program stored in a non-transitory machine-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a gaming device to:

generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each generated non-bingo game outcome associated with one of a plurality of different payout amounts;

form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue associated with a different one of the plurality of payout amounts;

for each generated non-bingo game outcome, assign said generated non-bingo game outcome to the queue associated with the payout amount with which said generated non-bingo game outcome is associated;

receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding to one of the plurality of payout amounts;

provide the selected non-bingo game outcome;

remove the provided non-bingo game outcome from the queue to which the provided non-bingo game outcome is assigned;

generate a replacement non-bingo game outcome associated with the payout amount associated with the provided non-bingo game outcome; and

assign the replacement non-bingo game outcome to the queue from which the provided non-bingo game outcome was removed.

7. The computer program stored in the non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the non-bingo game outcomes are random number seeds.

8. The computer program stored in the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, the computer program further configured to control the gaming device to:

provide the selected non-bingo game outcome to a random number generator; and

process the selected non-bingo game outcome with the random number generator.

9. The computer program stored in the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, the computer program further configured to control the gaming device to:

display the selected non-bingo game outcome as a combination of game symbols determined by the random number generator in response to processing the selected non-bingo game outcome.

10. The computer program stored in the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 6, the computer program further configured to control the gaming device to provide the selected non-bingo game outcome only after each queue in the plurality of queues includes a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes may vary from queue to queue.

11. A gaming system, the gaming system comprising:

one or more gaming machines; and

a gaming device, wherein the gaming device is configured to;

generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each generated non-bingo game outcome associated with one of a plurality of different payout amounts;

form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue associated with a different one of the plurality of payout amounts;

for each generated non-bingo game outcome, assign said generated non-bingo game outcome to the queue associated with the payout amount with which said generated non-bingo game outcome is associated;

receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding to one of the plurality of payout amounts;

provide the selected non-bingo game outcome;

remove the provided non-bingo game outcome from the queue to which the provided non-bingo game outcome is assigned;

generate a replacement non-bingo game outcome associated with the payout amount associated with the provided non-bingo game outcome; and

assign the replacement non-bingo game outcome to the queue from which the provided non-bingo game outcome was removed.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the non-bingo game outcomes are random number seeds.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the gaming device is further configured to:

provide the selected non-bingo game outcome to a random number generator; and

process the selected non-bingo game outcome with the random number generator.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the gaming device is further configured to:

display the selected non-bingo game outcome as a combination of game symbols determined by the random number generator in response to processing the non-bingo game outcome.

15. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the gaming device is further configured to provide the selected non-bingo game outcome only after each queue in the plurality of queues includes a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes may vary from queue to queue.

16. A method comprising:

generating, with a computing device, a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each non-bingo game outcome associated with a payout amount;

forming a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue corresponding with a different payout amount, the plurality of queues including a first queue corresponding with a first payout amount;

assigning each generated non-bingo game outcome to a queue in the plurality of queues based on the payout amount associated with the non-bingo game outcome; and

receiving a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding with the first payout amount; and

providing a non-bingo game outcome from the first queue before each queue in the plurality of queues reaches a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes may vary from queue to queue.

17. A method comprising:

generating, with a computing device, a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each non-bingo game outcome associated with a payout amount;

forming a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue corresponding with a different payout amount, the plurality of queues including a first queue corresponding with a first payout amount;

assigning each generated non-bingo game outcome to a queue in the plurality of queues based on the payout amount associated with the non-bingo game outcome; and

receiving a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding with the first payout amount; and

providing a non-bingo game outcome from the first queue after the first queue reaches a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes but before other queues in the plurality of queues reach predetermined numbers of bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes for each queue may vary from queue to queue.

18. A computer program stored in a non-transitory machine-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a gaming device to:

generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each non-bingo game outcome associated with a payout amount;

form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue corresponding with a different payout amount, the plurality of queues including a first queue corresponding with a first payout amount;

assign each generated non-bingo game outcome to a queue in the plurality of queues based on the payout amount associated with the non-bingo game outcome; and

receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding with the first payout amount; and

provide a non-bingo game outcome from the first queue before each queue in the plurality of queues reaches a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes may vary from queue to queue.

19. A computer program stored in a non-transitory machine-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a gaming device to:

generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each non-bingo game outcome associated with a payout amount;

form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue corresponding with a different payout amount, the plurality of queues including a first queue corresponding with a first payout amount;

assign each generated non-bingo game outcome to a queue in the plurality of queues based on the payout amount associated with the non-bingo game outcome; and

receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding with the first payout amount; and

provide a non-bingo game outcome from the first queue after the first queue reaches a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes but before other queues in the plurality of queues reach predetermined numbers of bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes for each queue may vary from queue to queue.

20. A gaming system, the gaming system comprising:

one or more gaming machines; and

a gaming device, wherein the gaming device is configured to;

generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each non-bingo game outcome associated with a payout amount;

form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue corresponding with a different payout amount, the plurality of queues including a first queue corresponding with a first payout amount;

assign each generated non-bingo game outcome to a queue in the plurality of queues based on the payout amount associated with the non-bingo game outcome; and

receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding with the first payout amount; and

provide a non-bingo game outcome from the first queue before each queue in the plurality of queues reaches a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes may vary from queue to queue.

21. A gaming system, the gaming system comprising:

one or more gaming machines; and

a gaming device, wherein the gaming device is configured to;

generate a plurality of non-bingo game outcomes, each non-bingo game outcome associated with a payout amount;

form a plurality of queues in a memory, each queue corresponding with a different payout amount, the plurality of queues including a first queue corresponding with a first payout amount;

assign each generated non-bingo game outcome to a queue in the plurality of queues based on the payout amount associated with the non-bingo game outcome; and

receive a request for a non-bingo game outcome, the request including information indicating a bingo payout amount corresponding with the first payout amount; and

provide a non-bingo game outcome from the first queue after the first queue reaches a predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes but before other queues in the plurality of queues reach predetermined numbers of bingo game outcomes, wherein the predetermined number of non-bingo game outcomes for each queue may vary from queue to queue.