Central determination symbol game

• US 8,651,928 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Bansemer, Mark W., Wolf, Bryan D., Brune, Christopher T., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Montross, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US13/773,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/13, 463 16- 22, 463/25, 273/292, 273/307
• US Class Current: 463/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A plurality of symbols are provided to a player wherein one or more of the provided symbols are based on the predetermined game outcome. The player is enabled to select one or more of the initially dealt symbols to hold. If a symbol combination with an associated payout equal to the value associated with the predetermined game outcome may be obtained based on the held cards, the gaming device utilizes one or more backfill algorithms, to determine which card or cards, if any, need to be dealt to the player. The determined cards are provided to the player to replace the symbols designated by the player not to hold and the selected predetermined game outcome which is associated with a value equal to the payout of the player'"'"'s symbol combination is provided to the player.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, wherein at least one of said displayed symbols is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of symbols from the set of symbols form a plurality of different symbol combinations that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed symbols to hold; and

(c) if the player selected at least one of said displayed symbols to hold;

(i) determine whether one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the symbols the player selected to hold;

(ii) if one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the symbols the player selected to hold;

(A) determine, using a backfill algorithm, which of said symbols from the set of symbols need to be displayed with the symbols the player selected to hold to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value, and

(B) display a replacement of at least one of said symbols the player did not select to hold with at least one said determined symbols;

(iii) if one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the symbols the player selected to hold;

(A) determine a subset of the symbols the player selected to hold, wherein said subset of symbols is based on the predetermined game outcome value,

(B) determine, using the backfill algorithm, which of said symbols from the set of symbols need to be displayed with the determined subset of symbols the player selected to hold to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value,

(C) display a replacement of each of said symbols the player did not select to hold with one of said determined symbols, and

(D) display a replacement of at least one of said symbols the player selected to hold which is not part of said determined subset of symbols with at least one of said determined symbols, and

(iv) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined symbols to the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed symbols to hold.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcomes value.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine a set of determined symbols to display if a plurality of sets of symbols are each determined as needed to be displayed to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, a plurality of instructions associated with the backfill algorithm cause the at least one processor to:

(a) determine, from the set of symbols, an available set of symbols which have not been previously displayed to the player;

(b) select one of said available symbols from the determined set;

(c) add the selected symbol to at least one of the symbols the player selected to hold;

(d) determine whether one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the associated with said predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the symbols the player selected to hold and the selected available symbol;

(e) if one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable based on the symbols the player selected to hold and the selected available symbol, retain said selected symbol with the symbols the player selected to hold; and

(f) if one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is not obtainable based on the symbols the player selected to hold and the selected available symbol;

(i) remove the selected symbol from the symbols the player selected to hold, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (f) until one available symbol is retained for each symbol the player selected to discard.

8. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, wherein at least one of said displayed symbols is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of symbols from the set of symbols form a plurality of different symbol combinations that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed symbols to hold; and

(c) if the player selected at least one of said displayed symbols to hold;

(i) determine a set of zero, one or a plurality of the held symbols for which one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value is obtainable;

(ii) determine which of said symbols from the set of symbols need to be displayed with the determined set of held symbols to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value, wherein said determination is based on a backfill algorithm and said set of held symbols;

(iii) display a replacement of each of said symbols the player did not select to hold with one of said determined symbols;

(iv display a replacement of any of said held symbols which are not part of said determined set of held symbols with any of said determined symbols; and

(v) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined symbols to the player.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

11. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed symbols to hold.

12. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcome values.

13. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine a set of determined symbols to display if a plurality of sets of symbols are each determined as needed to be displayed to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value.

14. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols, wherein at least one of said displayed symbols is based on a predetermined game outcome value, and different pluralities of symbols from the set of symbols form a plurality of different symbol combinations that are each associated with a value;

(b) enable a player to select at least one of said displayed symbols to hold;

(c) thereafter, determine, using a backfill algorithm, which of any symbols from the set of symbols need to be displayed to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value;

(d) display a replacement of any of said provided symbols with any of said determined symbols; and

(e) provide said predetermined game outcome value to the player.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine the order to display any determined symbols to the player.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined game outcome value is a progressive award value.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device to enable the player to select each of said displayed symbols to hold or to discard.

18. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome value from a plurality of predetermined game outcome values.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to randomly determine a set of determined symbols to display if a plurality of sets of symbols are each determined as needed to be displayed to result in one of said symbol combinations with an associated value equal to the predetermined game outcome value.