Perceived skill gaming machine and method

• US 8,715,085 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crowder, Robert William Jr., LaSalvia, John Francis, White, Warren Rapelye, Luciano, Robert Anthony Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/783,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming system having a plurality of primary game devices sharing a secondary bonus station is disclosed. The secondary game station comprises a secondary game which is configured to provide play pursuant to a triggering event originating from any one of the primary game devices in the gaming environment. The secondary game station is equipped with controls suitable for playing the secondary game. During play of the secondary game station, the triggering primary game device may also be “locked” so that the player may resume playing the primary game subsequent to playing the secondary game.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a processor;

one or more controls operable by a player;

a perceived skill game under control of the processor, the game awarding a number of points to the player based on the skill with which the player may operate the controls and determining a predetermined credit award to be paid at the conclusion of the game;

a payscale based on the number of points awarded to the player further comprising a plurality of possible credit awards including the predetermined credit award; and

an indicator configured to indicate the predetermined credit award on the payscale at the conclusion of the game.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a video arcade game.

3. A method of providing a perceived skill game under control of a processor, the steps comprising:

predetermining credit award payable for play of the game;

awarding a number of points to a player based on the skill with which the player may operate controls coupled to the processor;

based on the number of points awarded to the player, dynamically producing a payscale comprising a plurality of possible credit awards including the predetermined credit award; and

indicating the predetermined credit award on the payscale at the conclusion of the game.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the perceived skill game comprises a video arcade game.