Elimination games for gaming machines

• US 8,974,281 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Beaulieu, Nicole M., LeMay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/420,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• 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 disclosure provides a gaming machine including an elimination game. The elimination game may be played on a stand-alone gaming machine or on a group of linked gaming machines. The elimination game is played by plurality of entities, each comprising one or more virtual players or real players. During the elimination game, the entities play one or more games that are provided as part of the elimination game. For example, video slot or poker games may be used for the game play in the elimination game. One or more elimination tests are applied to the entities using results from the game play. When conditions used in the elimination tests are met for one of the entities, that entity is removed from the elimination game before reaching the finish of the elimination game. The last remaining entity that avoids elimination and reaches the finish of the elimination receives an award.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to start play of a first elimination game;

(b) after starting play of the first elimination game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to start play of a second elimination game;

(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a first gaming machine to simultaneously display at least part of the first elimination game and at least part of the second elimination game on a display of the first gaming machine; and

(d) for the first elimination game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, based on results of a play of a game by a plurality of entities participating in the first elimination game, eliminate at least one of the plurality of entities from the first elimination game prior to completion of the first elimination game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display includes a display screen of the first gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a second gaming machine to display the at least part of the first elimination game on a display screen of the second gaming machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a third gaming machine to display the at least part of the second elimination game on a display screen of the third gaming machine.

5. A gaming machine comprising:

an elimination game master gaming controller;

a display screen; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the elimination game master gaming controller, cause the elimination game master gaming controller to operate with the display screen and a plurality of other gaming machines to;

(a) start play of a game of chance on the gaming machine;

(b) start play of an elimination game on the gaming machine and the plurality of other gaming machines;

(c) simultaneously display at least part of the game of chance and at least part of the elimination game on the display screen; and

(d) for the elimination game, based on results of a play of a game by a plurality of entities participating in the elimination game, eliminate at least one of the plurality of entities from the elimination game prior to completion of the elimination game.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the game of chance is selected from the group consisting of slot games, poker games, pachinko games, multiple hand poker games, pai-gow poker games, black jack games, keno games, bingo games, roulette games, craps games and card games.

7. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the game of chance is the game.

8. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein one of the plurality of entities participating in the elimination game is a virtual entity generated by the elimination game master gaming controller.

9. The gaming machine of claim 5, further comprising:

a communication interface used by the elimination game master gaming controller to communicate with remote gaming devices.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the remote gaming devices are at least one of:

the plurality of other gaming machines, an elimination game controller and combinations thereof.

11. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the elimination game master gaming controller is configured to receive elimination game information via the communication interface from the plurality of other gaming machines.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the elimination game master gaming controller, cause the elimination game master gaming controller to operate with the display screen to display the elimination game information received from the plurality of other gaming machines on the display screen.

13. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the elimination game is a bonus game triggered during play of the game of chance.

14. The gaming machine of claim 5, further comprising:

a bonus wheel wherein the bonus wheel is used to display results from an elimination test for the elimination game.