Wagering game, gaming machine, networked gaming system and method with a base game and a simultaneous bonus currency game

• US 9,064,377 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Bradley W., Watkins, Brian A., Owen, Clint, Schueller, Darren, Cody, JP
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US14/040,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 463/22, 463/23, 463/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed in which a bonus currency game is operable simultaneously with the primary game. When a player initiates play of the primary game, the bonus currency game is initiated as well. The bonus currency game includes a set of target symbols which have corresponding bonus currency values such that, when a target symbol is activated, such as by a random or quasi-random determination, the bonus currency value associated with the target symbol is awarded to the player. After a player accumulates bonus currency, the player may utilize the currency to purchase various available online items, such as game plays in an arcade.

Claims

1. A method for operating a dual wagering game, the method including:

selecting a base game outcome for a base game from a base set of possible base game outcomes, wherein the base game outcome is selected randomly or pseudo-randomly by a game processor;

selecting a secondary game outcome for a secondary game from a side set of possible secondary game outcomes, the side set of possible secondary game outcomes being distinct from the base set of possible base game outcomes, wherein the secondary game outcome is selected randomly or pseudo-randomly by the game processor or another processor;

displaying a base game round on a primary display of a gaming machine, the base game round including a plurality of reels being spun and stopped to produce the base game outcome;

while displaying the base game round, displaying play of a secondary game play on the primary display along with the base game round, the base game and secondary game being operable simultaneously through a game processor, the secondary game play including first graphic elements adjacent to graphic elements of the primary game, and second graphic elements animated to move through primary display areas showing the graphic elements of the base game; and

awarding any prize associated with the selected base game outcome and awarding any prize associated with the selected secondary game outcome.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the primary game is conducted based upon a designated player currency wager to win credits, and the secondary game is conducted to win bonus credits redeemable only for non-cash bonus prizes.

3. The method of claim 2, in which a number of player chances in the secondary game play is based on a player wager level.

4. The method of claim 2, in which a number of player chances in the secondary game play are randomly determined upon initiation of the base game round.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising accumulating the bonus credits over a number of base game rounds in a player session.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising launching a bonus credit redemption sequence based upon an amount of accumulated bonus credits crossing a designated threshold.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising triggering a number of player chances in the secondary game after conclusion of the base game round and before beginning a subsequent base game round.

8. A program product embodied on one or more tangible, non-transitory computer readable media and executable by one or more gaming processors associated with gaming machines connected through a network to operate a dual wagering game, the program product executable for:

selecting a base game outcome for a base game from a base set of possible base game outcomes, wherein the base game outcome is selected randomly or pseudo-randomly by one of the gaming processors;

selecting a secondary game outcome for a secondary game from a side set of possible secondary game outcomes, the side set of possible secondary game outcomes being distinct from the base set of possible base game outcomes, wherein the secondary game outcome is selected randomly or pseudo-randomly by one of the gaming processors;

displaying a base game round on a primary display of a gaming machine, the base game round including an array of symbol locations in a manner simulating a plurality of reels being spun and stopped to produce the base game outcome;

while displaying the base game round, displaying play of a secondary game play on the primary display along with the base game round, the secondary game play including first graphic elements adjacent to graphic elements of the base game, and second graphic elements animated to move through primary display areas showing the graphic elements of the primary game; and

awarding any prize associated with the selected base game outcome and awarding any prize associated with the selected secondary game outcome.

9. The program product of claim 8, in which the primary game is conducted based upon a designated player currency wager to win credits, and the secondary game is conducted to win bonus credits redeemable only for non-cash prizes.

10. The program product of claim 9, in which a number of player chances in the secondary game play is based on a player wager level.

11. The program product of claim 9, in which a number of player chances in the secondary game play are randomly determined upon initiation of the base game round.

12. The program product of claim 9, further executable for accumulating the bonus credits over a number of base game rounds in a player session.

13. The program product of claim 12, further executable for launching a bonus credit redemption sequence based upon an amount of accumulated bonus credits crossing a designated threshold.

14. The program product of claim 9, further executable for triggering a number of player chances in the secondary game after conclusion of the base game round and before beginning a subsequent base game round.

15. A gaming system comprising:

one or more gaming servers each including at least one gaming processor;

one or more gaming machines operatively connected to the gaming servers over a network, each gaming machine including at least a primary display, a set of player operable controls, and at least one gaming processor operatively connected to the primary display, the gaming processors programmed to execute the following steps in coordination with at least one of the gaming servers;

selecting a base game outcome for a base game from a base set of possible base game outcomes, wherein the base game outcome is selected randomly or pseudo-randomly by one of the gaming processors;

selecting a secondary game outcome for a secondary game from a side set of possible secondary game outcomes, the side set of possible secondary game outcomes being distinct from the base set of possible base game outcomes, wherein the secondary game outcome is selected randomly or pseudo-randomly by one of the gaming processors;

displaying a base game round on the primary display of one of the gaming machines, the base game round including an array of symbol locations in a manner simulating a plurality of reels being spun and stopped to produce the base game outcome;

while displaying the base game round, displaying play of a secondary game play on the primary display along with the base game round, the secondary game play including first graphic elements adjacent to graphic elements of the base game, and second graphic elements animated to move through primary display areas showing the graphic elements of the primary game; and

awarding any prize associated with the selected base game outcome and awarding any prize associated with the selected secondary game outcome.

16. The system of claim 15, in which the primary game is conducted based upon a designated player currency wager to win credits, and the secondary game is conducted to win bonus credits redeemable only for non-cash prizes.

17. The system of claim 16, in which a number of player chances in the secondary game play are based on a player wager level.

18. The system of claim 16, the gaming processors further programmed for launching a bonus credit redemption sequence based upon an amount of accumulated bonus credits crossing a designated threshold.

19. The system of claim 15, the gaming processors further programmed for accumulating the bonus credits over a number of base game rounds in a player session.

20. The system of claim 19, the gaming processors further programmed for triggering a number of player chances in the secondary game after conclusion of the base game round and before beginning a subsequent base game round.