Gaming system and method for offering simultaneous play of multiple games

• US 9,153,100 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cannon, Lee E., O'Donovan, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIM, SENG HENG
• Application Number:
  US13/972,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20130337899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• 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 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

Gaming apparatus and methods of conducting a wagering game of chance. A gaming machine is disclosed which is configured for mutually concurrent play of a plurality of games of chance on a single display screen. A method of conducting a wagering activity includes providing a player with a plurality of differing games of chance, at least some of which are mutually concurrently playable on a single screen display of a gaming device and enabling mutually concurrent play of the plurality of differing games of chance on the single screen display. Various other gaming machine configurations and methods of play related to multiple differing games of chance on a single display screen are also disclosed herein. Networked gaming machines are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

at least one display device including a designated display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices including a first input device supported by the housing, a second input device supported by the housing, and at least one acceptor supported by the housing;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing 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 plurality of input devices to;

(a) if a first physical item associated with a first monetary value is received by the at least one acceptor, establish a first credit balance for a first player based at least in part on the first monetary value;

(b) if a second physical item associated with a second monetary value is received by the at least one acceptor, establish a second credit balance for a second player based at least in part on the second monetary value;

(c) in association with a first window of the designated display device;

(i) if a first actuation of at least one wager button is received, place a first wager on a play of a first game, the first credit balance being decreasable by the first wager,

(ii) initiate said play of the first game upon receipt of an actuation of the first input device,

(iii) generate an outcome for said play of the first game,

(iv) display the generated outcome for said play of the first game in the first window of the designated display device,

(v) determine and display any first award associated with the displayed outcome of said play of the first game, and

(vi) increase the first credit balance by any determined first award; and

(d) concurrently, in association with a second different window of the designated display device;

(i) if a second actuation of the at least one wager button is received, place a second wager on a play of a second game, the first game and the second game being independently operable, the second credit balance being decreasable by the second wager;

(ii) initiate said play of the second game upon receipt of an actuation of the second input device;

(iii) generate an outcome for said play of the second game;

(iv) display the generated outcome for said play of the second game in the second window of the designated display device;

(v) determine and display any second award associated with the displayed outcome of said play of the second game; and

(vi) increase the second credit balance by any determined second award.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game and the second game are the same type of game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game and the second game are different types of games.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, if a first triggering event occurs in association with said play of the first game and a second triggering event occurs in association with said play of the second game, display a play of a bonus game in a third window of the designated display device.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are the same.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are different.

7. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) if a first physical item associated with a first monetary value is received by at least one acceptor supported by a housing of the gaming system, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to establish a first credit balance for a first player based at least in part on the first monetary value;

(b) if a second physical item associated with a second monetary value is received by the at least one acceptor, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to establish a second credit balance for a second player based at least in part on the second monetary value;

(c) in association with a first window of a designated display device;

(i) if a first actuation of at least one wager button of the gaming system is received, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to place a first wager on a play of a first game, the first credit balance being decreasable by the wager,

(ii) receiving an actuation of a first input device supported by the housing and, in response, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate said play of the first game,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate an outcome for said play of the first game,

(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the designated display device to display the generated outcome for said play of the first game in the first window of the designated display device,

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine and operate with the designated display device to display any first award associated with the displayed outcome of said play of the first game, and

(vi) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase the first credit balance by any determined first award; and

(d) concurrently, in association with a second different window of the designated display device;

(i) if a second actuation of the at least one wager button is received, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to place a second wager on a play of a second game, the first game and the second game being independently operable, the second credit balance being decreasable by the second wager;

(ii) receiving an actuation of a second input device supported by the housing and, in response, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate said play of the second game;

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate an outcome for said play of the second game;

(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the designated display device to display the generated outcome for said play of the second game in the second window of the designated display device;

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine and operate with the designated display device to display any second award associated with the displayed outcome of said play of the second game; and

(vi) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase the second credit balance by any determined second award.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first game and the second game are the same type of game.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first game and the second game are different types of games.

10. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the designated display device to, if a first triggering event occurs in association with said play of the first game and a second triggering event occurs in association with said play of the second game, display a play of a bonus game in a third window of the designated display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are the same.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are different.

13. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) if a first physical item associated with a first monetary value is received by at least one acceptor supported by a housing, establish a first credit balance for a first player based at least in part on the first monetary value;

(b) if a second physical item associated with a second monetary value is received by the at least one acceptor, establish a second credit balance for a second player based at least in part on the second monetary value;

(c) in association with a first window of a designated display device;

(i) if a first actuation of at least one wager button is received, place a first wager on a play of a first game, the first credit balance being decreasable by the first wager,

(ii) initiate said play of the first game upon receipt of an actuation of a first input device supported by the housing,

(iii) generate an outcome for said play of the first game,

(iv) cause the designated display device to display the generated outcome for said play of the first game in the first window of the designated display device,

(v) determine and cause the designated display device to display any first award associated with the displayed outcome of said play of the first game, and

(vi) increase the first credit balance by any determined first award; and

(b) concurrently, in association with a second different window of the designated display device;

(i) if a second actuation of the at least one wager button is received, place a second wager on a play of a second game, the first game and the second game being independently operable, the second credit balance being decreasable by the second wager;

(ii) initiate said play of the second game upon receipt of an actuation of a second input device supported by the housing;

(iii) generate an outcome for said play of the second game;

(iv) cause the designated display device to display the generated outcome for said play of the second game in the second window of the designated display device;

(v) determine and cause the designated display device to display any second award associated with the displayed outcome of said play of the second game; and

(vi) increase the second credit balance by any determined second award.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first game and the second game are the same type of game.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first game and the second game are different types of games.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the designated display device to, if a first triggering event occurs in association with said play of the first game and a second triggering event occurs in association with said play of the second game, display a play of a bonus game in a third window of the designated display device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are the same.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first triggering event and the second triggering event are different.