Gaming system and method for offering simultaneous play of multiple games

• US 9,153,101 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• 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:
  US14/012,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 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 supported by the housing and including a designated display device;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout 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 plurality of input devices to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) enable a player to;

(i) place a first wager amount on a first game play of a plurality of at least partially concurrently displayed game plays, and

(ii) place a second, different wager amount on a second game play of the plurality of at least partially concurrently displayed game plays, wherein said credit balance is decreasable based on any of said wager amounts placed,

(c) if the player placed the first wager amount on the first game play of the plurality of at least partially concurrently displayed game plays;

(i) determine a first game play outcome,

(ii) cause a first portion of the designated display device to display the determined first game play outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined first game play outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome, wherein said credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome,

(d) if the player placed the second wager amount on the second game play of the plurality of at least partially concurrently displayed game plays;

(i) determine a second game play outcome,

(ii) cause a second, different portion of the designated display device to display the determined second game play outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined second game play outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome, wherein said credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome,

(e) when a first bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the first game play and no second bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the second game play, for a play of a first bonus game, increase the size of the first portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the second portion of the designated display device,

(f) when a second bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the second same game play and no first bonus same triggering event occurred in association with first game play, for a play of a second bonus game, increase the size of the second portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the first portion of the designated display device,

(g) when the first bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the first game play and the second bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the second game play;

(i) for the play of the first bonus game, increase the size of the first portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the second portion of the designated display device, and

(ii) thereafter, for the play of the second bonus game, increase the size of the second portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the first portion of the designated display device, and

(h) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

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 designated display device to concurrently display the plurality of game plays.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the first game play and the second wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the second game play.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the first game play and the second wager amount is a non-maximum wager amount on the second game play.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game play is associated with a first paytable and the second game play is associated with a second, different paytable.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the first paytable is associated with a first average expected payback percentage and the second paytable is associated with a second, different average expected payback percentage.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first game play has a first average expected payback percentage and the second game play has the first average expected payback percentage.

8. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

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

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout 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 plurality of input devices to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) enable a player to;

(i) place a first wager amount on a first of four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays,

(ii) place a second wager amount on a second of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays,

(iii) place a third wager amount on a third of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays, and

(iv) place a fourth wager amount on a fourth of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays, wherein at least two of the first wager amount, the second wager amount, the third wager amount and the fourth wager amount are different, and said credit balance is decreasable based on any of said wager amounts placed,

(c) for each wagered on game play;

(i) determine a game play outcome,

(ii) cause a separate portion of the designated display device to display the determined game play outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined game play outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined game play outcome, wherein said credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined game play outcome, and

(d) when one bonus game triggering event occurred in association with one of the game plays, for a play of one bonus game, increase the size of one of the portions of the designated display device and decrease the size of at least another one of the portions of the designated display device,

(e) when at least two bonus game triggering events occurred in association with at least two of the game plays, for at least two sequential plays of at least two bonus games, sequentially modify the sizes of at least two of the portions of the designated display device, and

(f) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

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 designated display device to concurrently display the four game plays.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the first wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the first game play, the second wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the second game play, the third wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the third game play, and the fourth wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the fourth game play.

11. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first wager amount, the second wager amount, the third wager amount and the fourth wager amount is a maximum wager amount and at least one of the first wager amount, the second wager amount, the third wager amount and the fourth wager amount is a non-maximum wager amount.

12. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein if a first quantity of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays are each wagered on, each of the first quantity of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays have a first average expected payback percentage and if a second, different quantity of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays are each wagered on, each of the second quantity of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays have a second, different average expected payback percentage.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the second quantity of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays is greater than the first quantity of the four at least partially concurrently displayed game plays and the second average expected payback percentage is greater than the first average expected payback percentage.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

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

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout 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 plurality of input devices to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) enable a player to place a first wager amount on a play of a first game and place a second, different wager amount on a play of a second, different game, wherein said credit balance is decreasable based on any of said wager amounts placed,

(c) if the player placed the first wager amount on the play of the first game;

(i) determine a first game outcome,

(ii) cause a first portion of the designated display device to display the determined first game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined first game outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined first game outcome, wherein said credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined first game outcome,

(d) if the player placed the second wager amount on the play of the second game;

(i) determine a second game outcome,

(ii) cause a second, different portion of the designated display device to display the determined second game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined second game outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined second game outcome, wherein;

(A) at least one of;

(I) the determined second game outcome and (II) any determined award associated with the determined second game outcome is displayed at least partially concurrently with at least one of;

(I) the determined first game outcome and (II) any determined award associated with the determined first game outcome, and

(B) said credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined second game outcome,

(e) when a first bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the play of the first game and no second bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the play of the second game, for a play of a first bonus game, increase the size of the first portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the second portion of the designated display device,

(f) when a second bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the play of the second game and no first bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the play of the first game, for a play of a second bonus game, increase the size of the second portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the first portion of the designated display device,

(g) when the first bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the play of the first game and the second bonus game triggering event occurred in association with the play of the second game;

(i) for the play of the first bonus game, increase the size of the first portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the second portion of the designated display device, and

(ii) thereafter, for the play of the second bonus game, increase the size of the second portion of the designated display device and decrease the size of the first portion of the designated display device, and

(h) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the first wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the play of the first game and the second wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the play of the second game.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the first wager amount is a maximum wager amount on the play of the first game and the second wager amount is a non-maximum wager amount on the play of the second game.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the play of the first game is associated with a first paytable and the play of the second game is associated with a second, different paytable.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the first paytable is associated with a first average expected payback percentage and the second paytable is associated with a second, different average expected payback percentage.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the play of the first game has a first average expected payback percentage and the play of the second game has the first average expected payback percentage.

20. 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 enable the player to place a third wager amount on a play of a third game and if the player placed the third wager amount on the play of the third game:

(i) determine a third game outcome, (ii) cause a third, different portion of the designated display device to display the determined third game outcome, (iii) determine any award associated with the determined third game outcome, and (iv) display any determined award associated with the determined third game outcome.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to enable the player to place a fourth wager amount on a play of a fourth game and if the player placed the fourth wager amount on the play of the fourth game:

(i) determine a fourth game outcome, (ii) cause a fourth, different portion of the designated display device to display the determined fourth game outcome, (iii) determine any award associated with the determined fourth game outcome, and (iv) display any determined award associated with the determined fourth game outcome.