Gaming device having advance game information analyzer

• US 9,165,435 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acres Technology
• Original Assignee: Patent Investment & Licensing Company
• Inventors: Acres, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US14/187,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

This concept is directed to methods of operating a gaming device to analyze game information that is part of a gaming event having a player interaction in advance of the player interaction to make a determination about the game play. These methods may be used for a variety of gaming devices such as slot machines, video keno devices, video poker machines, electronic table games, internet gaming terminals, etc. In each type of gaming device, these operation methods evaluate future game information during game play to determine one of multiple manners by which the game play will continue. These continuation manners may include changing the speed of game play, determining display characteristics of the game and outcome, providing tips or information to the player about the future game information, automatically initiating a subsequent game, or otherwise altering an aspect of the game play parameters in response to the evaluated game information.

Claims

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

initiating a game on the gaming device in response to a player input via a game initiating button associated with the gaming device;

determining a first portion of the game outcome and a second portion of the game outcome, which together comprise the outcome of the game, wherein the first portion of the game outcome includes a stopping position for at least one of a plurality of game reels, each game reel including a plurality of symbols;

analyzing the first and second portions via a programmed processor associated with the gaming device to determine if the game outcome is a winning outcome;

initiating a first game sequence when the game outcome is a winning game outcome, the first game sequence including;

displaying the first portion of the game outcome to the player,

allowing player interaction with the gaming device after the first portion is displayed, and

displaying an outcome of the game based on at least two of the first portion of the game outcome, the second portion of the game outcome, and the player interaction; and

significantly increasing the speed of the game by automatically initiating a second game sequence when the game outcome is not a winning game outcome, the second game sequence including displaying an outcome of the game without allowing player interaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the game outcome includes a stopping position for a remainder of the plurality of reels that do not have a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein allowing player interaction with the gaming device after the first portion of the game outcome is displayed includes allowing the player to place an additional wager on the gaming device after the at least one reel having a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome is displayed in the stopping position.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein allowing player interaction with the gaming device after the first portion of the game outcome is displayed includes allowing the player to nudge a reel having a stopping positioned defined by the first portion of the game outcome after the at least one reel having a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome is displayed in the stopping position.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein allowing player interaction with the gaming device after the first portion of the game outcome is displayed includes allowing the player to respin a reel having a stopping positioned defined by the first portion of the game outcome after the at least one reel having a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome is displayed in the stopping position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second game sequence includes automatically initiating a second gaming event on the gaming device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises further increasing the speed of game play by automatically initiating a second game upon completion of the second game sequence.

8. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising:

initiating a game on the gaming device in response to a player input via a game initiating button associated with the gaming device;

determining a first portion of the game outcome, the first portion of the game outcome including a stopping position for at least one of a plurality of game reels, each game reel including a plurality of symbols, and a second portion of the game outcome, the second portion of the game outcome including a stopping position for a remainder of the plurality of reels that do not have a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome, which together comprise the outcome of the game;

analyzing the first and second portions via a programmed processor associated with the gaming device to determine if the game outcome is a winning outcome;

initiating a first game sequence when the game outcome is a winning game outcome, the first game sequence including;

displaying the first portion of the game outcome to the player,

allowing player interaction with the gaming device after the first portion is displayed, including allowing the player to nudge a reel having a stopping positioned defined by the first portion of the game outcome after the at least one reel having a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome is displayed in the stopping position, and

displaying an outcome of the game based on at least two of the first portion of the game outcome, the second portion of the game outcome, and the player interaction; and

significantly increasing the speed of the game by automatically initiating a second game sequence when the game outcome is not a winning game outcome.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises further increasing the speed of game play by automatically initiating a second game upon completion of the second game sequence.

10. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising:

initiating a game on the gaming device in response to a player input via a game initiating button associated with the gaming device;

determining a first portion of the game outcome, the first portion of the game outcome including a stopping position for at least one of a plurality of game reels, each game reel including a plurality of symbols, and a second portion of the game outcome, the second portion of the game outcome including a stopping position for a remainder of the plurality of reels that do not have a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome, which together comprise the outcome of the game;

analyzing the first and second portions via a programmed processor associated with the gaming device to determine if the game outcome is a winning outcome;

initiating a first game sequence when the game outcome is a winning game outcome, the first game sequence including;

displaying the first portion of the game outcome to the player,

allowing player interaction with the gaming device after the first portion is displayed, including allowing the player to respin a reel having a stopping positioned defined by the first portion of the game outcome after the at least one reel having a stopping position defined by the first portion of the game outcome is displayed in the stopping position, and

displaying an outcome of the game based on at least two of the first portion of the game outcome, the second portion of the game outcome, and the player interaction; and

significantly increasing the speed of the game by automatically initiating a second game sequence when the game outcome is not a winning game outcome.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises further increasing the speed of game play by automatically initiating a second game upon completion of the second game sequence.