Gaming machine with interactive scorecard

• US 9,317,992 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Bennett, Nicholas Luke, Graham, Philippa, Bryant, Natalie
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US14/159,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a controller for controlling operation of the machine, a primary display is provided on which a game to be played is displayed. A secondary display is also provided on which a scorecard, indicating prizes to be paid upon a winning game being achieved, is displayed. The game and the scorecard are controlled by the controller and the scorecard is a dynamic scorecard with the relationship between combinations of symbols constituting a winning game and the prizes awarded by the scorecard for that particular game changing from game to game.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for use with a game of a spinning of a plurality of game reels, the gaming machine comprising:

a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity;

a primary display configured to display a spinning of each of said plurality of game reels, in accord with having established the credit balance via the credit input mechanism receiving the physical item;

a secondary display configured to display a scorecard that identifies (1) a plurality of prize winning symbol combinations of a plurality of symbols as a plurality of prize reels being randomly spun to display at least one of said symbols and forming prize winning symbol combinations, and (2) a plurality of respective prizes associated with each said prize winning symbol combination as a number of prize value reels being randomly spun to display one of a plurality of digits and to identify prizes to be paid in accordance with a matching prize winning symbol combination of said game reels; and

a controller configured to spin said plurality of game reels and said number of prize reels and to stop concurrently such that both the at least one prize winning combination and the respective prize associated with said at least one prize winning combination are unknown until said plurality of prize reels stop spinning; and

a payout mechanism configured to make payouts;

and wherein said controller is configured to decrease said credit balance based on said payouts and to increase said credit balance based on a win of the respective prize associated with said prize winning combination.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, and further including an animated character being displayed on said secondary display to indicate changes to said scorecard.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, and wherein said secondary display is arranged in a top box of said gaming machine.

4. A method of awarding a prize in a spinning reel game being played on a gaming machine, said gaming machine having a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity, a payout mechanism configured to cause a payout associated with the credit balance, a controller, a primary display, and a secondary display, the method comprising:

establishing a credit balance via said credit input mechanism accepting the physical item;

in accord with having established the credit balance via the credit input mechanism receiving the credit input mechanism, and displaying at said primary display via said controller a spinning of a plurality of game reels of said spinning reel game;

displaying at said secondary display via said controller (1) a plurality of prize winning symbol combinations of a plurality of symbols as randomly spinning a plurality of prize reels to form a prize winning combination, and (2) a plurality of respective prizes each having a prize value as prize value reels with each prize value reel providing a digit of a prize value of one of said prizes;

spinning a number of said prize value reels randomly to display a prize value, said spinning a number of said prize value reels including determining the number of prize value reels to be spun depending on a winning symbol combination; and

stopping said spinning of said plurality of game reels and said number of prize value reels concurrently such that both the at least one prize winning combination and the respective prize associated with said at least one prize winning combination are unknown until said plurality of prize reels stop spinning; and

increasing the credit balance based on the respective prize associated with the prize winning combination.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying an animated character on said secondary display to indicate changes to said scorecard.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying said secondary display in a top box of said gaming machine.

7. The method of claim 4, and wherein each of said game reels includes a plurality of symbols.