Gaming system and method for offering simultaneous play of multiple games

• US 9,501,903 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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 H
• Application Number:
  US13/974,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 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 place a wager on each of at least two game plays, wherein said credit balance is decreasable based on each wager placed,

(c) if one game play is wagered on;

(i) display a first configuration of the designated display device, said first configuration including a first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the one wagered on game play and a second, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device associated with a non-wagered on game play, wherein, independent of any color displayed by the designated display device, the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the one wagered on game play is associated with a first illumination intensity and the second, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device associated with the non-wagered on game play is associated with a second, different illumination intensity,

(ii) for the one wagered on game play;

(A) determine a wagered on game play outcome,

(B) cause the first wagering game portion of the designated display device to display the determined wagered on game play outcome,

(C) determine any award associated with the determined wagered on game play outcome, and

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

(d) if at least two partially concurrent game plays are each wagered on;

(i) display a second configuration of the designated display device, said second configuration including a first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with a first of the partially concurrent game plays and a second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with a second of the partially concurrent game plays, wherein, independent of any color displayed by the designated display device, the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays are each associated with the first illumination intensity,

(ii) for the first of the partially concurrent game plays;

(A) determine a first game play outcome,

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

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

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

(iii) for the second of the partially concurrent game plays;

(A) determine a second game play outcome,

(B) cause the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device to display the determined second game play outcome,

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

(D) display any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome, wherein at least one of;

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

(I) the determined first game play outcome and (II) any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome, and the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome, and

(e) 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 the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a first size and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a second, different size.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a first location and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a second, different location.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device is associated with a web browser receiving, from a web server, content associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first configuration and the second configuration includes a third, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause a web browser to display at least part of web server received content in the third, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device.

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

(a) enabling a player to place a wager on each of at least two game plays, wherein a credit balance is decreasable based on each wager placed, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and (ii) decreasable via a cashout device,

(b) if one game play is wagered on;

(i) causing a designated display device to display a first configuration, said first configuration including a first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the one wagered on game play and a second, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device associated with a non-wagered on game play, wherein, independent of any color displayed by the designated display device, the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the one wagered on game play is associated with a first illumination intensity and the second, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device associated with the non-wagered on game play is associated with a second, different illumination intensity,

(ii) for the one wagered on game play;

(A) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine a wagered on game play outcome,

(B) causing the first wagering game portion of the designated display device to display the determined wagered on game play outcome,

(C) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the determined wagered on game play outcome, and

(D) displaying any determined award associated with the determined wagered on game play outcome, wherein the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined wagered on game play outcome, and

(c) if at least two partially concurrent game plays are each wagered on;

(i) causing the designated display device to display a second configuration, said second configuration including a first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with a first of the partially concurrent game plays and a second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with a second of the partially concurrent game plays, wherein, independent of any color displayed by the designated display device, the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays are each associated with the first illumination intensity,

(ii) for the first of the partially concurrent game plays;

(A) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a first game play outcome,

(B) causing the first wagering game portion of the designated display device to display the determined first game play outcome,

(C) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the determined first game play outcome, and

(D) displaying any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome, wherein the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome, and

(iii) for the second of the partially concurrent game plays;

(A) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a second game play outcome,

(B) causing the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device to display the determined second game play outcome,

(C) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the determined second game play outcome, and

(D) displaying any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome, wherein at least one of;

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

(I) the determined first game play outcome and (II) any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome and the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome.

7. The method of claim 6, which includes associating the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration with a first size and associating the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration with a second, different size.

8. The method of claim 6, which includes associating the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration with a first location and associating the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration with a second, different location.

9. The method of claim 6, which includes associating the second graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device with a web browser receiving, from a web server, content associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first configuration and the second configuration includes a third, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device, and which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause a web browser to display at least part of web server received content in the third, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device.

11. The method of claim 6, which is operated through a data network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data network is an internet.

13. A gaming system server comprising:

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;

(a) if one game play is wagered on;

(i) display a first configuration of a designated display device, said first configuration including a first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the one wagered on game play and a second, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device associated with a non-wagered on game play, wherein, independent of any color displayed by the designated display device, the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the one wagered on game play is associated with a first illumination intensity and the second, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device associated with the non-wagered on game play is associated with a second, different illumination intensity,

(ii) for the one wagered on game play;

(A) cause the first wagering game portion of the designated display device to display a determined wagered on game play outcome, and

(B) cause any determined award associated with the determined wagered on game play outcome to be displayed, wherein the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined wagered on game play outcome, and

(b) if at least two partially concurrent game plays are each wagered on

(i) display a second configuration of the designated display device, said second configuration including a first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with a first of the partially concurrent game plays and a second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with a second of the partially concurrent game plays, wherein, independent of any color displayed by the designated display device, the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays are each associated with the first illumination intensity,

(ii) for the first of the partially concurrent game plays;

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

(B) cause any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome to be displayed, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome, said credit balance being;

(i) increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and (ii) decreasable via a cashout device, and

(iii) for the second of the partially concurrent game plays;

(A) cause the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device to display a determined second game play outcome, and

(B) cause any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome to be displayed, wherein at least one of;

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

(I) the determined first game play outcome and (II) any determined award associated with the determined first game play outcome, and the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined second game play outcome.

14. The gaming system server of claim 13, wherein the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a first size and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a second, different size.

15. The gaming system server of claim 13, wherein the first wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the first of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a first location and the second, graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays of the second configuration is associated with a second, different location.

16. The gaming system server of claim 13, wherein the second graphically distinct wagering game portion of the designated display device is associated with a web browser receiving content associated with the second of the partially concurrent game plays.

17. The gaming system server of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first configuration and the second configuration includes a third, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause a web browser to display content in the third, graphically distinct portion of the designated display device.