System and method for simulating the outcome of an electronic bingo game as a keno game

• US 9,691,227 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Yarbrough, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Kang
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, JEFFREY KEITH
• Application Number:
  US12/957,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20110086694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 273108, 273118 R, 273123 R, 273118 D, 273127 R, 273127 B, 273269, 273270, 273271, 273274, 273275, 273282, 273 31, 273283, 273139, 273144 R, 273144 A, 273144 B, 273293, 463 1, 463 16, 463 17, 463 18, 463 19, 463 22, 463 25, 463 39- 43
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

A game system and method plays an electronic game and simulates the outcome as a keno game. The game system allows a player to place a wager, plays the electronic game, and establishes an outcome of the electronic game. The outcome of the electronic game includes a payout according to a first pay table if a set of predetermined conditions has been achieved. The outcome of the game is simulated as a keno game. The outcome of the keno game is equivalent to the outcome of the electronic game.

Claims

1. A game system for conducting a simulated keno game based on a non-keno electronic game, comprising:

a player game device comprising;

at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill validator, a ticket reader, and a card reader configured to receive credit input from a player to establish a credit balance,

a user interface configured to receive player input, including a wager from the credit balance for entry into the simulated keno game, a quantity of numbers to be played in the simulated keno game, and a selection of the numbers, and

a display configured to display the simulated keno game, the wager, and the credit balance; and

a game controller coupled to the player game device and configured to;

receive the quantity of numbers and the selection of the numbers for the simulated keno game from the user interface,

select a non-keno paytable according to the quantity of numbers to be played in the simulated keno game,

conduct the non-keno electronic game and generate an electronic game outcome, including a non-keno game credit payout according to the non-keno paytable if a set of predetermined winning conditions has been achieved in the non-keno electronic game,

conduct the simulated keno game, upon receipt of the wager at the user interface, based on the player input for the simulated keno game and the non-keno electronic game outcome, the simulated keno game including selecting keno outcome numbers such that a number of matches between the keno outcome numbers and the selection of numbers received by the user interface produces a simulated keno game outcome, including a simulated keno game credit payout equivalent to the non-keno game credit payout, and

increase the credit balance by the simulated keno game credit payout.

2. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the non-keno electronic game is an electronic bingo game.

3. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the number of matches is determined by the game controller as a function of the electronic game outcome and a keno simulation pay table.

4. A game system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the keno simulation pay table includes a plurality of possible payouts, each payout of the plurality of possible payouts associated with a possible outcome of the non-keno electronic game.

5. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player input includes a selection of a quick pick function to make the selection of the numbers.

6. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the game system include a plurality of player game devices, the game controller being implemented in a server, each player game device being connected to the server.

7. A game system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plurality of player game devices facilitates a plurality of players competing with each other in the non-keno electronic game.

8. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player game device includes a bill validator for accepting currency and responsively providing a number of credits that may be played by a player.

9. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user interface device comprises a plurality of buttons for receiving the player input, the plurality of buttons configured to generate respective player input signals representing the wager, the quantity of numbers, and the selection of the numbers, the user interface further configured to transmit the respective player input signals to the game controller.

10. A game system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the user interface device comprises a touch-screen display configured to display the plurality of buttons.

11. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player game device further comprises a ticket printer for printing a redeemable ticket for the credit balance on the player game device.

12. A game system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the player game device further comprises a device controller coupled to:

a bill validator, the user interface device, and a ticket printer.

13. A computer based method for conducting a simulated keno game based on a non-keno electronic game, including the steps of:

establishing a credit balance for a player using at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill validator, a ticket reader, and a card reader;

receiving a wager from the credit balance using a user interface for entry into the simulated keno game;

displaying, on the user interface, the wager and the credit balance;

receiving player input using the user interface during the simulated keno game, the player input including a quantity of numbers to be played in the simulated keno game and a selection of the numbers;

selecting a non-keno paytable according to the quantity of numbers to be played in the simulated keno game;

conducting the non-keno electronic game and generating an electronic game outcome, including an non-keno game credit payout according to the non-keno paytable if a predetermined set of conditions has been achieved;

conducting, upon receipt of the wager at the user interface, the simulated keno game based on the quantity of numbers and the selection of the numbers for the simulated keno game and the electronic game outcome, the simulated keno game including selecting keno outcome numbers such that a number of matches between the keno outcome numbers and the selection of numbers received by the user interface produces a simulated keno game outcome, including a simulated keno game credit payout equivalent to the non-keno game credit payout;

increasing the credit balance by the simulated keno game credit payout; and

displaying the simulated keno game.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein conducting the non-keno electronic game comprises conducting an electronic bingo game.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 13 further comprising determining the number of matches as a function of the electronic game outcome and a keno simulation pay table.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 15 further comprising selecting the simulation pay table for the simulated keno game based on the quantity of numbers to be played.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein receiving the player input comprises receiving a player selection of a quick pick function to make the selection of numbers.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 13, including the step of allowing a plurality of players to compete with and against each other in the non-keno electronic game.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein a first payout of the keno simulation pay table is a loss for a player and corresponds to zero matches between the keno outcome numbers and the selection of numbers received by the user interface.

20. A method of conducting a simulated keno game based on an electronic game on an electronic game machine, said method comprising:

establishing a credit balance for a player using at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill validator, a ticket reader, and a card reader;

accepting a wager from the credit balance for entry into the simulated keno game using a user interface;

receiving an player input of a quantity of numbers to be played in a simulated keno game and a selection of the numbers to be played from a player using the user interface;

selecting a non-keno paytable according to the quantity of numbers to be played in the simulated keno game;

determining an electronic game outcome, including an electronic game credit payout according to the non-keno paytable;

conducting, upon receipt of the wager at the user interface, the simulated keno game based on the player input for the simulated keno game and the electronic game outcome, the simulated keno game including selecting keno outcome numbers such that a number of matches between the keno outcome numbers and the selection of numbers received by the user interface produces a simulated keno game outcome, including a simulated keno game credit payout equivalent to the electronic game credit payout.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining an electronic game outcome comprises determining an electronic bingo game outcome.