3D keno board

• US 9,691,228 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wenker, Ross D., Allen, II, Thomas W., Humphrey, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/196,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 463 18, 463 31, 463 32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3262 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 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for keno game play. A keno board is displayed having a plurality of spots. A player selection of a plurality of player spots is received. One or more modifications to a three-dimensional structure of the keno board are determined, with the one or more modifications including changes in position of one or more spots from the plurality of spots. The display of the keno board is updated with the one or more modifications to the three-dimensional structure of the keno board. A plurality of draws are determined and displayed on the keno board. Three dimensional movement of a draw, from the plurality of draws, landing on a spot included in the one or more spots whose positions changed is displayed.

Claims

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

responsive to receipt, by a payment device, of a payment input, establishing, by a processor, a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the payment input;

causing, by the processor, a display device to display a keno board comprising a three-dimensional structure and a plurality of spots in association with the three-dimensional structure;

responsive to receipt, by a first input device, of a selection of a first set of spots comprising two or more of the plurality of spots, designating, by the processor, the first set of spots as player spots;

determining, by the processor, a change in position of a first spot of the plurality of spots relative to a second spot of the plurality of spots;

causing, by the processor, the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot;

randomly determining, by the processor, a second set of spots comprising two or more of the plurality of spots;

for each spot of the second set of spots, causing, by the processor, the display device to display an indicator in association with that spot;

determining, by the processor, whether the second spot comprises the first spot;

responsive to determining that the second set of spots comprises the first spot, causing, by the processor, the display device to display movement of the indicator displayed in association with the first spot along a surface of the three-dimensional structure from the first spot to a third spot of the plurality of spots;

determining, by the processor, any awards based on a comparison of the first and second sets of spots, the credit balance increasable by any determined awards; and

responsive to receipt of a cashout input, initiating, by the processor, a payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing, by the processor, the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot comprises causing, by the processor, the display device to elevate the first spot relative to the second spot.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing, by the processor, the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot comprises causing, by the processor, the display device to lower the first spot relative to the second spot.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding, by the processor, the third spot to the second set of spots.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of spots includes spots that are adjacent to one another.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes determining, by the processor, the third spot based on the changed position of the first spot.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein causing, by the processor, the display device to display the movement of the indicator displayed in association with the first spot along a surface of the three-dimensional structure from the first spot to the third spot comprises causing, by the processor, the display device to display the indicator displayed in association with the first spot moving along a path from the first spot to the third spot, and further comprising, when the path passes through an additional one of the plurality of spots, adding, by the processor, the additional spot to the second set of spots.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment device includes a physical item acceptor and the payment input includes currency or a ticket.

9. A gaming system comprising:

a display device;

a first input device;

a payment device; and

a game controller having one or more data processors and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to;

responsive to receipt, by the payment device, of a payment input, establish a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the payment input;

cause the display device to display a keno board comprising a three-dimensional structure and a plurality of spots in association with the three-dimensional structure;

responsive to receipt, by the first input device, of a selection of a first set of spots comprising two or more of the plurality of spots, designate the first set of spots as player spots;

determine a change in position of a first spot of the plurality of spots relative to a second spot of the plurality of spots;

cause the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot;

randomly determine a second set of spots comprising two or more of the plurality of spots;

for each spot of the second set of spots, cause the display device to display an indicator in association with that spot;

determine whether the second spot comprises the first spot;

responsive to determining that the second set of spots comprises the first spot, cause the display device to display movement of the indicator displayed in association with the first spot along a surface of the three-dimensional structure from the first spot to a third spot of the plurality of spots;

determine any awards based on a comparison of the first and second sets of spots, the credit balance increasable by any determined awards; and

responsive to receipt of a cashout input, initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to cause the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot by causing the display device to elevate the first spot relative to the second spot.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to cause the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot by causing the display device to lower the first spot relative to the second spot.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to add the third spot to the second set of spots.

13. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of spots includes spots that are adjacent to one another.

14. The gaming system, of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to determine the third spot based on the changed position of the first spot.

15. The gaming system, of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to cause the display device to display the movement of the indicator displayed in association with the first spot along a surface of the three-dimensional structure from the first spot to the third spot by causing the display device to display the indicator displayed in association with the first spot moving along a path from the first spot to the third spot, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to, when the path passes through an additional one of the plurality of spots, add the additional spot to the second set of spots.

16. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the payment device includes a physical item acceptor and the payment input includes currency or a ticket.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having machine instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

responsive to receipt, by a payment device, of a payment input, establish a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the payment input;

cause a display device to display a keno board including a three-dimensional structure and a plurality of spots in association with the three-dimensional structure;

responsive to receipt, by a first input device, of a selection of a first set of spots comprising two or more of the plurality of spots, designate the first set of spots as player spots;

determine a change in position of a first spot of the plurality of spots relative to a second spot of the plurality of spots;

cause the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot;

randomly determine a second set of spots comprising two or more of the plurality of spots;

for each spot of the second set of spots, cause the display device to display an indicator in association with that spot;

determine whether the second spot comprises the first spot;

responsive to determining that the second set of spots comprises the first spot, cause the display device to display movement of the indicator displayed in association with the first spot along a surface of the three-dimensional structure from the first spot to a third spot of the plurality of spots;

determine any awards based on a comparison of the first and second sets of spots, the credit balance increasable by any determined awards; and

responsive to receipt of a cashout input, initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to cause the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot by causing the display device to elevate the first spot relative to the second spot.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to cause the display device to modify the three-dimensional structure of the displayed keno board by changing the position of the first spot relative to the second spot by causing the display device to lower the first spot relative to the second spot.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add the third spot to the second set of spots.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of spots includes spots that are adjacent to one another.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the third spot based on the changed position of the first spot.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the display device to display the movement of the indicator displayed in association with the first spot along a surface of the three-dimensional structure from the first spot to the third spot by causing the display device to display the indicator displayed in association with the first spot moving along a path from the first spot to the third spot, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, when the path passes through an additional one of the plurality of spots, add the additional spot to the second set of spots.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the payment device includes a physical item acceptor and the payment input includes currency or a ticket.