Gaming machine having a community game with side wagering

• US 20060135243A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Anderson, Peter A., Hornik, Jeremy M., Englman, Allon G., Pacey, Larry J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,466,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system and method for conducting a wagering game on a plurality of gaming machines is disclosed. The method comprises the act of triggering a community event while conducting the wagering game on the plurality of gaming machines. Two or more gaming machines are selected to participate in the community event. The community event is selected from a plurality of independent community events. The gaming system comprises a plurality of gaming machines, at least one community display, and at least one controller. The controller is operative to select the two or more gaming machines to participate in the community event, and select the community event from the plurality of independent community events to display on the at least one community display.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a communal wagering game on a plurality of gaming machines, comprising:

providing a community display for displaying a community event thereon;

selecting two or more gaming machines from the plurality of gaming machines to participate in the community event;

selecting, from a plurality of independent community events, the community event to be displayed on the community display; and

providing an award to each of the selected two or more gaming machines based on the outcome of the selected community event displayed on the community display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the community event to be displayed on the community display is randomly selected from the plurality of independent community events.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of independent community events are included as a special feature in another of the plurality of independent community events.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, increasing the award credited to the two of more gaming machines based on a value-enhancement parameter earned on each of the two or more gaming machines.

5. The method of claim 1, the plurality of independent community events being a group comprising at least one:

(i) an increasing-award community event;

(ii) a value-selector community event; and

(iii) an elimination-type community event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of independent community events includes a progressive community event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the progressive community event includes a plurality of award levels, each of the award levels having an award value associated therewith.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the award values for the plurality of award levels are not directly affected by coin-in values on the plurality of gaming machines.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the award values for the plurality of award levels are only increased in response to the selecting of the community event to be displayed from the plurality of independent community events.

10. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming system to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A gaming system for playing a wagering game comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines adapted to display at least one basic wagering game thereon and to provide an award therefrom;

at least one community display for displaying a community event thereon; and

at least one controller in communication with the at least one community display and the plurality of gaming machines, the controller being operative to,

(i) select two or more gaming machines from the plurality of gaming machines to participate in the community event, and

(ii) select, from a plurality of independent community events, the community event to be displayed on the community display.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the at least one controller randomly selects the community event from the plurality of independent community events.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the selection of the two or more gaming machines to participate in the community event occurs in response to a predetermined combination of symbols being achieved on one or more of the plurality of gaming machines.

14. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the selection of the two or more gaming machines to participate in the community event occurs in response to a random trigger being generated.

15. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the at least one controller is a signage controller located external to the plurality of gaming machines.

16. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the at least one controller is located within one of the plurality of gaming machines.

17. A method for conducting at least one wagering game on a plurality of gaming machines, comprising:

triggering a community event while conducting the at least one wagering game on the plurality of gaming machines;

selecting two or more gaming machines from the plurality of gaming machines to participate in the community event; and

selecting the community event from a plurality of independent community events.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the community event is triggered in response to achieving a predetermined combination of symbols on one or more of the plurality of gaming machines.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the selecting of the community event from the plurality of independent community events is based on the achieved predetermined combination of symbols.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the community event is triggered randomly while conducting the at least one wagering game on the plurality of gaming machines.