Method of playing a game involving questions and answers

• US 6,863,606 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Double Down Interactive, LLC (DoubleUGames Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Caputo, Scott A., Friedman, Stacy A., Berg, Charles R., Bolich, Kathleen C., Leland, Nathan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US09/583,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A method of playing a wagering game is disclosed which simulates a knowledge base same. The method electronically selects one of the plurality of questions, displays the electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game and displays a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game. The method electronically selects one of the answers associated with the electronically selected question, displays the electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game, displays to the player any value assigned to the electronically selected and presented answer in the format of the simulated knowledge based game and awards to the player the displayed value.

Claims

1. A method of playing a wagering game which simulates a knowledge base game and in which a player of the game may win an award comprising:

providing an electronic database of a plurality of questions for presentation to the player where the questions are separated into a plurality of question groups wherein the question groups offer different potential values to the player and where the question groups with more difficult questions offering higher potential values to the player;

providing an electronic database of a plurality of answers associated with each questions for presentation to the player;

assigning a value to at least one answer;

allowing the player to select the question group;

electronically selecting one of said plurality of questions in the selected question group;

displaying said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge based game;

electronically selecting one of said answers associated with said electronically selected question;

displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

displaying to the player any value assigned to said electronically selected and presented answer in the format of the simulated knowledge based game; and

awarding to the player said displayed value wherein the awarded value is independent of the knowledge of the player.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of questions is electronically, substantially randomly selected and wherein one of said answers is electronically, substantially randomly selected.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises displaying the plurality of electronically selected answers in the periphery of a virtual slot machine reel that spins and wherein displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises stopping the virtual slot machine reel to display the selected answer as a displayed element of the virtual reel.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises displaying the plurality of electronically selected answers as pie shaped segments on a virtual disc that rotates in relation to a win indicator and wherein displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises stopping the rotation of the virtual disc in relation to the win indicator such that the selected answer is displayed in logical proximity to the win indicator.

5. A method of playing a wagering game which simulates a knowledge base game and in which a player of the game may win an award comprising:

providing an electronic database of a plurality of questions for presentation to the player where the questions are separated into a plurality of question groups wherein the question groups offer different potential values to the player and where the question groups with more difficult questions offering higher potential values to the player;

providing an electronic data base of a plurality of answer groups each comprising a plurality of answers associated with one of said questions for presentation to the player, each answer group including at least one desirable answer and at least one undesirable answer;

assigning a value to each desirable answer;

electronically selecting one of said plurality of questions;

displaying said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

displaying the answer group associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

electronically selecting one of said answers from said answer group associated with said electronically selected question;

displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

displaying to the player any value assigned to said electronically selected and presented answer; and

awarding to the player said displayed value wherein the awarded value is independent of the knowledge of the player.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein each answer group includes a plurality of desirable answers and a plurality of undesirable answers.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises displaying the plurality of electronically selected answers in the periphery of a virtual slot machine reel that spins and wherein displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises stopping the virtual slot machine reel to display the selected answer as a displayed element of the virtual reel.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises displaying the plurality of electronically selected answers as pie shaped segments on a virtual disc that rotates in relation to a win indicator and wherein displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises stopping the rotation of the virtual disc in relation to the win indicator such that the selected answer is displayed in logical proximity to the win indicator.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein one of said plurality of questions is electronically, substantially randomly selected and wherein one of said answers is electronically, substantially randomly selected.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein said value is obtained substantially by presenting a plurality of questions to a plurality of humans, each question having a single, correct answer, having the humans provide an answer to each question, determining for each question the number of times the correct answer is provided by the humans, ranking each correct answer by the number of times such correct answer is provided relative to the number of times correct answers were provided to other questions, with a higher rank given for a correct answer provided less times than correct answers to other questions, and assigning a value substantially corresponding to said ranking, with a higher value assigned to a higher ranking answer.

11. A method of playing a wagering game which simulates a knowledge base game and in which a player of the game may win an award comprising:

providing an electronic database of a plurality of questions for presentation to the player where the questions are separated into a plurality of question groups wherein the question groups offer different potential values to the player and where the question groups with more difficult questions offering higher potential values to the player;

providing an electronic database of a plurality of answer groups each comprising a plurality of answers associated with one of said questions for presentation to the player, each answer group including at least one desirable answer and a plurality of undesirable answers;

assigning a value to each desirable answer;

electronically selecting one of said plurality of questions;

displaying said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

displaying the answer group associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game;

electronically, substantially randomly, successively selecting ones of said answers from said answer group associated with said electronically selected question until either a preselected number of undesirable answers are electronically selected or until a preselected number of desirable answers are electronically selected;

displaying said electronically selected answer or answers to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game; and

awarding to the player the aggregate, total value of each value assigned to each said electronically selected and presented desirable answers wherein the awarded value is independent of the knowledge of the player.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises displaying the plurality of electronically selected answers in the periphery of a virtual slot machine reel that spins and wherein displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises stopping the virtual slot machine reel to display the selected answer as a displayed element of the virtual reel.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein displaying a plurality of electronically selected answers associated with said electronically selected question to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises displaying the plurality of electronically selected answers as pie shaped segments on a virtual disc that rotates in relation to a win indicator and wherein displaying said electronically selected answer to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game further comprises stopping the rotation of the virtual disc in relation to the win indicator such that the selected answer is displayed in logical proximity to the win indicator.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the number of undesirable answers in each answer group is at least three.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the number of undesirable answers in each answer group is at least three and wherein said preselected number of undesirable answers is three.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the number of desirable answers in each answer group is three, four, five or six.

17. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a value to each question and the associated desirable answer, such value selected from a plurality of different values;

displaying at least two of said different values to the player in the format of the simulated knowledge base game; and

awarding to the player said selected value if said electronically selected and displayed answer is the desirable answer associated with said selected and presented question.

18. A method according to claim 11, further comprising substantially randomly, successively selecting ones of said answers from said answer group associated with said electronically selected question until either a pre-selected number of undesirable answers are electronically selected or until said desirable answer is electronically selected.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising awarding to the player said selected value if said desirable answer is selected before a preselected number of undesirable answers are selected.