Slot driven video story

• US 6,893,341 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Sparico, Thomas M., Walker, Jay S., Fink, Jesse M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/272,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 22, 463/31, 463 40- 42, 273/143.R, 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 705/1, 705/16, 705/17, 705/39, 705/41, 725 5- 8, 725/23, 725/25, 725/30, 725/32, 725/34, 725/86, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

A gaming system includes a network server connected to a plurality of gaming devices that are adapted to provide a video payout on each play based on a set of payout parameters. Memory at each gaming device stores payout parameters that correspond to each possible gaming result or outcome. When a play is initiated by a player, a gaming result is generated at a gaming device. The gaming device responds by accessing a corresponding payout parameter from the memory which may be a monetary amount, a video presentation segment or a combination thereof. If the payout is video, the network server receives the payout parameter and transmits video presentation segment to the gaming device accordingly. The gaming device then provides a video payout, in the form of displayed video presentation, to the player. The player thus receives at least one form of payment on each play.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

memory means for storing video payouts,

wherein a video payout comprises a segment of a video presentation, the segment including at least one clue for solving a puzzle;

gaming means, responsive to a player input, for determining a gaming result for a game play;

video payout means for outputting a video payout to a player; and

processor means, in communication with the gaming means and responsive to each said gaming result, operative to

determine that a gaming result obtained by a player corresponds to a video payout, and

cause said video payout means to output a segment of the video presentation as the video payout.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming means is further operative to:

determine at least one instruction for solving the puzzle, for output to the player after the video payout is output.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, further comprising:

a display means for displaying the at least one instruction to the player.

4. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the at least one instruction comprises:

a set of answer choices, for the player'"'"'s selection.

5. The gaming device of claim 2, further comprising:

an input means for receiving inputs from the player.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the processor means is further operable to:

detect a player input, and

determine that the player input comprises a correct solution to the puzzle.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the processor means is further operable to:

cause the video payout means to provide another video payout to the player if it is determined that the player input comprises the correct solution to the puzzle.

8. The gaming device of claim 6, further comprising:

memory means for storing monetary payouts, each monetary payout corresponding to a gaming result of another set of gaming results; and

a monetary payout means for providing a monetary payout to the player; and

wherein the processor means is further operative to;

cause the monetary payout means to provide a monetary payout in response to the player'"'"'s input of the correct solution to the puzzle.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the memory means for storing video payouts stores

a first video payout that comprises a first duration for a segment of the video presentation, the first duration corresponding to a first gaming result, and

a second video payout that comprises a second duration for a segment of the video presentation, the second duration corresponding to a second gaming result.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the memory means for storing video payouts further stores:

a plurality of video presentations, and

wherein each video payout comprises a segment of one of the video presentations.

11. A method, comprising:

determining a gaming result of a gaming device;

determining that the gaming result corresponds to a payout,

wherein the payout comprises a segment of a video presentation, the segment including at least one clue for solving a puzzle; and

outputting the payout to a player.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining that the gaming result corresponds to a payout comprises:

determining that the gaming result does not correspond to another payout that is an amount of money.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting, to the player after the segment is output, at least one instruction for solving the puzzle.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an input from the player that indicates an attempt to solve the puzzle; and

determining whether the attempt to solve the puzzle is successful.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing, to the player, a prize if the attempt to solve the puzzle is successful.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a prize comprises:

providing, to the player, another payout that is an amount of money.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a prize comprises:

providing, to the player, at least one of an amount of frequent flyer miles and a free game play on the gaming device.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining the segment of the video presentation to provide to the player as the payout.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining the segment to provide comprises:

determining a code that indicates the segment of the video presentation to provide to the player.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a code comprises:

receiving, from the player, a code that indicates the segment of the presentation to provide to the player.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a code comprises:

receiving, from a remote server device, a code that indicates the segment of the video presentation to provide to the player.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a code comprises:

retrieving, from memory, a code that indicates the segment of the video presentation to provide to the player.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a code comprises:

determining a code that indicates another segment of the video presentation that was previously provided to the player, and

determining the segment of the video presentation that results in a resumption of the video presentation from an end point of the previously provided segment.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a code comprises:

determining a code that identifies a point in the video presentation for use as the beginning point for the segment to provide to the player.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining a code comprises:

receiving a player identifier that uniquely identifies the player; and

determining the segment of the video presentation to provide to the player based on information in a database that is accessed using the player identifier.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining the segment comprises:

determining the segment of the video presentation that has a beginning point that is the same as an end point of another segment of the video presentation that was previously provided to the player.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining the segment of the video presentation comprises:

receiving, from a remote server device, an indication of the segment of the video presentation to present to the player.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

transmitting, to the remote server device, an indication of at least one of the gaming result and a player identifier that uniquely identifies the player.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining the segment of the video presentation to provide to the player comprises:

determining a duration of the segment;

determining an end point of another segment of the video presentation, if any, that was previously provided to the player; and

determining;

a beginning point of the segment to be provided based on the end point of the previously provided segment, such that the segment to be provided results in a resumption of the video presentation from a point at which the player last viewed the video presentation, and

an end point of the segment to be provided based on the duration and the beginning point.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of determining a duration comprises:

determining the duration that corresponds to the gaming result.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of determining the duration comprises:

determining the duration that corresponds to the gaming result, as stored in a payout table of the gaming device.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of determining a duration comprises:

determining the duration based on at least one of the gaming result, an indication of the video presentation previously provided to the player, a length of a play session associated with the player, an identity of the player, and a player status.

33. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a code that indicates a segment of a video presentation that should be provided to the player the next time the player obtains a gaming result that corresponds to a segment of the video presentation.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of determining a code further comprises:

receiving an indication from the player that the player is ending a current gaming session at the gaming device; and

outputting the code to the player.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

storing the code in a memory of the gaming device.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

communicating the code to a remote server device.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the code comprises a code that is readable by the gaming device that is determining the code.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the code comprises a code that is readable by at least one gaming device that is different from the gaming device that is determining the code.

39. A method for operating a server in communication with at least one gaming device, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of video presentations, each video presentation including at least one clue for solving a puzzle;

receiving, from a gaming device, an indication of a gaming result corresponding to a payout,

wherein the payout comprises a segment of one of the video presentations;

determining the segment of the video presentation; and

transmitting the determined segment to the gaming device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of determining the segment comprises:

selecting a segment from a plurality of predetermined segments of the video presentation.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving, from the gaming device, information associated with a player.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the information comprises at least one of a player identifier that uniquely identifies the player, an indication of how long the player has been playing the gaming device, and an indication of at least one other segment of the video presentation, if any, that has been previously provided to the player.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of determining the segment comprises:

determining a duration for the segment;

determining a first point within the video presentation as the beginning of the segment; and

determining, based on the duration and the first point, a second point within the video presentation as the end point of the segment,

wherein the second point occurs after the first point.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of determining the first point further comprises:

determining the first point further based on another segment of the video presentation that was previously provided to the player, such that the segment being determined results in a resumption of the video presentation from a point within the video presentation at which the previously presented segment ended.