Gaming machine with interactive pop-up windows providing enhanced game play schemes

• US 7,618,319 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Fiden, Daniel P, Jaffe, Joel R., Hornik, Jeremy M., Englman, Allon G., Casey, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torimiro; Adetokunbo
• Application Number:
  US10/832,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/25, 463/27, 463/30, 463/31, 463/34, 273/274
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

A gaming machine with interactive pop-up windows providing enhanced game play schemes, including side-bet schemes, is described herein. Placing a side-bet utilizing interactive pop-up windows enables the player to make an additional wager to “purchase” one of any number of game enhancements, or to “side-bet” that the game outcome will include a particular symbol or symbol combination, depending on the side-bet scheme enabled for a particular gaming machine. In an embodiment, the player has an option to select one or more side-bet(s) via a pop-up window(s) prior to game play initiation. In another embodiment, the player has an option to select one or more side-bet(s) via a pop-up window(s) after a partial game outcome is displayed.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the wagering game having a plurality of potential winning game outcomes, each winning outcome comprising a predetermined arrangement of available symbols, the gaming machine including a display device and a controller having a processor and a memory, the display device displaying a first randomly-generated array of symbols, the method comprising:

enabling a side-bet scheme configured to award an award if a selected symbol associated with a side-bet comprises a part of a winning outcome in a subsequent randomly-generated array of symbols;

in response to detecting a player selection of a symbol from the displayed first array of symbols, displaying a side-bet pop-up window of the side-bet scheme, the side-bet pop up window including a player-selectable side-bet option associated with the selected symbol;

detecting a side-bet wager placed via the side-bet pop-up window, the side-bet wager indicating player selection of the side-bet option to associate the selected symbol with an award if the selected symbol comprises a part of a winning outcome in a subsequent randomly generated array of symbols;

displaying a second randomly-generated array of symbols on the display device, the second randomly-generated array of symbols corresponding to an outcome of the wagering game.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

awarding a first award to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes one of the plurality of winning game outcomes; and

awarding a second award to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes one of the plurality of winning side-bet outcomes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first award includes a first credit amount.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second award includes a second credit amount.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second award includes a number of free spins.

6. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the wagering game having a plurality of potential winning game outcomes, each winning outcome comprising a predetermined arrangement of available symbols, the gaming machine including a display device and a controller having a processor and a memory, the display device displaying a first array of symbols, the method comprising:

detecting a first wager from a player to play the wagering game;

if the first wager includes a minimum criteria, enabling a side-bet scheme configured to award an award if a selected symbol associated with a side-bet comprises a part of a winning outcome in a subsequent array of symbols;

displaying a first array of symbols corresponding to an outcome of the wagering game;

in response to detecting a first player selection of a first symbol directly from the displayed first array of symbols, displaying a first side-bet pop-up window of the side-bet scheme, the first side-bet pop-up window including a first player-selectable side-bet option associated with the selected first symbol;

detecting a second wager placed via the first side-bet pop-up window, the second wager indicating player selection of the first side-bet option to associate the selected first symbol with an award if the first symbol comprises a part of a winning outcome in a subsequent array of symbols; and

displaying a second array of symbols on the display device, the second array of symbols corresponding to an outcome of the wagering game.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

awarding a first award to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes one of the plurality of winning game outcomes; and

awarding a second award to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes one of the plurality of first winning side-bet outcomes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first award includes a first credit amount.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second award includes a second credit amount.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second award includes a number of free spins.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying the second array of symbols on the display device includes rotating and stopping a plurality of symbol-bearing reels to place symbols on the reels in the second array.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimum criteria includes activating a maximum number of pay lines.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaming machine comprises an adaptable mechanical spinning reel slot machine including a plurality of electromechanical reels having a plurality of reel symbols thereon, and wherein displaying the first side-bet pop-up window includes displaying a first video side-bet pop-up window provided by a flat panel transmissive display positioned in front of the electromechanical reels.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the first side-bet pop-up windows further includes a second side-bet option, the second side-bet option having the plurality of first winning side-bet outcomes.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein prior to displaying the second array of symbols and in response to detecting a second player selection of a second symbol from the first array of symbols, displaying a second side-bet pop-up window of the side-bet scheme, the second side-bet window including a third side-bet option, the third side-bet option having a plurality of second winning side-bet outcomes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of first winning side-bet outcomes and the plurality of second winning side-bet outcomes are included among the plurality of winning games outcomes.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the first side-bet window further includes a first symbol-specific pay table.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein a likelihood of an occurrence of a bonus game is increased in response to detecting the second wager.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein in response to detecting the second wager, a number of free spins is multiplied if the outcome of the wagering game includes at least one of the plurality of first winning side-bet outcomes.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein a value payout average of a bonus game is increased in response to detecting the second wager.

21. The method of claim 6, wherein a value of at least one of the plurality of winning game outcomes is increased in response to detecting the second wager.

22. The method of claim 6, wherein a value of a winning symbol combination is multiplied by a predetermined integer in response to detecting the second wager, the predetermined integer based on the second wager amount.

23. The method of claim 6, wherein in response to detecting the second wager, a predetermined number of credits is awarded to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes the first symbol.

24. The method of claim 6, wherein in response to detecting the second wager, a predetermined number of credits is awarded to the player if the outcome of the wagering game is a non-winning outcome, the predetermined number of credits based on the second wager amount.

25. The method of claim 6, wherein in response to detecting the second wager, a characteristic of the first symbol is enhanced to increase a likelihood that the outcome of the wagering game includes at least one of the plurality of first winning side-bet outcomes.

26. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the wagering game having a plurality of winning game outcomes, the gaming machine including a display device and a controller having a processor and a memory, the display device displaying a first array of symbols, the method comprising:

detecting a first wager from a player to play the wagering game;

if the first wager includes a minimum criteria, enabling a side-bet scheme;

displaying a partial outcome of the wagering game, the partial outcome including a portion of a second array of symbols;

in response to detecting a player selection of a symbol from the partial outcome including a portion of a second array of symbols, displaying a side-bet pop-up window of the side-bet scheme, the side-bet pop-up window including a player-selectable side-bet option, the side-bet option having a plurality of winning side-bet outcomes;

detecting a second wager placed via the side-bet pop-up window, the second wager indicating player selection of the side-bet option; and

displaying a full outcome of the wagering game, the full outcome including the second array of symbols, the second array of symbols including the portion of the second array of symbols.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

awarding a first award to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes one of the plurality of winning game outcomes; and

awarding a second award to the player if the outcome of the wagering game includes one of the plurality of winning side-bet outcomes.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein displaying the partial outcome of the wagering game includes rotating and stopping at least two of a plurality of symbol-bearing reels to place symbols on the at least two of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels in the portion of the second array of symbols, and wherein displaying the full outcome of the wagering game includes rotating and stopping the remaining rotating reels of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels to place symbols on the reels in the second array.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the side-bet pop-up windows further includes a second side-bet option, the second side-bet option having the plurality of first winning side-bet outcomes.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the minimum criteria includes activating a maximum number of pay lines.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of winning side-bet outcomes is included among the plurality of winning game outcomes.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the side-bet window further includes a symbol-specific pay table.