Gaming device having skill/perceived skill game

• US 7,846,015 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Hughs-Baird, Andrea C., Bansemer, Mark W., Nolz, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US11/673,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/142 with pay-out or rewarding with a prize
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/38 Ball games; Shooting apparatus

Abstract

A gaming device, wherein a player'"'"'s skill at an action or event determines the player'"'"'s success or failure in the round. The game is readily adaptable to becoming a pseudo-skill game that would be required in most gaming jurisdictions. In one pseudo-skill embodiment, the skill game is converted to a game employing skill, but which is controlled by a set number of successful outcomes. That is, the player keeps playing until the player'"'"'s skill produces the set number of successful outcomes. In another pseudo-skill embodiment, the game only appears to the player as involving skill. Instead, the gaming device randomly determines when and how many times to produce a successful outcome and increase the player'"'"'s award.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one player input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor, after placement of a wager, to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one player input device, for each play of a game, to;

(a) cause a selection of a number of successful outcomes for the play of the game from a plurality of different numbers of successful outcomes, said selected number of successful outcomes being at least two; and

(b) after selecting said number of successful outcomes for said play of the game;

(i) display display a plurality of sequential attempts at a skill event, wherein each attempt includes a display resulting from an activation of the at least one player input device,

(ii) for each of the plurality of sequential attempts at the skill event, display if said attempt produces one of said successful outcomes based on at least one of how and when the at least one player input device is activated, and

(iii) for each attempt which produces one of said successful outcomes, determine one of a plurality of different awards associated with said one of the successful outcomes to be provided to the player and provide the determined award to the player,

wherein a number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in the play of the game is at least equal to the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of attempts which produce one of said successful outcomes in the play of the game is greater than the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is randomly determined.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is predetermined.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one determination in the game is based on a communication received from at least one remote network server.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes a remote network server.

7. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one player input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor, after placement of a wager, to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one player input device, for each play of a game, to;

(a) cause a selection of a number of successful outcomes for the play of the game from a plurality of different numbers of successful outcomes, said selected number of successful outcomes being at least two; and

(b) after selecting said number of successful outcomes for said play of the game;

(i) display an attempt at a skill event, wherein the attempt includes a display resulting from an activation of the at least one player input device,

(ii) display if said attempt produces one of said successful outcomes based on at least one of how and when the at least one player input device is activated,

(iii) if said attempt produces one of said successful outcomes, determine one of a plurality of different awards associated with said one of the successful outcomes to be provided to the player and provide said determined award to the player, and

(iv) sequentially repeat (i) to (iii) until a number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in the play of the game is at least is equal to the selected number of successful outcomes for the play of the game.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in the play of the game is greater than the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

9. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is randomly determined.

10. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is predetermined.

11. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein at least one determination in the game is based on a communication received from at least one remote network server.

12. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor includes a remote network server.

13. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a wager; and

(b) after receiving the wager, for each play of a game;

(i) causing a selection of a number of successful outcomes for the play of the game from a plurality of different numbers of successful outcomes, said selected number of successful outcomes being at least two; and

(ii) after selecting said number of successful outcomes for said play of the game;

(A) causing at least one display device to display a plurality of sequential attempts at a skill event, wherein each attempt includes a display resulting from an activation of at least one player input device;

(B) for each of the plurality of sequential attempts at the skill event, causing said at least one display device to display if said attempt produces one of said successful outcomes based on at least one of how and when the at least one player input device is activated; and

(C) for each attempt which produces one of said successful outcomes, determining one of a plurality of different awards associated with said one of the successful outcomes to be provided to the player and providing said determined award to the player, wherein a number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in said play of the game is at least equal to the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in the play of the game is greater than the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is randomly determined.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is predetermined.

17. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data network is an internet.

19. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a wager; and

(b) after receiving the wager, for each play of a game;

(i) causing a selection of a number of successful outcomes for the play of the game from a plurality of different numbers of successful outcomes, said selected number of successful outcomes being at least two; and

(ii) after selecting said number of successful outcomes for said play of the game;

(A) causing at least one display device to display an attempt at a skill event, wherein the attempt includes a display resulting from an activation of at least one player input device;

(B) causing the at least one display device to display if said attempt produces one of said successful outcomes based on at least one of how and when the at least one player input device is activated;

(C) if said attempt produces one of said successful outcomes, causing at least one display device to determine one of a plurality of different awards associated with said one of the successful outcomes to be provided to the player and providing said determined award to the player; and

(D) repeating (A) to (C) until a number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in said play of the game is at least is equal to the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the number of attempts which produce successful outcomes in the play of the game is greater than the selected number of successful outcomes for said play of the game.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is randomly determined.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the number of successful outcomes selected for said play of the game is predetermined.

23. The method of claim 19, which is provided through a data network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data network is an internet.