Gaming device having multiple selectable display interfaces based on player's wagers

• US 8,221,218 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gilliland, John G., Laakso, Jeffrey P., Kaminkow, Joseph E., Vasquez, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US12/713,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/25, 463/30, 463/31, 463 39- 43
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding

Abstract

An apparatus and method for displaying multiple gaming device interfaces for the same wagering game is provided. The game can be a slot game although other wagering games are also within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the exact same game is played using one of a plurality of different display interfaces, wherein the gaming device enables the player to select which interface to play. The player can play the game using one interface and then switch interfaces to provide a fresh display or to change the player'"'"'s luck. The player can then switch back to the original interface or select a brand new interface depending upon how many interfaces overall are provided.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one 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 to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device, for a single play of a game, to;

(a) display a plurality of reels associated with the single play of the game;

(b) display a plurality of different paylines associated with the reels;

(c) receive an input from a player of one of a plurality of different wager amounts for the single play of the game, the received wager amount corresponding to one of a plurality of different amounts wagered per payline for each of a designated number of the paylines for the single play of the game, the designated number including one, a plurality or all of the paylines;

(d) in response to the received input of one of the wager amounts from the player for the single play of the game, determine an interface from a plurality of different interfaces for the single play of the game, wherein;

(i) each different interface is associated with a different paytable,

(ii) each of the different interfaces includes a plurality of different symbols which each have a function in the paytable associated with that interface,

(iii) for each of the different interfaces, each one of a plurality of the symbols of said interface has an identical function to a corresponding one of a plurality of the symbols in another one of the interfaces, and

(iv) each of the different paytables for the different interfaces includes a plurality of different winning combinations of the symbols of said interface and a plurality of different awards associated with said different winning combinations,

said determination based, at least in part, on the amount wagered per payline for the designated number of the paylines for the single play of the game;

(e) display the determined interface for the single play of the game; and

(f) provide an outcome for the single play of the game in association with the determined interface for the single play of the game, the outcome based on the paytable associated with the determined interface.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different interfaces includes a first interface and a second different interface and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(i) cause a display of the first interface when the received input corresponds to a first amount wagered per payline, and (ii) cause a display of the second interface when the received input corresponds to a second different amount wagered per payline.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(i) provide the outcome based on the first paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to the first amount wagered per payline, and (ii) provide the outcome based on the second paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to the second different amount wagered per payline.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(i) provide the outcome based on the first paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to a first amount wagered per payline, and (ii) provide the outcome based on the second paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to a second different amount wagered per payline.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the interfaces includes a plurality of different characteristics, the plurality of different characteristics including at least one of:

(i) an interface color, (ii) an interface design, (iii) a number of components, (iv) an ordering of the components, and (v) a proportion of the components.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each of the different interfaces, each one of the symbols of said interface has the identical function to a corresponding one of the symbols in another one of the interfaces.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each one of the paytables:

(i) each one of the different winning combinations of said paytable is associated with a different one of the awards, and (ii) each one of the different winning combinations of said paytable is associated with an identical award as a corresponding one of the winning combinations in another one of the paytables.

8. A gaming system comprising;

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores;

(a) data corresponding to;

(i) a game including a plurality of reels and a plurality of different paylines associated with the reels,

(ii) a first game display interface in association with a single play of the game, the first game display interface including a first set of different symbols displayable on the reels,

(iii) a first paytable associated with the first game display interface, wherein the first paytable includes a first set of awards,

(iv) a second game display interface in association with the single play of the game, the second game display interface including a second set of different symbols displayable on the reels, the second set of symbols being different from the first set of symbols, and

(v) a second paytable associated with the second game display interface, wherein the second paytable includes a second set of awards which is different from the first set of awards; and

(b) a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device, for the single play of the game, to;

(i) receive one of a plurality of different inputs from a player for the single play of the game, the received input corresponding to a first wager amount for each of a quantity of the paylines or to a second, different wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines for the single play of the game, said quantity being at least one,

(ii) in response to the received input corresponding to the first wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display the first game display interface associated with the first paytable to represent the single play of the game, wherein the first set of symbols are displayed on the reels for the single play of the game, and

(iii) in response to the received input corresponding to the second, different wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display the second game display interface associated with the second paytable to represent the single play of the game, wherein the second set of symbols are displayed on the reels for the single play of the game.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, in response to the received input corresponding to the first wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display an outcome including a plurality of the first set of symbols for the play of the game in association with the first game display interface, wherein the displayed outcome is based on the first paytable.

10. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, in response to the received input corresponding to the second wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display an outcome including a plurality of the second set of symbols for the play of the game in association with the second game display interface, wherein the displayed outcome is based on the second paytable.

11. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one processor, at least one display device and at least one input device, for a single play of a game, to;

(a) display a plurality of reels associated with the single play of the game,

(b) display a plurality of different paylines associated with the reels,

(c) receive an input from a player of one of a plurality of different wager amounts for the single play of the game, the received wager amount corresponding to one of a plurality of different amounts wagered per payline for each of a designated number of the paylines for the single play of the game, the designated number including one, a plurality or all of the paylines,

(d) in response to the received input of one of the wager amounts from the player for the single play of the game, determine an interface from a plurality of different interfaces for the single play of the game, wherein;

(i) each different interface is associated with a different paytable,

(ii) each of the different interfaces includes a plurality of different symbols which each have a function in the paytable associated with that interface,

(iii) for each of the different interfaces, each one of a plurality of the symbols of said interface has an identical function to a corresponding one of a plurality of the symbols in another one of the interfaces, and

(iv) each of the different paytables for the different interfaces includes a plurality of different winning combinations of the symbols of said interface and a plurality of different awards associated with said different winning combinations,

said determination based, at least in part, on the amount wagered per payline for the designated number of the paylines for the single play of the game, and

(e) display the determined interface for the single play of the game; and

causing at least one processor and the at least one display device, for the single play of the game, to provide an outcome in association with the determined interface, the outcome based on the paytable associated with the determined interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of different interfaces includes a first interface and a second different interface and which includes causing at least one processor and the at least one display device, for the single play of the game, to:

(i) cause a display of the first interface when the received input corresponds to a first amount wagered per payline, and (ii) cause a display of the second interface when the received input corresponds to a second different amount wagered per payline.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, and which includes causing at least one processor and the at least one display device, for the single play of the game, to:

(i) provide the outcome based on the first paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to the first amount wagered per payline, and (ii) provide the outcome based on the second paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to the second different amount wagered per payline.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of different paytables includes a first paytable and a second different paytable, and which includes causing at least one processor and the at least one display device, for the single play of the game, to:

(i) provide the outcome based on the first paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to a first amount wagered per payline, and (ii) provide the outcome based on the second paytable when the received input from the player corresponds to a second different amount wagered per payline.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of the interfaces includes a plurality of different characteristics, the plurality of different characteristics including at least one of:

(i) an interface color, (ii) an interface design, (iii) a number of components, (iv) an ordering of the components, and (v) a proportion of the components.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein for each of the different interfaces, each one of the symbols of said interface has the identical function to a corresponding one of the symbols in another one of the interfaces.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein for each one of the paytables:

(i) each one of the different winning combinations of said paytable is associated with a different one of the awards, and (ii) each one of the different winning combinations of said paytable is associated with an identical award as a corresponding one of the winning combinations in another one of the paytables.

18. The method of claim 11, which is provided to the player through a data network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data network is an Internet.

20. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising;

(a) accessing at least one memory device which stores data corresponding to;

(i) a game including a plurality of reels and a plurality of different paylines associated with the reels,

(ii) a first game display interface in association with a single play of the game, the first game display interface including a first set of different symbols displayable on the reels,

(iii) a first paytable associated with the first game display interface, wherein the first paytable includes a first set of awards,

(iv) a second game display interface in association with the single play of the game, the second game display interface including a second set of different symbols displayable on the reels, the second set of symbols being different from the first set of symbols, and

(v) a second paytable associated with the second game display interface, wherein the second paytable includes a second set of awards which is different from the first set of awards; and

(b) causing at least one processor, at least one display device and at least one input device, for a single play of a game, to;

(i) receive one of a plurality of different inputs from a player for the single play of the game, the received input corresponding to a first wager amount for each of a quantity of the paylines or to a second, different wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines for the single play of the game, said quantity being at least one,

(ii) in response to the received input corresponding to the first wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display the first game display interface associated with the first paytable to represent the single play of the game, wherein the first set of symbols are displayed on the reels for the single play of the game, and

(iii) in response to the received input corresponding to the second, different wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display the second game display interface associated with the second paytable to represent the single play of the game, wherein the second set of symbols are displayed on the reels for the single play of the game.

21. The method of claim 20, which includes causing the at least one processor, the at least one display device and the at least one input device to, in response to the received input corresponding to the first wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display an outcome including a plurality of the first set of symbols for the single play of the game in association with the first game display interface, wherein the displayed outcome is based on the first paytable.

22. The method of claim 20, which includes causing the at least one processor, the at least one display device and the at least one input device to, in response to the received input corresponding to the second wager amount for each of the quantity of the paylines, display an outcome including a plurality of the second set of symbols for the single play of the game in association with the second game display interface, wherein the displayed outcome is based on the second paytable.

23. The method of claim 20, which is provided to the player through a data network.

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