Method and apparatus for displaying gaming content

• US 8,979,627 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Sammon, Russell P., Tulley, Stephen, Tedesco, Daniel E., Tedesco, Robert C., Hayashida, Jeffrey Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/896,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method comprises receiving an indication of a triggering event at a gaming device, determining a gaming content associated with the gaming device, identifying a public display on which is displayed non-gaming media content, and outputting the gaming content on the public display wherein the gaming content supersedes at least a portion of the non-gaming media content.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming device including;

at least one input device,

at least one gaming device display 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, causes the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one gaming device display device to, for each play of a game;

(a) generate a game outcome,

(b) display the generated game outcome,

(c) determine any award associated with the generated game outcome, and

(d) display any determined award;

at least one public display device, each public display device being separate from each of the gaming device display devices; and

at least one controller configured to communicate with the at least one gaming device and the at least one public display device, said at least one controller programmed, for a play of the game, to;

(i) determine if a public display condition is satisfied,

(ii) if the public display condition is satisfied, causing the at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of;

(A) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition, and (B) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition, and

(iii) if the public display condition is not satisfied, causing the at least one public display device to not display, in real-time, any of;

(A) the generated game outcome displayed for the play of the game, and (B) any determined award displayed for the play of the game.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, which includes a plurality of public display devices, wherein if the public display condition is satisfied, the at least one controller is programmed to enable a player to select at least one of the public display devices to display, in real-time, at least one of:

(A) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition, and (B) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the public display condition is satisfied for the play of the game if a designated partial game outcome is generated.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the public display condition is satisfied for the play of the game if a player has met at least one eligibility criteria.

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

(a) for each play of a game;

(i) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to generate a game outcome,

(ii) causing at least one gaming device display device to display the generated game outcome,

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award associated with the generated game outcome, and

(iv) causing the at least one gaming device display device to display any determined award; and

(b) for a play of the game;

(i) causing at least one controller to execute a plurality of instructions to determine if a public display condition is satisfied,

(ii) if the public display condition is satisfied, causing at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of;

(A) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and (B) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and

(iii) if the public display condition is not satisfied, causing the at least one public display device to not display, in real-time, any of;

(A) the generated game outcome displayed for the play of the game, and (B) an determined award displayed for the play of the game.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes, if the public display condition is satisfied, enabling a player to select at least one of a plurality of public display devices to display, in real-time, at least one of:

(i) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and (ii) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the public display condition is satisfied for the play of the game if a designated partial game outcome is generated.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the public display condition is satisfied for the play of the game if a player has met at least one eligibility criteria.

9. The method of claim 5, which includes, if the public display condition is satisfied, causing the at least one controller to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a percentage of the at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of:

(i) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and (ii) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device.

10. The method of claim 5, which includes, if the public display condition is satisfied, causing the at least one controller to execute the plurality of instructions to display at least one avatar associated with a player.

11. The method of claim 5, which is provided through a data network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data network is an internet.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) for each play of a game;

(i) generate a game outcome,

(ii) cause at least one gaming device display device to display the generated game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the generated game outcome, and

(iv) cause the at least one gaming device display device to display any determined award; and

(b) for a play of the game;

(i) determine if a public display condition is satisfied in association with any of the plays of the games,

(ii) if the public display condition is satisfied, causing at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of;

(A) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and (B) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and

(iii) if the public display condition is not satisfied, causing the at least one public display device to not display, in real-time an of;

(A) the generated game outcome displayed for the play of the game, and (B) any determined award displayed for the play of the game.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the public display condition is satisfied, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to enable a player to select at least one of the public display devices to display, in real-time, at least one of:

(i) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and (ii) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the public display condition is satisfied for the play of the game if a designated partial game outcome is generated.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the public display condition is satisfied for the play of the game if a player has met at least one eligibility criteria.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the public display condition is satisfied, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine a percentage of the at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of:

(i) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device, and (ii) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the public display condition is satisfied, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display at least one avatar associated with a player of a gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition.

19. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming device including;

at least one input device,

at least one gaming device display 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, causes the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one gaming device display device to, for each play of a game;

(a) generate a game outcome,

(b) display the generated game outcome,

(c) determine any award associated with the generated game outcome, and

(d) display any determined award;

at least one public display device, each public display device being separate from each of the gaming device display devices; and

at least one controller configured to communicate with the at least one gaming device and the at least one public display device, said at least one controller programmed to;

(i) determine if a public display condition is satisfied in association with any of the games of any of the at least one gaming device, and

(ii) if the public display condition is satisfied;

(A) determine a percentage of the at least one public display device, and

(B) causing the determined percentage of the at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of;

(I) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition, and (II) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition.

20. A gaming system comprising:

at least one gaming device including;

at least one input device,

at least one gaming device display 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, causes the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one gaming device display device to, for each play of a game;

(a) generate a game outcome,

(b) display the generated game outcome,

(c) determine any award associated with the generated game outcome, and

(d) display any determined award;

at least one public display device, each public display device being separate from each of the gaming device display devices; and

at least one controller configured to communicate with the at least one gaming device and the at least one public display device, said at least one controller programmed to;

(i) determine if a public display condition is satisfied in association with any of the games of any of the at least one gaming device, and

(ii) if the public display condition is satisfied;

(A) display at least one avatar associated with a player of the gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition, and

(B) causing the at least one public display device to display, in real-time, at least one of;

(I) the generated game outcome displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition, and (II) any determined award displayed by the at least gaming device display device of said gaming device associated with the satisfaction of the public display condition.