U.S. patent application number 10/833275 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for method of generating outcomes using a common draw process.
Invention is credited to Duhamel, Gerald, Roy, Martin.
Application Number | 20040259620 10/833275 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33519157 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040259620 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Roy, Martin ; et
al. |
December 23, 2004 |
Method of generating outcomes using a common draw process
Abstract
A method for establishing a combination of a primary outcome and
a secondary outcome in a casino-style game. To generate such
outcomes, a population of game indicia comprising mixed primary and
secondary game indicia is used. Game indicia are drawn from the
population one at a time until the primary game outcome is fully
raised. It results in a primary game outcome of a predetermined
quantity of game indicia and in a secondary game outcome having a
quantity of game indicia depending on the order of game indicia
drawn. Both outcomes are evaluated; the primary, to establish a
prize, and the secondary, a feature. The secondary outcome feature
may take many forms: prizes, bonus, participations in another game,
etc.
Inventors: |
Roy, Martin; (Drummondville,
CA) ; Duhamel, Gerald; (Drummondville, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LABTRONIX CONCEPT INC.
C/O OGILVY RENAULT
1981 MC GILL COLLEGE AVENUE
SUITE 1600
MONTREAL, QUEBEC
H3A 2Y3
CA
|
Family ID: |
33519157 |
Appl. No.: |
10/833275 |
Filed: |
April 28, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60465675 |
Apr 28, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/3293 20130101; G07F 17/3244 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/013 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of generating a combination of game outcomes,
comprising: drawing primary game indicia and secondary game indicia
from a population of indicia for a primary game and a secondary
game until a predetermined criterion is fulfilled in said primary
game; evaluating a primary game outcome produced in the primary
game to establish a primary game payout; evaluating the drawn
secondary game indicia, thus the secondary game outcome, to
establish participation in a secondary game feature; and rewarding,
according to the evaluations, a game player with the primary game
payout and the secondary game feature, wherein fulfillment of said
predetermined criterion establishes the number of secondary game
indicia composing the secondary game outcome.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary game is
characterized in drawing a higher number of secondary game indicia
increases the probabilities of producing a winning secondary game
outcome.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising mixing said indicia in
order to generate said population of indicia.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating if the
primary outcome is fully raised to establish fulfillment of said
predetermined criterion.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing through a
random process a value for each drawn secondary game indicia.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing drawn
secondary game indicia to a set of predetermined game indicia, and
marking matches between the game indicia of the set and the drawn
secondary game indicia.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising evaluating
participation in the secondary game feature based on a
predetermined configuration of said markings.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the
evolution of drawn secondary game indicia as the draw
progresses.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising evaluating drawn
secondary game indicia according to validity criteria, and setting
out each secondary game indicium that does not fulfill its validity
criterion.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising gathering drawn
secondary game indicia in groups based on common
characteristics.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a player's
command and establishing a number of primary game indicia that must
be drawn to fulfill said predetermined criterion based at least on
the received player's command.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said player's command is a hold
or a discard command.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking an order in
which the secondary game indicia are drawn, and evaluating said
participation in the secondary game feature further based at least
on said draw order.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the
secondary game indicia in a distinguishable manner from the primary
game indicia.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising revealing the value
of an indicia participating in the secondary game outcome after
fulfillment of said predetermined criterion.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicia are at least one of
card values, ball values, symbols, dice values and numbers.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing an
indicium to be drawn twice during a single generation of a game
outcome combination.
18. The method of claim 1, further comprising keeping unchanged the
draw probabilities of each indicium regardless of the indicia
already drawn.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary game is one of (1) a
poker, (2) a reel, (3) a bingo and (4) a keno game.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary game feature is
one of (1) a secondary game payout, (2) a bonus sequence, (3) an
extra play, and (4) a feature having a lasting effect over a
plurality of plays.
21. The method of claim 1, performed on a gaming machine.
22. A computer program embodied in an electrical or an
electromagnetic carrier signal having codes adapted to draw primary
game indicia and secondary game indicia from a population of
indicia for a primary game and a secondary game until a
predetermined criterion is fulfilled in said primary game; to
evaluate a primary game outcome produced in the primary game to
establish a primary game payout; to evaluate the drawn secondary
game indicia to establish a participation in a secondary game
feature; and to reward the player with the primary game payout and,
possibly, with the secondary game feature based on the
participation evaluation, wherein fulfillment of said predetermined
criterion establishes the number of secondary game indicia
composing the secondary game outcome.
23. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium
having coding means adapted: to draw primary game indicia and
secondary game indicia from a population of indicia for a primary
game and a secondary game until a predetermined criterion is
fulfilled in said primary game; to evaluate a primary game outcome
produced in the primary game to establish a primary game payout; to
evaluate the drawn secondary game indicia to establish a
participation in a secondary game feature; and to reward the player
with the primary game payout and, possibly, with the secondary game
feature based on the participation evaluation, wherein fulfillment
of said predetermined criterion establishes the number of secondary
game indicia composing the secondary game outcome.
24. A gaming machine generating a combination of outcomes for a
primary game and a secondary game in a single play, comprising:
storage means storing a population of primary game indicia and
secondary game indicia for the primary game and the secondary game;
drawing means drawing game indicia from the storage means; draw
judging means evaluating each drawn indicia to determine a
participation in either the primary game or the secondary game for
each one of said drawn indicia; completion judging means evaluating
the drawn primary game indicia to establish when a predetermined
criterion is fulfilled in said primary game; primary evaluation
means evaluating a primary game outcome resulting from the primary
game to establish a primary game payout; secondary evaluation means
evaluating a secondary game outcome resulting from the drawn
secondary game indicia to establish a participation in a secondary
game feature; and awarding means awarding a player the evaluated
primary game payout and possibly the secondary game feature based
on the evaluation of the secondary evaluation means, wherein the
draw judging means, by ending participation of the drawn secondary
game indicia in the secondary game when said predetermined
criterion is fulfilled, establish the number of secondary game
participating indicia.
25. The gaming machine of claim 24, further comprising input means
receiving a command from the player that modifies the draw process.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC .sctn.119(e)
of U.S. provisional patent application 60/465,675 filed Apr. 28,
2003, and entitled Poker game: Lucky 7, the specification of which
is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to the gambling industry, more
specifically to a method of establishing a plurality of
independently evaluated outcomes in a single game play.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The gaming industry is a very dynamic field nowadays. Each
company in this field is always searching for features that will
incite players to choose its games.
[0004] Accordingly, many solutions are currently used:
second-screen bonuses, board games associated with gambling games,
additional payout animations, additional game indicia triggering
extra features in reel games, etc. Most of them interfere with the
primary game, for instance, by diluting regular game indicia with
feature-triggering game indicia. Therefore, improvements in this
field are desired.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a method of producing an
outcome that may trigger a feature which does not influence the
primary game play. Furthermore, this method must increase players'
excitement and be intuitive without requiring extra equipment, such
as a second gaming machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention consists in a method of establishing primary
and secondary game outcomes; the latter providing an additional
feature to the players.
[0007] The method includes drawing primary and secondary outcome
components (hereinafter called game indicia) from a mixed
population of game indicia. It also includes monitoring the draw of
these game indicia until the completion of a primary outcome, which
ends the draw. Thereby, the number of drawn game indicia
participating in the secondary outcome varies widely depending on
the draw order of the game indicia.
[0008] The method also comprises evaluating the generated primary
outcome. If the primary game outcome is a win, the player is
awarded a payout. The secondary outcome is also evaluated to
determine whether an additional feature has been triggered, in
which case this additional feature is awarded to the player.
[0009] Accordingly, the method allows a primary game to be played
without any interference. Furthermore, it allows the secondary
outcome to be gradually generated, the number of secondary outcome
game indicia increasing as the draw progresses. Finally, it allows
the evaluation of a highly volatile secondary outcome in order to
trigger a variety of features, such as additional payouts, bonus
screens, particular features, or game modifications lasting over a
plurality of plays.
[0010] In the specification, the term "primary game" is intended to
mean the format and other information relevant to the play of the
main attraction game. The term "secondary game" is intended to mean
the format and other information relevant to the play of an
appended feature. The term "outcome" is intended to mean the result
of a play of one of the games, the outcome being evaluated at the
end of the play. The term "feature" is intended to mean any special
attraction. Finally, the term "game indicia" is intended to mean
all types of symbols or other things that are suitable for the
determination of a game outcome; such game indicia may take the
form of card values, ball values, die outcomes, numbers, reel game
indicia, etc.
[0011] In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of
generating a combination of game outcomes, comprising: drawing
primary game indicia and secondary game indicia from a population
of indicia for a primary game and a secondary game until a
predetermined criterion is fulfilled in the primary game;
evaluating a primary game outcome produced in the primary game to
establish a primary game payout; evaluating the drawn secondary
game indicia, thus the secondary game outcome, to establish
participation in a secondary game feature; and rewarding, according
to the evaluations, a game player with the primary game payout and
the secondary game feature, wherein fulfillment of the
predetermined criterion establishes the number of secondary game
indicia composing the secondary game outcome.
[0012] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
computer program embodied on a computer readable medium having
coding means adapted: to draw primary game indicia and secondary
game indicia from a population of indicia for a primary game and a
secondary game until a predetermined criterion is fulfilled in the
primary game; to evaluate a primary game outcome produced in the
primary game to establish a primary game payout; to evaluate the
drawn secondary game indicia to establish a participation in a
secondary game feature; and--to reward the player with the primary
game payout and, possibly, with the secondary game feature based on
the participation evaluation, wherein fulfillment of the
predetermined criterion establishes the number of secondary game
indicia composing the secondary game outcome.
[0013] In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a
computer program embodied in an electrical or an electromagnetic
carrier signal having codes adapted to draw primary game indicia
and secondary game indicia from a population of indicia for a
primary game and a secondary game until a predetermined criterion
is fulfilled in the primary game; to evaluate a primary game
outcome produced in the primary game to establish a primary game
payout; to evaluate the drawn secondary game indicia to establish a
participation in a secondary game feature; and to reward the player
with the primary game payout and, possibly, with the secondary game
feature based on the participation evaluation, wherein fulfillment
of the predetermined criterion establishes the number of secondary
game indicia composing the secondary game outcome.
[0014] In still another embodiment, the present invention provides
a gaming machine generating a combination of outcomes for a primary
game and a secondary game in a single play, comprising: storage
means storing a population of primary game indicia and secondary
game indicia for the primary game and the secondary game; drawing
means drawing game indicia from the storage means; draw judging
means evaluating each drawn indicia to determine a participation in
either the primary game or the secondary game for each one of the
drawn indicia; completion judging means evaluating the drawn
primary game indicia to establish when a predetermined criterion is
fulfilled in the primary game; primary evaluation means evaluating
a primary game outcome resulting from the primary game to establish
a primary game payout; secondary evaluation means evaluating a
secondary game outcome resulting from the drawn secondary game
indicia to establish a participation in a secondary game feature;
and awarding means awarding a player the evaluated primary game
payout and possibly the secondary game feature based on the
evaluation of the secondary evaluation means, wherein the draw
judging means, by ending participation of the drawn secondary game
indicia in the secondary game when the predetermined criterion is
fulfilled, establish the number of secondary game participating
indicia.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Further features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken
in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a
gaming machine suitable for the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a screen shot illustrating the play format of a
poker game;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a screen shot of the poker game of FIG. 2 during
its play;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a screen shot of a poker game illustrating the use
of game indicia in a predetermined configuration for the evaluation
of the secondary game outcome;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a screen shot of another poker game wherein the
evaluation of the secondary game indicia takes into account the
order in which they are drawn;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a representation of a reel-based embodiment of the
invention;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart illustrating the present
method; and
[0023] FIG. 8 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a
gaming machine suitable for an embodiment of the invention.
[0024] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like
features are identified by like reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The typical embodiment of the invention method is carried
out on a gaming machine. Accordingly, FIG. 1 illustrates such a
suitable gaming machine 10. Gaming machine 10 includes
credit-receiving means in the form of a bill acceptor 11, a card
reader 12, or a ticket reader 13. It also includes player controls
that usually involve push buttons 14, and touch screen controls 15
(not specifically shown). It further includes a game controller
(not shown), outcome-providing means embodied as an electronic
display 16, speakers 17, and additional displays when suitable.
Finally, the gaming machine includes credit-dispensing means taking
the form of a coin drop 18, or a ticket printer 19.
[0026] A person familiar with this field would realize that the
above gaming machine is typical. Many alternative gaming machines
could be used to carry on the invention.
[0027] Since the invention essentially relates to the method used
for the generation of outcomes, to the evaluation of these outcomes
and to the feature triggered by a positive evaluation of these
outcomes, the following descriptions are illustrated mostly by
screen shots of games at significant steps during their outcome
generation processes.
[0028] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment. In the first
embodiment, the primary game is a poker game using only cards
having a value of seven (7) or higher. The other cards are still in
the card deck, but they are exclusively used to yield the secondary
game outcome. Depending on the secondary game outcome obtained at
the end of the play, the player may be awarded a bonus prize. In
FIG. 2, the gaming machine shows a game representation divided in
three areas: card deck area 20, poker game area 21, and bonus area
23. Poker game area 21 receives the cards participating in the
poker game as they are drawn. Bonus area 23 only illustrates the
monitoring of the low cards, which are drawn and do not participate
in the poker game.
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates the poker game at some stage during the
play. Nine (9) cards 27 have been drawn from deck 20 at this time.
Among these are four (4) cards that have a value over six (6) 27c,
27f, 27g, 27h; the others 27a, 27b, 27d, 27e, 27i have a low value.
Four (4) high cards 27c, 27f, 27g, 27h are displayed as a partial
poker hand 22 in poker game 21, whereas low cards 27a, 27b, 27d,
27e, 27i are monitored in bonus area 23. Low cards 27a, 27b, 27d,
27e, 27i are monitored on the basis of matching card suits 24 and
values 25 with markings 26 in bonus area 23. Accordingly, the
player can follow the evolution of the secondary game as the play
progresses.
[0030] One step further (not shown), five (5) cards are displayed
to form poker hand 22. At this stage, the player selects which
cards to hold and which to discard. Afterwards, the draw continues.
The discarded cards are replaced with newly drawn ones. Then, the
final hand, also called the primary game outcome, is finally fully
raised. The secondary game outcome is also established at the same
time; no new card is required. At this stage, the gaming machine
evaluates poker hand 22 and markings 26 in bonus area 23. The
player is awarded the evaluated value of both poker hand 22 and the
coverage of bonus area 23 with markings 26. In this example, the
player is awarded a bonus prize for each set of four (4) cards of
the same value being marked. He wins a jackpot if bonus area 23 is
completely marked.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates a closely related game. In this
embodiment, bonus area 23 shows a set 30 of low card values 31 in a
bingo-card like configuration. It will be noted that only some of
the low cards present in deck 20 are also present in set 30; the
other ones do not participate in the bonus and are accordingly
called inert cards.
[0032] As the play progresses, card values 31 of set 30 matching
the low cards drawn 27a, 27b, 27d, 27e, 27f, 27i are marked in
bonus area 20. Such a marking takes the form of daubing card
identifications in set 30. At the end of the play, set 30 is
evaluated according to predetermined winning configurations of
daubing marks 32. If set 30 presents a straight line of four (4)
daubing marks 32, it triggers a bonus screen wherein the player may
win additional prizes.
[0033] Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG.
5. Once again, a poker game is the primary game. This time, the
game uses all cards of a standard fifty-two (52) card deck 20.
Additional bonus cards complete the deck. These bonus cards are
divided in three categories: cards bearing Blue Circles, White
Squares, and Red Stars. As the play progresses, the gaming machine
monitors the drawn bonus cards in bonus area 23. In this particular
embodiment, the bonus cards have to be drawn in a predetermined
order to produce their optimal effect in the secondary game. The
machine marks the draw in bonus area 23 only if the card drawn
corresponds to the category monitored at that time. If the card is
from another category, no marking occurs in the bonus area. Thus,
some cards may be evaluated as inert cards depending on the draw
order. At the end of the poker game, the gaming machine evaluates
final poker hand 22 and the markings in the three categories. If at
least one category is fully marked in bonus area 23, the player is
awarded a bonus prize. The low-value bonus prize is awarded if the
Blue Circles category is fully marked, the medium-value prize for
the White Squares, and a jackpot if the four (4) Red Stars are
marked.
[0034] To increase the suspense, the game may even use contrasting
color bonus cards. The bonus cards may be placed aside still
unrevealed as they are drawn. When the primary game outcome is
fully raised, the value of the bonus cards may be revealed one at a
time in the draw order, or in the order the player selects them.
Consequently, a new incentive requiring player interaction may be
provided.
[0035] FIG. 6 illustrates a last example of an embodiment of the
invention. This time, the example is a reel-based game with its
secondary game outcome influencing the progression of a multi-play
gaming feature.
[0036] The primary game is a one-line game using mechanical reels
40a, 40b, 40c for the determination of the outcome game indicia.
The game indicia of the outcome are the ones displayed in the
central position, thus on pay line 42. A die, represented among the
regular game indicia on the reels, is secondary game indicium 41 of
this example.
[0037] When the play is initiated, first reel 40a spins and stops,
thereby establishing a first reel symbol. If it is a die symbol, a
die 43 displayed above reels 40 is tossed and its outcome is
cumulated by a counter 44. Afterwards, these steps are repeated
until reel 40a provides a regular symbol. The same process is
performed for second and third reels 40b, 40c.
[0038] When pay line 41 is solely composed of regular symbols, a
pay line outcome is raised for the play. Subsequently, the gaming
machine performs an evaluation of the pay line outcome, establishes
a prize value and awards the prize to the player.
[0039] Furthermore, the machine also evaluates counter 44 value.
This value is used to establish the player's participation in a
multi-play board-type game. The player has a token 48 traveling
along a path on board 47. The gaming machine determines whether
player's token 48 progresses based on counter 44 value.
Furthermore, the machine determines whether the player has obtained
an activation of an acceptance/refusal feature 46; it also
determines the number of tries during which the feature stays
activated. Accordingly, each time a new play ends, the player may
be in one of the following situations:
[0040] a) The counter value is equal to zero (0). Consequently,
player's token 48 stays in place.
[0041] b) The counter value is under a first threshold. The die is
tossed twice to determine a progression outcome 45, and the player
sees token 48 advancing the number of stations corresponding to
progression outcome 45.
[0042] c) The counter value reaches the first threshold. The
machine generates a first progression outcome 45. The player either
refuses or accepts the outcome. If the player accepts the outcome,
player's token 48 advances on board 47. If the player refuses
outcome 45, the machine establishes a new progression outcome 45
which the player may either refuse or accept depending on the
number of available refusals 46 he has left.
[0043] After token 48 has landed on a new station, the player may
receive a bonus prize based on his token landing station.
[0044] Accordingly, the latter embodiment presents many additional
characteristics: a) the same symbol may be drawn a plurality of
times during the same play; b) an additional means (a die 43)
establishes the secondary game symbol value; c) the feature
associated with the monitoring of the draw of secondary game
indicia is not a prize or a bonus, but rather a play participation
(the player's token traveling forward) with or without the
activation of a progression outcome refusal feature; and d) the
play participation established by the monitoring of the secondary
game indicia is for a game (board game 47) that evolves over a
plurality of plays of the primary game.
[0045] In FIG. 7, a flow chart summarizes the present outcome
generation process. It starts when the player initiates a play
(step 50). A symbol is drawn from the population (step 51) and is
evaluated as a primary or a secondary game indicium (step 52). If
the drawn game indicium participates in the secondary game, the
game indicium is taken into account in the secondary game (step
53). Otherwise, the drawn game indicium takes place in the primary
game (step 54). After each draw of a primary game indicium, an
evaluation is performed to determine whether a complete primary
game outcome has been fully raised (step 55). Until this condition
is fulfilled, the preceding steps (steps 51 to 55) are repeated.
When a complete primary game outcome has been raised, it is
evaluated (steps 56 and 57) and the player is awarded the
corresponding prize (step 58). Similarly, an evaluation (steps 59
and 60) followed by a reward to the player with a corresponding
feature (step 61) is also performed regarding the secondary game
outcome.
[0046] It will be noted that the method of the present invention
can be carried out through many embodiments. A gaming machine,
suitable gaming systems, and network gaming systems may perform the
method of the invention. Electrical or electromagnetic signals and
computer readable media may also carry out codes used by gaming
systems to provide a game that presents all the characteristics of
the invention.
[0047] In FIG. 8, a schematic representation of modules of a
suitable gaming machine for embodiment of the invention is
illustrated. Such a gaming machine includes storage means 70
(usually embodied in a memory or in a physical form such as a card
shoe) for storing the population of primary and secondary game
indicia. Drawing means 72 (usually in the form of software
commands) draw game indicia from the storage means 70 for the play.
Draw judging means 74 evaluate the drawn indicia to determine the
participation of each indicium in either the primary game or the
secondary game. Completion judging means 76, for its part, evaluate
which state the primary game outcome has reached, determine if the
predetermined criteria to establish when no new indicium
participates in the secondary game, and therefore end the
generation of the secondary game. Primary evaluation means 78 and
secondary evaluation means 80 respectively evaluate the primary
game outcome and the secondary game outcome. An awarding means 82
rewards the player according to the evaluation. In addition, the
gaming machine may comprise input means 84 allowing the player to
input information with this information either or not influencing
the play and potentially the number of indicia participating in the
secondary game. Such a gaming machine may either be fully
electronic (and therefore include an electronic display used to
illustrate the game play) or partially electronic with physical
indicia taking part in the primary game and the secondary game with
physical structures to receive the indicia.
[0048] In conclusion, the intent of the inventors through the above
disclosure is to provide examples of embodiments of the invention.
The scope of the invention is intended to be solely limited by the
scope defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *