U.S. patent application number 10/859452 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for method of using a wild feature.
Invention is credited to Duhamel, Gerald.
Application Number | 20040259622 10/859452 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34392890 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040259622 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Duhamel, Gerald |
December 23, 2004 |
Method of using a wild feature
Abstract
A method, which may be embodied in a gaming machine, that is
suitable for carrying out a wild feature in a game. The game in
which said feature is carried out has a game structure comprising a
plurality of substructures suitable for establishing individual
results. Indicia are drawn and used to establish substructure
results. Each drawn indicium is further evaluated as being either a
regular indicium or one triggering the wild feature. The regular
indicia are used while others are kept apart until the wild feature
is activated. Upon the wild feature activation, an evaluation of an
optimal use of the wild feature in at least one substructure is
completed. Finally, the play outcome resulting from this optimal
use of the wild feature is awarded.
Inventors: |
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: |
34392890 |
Appl. No.: |
10/859452 |
Filed: |
May 27, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60473256 |
May 27, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/3267 20130101; G07F 17/3244 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/016 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of playing a game to its outcome that involves
activation of a wild feature, comprising: providing a player with a
game structure composed of a plurality of substructures, each of
said substructures being suitable to establish an individual result
involving a plurality of indicia; drawing indicia; evaluating each
drawn indicium as at least one of a regular indicium and a special
indicium; and evaluating the activation of the wild feature shared
by the substructures on the basis of said drawn special indicia to
establish a featured outcome, which involves the evaluation of an
optimal use of the wild feature in at least one of said
substructures.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: associating
comparison indicia with each said substructure; comparing the drawn
indicia with the substructure comparison indicia to establish
matches between the indicia; marking the matches in said
substructures; and evaluating the markings in said substructures
according to a predetermined pattern to establish the outcomes.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a
characteristic of a drawn special indicium to establish a
characteristic of said wild feature.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising tallying drawn special
indicia up to a predetermined number to activate the wild
feature.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said special indicia share a
common characteristic.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: counting wild-feature
activations over a plurality of plays of said game; and generating
a special feature when said counting reaches a threshold.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising awarding the player of
said game with a prize according to said featured outcome.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wild feature involves the
selection of an outcome evaluation mode.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicia are one of cards,
numbers, balls, dice results, and symbols.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said game is one of poker,
bingo, lotto, and line game.
11. The method of claim 1 that is automatically performed on an
electronic gaming machine.
12. A gaming machine for playing a game to its outcome wherein the
playing of said game involves activation of a wild feature,
comprising: a display providing a game representation in a game
structure composed of a plurality of substructures that are
suitable to establish individual results with each said
substructure involving a plurality of indicia; input means
receiving commands from the player; and game controller means
signaling the display to provide a representation of the game
according to the received commands and the playing of the game,
wherein said game controller is adapted: (a) to draw indicia; (b)
to judge each drawn indicium as at least one of a regular indicium
and a special indicium; (c) to evaluate the activation of a wild
feature shared by the substructures on the basis of drawn special
indicia to establish a featured outcome, which involves the
evaluation of an optimal use of the wild feature in at least one of
said substructures.
13. The gaming machine of claim 12, further comprising awarding
means rewarding the player with said featured outcome in a suitable
format.
14. A computer program embodied in an electrical or an
electromechanical carrier signal having codes adapted: to provide a
player with a game structure composed of a plurality of
substructures, each of said substructures being suitable to
establish an individual result involving a plurality of indicia; to
draw indicia; to evaluate each drawn indicium as at least one of a
regular indicium and a special indicium; and to evaluate activation
of the wild feature shared by the substructures on the basis of
drawn special indicia to establish a featured outcome, which
involves the evaluation of an optimal use of the wild feature in at
least one of said substructures.
15. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium
having codes adapted: to provide a player with a game structure
composed of a plurality of substructures, each of said
substructures being suitable to establish an individual result
involving a plurality of indicia; to draw indicia; to evaluate each
drawn indicium as at least one of a regular indicium and a special
indicium; and to evaluate activation of the wild feature shared by
the substructures on the basis of drawn special indicia to
establish a featured outcome, which involves the evaluation of an
optimal use of the wild feature in at least one of said
substructures.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35USC.sctn.119(e) of
U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/473,256, filed May 27,
2003, the specification of which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention relates to a casino-style gaming machine and a
method of applying special features to the game played on these
gaming machines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The field of casino-style games and gaming machines is in
constant evolution. Players are always demanding new features that
may incite them to play. Such implemented features include
multihand pokers, progressive jackpots, multiline slot machine
games and mystery prizes. A problem the game designers face when
developing new features is to maintain balance between providing
appealing prizes, controlling the return payout to the player,
keeping the game hit rate in an interesting range, and applying a
simple feature that must be easy to understand by the players.
[0004] Accordingly, improvements in this field are desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention consists in a method of providing a wild
feature in a gaming environment. Moreover, it consists in providing
a player with a game structure comprising a plurality of
substructures, each substructure being suitable to establish an
outcome involving a plurality of game indicia. It further consists
in identifying which of the drawn indicia triggers the activation
of a wild feature. When such an indicium is drawn, it is not
associated with a substructure but placed aside until a
predetermined wild feature application criterion is met. Upon
positive evaluation of this criterion, played substructures are
evaluated with the wild feature to determine the manner in which
the wild feature may be optimally used within each substructure,
and the wild feature is used accordingly in at least one of the
played substructures. Then, the play continues or ends depending on
the state it reached. At the end of said state, the substructures
are evaluated to establish the play outcome.
[0006] Furthermore, the invention consists in a gaming machine
suitable for the application of the above described method. This
gaming machine includes display means presenting a game layout
comprising a plurality of playing substructures characteristic of
the game with each substructure being responsible for establishing
an individual result. The gaming machine comprises input means for
the player to play the game, and game controller means providing
said game to the player. Furthermore, the game controller is
adapted to (a) draw indicia to be used in the game; (b) judge the
drawn indicia to evaluate their values as either regular or special
indicia; (c) use the regular indicia to yield a regular outcome;
(d) evaluate the activation of the wild feature according to its
best use; and (e) establish a payout accordingly.
[0007] The invention also consists in codes adapted to control a
machine such as a computer to complete the present method; the
codes are stored on suitable media such as computer readable media,
or communicated through an electrical or an electromagnetic carrier
signal for instance.
[0008] Accordingly, an aspect of the invention is to provide a
feature in a gaming environment creating a positive incentive.
[0009] Thus, an object of the invention is to provide a feature
that addresses this problem while respecting the characteristics of
a balanced game: a) a balanced payout, b) an interesting hit rate,
and c) appealing prize values.
[0010] Another object is to provide such a feature in a gaming
environment wherein its advantages may easily be understood and
recognized by the player.
[0011] Another object is to allow this feature to be easily carried
out in a plurality of games, for instance bingo and poker
games.
[0012] In this specification, the term "wild feature" is intended
to mean "any feature with the advantage of having a plurality of
potential values or effects". The terms "structures and
substructures" are intended to mean "organizations of elements,
with each substructure being suitable to be involved in
establishing a play result". The term "indicia" for its part is
intended to mean "gaming elements in any suitable form".
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] 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:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of
a gaming machine suitable for the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the components of the
gaming machine of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a bingo layout with
bingo elements simulating the play of a bingo game embodying the
feature of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the steps involved in
the play of the bingo game illustrated in FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a poker layout with
card representations simulating the play of a poker game embodying
the feature of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the steps involved in
the play of the poker game illustrated in FIG. 4; and
[0020] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating some components of
the gaming machine of FIG. 2 in a functional manner in order for
said gaming machine to carry out the feature of the present
invention.
[0021] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like
features are identified by like reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The present invention is preferably carried out on a gaming
machine, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Gaming machine 10
comprises display means 12, such as a video screen, an LCD screen,
or mechanical reels; credit-receiving means 14, such as a card
reader or a coin and/or bill acceptor; input means, 16 such as
buttons, levers, or a touch screen; awarding means 18, such as a
ticket printer, a card reader or a hopper; memory means 20; and
game controller means 22. Functionality and interaction between
components of FIG. 2 will be further described below.
[0023] The invention may also be applied to a computer program, or
to a remote terminal, the game information being distributed
through a network, such as linked machines or the Internet, or
broadcasted using an electrical or electromagnetic signal.
[0024] To provide a good understanding of the present invention
feature and of its application to a gaming environment, two
embodiments are provided: a) a bingo game, and b) a poker game. The
two embodiments have the advantage of illustrating the feature in a
different environment (different game) while using the same
particularities that are characteristic of the invention.
[0025] Bingo Game
[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of a bingo
layout 30 and a representation of the bingo game during its play.
As can be seen, the game comprises four (4) bingo cards 32a, 32b,
32c, and 32d bearing numbers. Each of the cards 32 may be
individually activated or deactivated by the player. In FIG. 3,
three (3) cards 32a, 32b, 32c are activated while the last one is
not (illustrated with its numbers replaced by a logo of the game).
Beside the cards 32, balls 34 also bearing numbers are displayed.
To establish a bingo card result, the ball numbers are compared
with the card numbers, and the matching numbers are daubed on the
bingo cards 32. At the end of the play, the card daubing is
evaluated as a pattern and compared with a pay schedule 36 to
determine the play outcome.
[0027] As also illustrated in FIG. 3, special balls 34' may appear
among the drawn balls 34. These balls 34' are used to activate the
wild feature. When such a special ball 34' is drawn, its action is
postponed until a predetermined state is reached in the play. In
this example, the wild feature is activated only when the draw is
complete. At this time, each bingo card 32 is evaluated to
determine where on the card a special daubing may be used
optimally. In consequence, the special daubing may take different
values in the different bingo cards. In this example, using the
special daubing in its optimal manner refers to the way the bingo
card may have the most value when evaluated.
[0028] Afterwards, the gaming machine establishes on which bingo
card(s) 32 the special daubing is most effectively used and
performs that daubing. Then, the cards 32 are evaluated to
establish the play outcome.
[0029] In a second version of the above bingo game, the card
numbers are displayed in three colors: blue, red, and yellow. The
special balls 34' also come in different colors: blue, red, yellow,
and white. When a colored special ball 34' is drawn, only a
bingo-card number of the corresponding color may be daubed.
However, when a white special ball is draw, any bingo-card number
may be daubed, regardless of its color. Accordingly, wild features
having different effects may be activated.
[0030] In another version, the wild feature may necessitate the
draw of two special balls 34' to be activated. Therefore, the
activation of the wild feature would become less frequent while the
anticipation of its occurrence would increase.
[0031] In addition, another version may include a counter 36 that
tallies the number of activations of the wild feature over a
plurality of plays. When the counter 36 reaches a predetermined
value, the player is awarded a multiplay feature that may take the
form of a multiplied payout of the play outcome when the feature is
activated.
[0032] Accordingly, generating a result in the above bingo game may
be described through a series of steps. FIG. 4 illustrates these
steps through a flow chart. First, cards are activated (step 50).
Such a step may include the player selecting the bingo-card
numbers, a card with predetermined numbers, a bet level, cards to
be activated, etc. Afterwards, the ball draw starts (step 52). Each
ball is evaluated (step 54) as either a regular or a special ball.
If it is a regular ball, matching numbers are daubed on the active
bingo cards (step 56). If a special ball is drawn, the activation
of the wild feature is postponed (step 58). An evaluation of draw
completion takes place (step 60) and the draw continues (return
step 52) until its completion. At this time, if a special ball has
been drawn, the wild feature is activated. Alternatively, the play
process skips directly to the evaluation of the feature activation
(step 62). If the wild feature is activated, the gaming machine
evaluates the feature optimal use for each card, establishes on
which card(s) the feature will be applied, and completes the
daubing on the cards (step 64). A standard way is to apply the wild
feature on a number of randomly selected cards corresponding to the
number of active cards in the play, regardless of the activity
status of the card receiving the special daubing. It results in an
incentive to activate the maximum number of cards. Then, each
active card is evaluated to establish its result. The player is
rewarded with the sum of the evaluated results: the play outcome
(step 66).
[0033] An available variation of the above described game is to
evaluate when a special ball is drawn and to determine its use
according to this evaluation. For instance, in a bingo game wherein
forty (40) balls are drawn, the threshold establishing the manner
in which the wild feature is used may be that the special ball must
be drawn within the first thirty (30) balls. Within the first
thirty (30) balls drawn, the feature is used as described above.
Within the last ten (10) balls drawn, the player has to decide
which card(s) and card number(s) will receive the special
daubing.
[0034] Poker
[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates a layout 70 and a poker game suitable for
the invention. Characteristics of the poker game include the player
receiving three (3) hands of poker 72a, 72b, 72c, each one
associated with a bet 74a, 74b, 74c. The pay schedule 76 associated
with the game includes a first pay subschedule 78a associated with
the first hand, and a second pay subschedule 78b associated with
the second and the third poker hands. During the play, if a wild
card 80 is drawn, it is placed beside the hand. Once the wild
feature is activated, the second and third pay schedules may be
potentially affected with a multiplier feature depending partially
on the result of the preceding hand. Accordingly, when the wild
feature is deactivated, the poker hands 72a, 72b, 72c are
individually evaluated according to their respective pay schedule
78. When the wild feature is activated, the poker hands may be
evaluated individually or the hands 72a, 72b, 72c may be evaluated
in combination depending on the optimal result for the player. In
this example, when the wild feature is activated and the hands 72a,
72b, 72c are evaluated together, the player is awarded the
first-hand regular payout, twice the second-hand 72b regular payout
if the first hand 72a is at least equal in value tc a "three of a
kind" in its ranking evaluation, and eight (8) times the third-hand
72c payout if the first hand 72a and the second hand 72b are both
at least equal in value to a "three of a kind" in their respective
ranking evaluation. However, if the preceding hand criterion is not
fulfilled, the current hand has no value even if it is a winning
hand.
[0036] The play of this game follows the subsequent steps. The
player places the bets, a hand bet being always of less value than
the preceding hand bet value. The player receives third hand
initial cards; he or she holds cards and the discarded cards are
transferred to the preceding hand. Positions of the discarded cards
receive new cards. If a wild-feature triggering card is drawn
during the process, the card is placed aside (such as a community
card); the wild feature activation is postponed. For the second
hand, cards are drawn to complete the hand already composed of
discarded third-hand cards. Once again, the player selects cards to
be held, the others being moved to the first hand. The second hand
is completed. The initial first hand is completed the same way: the
player selects cards to be held and discards the other ones, and
the final first hand is completed with last drawn cards.
[0037] If no wild feature is activated, the three poker hands are
individually evaluated, a payout is established for each of them,
and the player is rewarded with the sum of these payouts.
[0038] However, if the wild feature is triggered, the card placed
aside may be used as a community wild card for the three poker
hands if they are evaluated in combination (multiplier feature), or
as a single poker hand wild card affecting only the hand played
when it was drawn. Each of the hands is evaluated on the basis of
the multiplier feature to establish a multiplier-feature payout.
Another evaluation is made when the wild card is effective only in
one hand and the hands are individually evaluated, after which
their payouts are summed up. The multiplier-feature and the
individual-evaluation payouts are compared and the player is
rewarded with the most valuable one.
[0039] Through a flow chart, illustrated in FIG. 6, the play
process comprises the following steps. Bets are placed (step 90).
Cards are drawn (step 92) and evaluated (step 94) to determine if
they activate the wild feature. If the evaluation is negative, the
card takes its place in the hand. Otherwise, the card is placed
aside (step 96). The player selects cards to be held (steps 98 to
102). The hand is completed with correct use of discarded cards.
Evaluation of the play completion is done (step 106), resulting in
either the play switching to the preceding hand (step 108) or the
evaluation of the wild feature (step 110). The preceding steps
(steps 92 to 108) are repeated for the second and first hands. If
there is no wild feature waiting to be activated (step 110), the
process skips directly to the hand evaluation (step 112), followed
by the player being rewarded (step 114). If a wild feature is
activated, determination of the best use of the wild feature
(individual-evaluation or multiplier-feature payout) is completed
(steps 116 to 120), and the player is rewarded according to the
best use (step 112).
[0040] A variation of the above described poker game is to allow
the player to establish, through his bet strategy, the number of
hands he wants to play (for instance with the same limitation of
having a hand bet value lower than the preceding hand bet value).
Therefore, the player could decide the number of hands he wants to
play (up to 5 hands in the preferred embodiment), with the
multiplier feature becoming increasingly interesting as the number
of hands increases.
[0041] Gaming Machine
[0042] While the wild feature has been described above through
games, some specifications of a gaming machine 10 suitable to carry
out the feature of the invention may be represented through the
block diagram of FIG. 7. In a gaming machine 10, a display means 12
is characterized by its ability to provide a game layout in a game
structure comprising a plurality of substructures with each
substructure being suitable to generate individual results. Game
controller means 22 is adapted to perform functional operations on
the basis of a program stored in memory means 20, these functions
being (a) a storage function 122 controlling the storing of indicia
in storage means 20, (b) a drawing function 124 determining indicia
taking part in the game, (c) a judging function 126 evaluating the
drawn indicia to determine the category to which they pertain:
regular or wild triggering indicia, (d) a feature-application
function 128 evaluating the wild-feature activation, using the wild
feature when activated and establishing which use offers the best
result, and (e) an outcome-evaluation function 130 establishing the
play outcome. Awarding means 18 may reward the player with the play
outcome in a suitable form at the end.
[0043] While illustrated in the block diagrams as groups of
discrete components communicating with each other through distinct
data signal connections, it will be understood, by those skilled in
the art, that the preferred embodiments are provided by a
combination of hardware and software components, with some
components being implemented by a given function or operation of a
hardware or software system, and many of the data paths illustrated
being implemented by data communication within a computer
application or operating system. The structure illustrated is thus
provided to better explain the preferred embodiment.
[0044] It should be noted that the present invention can be carried
out as a method, or be embodied in a system, a computer readable
medium, or an electrical or electromagnetic signal.
[0045] The embodiments of the invention described above are only
intended to serve as examples. The scope of the invention is
therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *