U.S. patent application number 10/890982 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-20 for method and apparatus to provide a game feature.
Invention is credited to Duhamel, Gerald.
Application Number | 20050014556 10/890982 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34421479 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050014556 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Duhamel, Gerald |
January 20, 2005 |
Method and apparatus to provide a game feature
Abstract
A game feature providing method and gaming machine are
disclosed. The method comprises providing a game in which outcomes
are generated and evaluated and wherein a prize is awarded for a
winning outcome. The method comprises archiving at least part of
each game outcome. Upon occurrence of a feature-triggering outcome
in the game, the method comprises re-evaluating a number of
archived game outcomes according to new rules or new criteria. For
its part, the gaming machine comprises game controller means
generating and evaluating game outcomes, display means providing
the outcomes to a player, memory means archiving at least part of
each one of the game outcomes, and awarding means awarding a prize
for a winning outcome. The gaming machine game controller means is
adapted, upon occurrence of a triggering event, to re-evaluate a
number of archived game outcomes according to at least one of new
rules or new criteria.
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: |
34421479 |
Appl. No.: |
10/890982 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60487074 |
Jul 15, 2003 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3267 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/020 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
I/we claim:
1. A method of providing a game feature comprising: providing a
game in which game outcomes are generated and evaluated and wherein
a prize is awarded for a winning outcome; archiving at least part
of each of said game outcomes; and upon occurrence of a
feature-triggering outcome in said game, re-evaluating a number of
archived game outcomes according to at least one of (a) new rules,
and (b) new criteria.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of game outcomes
comprises one of (a) predetermined, (b) randomly determined, and
(c) determined according to the triggering event.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying said
archived game outcomes.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a player
input that influences said game outcome archiving.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising limiting the number of
said archived game outcomes.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying archived
game outcomes upon fulfillment of a predetermined criterion.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said archived game outcome
modification is one of (a) modifying the number of said archived
game outcomes, and (b) modifying an archived game outcome to create
a feature outcome.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising rewarding the player
according to said feature outcome.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving betting
information from the player, wherein at least one of (a) a feature
outcome value, (b) a feature participation, (c) a feature
participation criterion, and (d) an archiving criterion, is
established according to said betting information.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising tallying information
over a plurality of game outcomes, wherein said tallied information
is used to a least one of (a) trigger said feature game, and (b)
influence the application of said feature game.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said game comprises one of a
line game, a poker, a blackjack, a keno, a lotto, a bingo, a card
game, and a dice game.
12. A gaming machine for providing a game feature comprising: game
controller means generating and evaluating outcomes; display means
providing said outcomes to a player; memory means archiving at
least part of each one of said game outcomes; and awarding means
awarding a prize for a winning outcome, wherein the game controller
means is adapted, upon occurrence of a triggering event, to
re-evaluate a number of archived game outcomes according to at
least one of (a) new rules, and (b) new criteria.
13. The gaming machine of claim 12, further comprising input means
allowing said player to influence archiving of game outcomes.
14. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein said display means
further provides said archived game outcomes.
15. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the game controller
means further modifies archived game outcomes upon fulfillment of a
predetermined criterion.
16. The gaming machine of claim 12, further comprising storage
means for storing archived game outcomes identified to a player at
the end of a play session with possibility for said player to
retrieve said archived game outcomes at the beginning of a new play
session.
17. A computer program embodied in an electric or an
electromagnetic carrier signal having codes adapted, when performed
by a CPU of a device, adapted to: provide a game in which game
outcomes are generated and evaluated and wherein a prize is awarded
for a winning outcome; archive at least part of each of said game
outcomes; and upon occurrence of a feature-triggering outcome in
said game, re-evaluate a number of archived game outcomes according
to at least one of (a) new rules, and (b) new criteria.
18. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium or
processor-readable memory having codes adapted, when performed by a
CPU of a device, adapted to: provide a game in which game outcomes
are generated and evaluated and wherein a prize is awarded for a
winning outcome; archive at least part of each of said game
outcomes; and upon occurrence of a feature-triggering outcome in
said game, re-evaluate a number of archived game outcomes according
to at least one of (a) new rules, and (b) new criteria.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35USC.sctn.119(e) of
U.S. provisional patent application 60/487,074, filed on Jul.
15.sup.th, 2003, the specification of which is hereby incorporated
by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention relates to a method and apparatus for
providing a game feature on a gaming machine, said game feature
being based on archived game outcomes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The field of casino-style games and gaming machines is in
constant evolution. Players are always demanding new
characteristics or new applications of these characteristics that
may incite them to play. While the variety of games has increased,
players and game designers are still craving for novelty.
[0004] Accordingly, improvements in this field are desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In an embodiment, the invention provides a method of
providing a game feature. The method comprises providing a game in
which game outcomes are generated and evaluated and wherein a prize
is awarded for a winning outcome. The method comprises archiving at
least part of each of the game outcomes. Upon occurrence of a
feature-triggering outcome in the game, the method comprises
re-evaluating a number of archived game outcomes according to new
rules or new criteria.
[0006] In another embodiment, the invention provides a gaming
machine adapted to conduct a feature game. The gaming machine
comprises game controller means generating game outcomes and
evaluating game outcomes, display means providing the outcomes to a
player, memory means archiving at least part of each one of the
game outcomes, and awarding means awarding a prize for a winning
outcome. The gaming machine game controller means is adapted, upon
occurrence of a triggering event, to re-evaluate a number of
archived game outcomes according to at least one of new rules or
new criteria.
[0007] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a program
carrier or a memory media suitable to carry or bear program codes
adapted to provide on a computer or a gaming machine the
above-described game feature.
[0008] In this specification, the terms "game outcome" mean "the
result of a play of the game, which is compared with criteria to
establish an outcome value (such as a prize)". Examples of such
game outcomes comprise the cards resulting from a poker game play,
or the game indicia displayed once the reels stop in a line
game.
[0009] The terms "game rules" mean "the set of rules that are used
to conduct a game", for example, the number of cards composing an
outcome in a poker game or the actual pay table.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] 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:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of
a gaming machine suitable for the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the components of the
gaming machine of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a basic game
process as played on the gaming machine of FIGS. 1 and 2; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the process of a simple embodiment
of the game feature in accordance with the present invention.
[0015] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like
features are identified by like reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The present invention may be carried out on a gaming
machine, as illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2. Gaming machine 10
comprises display means 12 such as a video screen or a LCD screen
controlled by a video controller, or mechanical reels controlled by
a microprocessor; credit-receiving means 14 such as a card reader
or a coin and/or bill acceptor; input means 16 such as actuable
electro-mechanic buttons, levers or touch screen controls; awarding
means 18 such as a ticket printer, a card reader or a hopper;
memory means 20; and game controller means 22.
[0017] Such a gaming machine 10 is designed, in its basic
realization and as shown on FIG. 3, to receive credit information
from a player 30 either in a physical format (such as coins or
bills) or in an electronic format (such as a player card or a money
transfer from a bank account), to receive activation information
from the player 32, to randomly generate 34 and display 36 a game
outcome, to evaluate said game outcome according to game rules (a
pay table for example) 38, and to award a prize to the player for a
winning game outcome 40.
[0018] To comply with the present invention, memory means 20 are
used to archive at least part of each game outcome. Upon occurrence
of a feature-triggering outcome, game controller means 22 are
adapted to re-evaluate a number of archived game outcomes according
to new rules or new criteria, resulting in a feature outcome.
[0019] The gaming machine input means 16 may allow the player to
modify, customize, and/or influence the game outcome archiving
process, while the display means may illustrate the archived game
outcomes to the player, separately or integrated in the game
display. The archived game outcomes may also be stored on storage
means (not illustrated) to allow the player to store his archived
game outcomes at the end of a play session and retrieve them at the
beginning of a new one. Such storage means may be embodied in a
removable device such as a smart card, or a device in continual
communication with the gaming machine, such as a server or a
central computer.
[0020] Also, the game controller means 22 may be adapted to modify
the game outcomes archived in the memory means 20. Such
functionalities may be used to clear out archived game outcomes
from the memory means 20 following a re-evaluation of a number of
these archived game outcomes, or following the occurrence of a
predetermined event, such as reaching a predetermined threshold in
the number of archived game outcomes.
[0021] Gaming machine components, functionalities, and their use
will become apparent from the following detailed description of
embodiments applying the present invention.
[0022] Those skilled in the art may recognize other embodiments
and/or methods to provide such a game and/or functionalities,
either through a central distribution of play data to networked
gaming machines, a computer program adapted for such a game
application and performing said game on computers, or program codes
broadcasted using a suitable carrier or saved on memory, said
program codes being suitable, when loaded on a computer or a gaming
machine, for said apparatus to perform said game. However, all of
such alternatives are intended to be incorporated in the present
document through the herein reference.
[0023] The present invention describes a method for providing a
game feature in which game outcomes are archived and, upon
occurrence of a triggering event, re-evaluated according to new
rules or new criteria. FIG. 4 illustrates the process of a simple
embodiment of such a feature. In a game, a game outcome is
generated 50, evaluated 52, and a prize is awarded for a winning
outcome 54. It is also evaluated whether or not the game outcome
corresponds to a feature triggering event 56. If it is determined
that the game outcome is not a feature triggering event, at least
part of this game outcome is archived 58. On the other hand, if it
is determined that the game outcome is indeed a feature triggering
outcome, at least part of the archived game outcomes are retrieved
60, evaluated according to new game rules to generate feature
outcomes 62, and a feature prize is awarded for each winning
feature outcome 64.
[0024] An example of a simple embodiment is a poker game in which
the whole game outcomes are archived. Upon occurrence of a
feature-triggering event, such as four of a kind, the archived game
outcomes are re-evaluated based on blackjack rules. In this
example, the dealer's hand comprises as many cards from the
feature-triggering outcome as necessary to get a blackjack hand
nearing, without ever busting, the twenty-one (21) threshold. Each
player's hand (feature outcome) comprises the first three cards of
an archived game outcome. If a blackjack hand value is over
twenty-one (21), the hand is automatically a losing one. Else, each
hand is evaluated by comparing it to the dealer's hand according to
blackjack rules. In this example, once the re-evaluation is
completed, the archive is cleaned out of all archived game
outcomes.
[0025] In another embodiment, only part of each of the game
outcomes is archived. For example, in a five-reel, five-line game,
only the best line (i.e., the line having the most of lined
identical symbols), winning or not, is archived. These archived
outcomes are displayed on the gaming machine screen in an archiving
window. Upon occurrence of a feature-triggering outcome, a certain
number of these archived outcomes are re-evaluated, according to
new game rules, to establish a feature outcome. In this example,
the triggering event comprises at least one occurrence of a special
indicium in the outcome. Depending on the number of special indicia
contained in the triggering event, the number of archived game
outcomes that are re-evaluated changes. For example, if the special
indicium appears three times, five archived game outcomes
participate in the feature. Usually, these participating archived
game outcomes are the last ones to be added, but they may also be
randomly chosen in the whole archive.
[0026] The number of archived game outcomes participating in the
feature are randomly determined upon occurrence of the triggering
event, determined by the moment of occurrence of the triggering
event (for example, all game outcomes archived since the last
occurrence of the triggering event participate in the feature), or
predetermined. If the number of participating game outcomes is
predetermined, and there are already as many archived game outcomes
as allowed, an extra game outcome to be archived pushes the first
archived game outcome out of the archive. So, for example, if the
number of participating game outcomes is limited to five (5), the
sixth game outcome pushes the first archived game outcome out of
the archive and erases it from memory.
[0027] In an alternative embodiment, the player may provide input
influencing the game outcome archiving process. The player may
select which part of the outcome to archive, or, if the archive is
full, which archived game outcome(s) to erase. He may also select
game rules to apply to the feature. Information tallied during the
play may also influence the trigger or the application of the
feature game. For example, the feature may be triggered when
tallied information reached a threshold, or the number of
participating archived game outcomes may be determined by the level
reached by said tallied information at the moment the triggering
event occurs.
[0028] Another embodiment comprises modifying the archive upon
occurrence of a game outcome fulfilling a second criterion. For
example, upon occurrence of an outcome in which appears at least
one BANKRUPT indicium, it is determined, depending on the number of
BANKRUPT indicia appearing in the game outcome, how many archived
game outcomes to erase from the archive. The number of erased game
outcomes varies from one (1) up to all the archived game
outcomes.
[0029] The game rules used to re-evaluate the archived game
outcomes may be similar to those used to evaluate the game outcomes
in the game, or be radically different. Example of new game rules
comprise: adding new winning criteria to the pay table (awarding a
prize for each Ace in archived poker game outcomes), applying a pay
table characteristic to another game (applying a blackjack pay
table to archived poker game outcomes), modifying the sequence
and/or positions of the game indicia to generate a feature outcome
before applying the same or a different pay table (scrambling the
symbols in a line game, thereby generating a feature outcome),
applying a wild card feature to the archived game outcome before
applying the same or a different pay table, etc.
[0030] In other embodiments, the level of play, thus the bet level,
may determine limitations to the game feature. The feature prize
awarded to the player following a re-evaluation of the archived
game outcomes may be based on this bet level. Also, it may be
necessary to play at least a minimum bet level to activate the game
feature, or the number of criteria to initiate the re-evaluation of
the archive game outcomes may increase as the bet value increases.
Another example is to vary the number of archived game outcomes
participating in the game feature may be at least in part
determined by the bet level.
[0031] It will be noted that the above embodiments illustrate
different characteristics the present feature may present. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that, even if the instant
embodiments describe these characteristics as part of different
games, one could combine some of these characteristics.
Furthermore, the feature may also present other characteristics
and/or variations, with such characteristics falling within the
scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
[0032] While the appended block diagrams illustrates the present
invention as groups of discrete components communicating with each
other via distinct data signal connections, it will be understood
by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied
through 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 for efficiency of teaching embodiments of the
invention.
[0033] It should be noted that the present invention can be carried
out as a method, can be embodied in a system, a computer readable
medium, a processing-readable memory, or an electrical or
electromagnetic signal.
[0034] The embodiments of the invention described above are
intended to be exemplary only. The scope of the invention is
therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *