U.S. patent application number 11/205820 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-09 for countdown bonus game for poker or slot machine.
Invention is credited to Patrick Schmit.
Application Number | 20060252481 11/205820 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37394649 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060252481 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schmit; Patrick |
November 9, 2006 |
Countdown bonus game for poker or slot machine
Abstract
A method of playing a video poker game or a slot machine game in
which the key component is the ability to assign a card or cards
(or symbol or symbols) to the player based on predetermined play
levels. This can be as a result of completing a number of hands,
spins, wager amounts or other "triggering" events.
Inventors: |
Schmit; Patrick; (Lincoln,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN EDWARD ROETHEL
2290 S. JONES BLVD. #100
LAS VEGAS
NV
89146
US
|
Family ID: |
37394649 |
Appl. No.: |
11/205820 |
Filed: |
August 17, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11121268 |
May 3, 2005 |
|
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11205820 |
Aug 17, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20130101;
G07F 17/3293 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/013 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. The method of playing a game of video poker comprising: a) a
countdown meter displays a predetermined number of hands of video
poker to be played; b) a player makes a wager to play a hand of
video poker and the countdown meter decrements; c) the player plays
the hand of video poker in a conventional manner; d) the player
continues to make wagers and play hands of video poker in the
conventional manner until the countdown meter decrements to zero;
e) when the countdown meter decrements to zero, the player then
plays a bonus hand of video poker in a conventional manner; f) when
the player achieves a final hand of video poker during the play of
the bonus hand, the player receives at least one bonus replacement
card to be used in the final hand if the replacement card would
result in the player having a better winning hand poker combination
than the player would have in the final hand without the
replacement card; and g) awarding the player a payout for the
better winning hand poker combination.
2. The method of claim 1 in which the predetermined number of hands
is a fixed number.
3. The method of claim 1 in which the predetermined number of hands
is a randomly selected number.
4. The method of claim 1 in which the player must make a wager to
play the bonus hand.
5. The method of claim 1 in which the player plays a "free" bonus
game.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application
Ser. No. 11/121268, filed May 3, 2005 and also claims the benefit
of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/567,422, filed May 3,
2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This application relates to a method of playing a video
poker game or a slot machine game in which the key component is the
ability to assign a card or cards (or a symbol or symbols) to the
player based on predetermined play levels. This can be as a result
of completing a number of hands, spins, wager amounts or other
"triggering" events.
[0003] In a poker game iteration of the present invention, the
poker game display includes a countdown meter, which decrements
each time an appropriate wager is made. The countdown meter begins
at a pre-established level and once the meter reaches zero, the
player is awarded one or more "bonus hands". The player then plays
out the bonus hand, proceeding through both the initial deal step
and the subsequent draw step. After the player achieves the final
poker hand, the game controls will determine which single or
multiple remaining cards in the deck will provide the player with
the highest possible winning poker hand combination. The game
controls then award the player that bonus replacement card or cards
which are placed into the final poker hand, whether or not the card
or cards have already been used, or are "dead". The player then
receives a payout for the poker hand ranking of this final poker
hand based on the amount wagered and a pay table.
[0004] In a slot machine iteration of the present invention, the
slot machine game display includes a countdown meter, which
decrements each time an appropriate wager is made. The countdown
meter begins at a pre-established level and once the meter reaches
zero, the player is awarded one or more "bonus spins". The player
then plays out the bonus spin. After the bonus spin is completed,
the game controls will determine which single or multiple remaining
slot machine symbols will provide the player with the highest
possible winning symbol combination. The game controls then award
the player that bonus replacement symbol or symbols which are
placed into the final symbol display. The player then receives a
payout for the final symbol display based on the amount of the
wager and the pay table.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0005] The present invention can be applied to a conventional video
poker machine or a conventional electronic or mechanical slot
machine.
[0006] A conventional video poker machine displays representations
of playing cards and the player is allowed to discard cards from an
initial deal and receive replacement cards therefor in an attempt
to achieve a winning poker hand combination for which a payout or
prize award results.
[0007] A conventional electronic or mechanical slot machine
displays various symbols which, when arranged in a pre-determined
manner, result in various payouts or prize awards.
[0008] In both video poker machines and slot machines, the amount
of the payout or prize award is based on the amount wagered by the
player and the pay table associated with the game.
[0009] The present invention is a modification to the conventional
manner of play of a video poker machine or a slot machine.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a
countdown meter is displayed to the player on the screen of the
gaming device, or on a device attached to the gaming device,
representing the number of qualifying hands remaining until the
game goes into a bonus mode. A qualifying hand is a pre-determined
wager amount or series of wager amounts.
[0011] Each time a qualifying hand is played, the countdown meter
decrements. Once the countdown reaches zero, the game will
transition to a bonus mode, whereby the player is entitled to
participate in a poker hand or a reel spin, during which the
payouts achieved are at a premium.
[0012] In the case of the video poker game, upon completion of the
bonus hand, the player will be awarded one or more additional bonus
replacement cards of any suitable suit and rank. These bonus
replacement cards will be selected to be the replacement cards that
provide for the highest available payout, given the resultant card
combination of the completed bonus hand.
[0013] In the case of the slot machine game, any one or more
symbols can be awarded to achieve a specified level of pay based on
the pre-established pay table corresponding to the various symbols
contained in the game.
Operation
[0014] The poker game would play in a manner such as the
following:
[0015] 1. The player makes a wager and plays the video poker gaming
machine. As is conventional, the player is dealt an initial hand of
five cards. The player then discards those cards that the player
wishes to replace and the player receives replacement cards
resulting in a final five card hand. The player receives a payout
for whenever the final five card hand is a winning poker hand
combination based on the amount of the player's wager and a pay
table associated with the various poker hand rankings that have
been pre-established as winning poker hand combinations.
[0016] 2. A predetermined number of hands is played by the player.
The predetermined number could be randomly selected or be a fixed
number of hands. The predetermined number of hands to be played is
shown on the countdown meter.
[0017] 3. When the countdown meter reaches zero, the player's next
hand is a bonus hand. The player makes an additional wager, or
plays a "free" game, and plays out the bonus hand by discarding
unwanted cards and receiving replacement cards resulting in a final
five card hand. In the event a different card can improve the
player's final five card bonus hand into a better winning poker
hand combination, the player receives that card as a bonus
replacement card into the final bonus hand and the player is then
awarded the corresponding payout for the winning poker hand
combination.
[0018] For example, if the final five card hand the player achieved
during the play of the bonus hand was a Three-of-a-Kind, the player
then would be awarded as a bonus replacement card the fourth card
of the same rank as the cards in the Three-of-a-Kind to complete
his hand as a Four-of-a-Kind. He then would receive the pay
associated with Four-of-a-Kind instead of the Three-of-a-Kind that
the player had previously before the substitution took place during
the bonus hand.
[0019] In the event a hand cannot be improved during the bonus
hand, a Royal Flush being one example, the bonus hand would carry
over until the next game played.
[0020] As an example, a player who is playing a traditional video
poker machine, betting max coins per hand, will be able to view his
countdown meter as it decrements for each hand he plays. Once this
meter reaches zero, the player will then enter the bonus hand mode.
The player then makes another wager as he did before, or plays a
"free" game, and plays the hand out to completion. As is consistent
with conventional video poker games, the player is dealt the
initial five cards and then is given the option of holding all or
none of the initial five cards, and then being dealt the
corresponding number of new cards, so that the final hand totals
five. If for instance, in the bonus mode hand the player ended up
with three Jacks, the game controls would then award the player the
remaining fourth Jack as the bonus replacement card to complete his
hand and award him the pay associated with four Jacks.
[0021] Likewise, the countdown bonus mode can be applied to other
gaming devices, using the same distinctive method of awarding a
particular symbol or outcome for participation in the bonus
mode.
[0022] Utilizing the bonus hand and the corresponding
probabilities, the game can be used to establish a wide-area
progressive determined by a specified card outcome. This feature
will allow for higher probabilities as a function of entering the
bonus mode (i.e. a sequential Royal Flush in bonus mode).
[0023] While the invention has been illustrated with respect to
several specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments should be
considered as illustrative rather than limiting. Various
modifications and additions may be made and will be apparent to
those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention should not be
limited by the foregoing description, but rather should be defined
only by the following claims.
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