Systems and methods for generating prizes and/or feature triggers for a primary game and secondary game of chance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11257329-B2
Application number	US-202117305716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2021
Priority date	Sep 19, 2019
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

A system and method for operating a game of chance. A gaming system includes a primary game display and secondary game display with the secondary game display mapped with prize blocks arranged in a grid that may generally mimic a primary game grid. The prize blocks can be represented as characters, articles, numeral values, symbols and the like. Each prize block is assigned a prize value and a health value. When the health value of a prize block is exhausted based on primary game outcomes, the prize block is destroyed and removed awarding its corresponding prize value. New prize blocks fill the void left by removed prize blocks or the void remains as a space without any assigned prize value. A bonus trigger model also serves to reduce “cold streaks” during which players may lose interest.

First claim

We claim:

1. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor; and
wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes are required to trigger a bonus event and (ii) require a predefined minimum number of plays to trigger the bonus event which equals or exceeds the number of sub-event game outcomes necessary to trigger the bonus event.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said game of chance is a slot game, keno game, bingo game or video poker game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein steps (i) and (ii) reduce the frequency of significant cold streaks during which said bonus event is not triggered.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said bonus event is play of a bonus game.

5. The gaming system of claim 4 wherein said bonus game is a configured as a spinning wheel or as a concealed prize selection scheme.

6. A gaming method comprising:
utilizing a gaming machine to run a game of chance, said gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor; and
programming said at least one processor to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes trigger a bonus event and (ii) require a predefined minimum number of plays to trigger the bonus event which equals or exceeds the number of sub-event game outcomes necessary to trigger the bonus event.

7. The gaming method of claim 6 wherein said game of chance is a slot game, keno game, bingo game or video poker game.

8. The gaming method of claim 6 wherein steps (i) and (ii) reduce the frequency of significant cold streaks during which said bonus event is not triggered.

9. The gaming method of claim 6 wherein said bonus event is play of a bonus game.

10. The gaming method of claim 9 wherein said bonus game is a configured as a spinning wheel or as a concealed prize selection scheme.

11. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor; and
wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes trigger an award of collectible items; and (ii) provide an award responsive to a collection of a threshold number of collectible items wherein a pre-established minimum number of game plays is required before said threshold number of collectible items can be obtained.

12. The gaming system of claim 11 wherein said game of chance is a slot game, keno game, bingo game or video poker game.

13. The gaming system of claim 11 wherein steps (i) and (ii) reduce the frequency of significant cold streaks during which said award is not triggered.

14. The gaming system of claim 11 wherein said award is play of a bonus game.

15. The gaming system of claim 14 wherein said bonus game is a configured as a spinning wheel or as a concealed prize selection scheme.

16. A gaming method comprising:
utilizing a gaming machine to run a game of chance, said gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor; and
programming said at least one processor to: (i) generate random game outcomes wherein one or more of said random game outcomes trigger an award of collectible items; (ii) and provide an award responsive to a collection of a threshold number of collectible items wherein a pre-established minimum number of game plays is required before said threshold number of collectible items can be obtained.

17. The gaming method of claim 16 wherein said game of chance is a slot game, keno game, bingo game or video poker game.

18. The gaming method of claim 16 wherein steps (i) and (ii) reduce the frequency of significant cold streaks during which said award is not triggered.

19. The gaming method of claim 16 wherein said award is play of a bonus game.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19 wherein said bonus game is a configured as a spinning wheel or as a concealed prize selection scheme.

21. A persistent gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor;
wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random game outcomes trigger an award of collectible items; and (ii) provide an award responsive to a collection of a threshold number of collectible items wherein a pre-established minimum number of game plays is required before said threshold number of collectible items can be obtain; and
wherein collected items remain with the gaming machine across multiple gaming sessions undertaken by one or more players.

22. The persistent gaming system of claim 21 wherein steps (i) and (ii) reduce the frequency of significant cold streaks during which said award is not triggered.

23. The persistent gaming system of claim 21 wherein said award is play of a bonus game.

24. The persistent gaming system of claim 23 wherein said bonus game is a configured as a spinning wheel or as a concealed prize selection scheme.

25. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor; and
wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes are required to trigger a bonus event; (ii) require a predefined minimum number of plays to trigger the bonus event which equals or exceeds the number of sub-event game outcomes necessary to trigger the bonus event; and (iii) generate random game outcomes wherein one or more of said random game outcomes triggers the bonus event.

26. The gaming system of claim 25 wherein steps (i), (ii) and (iii) trigger different bonus events.

27. The gaming system of claim 25 wherein steps (i), (ii) and (iii) can occur simultaneously.

28. The gaming system of claim

Assignees

• Gaming Arts LLC

Inventors

• Colvin David
• Sims Scott Forbes
• Kruczynski Keith Matthew
• Tallon Randy
• Kridakorn Na Ayuthaya Kritaya
• Colvin Eric

Classifications

• G07F17/3267 Primary

  Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games · CPC title

• G07F17/3213 Primary

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title

• G07F17/34

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title