Gaming machines with free play bonus mode presenting only winning outcomes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11769374-B2
Application number	US-202217892674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2022
Priority date	Apr 20, 2011
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a processor and a presentation device coupled to the processor. The processor is programmed to determine that a free play trigger condition is satisfied, and to execute one or more free plays based on the free play trigger condition to create one or more free play outcomes. Each free play outcome is a winning free play outcome or a non-winning free play outcome. The presentation device is configured to present winning free play outcomes when at least one free play outcome is a winning free play outcome. Non-winning free play outcomes are not presented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming device in communication with a gaming server, the gaming device comprising:
a display device; and
at least one processor configured to execute instructions stored on at least one memory, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
receive a game outcome from the gaming server;
determine that the game outcome satisfies a free play trigger condition for a free play bonus mode;
in response to determining that the game outcome satisfies the free play trigger condition, determine a plurality of free play outcomes for the free play bonus mode, and one of:
in response to determining that the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy a first condition, cause display of the at least one winning free play outcome on the display device, wherein each at least one winning free play outcome is displayed with a winning symbol combination overlaid over a colored screen displayed on the display device during the free play bonus mode; or
in response to determining that the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy a second condition, cause display of a game mode different from the free play bonus mode, wherein a graphical representation of the free play bonus mode is distinguished by the colored screen displayed on the display device, wherein the colored screen is associated with and indicative of the free play bonus mode, and wherein during the game mode different from the free play bonus mode, the colored screen is not displayed.

2. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to, when the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy the first condition:
select a subset of free play outcomes to be displayed from a plurality of free play outcomes each having a payout associated therewith during the free play bonus mode; and
cause the display device to display the subset of free play outcomes during the free play bonus mode and when each free play of the subset of free play outcomes is associated with a payout greater than zero.

3. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to sort the subset of free play outcomes into a sequence that is based on the payout associated with each free play outcome of the subset of free play outcomes.

4. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
determine a quantity of free spins to play based on at least one of a minimum quantity of free plays, a maximum quantity of free plays, or a random number; and
execute the determined quantity of free spins to play to generate the subset of free play outcomes.

5. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein the subset of free play outcomes comprise first free play outcomes, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
determine that a free play retrigger condition is satisfied based on the first free play outcomes;
execute a plurality of additional free plays based on the free play retrigger condition being satisfied to generate second free play outcomes, the second free play outcomes including at least one non-winning free play outcome and at least one winning free play outcome;
suppress, during the free play bonus mode, the at least one non-winning free play outcome of the second free play outcomes, such that the non-winning free play outcome is not displayed; and
cause display of the at least one winning free play outcome of the second free play outcomes via the display device and during the free play bonus mode.

6. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to, in response to determining that the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy the second condition, control the display device such that no indication is provided to a player that the free play bonus mode was initiated.

7. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to, in response to determining that the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy the first condition, control a speaker of the gaming device to output a bonus mode sound.

8. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
determine whether a base play bonus trigger condition is satisfied during base play; and
determine that the free play trigger condition is satisfied at least in part by determining that no base play bonus trigger condition is satisfied.

9. The gaming device of claim 1 , further comprising a communication interface coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to determine that the free play trigger condition is satisfied by receiving, via the communication interface, a free play notification from at least one of the gaming server or another gaming device.

10. The gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory is further configured to store winning and non-winning free play outcomes, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to create a report including at least the stored non-winning free play outcomes.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by at least one processor of a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a display device, cause the at least one processor to:
receive a game outcome from a gaming server in communication with the gaming device;
determine that the game outcome satisfies a free play trigger condition for a free play bonus mode;
in response to determining that the game outcome satisfies the free play trigger condition, determine a plurality of free play outcomes for the free play bonus mode, and one of:
based upon determining that the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy a first condition, cause display of the at least one winning free play outcome on the display device, wherein each at least one winning free play outcome is displayed with a winning symbol combination overlaid over a colored screen displayed on the display device during the free play bonus mode; or
based upon determining that the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy a second condition, cause a graphical representation of the free play bonus mode not to be displayed, wherein the graphical representation of the free play bonus mode is distinguished by the colored screen displayed on the display device, wherein the colored screen is associated with and indicative of the free play bonus mode, and wherein when the graphical representation of the free play bonus mode is not displayed, the colored screen is not displayed.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to, when the plurality of free play outcomes satisfy the first condition:
select a subset of free play outcomes to be displayed from a plurality of free play outcomes each having a payout associated therewith during the free play bonus mode; and
cause the display device to display the subset of free play outcomes during the free play bonus mode and when each free play of the subset of free p

Assignees

• Video Gaming Tech Inc

Inventors

• Eubanks Mark Daniel
• Gozdecki Sarah Jean
• Nicodemus Steve
• Sisson Richard Kerr
• Webb Jeremy Michael

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

• G07F17/326

  Game play aspects of gaming systems · CPC title

• G07F17/3269

  Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine · CPC title