Gaming machines with free play bonus mode presenting only winning outcomes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021312762-A1
Application number	US-202117347279-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 14, 2021
Priority date	Apr 20, 2011
Publication date	Oct 7, 2021
Grant date	—

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 machine communicatively coupled to a gaming server, the gaming machine comprising:
a display device; and a processor configured to execute instructions stored on a memory, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least:
receive, from the gaming server, at least one game outcome;
in response to determining that the game outcome satisfies a free play trigger condition,
initiate display, on the display device, of a free play bonus mode;
select, during the free play bonus mode, a subset of free play outcomes to be displayed from a plurality of free play outcomes each having a payout associated therewith; and
control the display device to display, 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, the subset of free play outcomes, wherein each of the subset of free play outcomes is displayed with a winning symbol combination overlaid over a colored screen displayed on the display device.

2 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to, in response to determining that the subset of free play outcomes do not include at least one winning free play outcome, control the display device such that no indication is provided to a player that the free play bonus mode was initiated.

3 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to, in response to determining that each free play of the subset of free play outcomes is associated with a payout greater than zero, control a speaker of the gaming machine to output a bonus mode sound.

4 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the 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.

5 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the 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.

6 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising a communication interface coupled to the processor, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the 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 machine.

7 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the 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, and a random number; and execute the determined quantity of free spins to play to generate the subset of free play outcomes.

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

9 . The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the subset of free play outcomes comprise first free play outcomes, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the 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, via the display device and during the free play bonus mode, of the at least one winning free play outcome of the second free play outcomes.

10 . A method of electronic gaming, the method comprising:
receiving, from a gaming server and by a processor of a gaming machine, wherein the gaming machine comprises a display device, a memory, and the processor, at least one game outcome; in response to determining that the game outcome satisfies a free play trigger condition,
initiating display, by the processor and on the display device, of a free play bonus mode;
selecting, by the processor, during the free play bonus mode, a subset of free play outcomes to be displayed from a plurality of free play outcomes each having a payout associated therewith; and
controlling, by the processor, the display device to display, 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, the subset of free play outcomes, wherein each of the subset of free play outcomes is displayed with a winning symbol combination overlaid over a colored screen displayed on the display device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising in response to determining that the subset of free play outcomes do not include at least one winning free play outcome, controlling the display device such that no indication is provided to a player that the free play bonus mode was initiated.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor, that the free play trigger condition is satisfied at least in part by executing a base play using a base play pay table; and generating the subset of free play outcomes using a free play pay table.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the base play pay table is associated with a set of base play symbols, and the free play pay table is based on a set of free play symbols.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the free play pay table includes a proportion of winning play outcomes that is different from the proportion of winning play outcomes in the base play pay table.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the free play pay table includes winning play outcomes having an average payout that is different from an average payout of winning play outcomes in the base play pay table.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting, by at least one of the gaming server and a communication interface of the gaming machine, a free play notification to one or more other gaming machines, wherein the free play notification indicates that the free play trigger condition is satisfied.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor of a gaming machine, cause the processor to:
receive, from a gaming server in communication with the gaming machine, at least one game outcome; in response to determining that the game outcome satisfies a free play trigger condition,
initiate display, on a display device of the gaming machine, of a free play bonus mode;
select, during the free play bonus mode, a subset of free play outcomes to be displayed from a plurality of free play outcomes each having a payout associated therewith; and
control the display device to display, during the free play

Assignees

• Video Gaming Tech Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G07F17/326

  Game play aspects of gaming systems · CPC title

• 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

• G07F17/3269

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