Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
W O 95/22811
PCT/US95/01818
LINKED GAMING MACHINES HAVING
A COMMON FEATURE CONTROLLER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronic gaming
devices. More particularly, the present invention
relates to controlling features available to linked
electronic gaming machines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern gaming machines are typically
1.5 electronically controlled, as opposed to mechanically
controlled. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,095,795 to
Saxton et al., incorporated herein by reference,
discloses a slot machine having a computer which
randomly generates a series of numbers corresponding to
stopping positions of each reel in the machine. After
causing the reels to rotate for a period of time, the
machine then stops the reels at their previously
determined stopping positions.
This general type of computer controlled gaming
machine allows similar gaming machines to be
electronically linked together to share a common
jackpot. This is because the final game results and
the jackpot award can be electronically communicated
between a central jackpot controller and 'the various
linked gaming machines. Progressive jackpot gaming
systems, comprised of one or more interconnected gaming
machines which award a progressive jackpot award, are
well known. By allowing players to win a large
progressive jackpot award in addition to the customary
payout for winning combinations, the plays=_rs enjoy a
heightened interest and enthusiasm in the gaming
machines. This heightened enthusiasm translates into
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higher revenue for gaming machine proprietors. U.S. Patent
No. 4,837,728 to Barrie et al., incorporated herein by
reference, describes one such progressive gaming system
comprised of linked slot machines. The circuitry and
software used to fabricate and operate these conventional
linked gaming machines are well known to those skilled in
the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
operates on a system of interconnected gaming machines. In
a normal operation mode, the individual machines provide
awards to individual players based on the generation of
symbol combinations in a first group of symbol combinations.
The linked gaming machines are polled by a feature
controller to determine whether symbol combinations in a
second group of combinations are generated. These symbol
combinations in the second group of combinations are
accumulated until a level is reached such that a bonus award
will be given to the next player whose machine generates a
symbol combination within said second group of symbol
combinations. The first machine to generate a winning
symbol combination within said second group of symbol
combinations is given a bonus award. The feature is then
reset. The status of the feature is displayed for all
players of the linked gaming machines.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of operating a system of linked gaming
machines, said method comprising the steps of: generating
and displaying one or more combinations of symbols in a
first group of combinations by one or more of said linked
gaming machines, a linked gaming machine which displays any
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of said combinations in said first group of combinations
providing an award to a player; generating and displaying
one or more combinations of symbols in a second group of
combinations by one or more of said linked gaming machines,
said second group of combinations being different from said
first group of combinations; polling said linked gaming
machines to receive information from said linked gaming
machines regarding the generation of combinations in said
second group of combinations by any of said linked gaming
machines; displaying a current status of said generation of
combinations in said second group of combinations by any of
said linked gaming machines; generating and displaying a
first combination of symbols within said second group of
combinations by a first one of said linked gaming machines;
determining whether said current status together with the
generation of said first combination meets an award
criterion; and providing an award, if said current status
together with said generation of said first combination
meets said award criterion, by said first one of said linked
gaming machines.
There is also provided a system of linked gaming
machines comprising: awarding circuitry within each of said
linked gaming machines for providing an award to a player of
a linked gaming machine which generated a combination of
symbols within a first group of combinations; a feature
controller coupled to each of said linked gaming machines
for polling said linked gaming machines and for
communicating a common status to all of said linked gaming
machines based upon generation of combinations of symbols
within a second group of combinations by any of said linked
gaming machines; means for determining whether said status
together with a most recent generation of a combination of
symbols within said second group of combinations by a linked
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gaming machine meets an award criterion; means for providing
an indication to said linked gaming machine which generated
said most recent generation of said combination of symbols
in said second group of combinations, and which caused said
award criterion to be met, to pay an award to a player; and
a display device for displaying said common status to all
players of said linked gaming machines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of a circuit
which may be used to implement the present invention.
Figure 2 is a flowchart which shows the basic
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steps used in one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREF~RRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 illustrates a linked gaming system 100
which incorporates the present invention. Other
circuitry for implementing the invention may also be
used. The system 100 includes linked gaming machines
101-108 (which may be conventional electronically
operated slot machines), multiplexer/de-multiplexer
circuit (MUX) 120, central processing unit (CPU) 122,
random access memory (RAM) 124, read only memory (ROM)
126, and output display device 128. MUX 120 may be
replaced with an address/data bus and suitable decoders
within the gaming machines 101-108 so that the gaming
machines 101-108 can be addressed using digital codes.
The circuit within the dashed line will be referred to
as a feature controller 110.
Linked gaming machines 101-108 transmit game
information to and receive feature information from
feature controller 110 through MUX 120 (or a suitable
address/data bus) via bi-directional communication
lines 111-118. Such game information may include
digital codes representing a final displayed
combination of symbols in a slot machine. Such digital
codes are normally generated in conventional slot
machines for addressing an award table stored in a
memory in the slot machine. CPU 122 controls MUX 120
and receives/transmits data from/to the gaming machines
101-108 via communication lines 121.
CPU 122, RAM 124, and ROM 126 are connected
together via communication lines 123 and control the
operation of gaming system 100. RAM 124 is used to
temporarily store data generated by CPU 122. CPU 122
is coupled to and controls output display 128 via lines
125. The operation of feature controller 110 is
controlled by a program stored in ROM 126. The
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circuitry used in feature controller 110 to carry out
the programmed instructions would be known by those
skilled in the art after reading this disclosure.
Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating an operation
of a linked gaming system 100 in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. Such an operation
may be controlled by a program stored in ROM 126.
The system 100 is powered up in a start step 200.
During normal operation of the gaming system 100,
feature controller 110 disables one or more of the
particular features under the command of the feature
controller 110 (step 202). Gaming machines 101-108 may
operate independently of each other during this normal
operation mode and award wins based upon a normal
payout criteria stored in either ROM 126 of feature
controller 110 or in a memory (i.e., an award table)
contained within each of the linked gaming machines.
Feature controller 110 periodically polls each of the
gaming machines 101-108, using MUX 120 (or an
address/data bus) and using conventional polling
techniques, for game results generated in each of the
linked gaming machines (step 204). Polling may be
performed by sequentially accessing the gaming machines
101-108 in the system and reading the current game
results. If the feature has not yet been enabled (step
206) by the feature controller 110, gaming machines
101-108 continue normal operation (step 208).
In step 210, feature controller 110 compares the
game results of each gaming machine 101-108 polled to
feature enabling criteria stored in ROM 126 (or
elsewhere) to determine whether one or more
predetermined features should be enabled. The feature
enabling criteria may consist of any of a variety of
conditions. For example, in one embodiment, a
criterion for enabling the feature may be a specified
number of occurrences of a predetermined combination of
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indica displayed by the gaming machines 101-108. Thus,
for example, the feature may be enabled for a system of
linked slot machines when four like symbols have been
displayed a total of four times by the linked slot
machines.
If the feature controller 110 determines in step
210 that the feature enabling criteria has not meet met
(e. g., the game results indicate that four-of-a-kind
have not yet been generated four times by linked gaming
machines 101-108), the feature remains disabled and the
linked gaming machines 101-108 are again polled (step
204). Steps 204, 206, 208, and 210 are repeated until
the game results generated by one or more of linked
gaming machines 101-108 meet the feature enabling
criteria.
If the feature enabling criteria has been met
(step 210) by the game results, feature controller 110
enables the feature (step 212), and this enabled
feature is now prominently displayed (step 213) by
output display 128 to attract new players and heighten
excitement. At this point, the feature is made
available to all linked gaming machines 101-108. The
various players now play the gaming machines 101-108
having the enabled features. Feature controller 110
again polls each of linked gaming machines 101-108
(step 204) and, with the feature now enabled (step
206), determines whether the feature award criteria
stored in ROM 126 has been met by any of the polled
machines (step 214). Feature controller 110 then
awards a win, based upon the enabled feature, to the
first linked gaming machine to generate a game result
which matches the feature award criteria (step 216).
In one embodiment, the feature operates to double the
award normally associated with a certain game result
(e. g., four-of-a-kind).
Instead of the feature controller 110 determining
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a win based on the polled game results and
communicating the award amount to the gaming machine,
feature controller 110 could modify the award table in
each of the gaming machines 101-108, via communication
lines 111-118, to reflect the enable feature. The
gaming machine would then compare its game result to
the award table and then provide a corresponding award.
In this embodiment, feature controller 110 would still
poll the various gaming machines to determine whether
the feature should be enabled or disabled in the
various award tables.
After a match is found and a win awarded (step
216) in accordance with the feature, the feature is
then disabled (step 202) and all linked gaming machines
101-108 return to normal operation. Gaming machines
101-108 will remain in normal operation until feature
controller 110 again enables the feature (step 212).
If no game result of linked gaming machines 101-
108 matches the feature award criteria, steps 204, 206,
and 214 are repeated until one of linked gaming
machines 101-108 is awarded a win based upon the
feature. In another embodiment, the feature is
automatically disabled after a period of time. This
period of time may be displayed by display 128.
In accordance with the present invention, both the
feature award criteria and the feature enabling
criteria may embody various conditions in addition to
those previously discussed. For instance, in some
embodiments the feature enabling criteria stored in ROM
126 (or elsewhere) may be a predetermined lapse of time
between periods during which the feature has been
disabled; for example, feature controller 110 may
enable the feature 10 minutes after the feature was
last disabled.
To attract more non-player interest in the gaming
machines, the feature enabling criteria may be a
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predetermined lapse of time during which one or more of
linked gaming machines 101-108 has not been played.
And in yet another embodiment, the feature is enabled
in a purely random manner.
Similarly, the feature award criteria stored in
ROM 126 may take on many forms. For example, the
feature award criterion may be the display by one of
the linked gaming machines 101-108 of a certain
combination of symbols (e. g., four-of-a-kind), in which
case the feature will award an enhanced amount (i.e., a
bonus). The feature may even offer the gaming machine
players a greater variety of winning possibilities,
thereby increasing player interest in the linked gaming
system 100. Hence, the feature award criteria may be a
special or randomly chosen combination of symbols which
will incur an enhanced award being given to the player.
In another embodiment, the feature may provide a more
nonconventiona' award by the linked gaming device
meeting the fE,.ture award criteria, such as free game
credits or other prizes.
It is to be understood that the embodiments
described above as applied to linked gaming machines
which display symbols on drums or reels can also be
applied to machines in which the indicia are displayed
on video screens, as well as to other video displayed
games, including but not limy.ed to poker gaming
machines, blackjack gaming machines, and roulette
gaming machines»
While particular embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described, it will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and
modifications may be made without departing from this
invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the
appended claims are to encompass within their scope all
such changes and modifications as fall within the true
spirit and scope of this invention.
