Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECI FICATI~N
Electronic Video Gambling Device
With Player Controlled Amusement
Feature
Background of the Invention
[0001 ] The present invention relates to wagering games, and more particularly
pertains to wagering games of the type played in casinos on an electronic
video
gaming device.
[0002] A wide variety of electronic arcade games and gases adapted for play on
personal computers include an input device such as a trackball, joystick,
mouse,
light gun, tough screen, etc. to enable a player to make control inputs that
affect
events displayed on an electronic video screen. For example, players of an
arcade
game known as "Missile Command" use a trackball to attempt to shoot down
electronic representations of incoming enemy missiles displayed on video
screen.
[0003] Video bowling games for personal computers, such as a shareware game
known as WINBOWL, are also known, in which a player sues a control input, a
computer mouse for example, to control the path of a video representation of a
bowling ball down a video representation of a bowling lane. Examples of online
virtual bowling games for personal computers may be played on the Internet at
http://www.brunswickbowling.com/htm!/game.html and
http://207.69.i 32.225/games/bowling/bowl.htm
[0004]
A slot machine known as "Casino Bowling" developed by Anchor Gaming and
International Game Technology includes a bonus feature themed around
traditional
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bowling that is achieved when a player lines up three bowling symbols on the
game's payline. The bonus feature encourages players to hit a "roll the ball"
button
on the game's console, which triggers the game's version of a rolled ball in a
bowling alley. A win amount obtained by a player corresponds to their total
bowling score. Players who roil a perfect "300" score win a bonus jackpot. The
game allows players to experience rolling a simulated bowling ball down a lane
and
"exploding" bowling pins, which results in a strike, spare, split, or open
frame.
Brief Summary of the Invention
[0005] The present invention provides a method and apparatus for playing
wagering
games on an electronic video gaming device in which a player controls an
amusement feature of the device by use of a pointing device, such as a
trackball. In
an exemplary currently preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic
video
gaming device comprises a virtual reel video type slot machine including reel
symbols or indicia pertaining to a bowling theme, and the amusement feature
comprises an electronic video simulation of at least a portion of a bowling
frame,
in which the player at least partially controls a position of a video
representation of
a bowling ball by use of a trackball pointing device. Preferably, the
amusement
feature is associated with a bonus event that becomes operative only under
certain
predetermined or randomly determined conditions, such as when a player obtains
one or one or more predetermined winning combinations of reel symbols
operative
to inifiiate a bonus opportunity. The player control input in connection with
the
amusement feature may be solely for player amusement and have no actual effect
on the outcome of any player wager, or may alternatively control, or at least
partially control, the outcome of at least a potion of the play on the
electronic
video gaming device.
[0006] These and various other advantages and features of novelty which
characterize
the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto
and
forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention,
it
advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to
the
drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive
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3
matter, in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of
the
invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007] Figure 1 is a front view of an electronic video gambling device
according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0008] Figure 2 is a partial front perspective detail view illustrating player
control and
video screen components of the electronic video gambling device shown in
Figure
1.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0009] Referring now to Figures i and 2, an electronic video gambling device
10
according to an example preferred embodiment of the invention includes a
vertically upstanding housing 12 having an electronic video display screen 14.
The
device 10 may have the same general configuration as depicted in U.S. Design
Patent No. 395,463, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference. The device 10 includes generally conventional coin 16 and bill 18
acceptors operative to receive coins, tokens, and bills for the purpose of
permitting
players to place monetary wages in connection with play of a gambling game on
the device 10. As is generally well known in virtual reel types of electronic
gaming
devices, the gambling device i 0 preferably includes an LCD display or counter
20
operative to display an accounting of credits accumulated by the insertion of
coins,
tokens, or bills by a player into the acceptors i 6 and 18. The electronic
gambling
device 10 preferably also includes a chip or token return tray 22 for the
purpose of
dispensing chips, coins, or tokens to a winning player during play of a
gambling
game on the device 10.
[001 O]
The gambling device 10 also preferably includes a plurality of player actuated
push buttons 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 to permit a player to select a
wager
amount, begin play of the game, cash out remaining credits, and to control
other
aspects of game play. In a preferred embodiment of a bowling theme virtual
reel
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type slot machine according to the present invention, the control buttons
preferably have the following functions:
[001 1 ] "How to Play" button 24, when actuated, causes to appear on a video
display a
partible of possible awards and their values, the rules of the game, and
instructions on how to play the game.
[0012] "Bet 1 Per Line" button 26, which wagers one coin on each payline
(there are 8
paylines in the example 3x3 game format) and which initiates play.
[0013] "Bet 2 Per Line" button 28, which wagers two coins on each payline and
initiates play.
[00i4] "Bet 3 Per Line" button 30, which wages three coins on each payline and
initiates play.
[0015] "Bet 4 Per Line" button 32, which wagers four coins on each payline and
initiates play.
[0016] "Bet MAX" button 34, which wages the maximum amount of coins on each
payline and initiates play.
[0017] PLAY - begins play of the game.
[0018] The invention contemplates that other common formats may be utilized,
such
as a 9 coin per line maximum wager utilizing the buttons "Bet 1 Per Line" -
"Bet 2
Per Line" - "Bet 3 Per Line" - "Bet 5 Per Line" - and the "Bet MAX" button (in
this
instance 9 per line).
[0019]
The gambling device 10 may also include a touch screen control having a
plurality of regions designated for controlling wager amounts and other
aspects of
play of the gambling device 10. Such touch screen control may be provided in
addition to the control buttons, or as an alternative thereto, or the gambling
device
may be controlled by a combination of push buttons and touch screen regions.
as a further additional or alternative mechanism for permitting a player to
enter a
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control input, the gambling device 10 may include a handle 40 for initiating
play of
the gambling game after the placement of a wager. The handle 40 is preferably
an
alternative to initiating play of the game by depressing the control button
36.
[0020] Preferably, the gambling device 10 is a computer operated device
including,
without limitation, a CPU, system bus, RAM, ROM, and hard drive components
(not
shown), of the same general type as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,971,851,
the
entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0021 ] The gambling device 10, in the illustrated bowling theme embodiment,
includes suitable software and/or firmware operative to cause a so-called
"virtual
reel" display comprising a matrix of three horizontal rows 42, 44, and 46 and
three
vertical columns 48, 50, and 52 forming nine square display regions operative
to
display bowling related symbols or indicia such as "Strike Bonus," "Spare
Bonus,"
and representations of bowling pins. The gambling device 10 may additionally
display certain non-bowling related symbols, such as the number "7."
[0022] The gambling device 10 is preferably operative to permit a player to
"spin" one
or more of the nine square display regions fihrough suitable software and/or
firmware. The "spinning" capability of the "virtual reels" may vary within the
scope
of the present invention. For example, a player might be able to selectively
"spin"
one or more of the nine square regions on an individually selected basis.
Alternatively, a player might be able to selectively "spin" one or more of the
horizontal rows 42, 44, and 46. In still another alternative, a player might
be able
to "spin" one or more of the horizontal rows 42, 44 and 46. In still another
alternative, a player might be able to "spin" one or more of the vertical
columns 48,
50, and 52. It should be understood that although the preferred embodiment has
been illustrated with a three-by-three "virtual reel" matrix, greater or fewer
horizontal rows and/or verfiical columns may be provided within the scope of
the
invention. Further, non-rectangular arrays of game symbols such as circles,
hexagons, random patterns, etc. may be utilized.
[0023]
Various wager opportunities and associated winning conditions for play of the
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gambling game i 0 may be utilized. For example, a player might be afforded an
opportunity to place one, two, or three wages in order to play row 42 only, or
rows
42 and 44, or rows 42, 44, and 46. The potential winning amounts are
preferably
greater for play of multiple rows. Alternatively, or additionally, players may
be
afforded the opportunity to wager on one or more of the vertical columns 48,
50,
and 52, or might be afforded an opportunity to wager on the occurrence of a
particular symbol in a particular square within the matrix.
[0024] !n accordance with fihe invention, one or more regions of the video
display
screen 14 are operative to display a video representation of at least one
bonus
event upon occurrence of one or more bonus event triggering conditions). In
the
illustrated example preferred embodiment, the bonus event comprises at least a
portion of a bowling theme. The bonus event representations may be displayed
on
an upper portion of the video screen 14, above the central virtual reel
display, or
may alternatively be displayed centrally, in place of the virtual reel
display. In
accordance with the example bowling theme embodiment, the bonus event
includes video representations of at least one bowling lane 61, at least one
bowling
ball 62, and an array of bowling pins 64.
[002 5]
The bonus event triggering conditions are preferably predetermined
combinations of bowling theme symbols in alignment in ore or more rows or
columns. Further, more than one bonus event, triggered by different
conditions,
and with different potential winning opportunities might be provided. For
example,
alignment of three "Strike Bonus" symbols in a single row might trigger a
"spare
bonus" event, and alignment of three "Spare Bonus" symbols in a single row
might
trigger a "spare bonus" event. Further, the gambling device 10 might be
programmed such that the "strike bonus" event occurs with less frequency and
has
a higher potential winning amount than a "spare bonus" event. The bonus event
may be associated with an optional or mandatory additional wager, or may
require
or permit no further wages beyond those initially placed for play of the game.
Also,
the payoffs for the bonus events) may be fixed amounts, a fixed multiple of a
wager, a progressive jackpot, a randomly determined amount, or a percentage of
a
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progressive jackpot. Further, the bonus events) may have multiple potential
payoff
amounts that depend upon results obtained by a player in the bonus event.
[0026] As an alternative to randomly occurring predetermined winning
conditions, the
bonus activating or trigger event may be a predetermined player controlled
condition, such as placement of a certain wager or certain combinations of
wagers.
[0027] In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the electronic
gambling device 7 0 includes a control input, such as a trackball 38 mounted
on a
horizontally extending front support platform 39, to permit a player to make a
control input that at least partially controls the video representation
associated
with the bonus event. In the illustrated embodiment, a player may manipulate
the
trackball 39 to control the position of the bowling ball 62 on the lane 61. In
addition, or alternatively, the trackball 38 may permit a player to control
timing,
release point, hook, and speed of the ball 62. The present invention
contemplates
that the control input through the trackball 38 may be solely for player
amusement
and have no actual effect on the outcome of the bonus event or any player
wager,
or may alternatively control, or at least partially control, the outcome of at
least a
portion of the play on the electronic video gaming device 10. In accordance
with
the currently preferred embodiment of the invention, the player control input
thought the trackball 38 is operative to control only the video representation
of the
ball 62, and has no effect on the outcome of the bonus event or any other
player
wager. In this manner, the gambling device 10 affords a player amusement
feature,
while at the same time maintaining compliance of the device 10 with odds-based
payoff statistics that would be upset by a skill-based effect of player
bowling ball
manipulation on wagering outcomes. Further, the player control input may
control
only a portion of the video representation associated with the bonus event,
and
may have no effect on the actual outcome of the video representation. For
example, the trackball 38 may control the initial position of release of the
bowling
ball, but have no effect on how many pins fall.
[002 8]
As an alternative to the trackball 38, or in combination therewith, other
player
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control input mechanisms may be employed such as a computer mouse, touch
screen light pen or gun, joystick, steering wheel, pedals, buttons, etc.
Further,
although the present invention has been illustrated and described with
reference to
a bowling theme embodiment, the teaching and concepts of the invention may be
implemented in connection with various other themes, such as race car themes,
shooting gallery themes, hunting themes, trap shooting themes, sailing themes,
tennis themes, golf themes, baseball themes, football themes, soccer themes,
hockey themes, basketball themes, horseshoes themes, horse racing themes, etc.
[0029] It is to be understood, however, thafi even though numerous
characteristics and
advantages of the present invention have been set forth in foregoing
description,
together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the
disclosure
is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters
of
shape, size and arrangement of parts or types of material within the
principles of
the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the
terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
[0030] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described
with
reference to the preferred mode as illustrated in the drawing, it will be
understood
by one skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be effected
therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
claims.
