Abstract:
The gaming device comprises a main game, which results in random outcomes. At least one of the outcomes enables a secondary game. Indicia are selected and displayed in the secondary game. A player positions the indicia of the secondary game by operating controls. A pay out to the player is made based on the indicia and their positions selected by the player.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a device for the determination of a winning amount on an amusement machine and specifically to a device for the determination of a bonus amount in a secondary game.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    From the publication DE 198 42 128.A1, a coin operated amusement machine with a jackpot device is known. The coin-operated amusement machine comprises a symbol gaming device and a display with several digits to display the credit value. Furthermore, the coin operated amusement machine comprises a display with several digits corresponding to a jackpot value for obtaining a certain jackpot symbol combination. By operating the control elements, a jackpot symbol combination may be changed by a player. The player wins the jackpot value if the symbols randomly selected by the machine matches the player-selected jackpot symbol combination. The disadvantage of this invention is that a decision to change the jackpot symbol combination is not available for each game, so that the player is only seldom actively and strategically involved in the game.  
           [0003]    The present invention solves this problem by guaranteeing active player interaction at regular intervals.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0004]    The gaming device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention comprises a main game, which results in random outcomes. At least one of the outcomes enables a secondary game. The secondary game is activated, and indicia of the secondary game are displayed. A player positions the indicia of the secondary game by operating control elements. Once all the indicia of the secondary game are positioned, a pay out to the player is made based on the order and combination of the indicia. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 shows the front of an amusement machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an amusement machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a flow chart that describes a game sequence in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 shows a display device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 shows a coin-operated amusement machine  1  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention may be used with amusement machines operated with other kinds of credit such as bills, credit/debit cards, or bar codes associated with credit. Amusement machine  1  comprises a housing  2  with a front  3 , which is built as a door. Front  3  comprises windows  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . Window  5  displays the credit value available to a player. Window  6  displays the value of coins inserted into a coin slot  9 . Window  4  displays the symbols of a first game. FIG. 1 shows a video reel type game, where certain symbol combinations in window  4  are winning combinations.  
         [0010]    Underneath window  4 , there are game control elements  10 , which are connected to a control unit  18  (see FIG. 2). By activating game control elements  10 , the game shown through window  4  can be played.  
         [0011]    Underneath control elements  10  there is a window  7 , which displays three digit fields  7   a - 7   c . In other embodiments, window  7  may display more or less digits or other symbols. A control element  8  is associated with each of the digit fields  7   a - 7   c  displayed behind window  7 . Control elements  8  are connected to control unit  18  (see FIG. 2) of amusement machine  1 .  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a block diagram  12  of various components of amusement machine  1  in FIG. 1. A credit value display device  14  is located behind window  5  (FIG. 1) and displays the credit value available to a player. A coin meter device  16  is located behind window  6  (FIG. 1) and displays the value of coins inserted into amusement machine  1 . Credit value display device  14  and coin meter device  16  are connected to control unit  18 , which comprises a microcomputer  20 . Credit value display device  14  and coin meter device  16  may be LCD displays, mechanical counters, or some other device that displays numbers.  
         [0013]    A first game display device  22  is located behind window  4  and is used to display game symbol combinations. First game display device  22  can be mechanical wheels, reels, flip cards, dice, a CRT, an LCD, an LED display, or other type of display. Additionally, transparent, backlit pictures of digits can be used. First game control elements  10  are connected to control unit  18  and are used to play the game displayed on first game display device  22 .  
         [0014]    A second game display device  26  is located behind window  7  and displays the digit fields  7   a - 7   c  of the second game. Second game display device  26  may be mechanical wheels, reels, flip cards, dice, a CRT, an LCD, an LED display, or other type of display. Control elements  8  are connected to control unit  18 . In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of display devices may be used to display the individual digit fields  7   a - 7   c.    
         [0015]    In yet another embodiment, a single display device may be used instead of first game display device  22  and second game display device  26 . The single display device may be separated into two regions, with one region displaying the game symbol combinations of first game display device  24  and a second region displaying the digits of second game device  26 .  
         [0016]    Coin entry  9  (FIG. 1) is coupled to a coin validator  30  (FIG. 2) that forwards the coins into a coin hopper (not shown). Coin validator  30  determines the value of the accepted coins and sends this value to control unit  18 . Control unit  18  sends a signal to coin meter  16  to register the value of the accepted coins.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a flow chart  42  of a process of playing a game in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. At step  44 , a change of coin meter  16  prompts control unit  18  to check if the actual value on coin meter  16  corresponds to the necessary credit for game play. If there is enough credit for game play, at step  46 , the first game display device  22  behind window  4  activated. Control unit  18  determines, at random, a symbol combination, which is displayed by first game display device  22 .  
         [0018]    At step  48 , control unit  18  checks if the displayed symbol combination is a winning combination. If a specially marked winning combination according to a pay table is displayed, second game display device  26  (FIG. 2), located behind window  7 , is activated as part of the bonus game. The pay table is stored in a memory device connected to control unit  18 , as is well known in the art. The specially marked combination may include a special symbol or special combination that gives rise to the bonus or secondary game. An award may also be paid immediately upon obtaining the specially marked winning combination.  
         [0019]    At step  50 , to play the bonus game in one embodiment, a digit is displayed by first game display device  22 . Microcomputer  20  selects the digit from a predetermined range, for example, 0-9, using a pseudo random number generator program.  
         [0020]    In one embodiment, first game display device  22  is able to display both symbols and digits. In one embodiment, an LCD monitor is used as first game display device  22 , and control unit  18  controls the monitor to display selections of symbols or digits. In an alternative embodiment, mechanical reels are used as first game display device  22 . In order to display both symbols and digits, two concentric mechanical reels are used. The outer reel displays symbols and comprises at least one hole. Through the hole in the first reel, the digits displayed on the second wheel can be seen. In yet another embodiment, flip cards may comprise both digits and symbols.  
         [0021]    At step  52 , a player positions the selected digit (or other indicia) on second game display device  26 , using one of second game control elements  8  (e.g., buttons). The digit is then transferred from first game display  22  to the selected digit field on second game display  26 . Control unit  18  then checks if all digit positions are occupied, at step  54 . If there is a digit field  7   a - 7   c , that is not occupied, the process loops back to step  50 , where microcomputer  20  draws another digit. The second digit is then displayed on first game device  22  and is transferred to the position on second game display device  26  that the player has chosen. As shown at step  56 , when all digit display fields  7   a - 7   c  are occupied, a winning bonus amount based on the digits drawn and their positions is paid out and added to credit meter  5 , according to a pay table stored in control unit  18 . The pay table may vary the pay out for the same sequence of digits from game to game so the player does not know which sequence of digits will have the highest award.  
         [0022]    The award may be in the form of coins or other units, such as credits or encoding a card or paper ticket.  
         [0023]    Each digit can be present several times, equal to the number of digit fields. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 every digit within the predetermined range may be drawn three times, once for each digit field  7   a - 7   c.    
         [0024]    If desired, the predetermined range of digits used with the present invention can be limited in various ways. For example, the range may be limited to only the digits 4-8 for a particular draw, and that range is not available for further drawings. Alternatively, the digits may be programmed to be drawn from a single range, so that if drawn once they are not available for further drawings. A similar result may be achieved by taking out every drawn digit from the range available for the next drawing.  
         [0025]    In another embodiment, the player selects the indicia (from a set of indicia) to use in the bonus game and then selects the positions of the indicia. The pay table varies from game to game. The player may select the indicia using buttons, a touch screen, or by other means.  
         [0026]    In one embodiment, after the bonus game, the pay table for that bonus game is displayed to the player on a video screen so the player may see what she would have won using different positions of the indicia or using different indicia.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. Second game display device  26  displays five digit fields  7   a - 7   e . Digits for the three digit fields in the middle fields  7   b - 7   d  are drawn and positioned according to the process illustrated in the flow chart  42 . A mystery game run by control unit  18  is then started to determine which outer (field  7   a  or  7   e ) position will be activated. The mystery game is displayed in window  4  on first game display device  24 . The mystery game may comprise generating combinations of symbols and/or digits. A particular combination of symbols may represent activating the first field  7   a , whereas a different combination may represent activating the last field  7   d . Alternatively, the mystery game may simply draw a digit that represents the field to be activated.  
         [0028]    After it is determined whether the first or last position is activated, an additional digit is drawn to occupy the activated field. The payout is then made according to a pay table as shown in step  56  of flow chart  42 . Alternatively, four of the five or all five digit fields shown in FIG. 4 may be occupied according to the process of flow chart  42 .  
         [0029]    Although an embodiment of the invention has been described using digits in the secondary (or bonus) game, any indicia, instead of digits, may be randomly selected. Such indicia may include fruit symbols, shapes, or any other type of indicia. The player may select the position of the indicia using the control elements  8 .  
         [0030]    The device of the present invention has the advantage of the player actively participating in the game by being prompted to determine the positions of indicia in a display device. By the continued active participation of a player, a very high degree of tension and entertainment is achieved. Immediately after the positioning of the respective randomly determined indicia the player gets to know the result of his active participation. Because the consequences of the decision are shown immediately after the decision, the device of the present invention features active integration of the player at an amusement machine and grants to the player recurring game tension. In contrast to prior art devices that allow the player to select the jackpot symbol combinations, Applicant&#39;s specially marked symbol combinations can occur much more frequently than jackpot symbol combinations and involve more player involvement.  
         [0031]    The concepts of this invention may be applied to other types of bonus games where the player positions selected indicia in the hopes of obtaining a maximum award.  
         [0032]    While particular embodiments 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.