Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of determining the value of a jackpot award. The method entails operating a main game to obtain an outcome, at least one of the outcomes providing an initial award amount and enabling a secondary game. A player is then allowed to wager the initial award amount in the secondary game. The secondary game then identifies a winning or losing outcome. The winning outcome results in an increase of the initial award amount by some incremental amount. The player may continue to wager all or a portion of the won amount until the player has achieved the full jackpot award.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention is related to gaming machines and, in particular, to a method of determining the value of a jackpot award.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    From the German magazine “Munzautomat,” December 1998 issue, page 135, a jackpot system is known that comprises a housing with a jackpot display on the front. Several gaming machines are connected to the jackpot system. One disadvantage of this device is that after the jackpot is triggered, the value of the jackpot is set to zero and that thereafter for a long period of time the player is not motivated to play because of the low jackpot award.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a method of determining the value of a jackpot award in a gaming machine. The method entails operating a main game to obtain an outcome, where at least one of the outcomes, such as a jackpot outcome, enables a secondary game. In one example of the secondary game, a full jackpot amount is displayed along with an initial percentage of the jackpot that the player has just won. Either the main game or the secondary game may determine the initial percentage and the full jackpot value. The player may then accept the initial percentage or wager that amount in the secondary game. If the player chooses to wager that amount, the secondary game determines whether the player wins or loses the wager. If the player wins, the player wins the wagered amount, and the secondary game then continues. The player can keep wagering all or a portion of the amount won in the secondary game until the full jackpot value is reached or exceeded, or until the player no longer has credits to play the secondary game, or until the player decides to quit.  
           [0004]    In one embodiment, portions of each bet in the main game are sent to both a visible jackpot and a hidden jackpot. When a player wins the visible jackpot, instead of the jackpot going down to zero, all or a portion of the hidden jackpot is used as the starting visible jackpot amount. In this way, players are still enticed to play the game by the starting jackpot amount. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gaming device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a display showing a jackpot game in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a process of determining a jackpot amount in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a jackpot display device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a gaming device  1  comprising a housing  2 . Housing  2  comprises a front  3  with two openings  4  and  5 , where a CRT  6  and a jackpot display device  7  are respectively positioned. A control unit  8  coupled to the housing  2  comprises a base plate  9  and two upright elements  10 . Each of upright elements  10  comprises a plate  11  with control consoles  12  having control elements  13 .  
         [0011]    In each upright element  10  there are control units, shown in FIG. 2 as control units  14  and  15 . Both control units are linked to each other. One of the control units is the master and the other is the slave. The master controls jackpot display device  7  and CRT  6 . As can be seen in FIG. 1, the availability of multiple consoles  12  allows a number of players to play gaming device  1 .  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment and may be varied. For example, instead of display device  7  and CRT  6 , a single display device such as a CRT or an LCD display may be used. The single display device may be separated into two regions, one for displaying game symbols and the other for displaying the jackpot amount. Furthermore, housing  2 , control unit  8 , and control console  12  may be combined into a single gaming terminal that may be played by a single player. Each gaming terminal may comprise its own display device  7  and CRT  6 .  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of gaming device  1 . Gaming device  1  comprises a master control unit  14  and a slave control unit  15  located in upright elements  10  (FIG. 1). Control consoles  12  comprise six control elements  13  that are connected to the control units  14  and  15 . Using a CRT controller  17  and a display controller  18 , master control unit  14  operates CRT  6  and display device  7 , respectively.  
         [0014]    A coin/credit detector  16  is connected to each control unit  14  and  15 . Each coin/credit detector  16  may comprise a coin verifier, a bill validator, and a read/write device for cards (e.g., credit cards, smart cards, or printed tickets with bar codes). A dispenser to issue coins and/or bills upon a player cashing out may be employed. Alternatively, the player may be issued a paper ticket to redeem for cash, or another form of cashless transaction may be used.  
         [0015]    Each control unit  14  and  15  is a micro-computer with an input-output device to communicate with peripheral devices (e.g., control elements  13 , lights in control console  12 , etc.). The micro-computers comprise a microprocessor ( 14   a  and  15   a ), a hard disk ROM ( 14   b  and  15   b ), memory RAM ( 14   c  and  15   c ), a timing circuit, a battery ( 14   d  and  15   d ), and a bus system comprising a data-, memory-, address- and control bus ( 14   e  and  15   e ). Control units  14  and  15  may be connected to a network. In an alternative embodiment, a single control unit may be used instead of two control units  14  and  15 .  
         [0016]    On the hard disk ROM  14   b  of control unit  14 , all the game information may be stored (e.g., pseudo random number generator, monitor driver, pay tables, game programs). During a game, pseudo random numbers generated by control unit  14  are determined and stored in RAM  14   c . All generated values during the game are also stored in RAM  14   c  (e.g., remaining credits available to a player). Master control unit  14  uses a pseudo random number generator stored in hard disk ROM  14   b  to determine the time to trigger a jackpot and which symbol combination will be generated to trigger the jackpot.  
         [0017]    The value of the jackpot is displayed using jackpot display device  7 . Every time a player inputs money into the coin/credit device  16  (or plays a credit), control unit  14  distributes the value to the actual (visible) jackpot displayed on display device  7  and to a background jackpot stored in hard disk  14   b . The background jackpot is not displayed to a player, but is used to partially replenish the actual jackpot when a payout is made from the actual jackpot.  
         [0018]    When the gaming device  1  has sufficient credits and play is initiated, control unit  14  determines a combination of symbols using a pseudo random number generator and displays the symbols on CRT  6 . Examples of games include simulated rotating reels, where the reels are randomly stopped to obtain a symbol combination, or a card game such as Blackjack. A player may control the game using control elements  13  in control consoles  12 . For example, in the case of a Blackjack game, a player may operate control elements  13  to draw additional cards.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 shows one example of the display by CRT  6  (FIG. 1). The display is divided into four regions, regions  20 ,  21 ,  22 , and  23 . Each region corresponds to a control console  12  and to an individual player using a control console  12 . In one embodiment, these regions are used for displaying the Blackjack hands; in another embodiment, the regions may display game reels with indicia. Displayed in the lower part of regions  20 ,  21 ,  22 , and  23  are display fields  24 ,  25  and  26  showing the actual score, the bet, and the remaining credits, respectively.  
         [0020]    If a jackpot is triggered, all symbols (e.g., playing cards) disappear, and the player who has won the jackpot can see the possible awards in a win ladder  27 , as is shown in region  23  in FIG. 3. Win ladder  27  may take any suitable form. The highest step  28  of win display  27  is the full jackpot amount. Each award  29  on ladder  27  is about half the value of the next step. The number of steps required to obtain the full jackpot depends on the value of the full jackpot and the value that is initially won by having achieved the jackpot trigger combination. In the example of FIG. 3, the player&#39;s initial win of  860  credits for achieving a triggering combination causes the player to be five steps from winning the full jackpot amount.  
         [0021]    The player may then risk the current award amount in order to gain the next higher award amount. To do this the player selects the “RISIKO” icon  36  in FIG. 3, and a random number generator determines if the player wins (moves up the ladder  27 ) or loses. The game proceeds until the player loses or has achieved the jackpot. In one embodiment, the game ends when the player loses once. In another embodiment, the game ends when the player goes down to zero credits on ladder  27 . The main game (e.g., Blackjack) may then be started again.  
         [0022]    More detail of one process for playing the gaming device  1  is described in the flowchart  100  of FIG. 4. The process begins at step  102 . The master control unit  14  of gaming device  1  detects if there is a bet at step  104 . A predetermined part of the bet (e.g., 10%) is used to fill the jackpot system.  
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the jackpot system comprises a visible jackpot and at least one background jackpot. The background jackpot is used to at least partially replenish the visible jackpot after a payout. The amount of the visible jackpot is shown on the jackpot display device  7  (FIG. 1). Both the values of the visible jackpot and the background jackpot are stored in the hard disk ROM  14   b . The ratio of the visible jackpot to the background jackpot is adjustable by the owner/operator of gaming device  1 . In one embodiment, the background jackpot is filled with a higher percentage than the visible jackpot.  
         [0024]    At step  106 , an algorithm, run on control unit  14 , determines whether an outcome of the main game (e.g., Blackjack) is to trigger the jackpot. Alternatively, the main game can be run, followed by the determination of a jackpot win.  
         [0025]    If there is not to be a triggering for the jackpot at step  106 , control unit  14  uses a pseudo random number generator to determine the symbol combination to be displayed, as shown in step  120 . This symbol combination is displayed at step  122 . At step  124 , the control unit  14  determines whether the symbol combination displayed is a winning combination. If the combination results in a win, then credits are paid out at step  128 . If the result is a loss, the process loops back and starts over again, at step  102 .  
         [0026]    Referring back to step  106 , if the algorithm determines that a jackpot is to be won, control unit  14  determines, in step  108 , the symbol combination to trigger the jackpot game. The different trigger symbol combinations (e.g., ten) are statistically weighted according to their desired probability of occurrence. A coefficient is associated with each triggering symbol combination. The coefficient determines the percentage of the visible jackpot initially awarded. The range of the coefficient is greater than zero and less than or equal to one. Symbol combinations with a lower coefficient offer a smaller portion of the full jackpot.  
         [0027]    In step  110 , once the trigger symbol combination is determined, it is displayed on CRT  6  (FIG. 1). In step  112 , the jackpot win ladder  27  is then displayed in region  23 , as shown in FIG. 3. The smallest award on the win ladder has the value “0,” and the highest award is the full jackpot value. In-between are a variable number of steps and values on the win ladder  27 , ending on the full jackpot value. The full jackpot value may not be known at the moment of the trigger event at step  106 , and the numbers to be displayed on the win ladder  27  must be calculated. The award for the player achieving the trigger symbol combination is identified on the win ladder  27  shown in FIG. 3 by, for example, highlighting or flashing the amount.  
         [0028]    The word “RISIKO” (or other suitable icon) is also displayed on CRT  6 . Thereafter, a player can decide to select the RISIKO icon, by activating control elements  13 , to risk the amount won in order to win the next higher award (step  114 ). If the player loses, he loses the gained award.  
         [0029]    If a player decides to risk the amount already won, control unit  14  randomly determines whether the player wins the next award on the win ladder  27  (step  116 ). In the event of a win, control unit  14  determines whether the player has won the entire jackpot (step  118 ). If the entire jackpot has been won, then the award is paid out at step  128 , and the actual jackpot is replenished using the background jackpot. If the entire jackpot has not been won, the player may choose to again risk the new amount won, at step  114 .  
         [0030]    In the event of a loss, control unit  14  will determine whether only the initial win amount is left, at step  126 . If a player still has more than the initial win amount, then the process will loop back to step  114 , and the player may wager again. However, if a player only has the initial award remaining, he will be paid the original number of credits awarded for achieving the trigger symbol combination, at step  128 . Thus, in one embodiment, a player will never lose the initial number of credits granted for achieving the trigger symbol combination.  
         [0031]    In an alternative embodiment, in the event of a loss, a player may go down one step on the win ladder  27 . In this embodiment, the user may lose some of the original number of credits awarded. If the user loses several times, a consolation win displayed on the win ladder  27  may be granted. In yet another embodiment, a player may lose all the initial number of credits awarded.  
         [0032]    A pay table displayed on the control console  12  identifies to a player the percentages of the full jackpot corresponding to the various triggering symbol combinations. The win ladder  27  allows the user to know how many games (steps) must be played (and won) to reach the full jackpot award and, if desired, which award is the consolidation award that is granted in a loss situation.  
         [0033]    In an alternative embodiment, the various displays and controls may be part of a stand-alone gaming machine for being played by only a single player.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 shows an alternative jackpot display  150 , which comprises a cabinet  152  and a top portion  154  coupled to the upper part of cabinet  152 . Jackpot display  150  may be used with gaming device  1  of FIG. 1, instead of display device  7 . Alternatively, jackpot display  150  may be part of an individual gaming terminal that may be played by a single player.  
         [0035]    On the front  155  of the top portion  154 , there is a digital display  156 , which is connected to a control unit (e.g., control unit  14  in FIG. 2). Below top portion  154 , there are several transparent backlit display fields  158  which are arranged vertically as a ladder on the front  157  of cabinet  152 . A controllable light connected to the control unit is used to provide a backlight for display fields  158 . Any type of display may be used.  
         [0036]    A control element  160  is also connected to the control unit. Control element  160  may be replaced by one of the control elements  13  shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0037]    Jackpot device  150  differs from display  7  (FIG. 1) in that the win ladder  27  shown in FIG. 3 is replaced by a display of percentages of the full jackpot.  
         [0038]    When a jackpot is triggered by the main game, the control unit, using a pseudo random number generator, determines the partial amount (a percentage) of the full jackpot award. Alternatively, the partial amount may be determined by the particular triggering symbol combination in the main game. This partial amount may be wagered in the secondary jackpot) game. The partial amount is displayed by the corresponding display field  158 .  
         [0039]    Using control element  160 , or control elements  13  in FIG. 2, the partial award lit on front  157  may be wagered. The control unit randomly determines a win or a loss. In a loss situation, the player will lose the amount wagered or other portion of the amount already won during the jackpot game. In one embodiment, in a loss situation, the player will still retain the initial amount, and the jackpot game will end.  
         [0040]    In the event of a win during the jackpot game, the next step on the ladder is illuminated, and a next round is carried out if the player activates the control element  160 , assuming the maximum jackpot award has not been achieved. Each time the control element  160  is pressed, the pseudo random number generator determines if the next award on the win ladder is granted. When the player has achieved 100% on the ladder, the full jackpot award is paid. In one embodiment, a win may cause the player to obtain 120% of the displayed full jackpot award. A background jackpot (previously described) may then be used to at least partially replenish the visible jackpot.  
         [0041]    Accordingly, the described systems create increased excitement in players by providing increased player interaction and the possibility of higher jackpots. The term “jackpot” is intended to mean any award no matter what the award is called by the gaming machine.  
         [0042]    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.