Abstract:
A gaming system which maintains a count of the consecutive plays of a game. The system produces a same player stimuli for a designated quantity of the consecutive plays, and the system produces a different player stimuli for one or more of the plays which occur after the designated quantity is reached.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/841,315, filed on Aug. 20, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,016,674, which is a continuation of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/841,014, filed on May 7, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,613, which is a continuation of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/686,244, filed on Oct. 11, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,973, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains or may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates in general to a gaming device, and more particularly to a gaming device that enhances a player&#39;s interest, excitement, length of play and overall enjoyment of the gaming experience while operating the gaming device by changing or generating at least one stimulus presented to the player by the gaming device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Gaming devices in general are designed to attract a player to the device to offer a gaming experience, preferably over an extended period of time. Gaming devices generally attract players through the use of lights, colors, sounds, themes, awards, differing games and bonus games. Gaming devices also use video screens to increase a player&#39;s attraction to a game by offering more winning combinations. However, when a player plays such gaming devices, the gaming devices offer a repetitive gaming experience to the player (i.e., the game repeats the same individual or set of sounds, lights and other stimuli presented to the player.) This repetitive gaming experience is multiplied when a player repeatedly makes the same wager (as many players do) which consists of the same paylines or bet using a “repeat bet” button or a “max bet” button. 
     The player thereby constantly experiences the same audio, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimuli of the gaming device. Known gaming devices which continually offer the same gaming experience in a repetitive fashion to the player causing the player to become lulled or bored while operating the gaming device. This in turn causes the player to lose interest in the gaming device. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a gaming device which enhances a player&#39;s interest, excitement, length of play and enjoyment of the gaming experience while repetitively playing a gaming device or repeatedly making the same wager or bet. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a gaming device which changes repetitive stimuli provided to a player when the player repeatedly plays the gaming device or repeatedly makes the same wager or bet to increase the player&#39;s interest, excitement, length of play, and overall enjoyment. The present invention monitors and temporarily stores player activity, specifically the player&#39;s wagers or bets. When a predetermined or random number of the same bets or wagers are made, the gaming device changes or generates at least one stimulus provided to the player. The change or generation of at least one player stimulus can be subtle or not subtle, and can be done in a predetermined or random fashion. Alternatively, the gaming device of the present invention could be adapted to monitor and temporarily store a predetermined period of time a player operates the gaming device and could change or generate at least one player stimulus based upon that period of time. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gaming device having at least one changed or generated player stimuli to increase a player&#39;s interest, excitement, length of play, and enjoyment of the gaming experience while operating the gaming device. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the claims and accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes. 
     Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1A  is a front plan view of the general configuration of the gaming device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a front plan view of an alternative embodiment of the general configuration of the gaming device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the general electronic configuration of one embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the steps of operating the gaming device of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Gaming Device and Electronics 
     Referring now to the drawings, two embodiments of the gaming device of the present invention are illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 113  as gaming device  10   a  and gaming device  10   b , respectively. Gaming device  10   a  and/or gaming device  10   b  are generally referred to herein as gaming device  10 . Gaming device  10  is preferably a slot machine having the controls, displays and features of a conventional slot machine. It is constructed so that a player can operate it while standing or sitting, and gaming device  10  is preferably mounted on a console. However, it should be appreciated that gaming device  10  can be constructed as a pub-style table-top game (not shown) which a player can operate preferably while sitting. Furthermore, gaming device  10  can be constructed with varying cabinet and display designs, as illustrated by the designs shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Gaming device  10  can also be implemented as a program code stored in a detachable cartridge for operating a hand-held video game device. Also, gaming device  10  can be implemented as a program code stored on a disk or other memory device which a player can use in a desktop or laptop personal computer or other computerized platform. 
     Gaming device  10  can incorporate any primary game such as slot, poker or keno, any of their bonus triggering events and any of their bonus round games. The symbols and indicia used on and in gaming device  10  may be in mechanical, electrical or video form. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , gaming device  10  includes a coin slot  12  and bill acceptor  14  where the player inserts money, coins or tokens. The player can place coins in the coin slot  12  or paper money or a ticket voucher in the bill acceptor  14 . Other devices could be used for accepting payment such as readers or validators for credit cards or debit cards. When a player inserts money in gaming device  10 , a number of credits corresponding to the amount deposited is shown in a credit display  16 . After depositing the appropriate amount of money, a player can begin the game by pulling arm  18  or pushing play button  20 . Play button  20  can be any play activator used by the player which starts any game or sequence of events in the gaming device. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , gaming device  10  also includes a bet display  22  and a bet one button  24 . The player places a bet by pushing the bet one button  24 . The player can increase the bet by one credit each time the player pushes the bet one button  24 . When the player pushes the bet one button  24 , the number of credits shown in the credit display  16  decreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the bet display  22  increases by one. 
     At any time during the game, a player may “cash out” and thereby receive a number of coins corresponding to the number of remaining credits by pushing a cash out button  26 . When the player “cashes out,” the player receives the coins in a coin payout tray  28 . The gaming device  10  may employ other payout mechanisms such as credit slips redeemable by a cashier or electronically recordable cards which keep track of the player&#39;s credits. 
     Gaming device  10  also includes one or more display devices. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A  includes a central display device  30 , and the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B  includes a central display device  30  as well as an upper display device  32 . Gaming device  10  preferably displays a plurality of reels  34 , preferably three to five reels  34  in mechanical or video form at one or more of the display devices. However, it should be appreciated that the display devices can display any visual representation or exhibition, including but not limited to, movement of physical objects such as mechanical reels and wheels, dynamic lighting and video images. A display device can be any viewing surface such as glass, a video monitor or screen, a liquid crystal display or any other display mechanism. If the reels  34  are in video form, the display device for the video reels  34  is preferably a video monitor. 
     Each reel  34  displays a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which preferably correspond to a theme associated with the gaming device  10 . Furthermore, gaming device  10  preferably includes speakers  36  for making sounds or playing music. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the general electronic configuration of gaming device  10  preferably includes: a processor  38 ; a memory device  40  for storing program code or other data; a central display device  30 ; an upper display device  32 ; a sound card  42 ; a plurality of speakers  36 ; and one or more input devices  44 . The processor  38  is preferably a microprocessor or microcontroller-based platform which is capable of displaying images, symbols and other indicia such as images of people, characters, places, things and faces of cards. The memory device  40  can include random access memory (RAM)  46  for storing event data or other data generated or used during a particular game. The memory device  40  can also include read only memory (ROM)  48  for storing program code which controls the gaming device  10  so that it plays a particular game in accordance with applicable game rules and pay tables. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the player preferably uses the input devices  44 , such as pull arm  18 , play button  20 , the bet one button  24  and the cash out button  26  to input signals into gaming device  10 . In certain instances, it is preferable to use a touch screen  50  and an associated touch screen controller  52  instead of a conventional video monitor display device. Touch screen  50  and touch screen controller  52  are connected to a video controller  54  and processor  38 . A player can make decisions and input signals into the gaming device  10  by touching touch screen  50  at the appropriate places. As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the processor  38  can be connected to coin slot  12  or bill acceptor  14 . The processor  38  can be programmed to require a player to deposit a certain amount of money in order to start the game. 
     It should be appreciated that although a processor  38  and memory device  40  are preferable implementations of the present invention, the present invention can also be implemented using one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC&#39;s) or other hard-wired devices, or using mechanical devices (collectively referred to herein as a “processor”). Furthermore, although the processor  38  and memory device  40  preferably reside on each gaming device  10  unit, it is possible to provide some or all of their functions at a central location such as a network server for communication to a playing station such as over a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet connection, microwave link, and the like. The processor  38  and memory device  40  together are generally referred to herein as the “computer” or “controller.” 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  2 , to operate the gaming device  10  in one embodiment the player must insert the appropriate amount of money or tokens at coin slot  12  or bill acceptor  14  and then pull the arm  18  or push the play button  20 . The reels  34  will then begin to spin. Eventually, the reels  34  will come to a stop. As long as the player has credits remaining, the player can spin the reels  34  again. Depending upon where the reels  34  stop, the player may or may not win additional credits. 
     In addition to winning credits in this manner, gaming device  10  may also provide players the opportunity to win credits in a bonus round. This type of gaming device  10  will include a program which will automatically begin a bonus round when the player has achieved a qualifying condition in the game. This qualifying condition can be a particular arrangement of indicia on a display device. The gaming device  10  preferably uses a video-based central display device  30  to enable the player to play the bonus round. Preferably, the qualifying condition is a predetermined combination of indicia appearing on a plurality of reels  34 . As illustrated in the five reel slot game shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the qualifying condition could be the number seven appearing on three adjacent reels  34  along a payline  56 . It should be appreciated that the present invention can include one or more paylines, such as payline  56 , wherein the paylines can be horizontal, diagonal or any combination thereof. The present invention may be employed in a primary, secondary or bonus game of a gaming machine. 
     Gaming Device Apparatus Having at Least One Changed or Generated Player Stimulus 
     The present invention includes a gaming device  10  which enhances the interest, excitement, length of play, and enjoyment of the gaming experience for a player operating gaming device  10  by changing or generating at least one player stimulus after a predetermined or random number of wagers or bets has been inputted into gaming device  10  by the player. To do so, the gaming device  10  monitors and temporarily stores the player&#39;s wagers or bets which the player inputs into gaming device  10  using one or more of input devices  44  as can be seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     Based on the number of consecutive activations of input device  44 , the gaming device  10  changes or generates at least one player stimuli after a predetermined or random number of those consecutive activations has been inputted into the gaming device. The changed or generated stimulus may be subtly or not subtly perceptible by the player and can be displayed or generated from gaming device  10  in a predetermined or random fashion. The player stimuli can include, but are not limited to, at least one changed or generated light, display, sound, and timing or speed of the gaming device. Thus, such player stimuli can be an auditory, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimulus and combinations thereof. 
     In the preferred embodiment of gaming device  10 , the gaming device resets itself when a reset mechanism such as the “cash out” button  26  is activated by the player. When the gaming device  10  is reset, the gaming device preferably defaults to the basic game stimuli. The general steps of operating gaming device  10  according to the principles of the present invention are illustrated via the flowchart of  FIG. 3 . 
     It should be appreciated that while the cash out button  26  is one preferred form of the reset mechanism within gaming device  10 , other reset mechanisms could be employed within gaming device  10 . Such mechanisms can include, but are not limited to, for instance, activation of at least one different input device  44  ( FIG. 2 ) than immediately previously inputted by the player or a predetermined number of at least one of the changed or generated player stimuli occurring to subsequently trigger processor  38  to reset gaming device  10 . 
     The input devices  44  are preferably monitored by gaming device  10  or via the controller and can include, but are not limited to: cash out button  26 , play button  20 , bet one button  24 , bet max button  52 , bet per line button  54 , and at least one bet amount button  58 . The gaming device can include other conventional input mechanisms such as a repeat bet button. 
     The predetermined number of consecutive activations of at least one type of input mechanism  44  inputted into gaming device  10  (which preferably ranges from about 10 activations to about 25 activations or greater, but can be one or more activations) causes processor  38  to change at least one player stimulus already provided to the player or to generate at least one different player stimulus. For example, if a player activates input device  44  in the form of bet max button  52  ten times, processor  38  monitoring and temporarily storing such activations in conjunction with memory device  40  changes or generates at least one player stimulus as a response to that number of activations equaling the predetermined number of activations required to cause activation of processor  38  and memory device  40 . 
     Alternatively, if a first player were to activate input mechanism  44  in the form of bet max button  52  five times, such a number of activations being monitored and stored by processor  38  in conjunction with memory device  40  would not be equal to the predetermined number of activations i.e., ten, required to cause processor  38  and memory device  40  to change or generate at least one player stimulus or combinations thereof. Yet, if the first player or a subsequent player completes the required predetermined number of activations, then processor  38  would change or generate at least one audio, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimulus as well as combinations thereof to enhance the player&#39;s excitement, interest, length of play, and enjoyment of the gaming experience while operating gaming device  10 . 
     It should be appreciated by those skilled in the gaming device art, however, that the number of consecutive activations of at least one type of input device  44  required to cause processor  38  to change or generate at least one player stimuli can be a random number generated by the controller of gaming device  10  rather than some previously established predetermined number. 
     With respect to the changed or generated stimuli of the preferred embodiment, the stimuli can be at least one audio stimulus, visual stimulus, audio-visual stimulus, length of time stimulus, and combinations thereof. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that when gaming device  10  or processor  38  changes or generates at least one player stimulus, the change or generation of that stimulus can be done in a predetermined or random fashion. 
     For example, processor  38  once triggered by the predetermined or random number of activations inputted into gaming device  10  could first change an auditory stimulus and then a visual stimulus and continue that pattern of change in a predetermined fashion. Alternatively, processor  38  once triggered could randomly change or generate any of the player stimuli of gaming device  10  rather than doing so in some predetermined sequence or order. 
     It should be appreciated by one skilled in the gaming device art that the present invention contemplates changing or generating not just one stimulus via gaming device  10  or processor  38 , but also a plurality of stimuli. Further, the present invention also contemplates that processor  38  can change or generate at least one audio, visual, audio-visual, length of time stimulus or combinations thereof at the same time or at different times. 
     Preferably, the auditory stimulus includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following examples: a changed reel spin sound, a changed reel stop sound, a changed input mechanism activation sound, a changed audio clip generated by gaming device  10 , a changed reel speed sound, and combinations thereof. 
     Preferably, the visual stimulus includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following examples: a changed reel speed, a change in lighting of one or more reels  34 , a changed lighting scheme of gaming device  10 , a flashing light, an alternating light, a changed reel symbol, display of a static image, a changed display of a static image, display of a motion picture, changed display of a motion picture, and combinations thereof. 
     Preferably, the length of time stimulus is a shortened reel spin time or changed reel spin speed. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, gaming device  10  enhances the player&#39;s interest, excitement, length of play, and enjoyment of the gaming experience for an extended period of time by monitoring and temporarily storing player activations of at least one input device  44  during a period of time (preferably displayed upon display device  32  and activated through touch screen  50 ) to cause processor  38  to change or generate at least one player stimulus or combinations thereof upon display device  32  and/or generated from speakers  36  if a predetermined number of those activations occurs during that period of time. The input mechanisms, reset mechanisms, and stimuli of the preferred embodiment are equally applicable to this alternative embodiment. 
     The triggering event to cause processor  38  to change or generate at least one stimulus is the activation of at least one input device  44  for a predetermined period of time. Preferably, the predetermined period of time activating at least one input device  44  is about ten seconds or greater. 
     For example, a player of gaming device  10  activates input mechanism  44  in the form of bet one button  24  for a period of five minutes or greater. In doing so, processor  38  monitoring and temporarily storing such a period of activation in conjunction with memory device  40 , recognizes that the predetermined period of activation has been reached and subsequently changes or generates at least one audio, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimulus or combinations thereof. 
     In another alternative embodiment, the present invention contemplates that processor  38  in conjunction with memory device  10  is capable of monitoring and temporarily storing a combination of a number of activations and a period of activation for input device  44 . In doing so, gaming device  10  can offer any player of the gaming device at least one changed or generated audio, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimulus as well as combinations thereof at a varying rate based upon a variety of quantity and time combinations of input device  44  activation. Thus, this embodiment of gaming device  10  offers a large possible quantity of changeable gaming experiences for the player. 
     In further alternative embodiment, the present invention contemplates that input device  44  can be displayed as a mechanical push-button (as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B ) capable of being depressed to register as an activation, preferably by processor  38  and memory device  40 . In doing so, this embodiment like the preferred embodiment changes or generates at least one audio, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimulus as well as combinations thereof by processor  38  when the predetermined or random number of activations of mechanical input device  44  has been completed by a player. 
     In a still further alternative embodiment, the present invention contemplates that input device  44  can be displayed as a mechanical push-button (as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B ) capable of being depressed to preferably register within processor  38  and memory device  40  as a point in time when input device  44  has been activated. After at least one mechanical input device  44  has been activated for a predetermined period of time, processor  38  changes or generates at least one player stimulus or combinations thereof according to the objectives of the present invention. 
     In another alternative embodiment, the present invention also contemplates providing a plurality of reels having a plurality of input devices  44  as previously described such that by activating at least one input device  44  also activates another input device  44  as well. Such an embodiment enables the predetermined or random number of activations and/or the predetermined period of time of activation of at least one input device  44  to be reached at a faster rate so that a player may experience at least one changed or generated player stimulus or combinations thereof sooner during gaming play. 
     In still another alternative embodiment, the present invention contemplates that gaming device  10  can separately contain only one of the auditory, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimuli to focus upon that particular type of stimulus. For example, gaming device  10  could only contain visual stimuli that would be generated by processor  38  rather than in combination with other auditory, auditory-visual, and length of time stimuli. However, it is preferable for the present invention, that gaming device  10  contain a plurality of auditory, visual, and length of time stimuli. 
     In yet another alternative embodiment, the present invention contemplates that gaming device  10  can display input device  44  in mechanical or video form and processor  38  can monitor and temporarily store the predetermined or random number of activations or alternatively the predetermined or random period of activation of input device  44  as a component of a base game format, bonus game format, or a combination of both. 
     As mentioned above, a bonus game is an award generating play of the game other than a combination of the reels giving an award initially. Thus, the predetermined or random number of activations or predetermined or random period of activation of input device  44  could be generated from a base game, a bonus game, or a combination of both to cause processor  38  to change or generate at least one audio, visual, audio-visual, or length of time stimulus as well as combinations thereof. 
     By allowing the present invention to occur in a base game, bonus game, or a combination thereof, a player has an increased opportunity to enjoy the enhanced gaming experience produced according to the objectives of the present invention. 
     In a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, at least one stimuli is changed or generated after the gaming device  10  (instead of the player) repeats a function a predetermined number of times. One embodiment of this alternative embodiment includes increasing the reel spin speed after the reels are automatically spun by gaming device  10  or processor  38  at least twice. 
     While the present invention is described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. Modifications and variations in the present invention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of the invention as defined in the claims, and this application is limited only by the scope of the claims. 
     It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.