Patent Publication Number: US-8986092-B2

Title: Video poker wagering game having bonus hands based on qualifying hand

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Application 60/657,947, filed on Mar. 1, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to gaming machines, and methods for playing wagering games, and more particularly, to a gaming machine having bonus hands based upon qualifying hands. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines, and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators, consequently, strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available, because such machines attract frequent play and, hence, increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player. 
     One concept successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or enhanced audio. Bonus games may, additionally, award players with “progressive jackpot” awards funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the player and operator demands. 
     Gaming machines utilize a variety of mechanisms to present various combinations of symbols, and to award prizes, money, or other awards associated with certain predefined winning combinations. Traditional slot machines, for example, utilize a plurality of reels (either mechanical, or simulated on a video display) and at least one payline, with certain combination of symbols landing on the payline constituting winning combinations for which awards are given to the player in accordance with a pay table. Video poker gaming machines offer an alternative wherein winning combinations correspond with traditional winning poker hands. However, traditional gaming machines often fail to provide a player with bonus poker hands. Thus, a need exists for a gaming machine to provide the player with bonus poker hands. The present invention is directed to satisfying one or more of these needs and solving other problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming machine for conducting a card-based wagering game includes a wager input device for receiving inputs from a player during the wagering game. The inputs include a wager amount. At least one display is also included and displays a plurality of cards in a hand such that the hand indicates a randomly selected outcome of the card-based wagering game. The randomly selected outcome includes a qualifying-hand outcome corresponding to a qualifying hand and a plurality of winning outcomes corresponding to winning hands. The plurality of winning hands ranges from a lowest winning hand to a highest winning hand. The qualifying hand is greater than the lowest winning hand. In response to the randomly selected outcome being the qualifying outcome, a player is awarded a bonus hand. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine comprises dealing a player a poker hand. The poker hand includes a plurality of winning hands ranging from a lowest winning hand to a highest winning hand and a qualifying hand being greater than the lowest winning hand. In response to the poker hand being one of the plurality of winning hands, the player receives an award amount. In response to the poker hand being the qualifying hand, the player is awarded at least one bonus hand. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of playing a card-based wagering game is provided. The method includes receiving a wager to play the card-based wagering game on a gaming machine. The wagering game includes a plurality of winning outcomes, including a lowest winning outcome and a qualifying outcome that is different from the lowest winning outcome. A first randomly selected outcome is displayed. A player is granted an award in response to the first randomly selected outcome being one of the plurality of winning outcomes. In response to the first randomly selected outcome being the qualifying outcome, a second randomly selected outcome is displayed. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a computer readable storage medium is encoded with instructions for directing a gaming device to perform the above method. 
     Additional aspects of the invention shall be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a gaming machine embodying the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a control system suitable for operating the gaming machine; 
         FIG. 3  is an initial screen of the primary display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a subsequent screen of the primary display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is another subsequent screen of the primary display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is yet another subsequent screen of the primary display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is another screen of the primary display according to another embodiment of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure shall be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a gaming machine  10  is used in gaming establishments such as casinos. With regard to the present invention, the gaming machine  10  may be any type of gaming machine and may have varying structures and methods of operation. For example, the gaming machine  10  may be an electronic gaming machine configured to play a video casino game, such as slots, keno, poker, blackjack, roulette, etc. 
     The gaming machine  10  comprises a housing  12  and includes input devices, including a value input device  18  and a player input device  24 . For output, the gaming machine  10  includes a primary display  14  for displaying information about the basic wagering game. The primary display  14  can also display information about a bonus wagering game and a progressive wagering game. The gaming machine  10  may also include a secondary display  16  for displaying game events, game outcomes, and/or signage information. While these typical components found in the gaming machine  10  are described below, it should be understood that numerous other elements may exist and may be used in any number of combinations to create various forms of a gaming machine  10 . 
     The value input device  18  may be provided in many forms, individually or in combination, and is preferably located on the front of the housing  12 . The value input device  18  receives currency and/or credits inserted by a player. The value input device  18  may include a coin acceptor  20  for receiving coin currency (see  FIG. 1 ). Alternatively, or in addition, the value input device  18  may include a bill acceptor  22  for receiving paper currency. Furthermore, the value input device  18  may include a ticket reader or barcode scanner for reading information stored on a credit ticket, a card, or other tangible portable credit storage device. The credit ticket or card may also authorize access to a central account, which can transfer money to the gaming machine  10 . 
     The player input device  24  comprises a plurality of push buttons  26  on a button panel for operating the gaming machine  10 . In addition, or alternatively, the player input device  24  may comprise a touch screen  28  mounted by adhesive, tape, or the like over the primary display  14  and/or secondary display  16 . The touch screen  28  contains soft touch keys  30  denoted by graphics on the underlying primary display  14  and used to operate the gaming machine  10 . The touch screen  28  provides players with an option on how to make game selections. A player enables a desired function, either by touching the touch screen  28  at an appropriate touch key  30 , or by pressing an appropriate push button  26  on the button panel. The touch keys  30  may be used to implement the same functions as push buttons  26 . Alternatively, the push buttons  26  may provide inputs for one aspect of the game operation, while the touch keys  30  may allow for input needed for another aspect of the game. 
     The various components of the gaming machine  10  may be connected directly to, or contained within, the housing  12  as seen in  FIG. 1 , or may be located outboard of the housing  12  and connected to the housing  12  via a variety of wired or wireless connection methods. Thus, the gaming machine  10  comprises these components whether housed in the housing  12 , or outboard of the housing  12  and connected remotely. 
     The operation of the basic wagering game is displayed to the player on the primary display  14 . The primary display  14  can also display the bonus game associated with the basic wagering game. The primary display  14  may take the form of a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high resolution LCD, a plasma display, an LED, or any other type of display suitable for use in the gaming machine  10 . As shown, the primary display  14  includes the touch screen  28  overlaying the entire monitor (or a portion thereof) to allow players to make game-related selections. In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming machine  10  is an “upright” version in which the primary display  14  is oriented vertically relative to the player. Alternatively, the gaming machine may be a “slant-top” version in which the primary display  14  is slanted at about a thirty-degree angle towards the player of the gaming machine  10 . 
     A player begins play of the basic wagering game by making a wager via the value input device  18  of the gaming machine  10 . A player can select play by using the player input device  24 , via the buttons  26  or the touch screen keys  30 . The basic game consists of a plurality of cards arranged in a poker, blackjack or other card hand. The player randomly selects such outcomes in response to the wagering input. At least one of the plurality of randomly selected outcomes may trigger a bonus game, which is discussed in more detail below. 
     In some embodiments, the gaming machine  10  may also include a player information reader  52  that allows for identification of a player by reading a card with information indicating his or her true identity. The player information reader  52  is shown in  FIG. 1  as a card reader, but may take on many forms, including a ticket reader, bar code scanner, RFID transceiver or computer readable storage medium interface. Currently, casinos use this identification to reward certain players with complimentary services or special offers. For example, a player may be enrolled in the gaming establishment&#39;s loyalty club and may be awarded certain complimentary services as that player collects points in his or her player-tracking account. The player inserts his or her card into the player information reader  52 , allowing the casino&#39;s computers to register that player&#39;s wagering at the gaming terminal  10 . The gaming terminal  10  may use the secondary display  16 , or other dedicated player-tracking display, for providing the player with information about his or her account or other player-specific information. Also, in some embodiments, the information reader  52  may be used to restore game assets that the player achieved and saved during a previous game session. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the various components of the gaming machine  10  are controlled by a central processing unit (CPU)  34 , also referred to herein as a controller or processor (such as a microcontroller or microprocessor). To provide gaming functions, the controller  34  executes one or more game programs stored in a computer readable storage medium, in the form of memory  36 . The controller  34  performs the random selection using a random number generator (RNG) of an outcome from the plurality of possible outcomes of the wagering game. Alternatively, the random event may be determined at a remote controller. The remote controller may either use an RNG or a pooling scheme for its central determination of a game outcome. It should be noted that the controller  34  may include one or more microprocessors, including, but not limited to, a master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or parallel processor. 
     The controller  34  is also coupled to the system memory  36  and a money/credit detector  38 . The system memory  36  may comprise a volatile memory (e.g., a random-access memory [RAM]) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., an EEPROM). The system memory  36  may include multiple RAM and multiple program memories. The money/credit detector  38  signals the processor that money and/or credits were input via the value input device  18 . Preferably, these components are located within the housing  12  of the gaming machine  10 . However, as explained above, these components may be located outboard of the housing  12  and connected to the remainder of the components of the gaming machine  10  via a variety of different wired or wireless connection methods. 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the controller  34  is also connected to, and controls, the primary display  14 , the player input device  24 , and a payoff mechanism  40 . The payoff mechanism  40  is operable, in response to instructions from the controller  34 , and awards a payoff to the player in response to certain winning outcomes that might occur in the basic game or the bonus game(s). The payoff may be provided in the form of points, bills, tickets, coupons, cards, etc. For example, in  FIG. 1 , the payoff mechanism  40  includes both a ticket printer  42  and a coin outlet  44 . However, any of a variety of payoff mechanisms  40  well known in the art may be implemented, including cards, coins, tickets, smartcards, cash, etc. One or more pay tables stored in the system memory  36  determine the payoff amounts distributed by the payoff mechanism  40 . 
     Communications between the controller  34  and both the peripheral components of the gaming machine  10  and external systems  50  occur through input/output (I/O) circuits  46 ,  48 . More specifically, the controller  34  directs and receives inputs from the peripheral components of the gaming machine  10  through the input/output circuits  46 . Further, the controller  34  communicates with the external systems  50  via the I/O circuits  48  and a communication path (e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10bT, etc.). The external systems  50  may include a gaming network, other gaming machines, a gaming server, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components. Even though the I/O circuits  46 ,  48  may be shown as a single block, it should be noted that each of the I/O circuits  46 ,  48  may include different types of I/O circuits. 
     Controller  34 , as used herein, comprises any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware that may be disposed or reside inside and/or outside the gaming machine  10  that may communicate with and/or control the transfer of data between the gaming machine  10  and a bus, another computer, processor, or device and/or a service and/or a network. The controller  34  may comprise one or more controllers or processors. In  FIG. 2 , the controller  34  in the gaming machine  10  is depicted as comprising a CPU, but the controller  34  may, alternatively, comprise a CPU in combination with other components, such as the I/O circuits  46 ,  48  and the system memory  36 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , an initial screen of the primary display  14  of the gaming machine  10  is described. The initial screen includes five cards  60  arranged in a first poker hand  62 . The primary display  14  also includes a first pay table  64  and various counters and indicators, such as a credit counter  66 , outcome indicator  68 , and wager indicator  70 . The outcome indicator  68  indicates whether an outcome of the wagering game resulted in a payout, a progressive jackpot, a bonus game, or whether it resulted in no reward at all. The credit counter  66  illustrates how many credits a player has remaining in the gaming terminal  10 . The credit counter  66  increases whenever the player wins credits and decreases whenever the player makes a wager. The wager indicator  70  indicates how many credits the player is wagering on that particular game cycle. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , an example of the operation of one embodiment of the card-based wagering game will be described. As shown, the first poker hand  62  is dealt to the player. In most poker games, the player is dealt a first hand and then given the option to “hold” some of the cards. The cards not “held” are discarded, and the player is dealt new cards (i.e., “draw”). For illustration purposes, the first poker hand  62  is the final hand. In other words, the player has already held and discarded certain cards. 
     According to the first pay table  64 , the first poker hand  62  is a winning hand, resulting in a win of 25 credits. Because the first poker hand  62  is a four-of-a-kind, it is also a qualifying hand, making the player eligible to receive a bonus hand. In this embodiment, a qualifying hand is any hand of four-of-a-kind or higher, according to the first pay table  64 . 
     When a player achieves the qualifying hand, the player is awarded a bonus hand. The bonus hand may be a free hand or it may be a hand that the player still must place a wager on. The bonus hand, however, has a special feature. Turning now to  FIG. 4 , one of the special features of the bonus hand will be described. In this embodiment, a second poker hand  72  is the bonus hand and the special feature is a modified pay table  74 . The modified pay table  74  offers awards at twice the amount of the first pay table  64 . In other words, a mulitplier (2×) is applied to the awards of the first pay table  64 . As shown in the credit meter  66  and wager indicator  70 , the one credit wager is still deducted for the second poker hand  72 . In other embodiments, the second poker hand  72  may be free and credits may not be deducted for the hand. 
     As shown, the second poker hand  72  is also a winning hand, having three aces. The player is awarded 6 credits in accordance with the modified pay table  74 . In this embodiment, the pay tables continue to increase until the player has a losing hand. In other words, once the player achieves the qualifying hand, any other winning hand increases the pay table. In this example, because the second poker hand  72  is a winning hand, the player is awarded another bonus hand, i.e., a third poker hand  76 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , another modified pay table  78  is provided. The second modified pay table  78  is increased by a second multiplier (3×) relative to the first pay table  64  in  FIG. 3 . The third poker hand  76  is not a winning hand. At this point, the player is asked if she or he would like to play again. 
     In each of the illustrated poker hands  62 ,  72 ,  76 , only the final hand has been shown. As stated above, it should be understood that for each of the three hands  62 ,  72 ,  76 , the player is given the option to hold or be dealt new cards. The poker hands  62 ,  72 ,  76  show the final hand. 
     In this example, the player chooses to play again and is dealt a new hand  80  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The original pay table  64  is re-activated, and the player is awarded for achieving a winning hand. Because this hand  80  is not a qualifying hand (e.g., it does not include four-of-a-kind of higher), the pay table  64  will remain unchanged for the next hand. 
       FIGS. 3-6  describe one embodiment in which, after the qualifying hand is achieved, the pay table is increased in each subsequent winning hand. In other embodiments, the pay table may be increased once after the winning hand, and then may stay at that level until the player loses. 
     In another embodiment, the pay table may increase with each winning hand, as described above. However, unlike the embodiment above, instead of immediately returning to the first pay table, the pay table decreases with each losing hand, until the pay table returns to its original, un-modified setting. In other embodiments, once the qualifying hand is achieved, the pay table may remain increased for a set period of time or for a set number of hands. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 7 , another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the player&#39;s first hand was the hand  62  shown in  FIG. 3 . Because the hand  62  was a qualifying hand, the player was dealt a second, bonus hand  86  shown in  FIG. 7 . The pay table  64  is unmodified. However, in this embodiment, the deck of cards is modified. The deck of cards used to create the second poker hand  86  is comprised of only cards equal to, or higher than, the cards achieving the qualifying hand (in this case tens). Enhancing the deck of cards increases the player&#39;s chances of winning credits in the second poker hand  86 . In the illustrated embodiment, the player has three-of-a-kind and is awarded 3 credits in accordance with the posted pay table. As with the embodiments described above, the modified deck may last for a predetermined amount of times, a predetermined number of hands, or until the player achieves a losing hand. 
     In another embodiment, the achieving the qualifying hand may allow the player entry into a bonus game. The bonus game grants the player multiple extra hands that are shown all at once. For example, once the player achieves the qualifying hand, three free hands may be displayed on the gaming machine  14 . 
     In yet another embodiment, the pay table may be selectively modified. The payout amounts for the various winning hands may not increase by the same multiplier, with the payouts of some of the winning hands increasing more than others. Alternatively, the payout amount of the qualifying hand may increase disproportionately with respect to the payout amounts of the other winning hands. In other embodiments, the payout amounts of any hand higher than the qualifying hand may increase more than the payout amounts of the other winning hands. In yet other embodiments, the increases in the payouts may be random. Alternatively, extra winning hands may be added to the pay table (such as a pair of tens). 
     In other embodiments, cards may be added to the deck. For example, four wild cards may be added to the deck after a qualifying hand is achieved, thereby increasing the player&#39;s odds of having a winning hand the next time. Alternatively, certain cards in the deck may be modified. For example, the cards that created the qualifying hand may all become “wild” cards in the next hand. 
     Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.