Patent Publication Number: US-8540561-B2

Title: Gaming system and method

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This description generally concerns gaming, and in particular, a computer-implemented method for gaming. In other aspects, there are provided a game controller and a gaming machine operable to implement the method for gaming. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Gaming machines are popular in the gaming industry and can be programmed to playa variety of games such as slot and keno. In order attract more players, gaming machine manufacturers and operators often produce new games, or enhance existing ones. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first aspect, here is provided a computer-implemented method for gaming, comprising:
         (a) displaying a plurality of puzzle pieces on a display screen of a gaming machine, the plurality of puzzle pieces being associated with a jigsaw puzzle;   (b) receiving a player&#39;s selection of one of the plurality of puzzle pieces via the display screen;   (c) determining a prize associated with the selected puzzle piece; and   (d) animating the selected puzzle piece and displaying the determined prize on the display screen.       

     Step (b) may comprise detecting a touching action by the player on an area on the display screen, the area displaying at least part of the selected puzzle piece. 
     The plurality of puzzle pieces may be related to a geographical location. The geographical location may be predetermined according to the actual location of the gaming machine. 
     Step (a) may be performed when triggered by one of the following:
         a number generated randomly or according to a probability distribution number of base games played; and   an outcome of a base game played on the gaming machine.       

     The animation may be zooming in, rotation and/or flipping of the selected puzzle piece. 
     The method may further comprise removing the selected puzzle piece from the display screen after step (d). 
     The method may further comprise adding the removed puzzle piece to a partially completed jigsaw puzzle on a second display screen connected to a plurality of gaming machines. 
     According to a second aspect, there is provide a gaming machine operable to implement the method of the first aspect. 
     According to a third aspect, there is provide a game controller operable to implement the method of the first aspect, the game controller being operable to communicate with one or more gaming machines over a communications network. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting example(s) of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary gaming system. 
         FIG. 2  is a pictorial front view of a group of gaming machines that are connected to a game controller. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of hardware components of a gaming machine in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of steps of an exemplary method for gaming. 
         FIG. 5(   a ) is an exemplary screen shot of a display device displaying a plurality of puzzle pieces. 
         FIG. 5(   b ) is an exemplary screen shot of a display device displaying a prize associated with a selected puzzle piece. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , the gaming system  100  comprises a game controller  110  in communication with a plurality of gaming machines  200  via a communications network  140 . If the controller  110  is located at a gaming venue, a local area network (LAN)  140  can be used. Otherwise, a wide area network (WAN)  140  such as the Internet can be used if the controller  110  is located at a remote location. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the game controller  110  is operable to implement a gaming method on a plurality of gaming machines  200  that are linked or grouped together. The gaming machines  200  linked to the game controller  110  may be of the same model or different ones. The game controller  110  is operable to access and store data in the data store. 
     The hardware components of a gaming machine  200  is shown in  FIG. 3 . Each gaming machine  200  comprises an onboard processor  210  that is connected to the following.
         A memory device  220  having random access memory (RAM)  222  to store data generated during a game and read only memory (ROM) to store program code.   A cash acceptor  230  to receive cash from a player in order to play a game.   A card acceptor  232  to receive a smart card, credit card or debit card having a certain amount of money stored on the card in order to play a game.   Input devices  240  including a play button  241 , abet one credit button  242 , a maximum bet button  243 , a cash out button  244 , and a hold or cancel button  245  (see  FIG. 2 ).   Display devices  250  including an upper display screen  254 , a lower display touch screen  252  and a shared display screen  256  which is also linked to multiple other gaming machines  200 . And,   A sound card  260  connected to some speakers  270  to output sound signals during a game to enhance player experience.       

     In a “slim client” architecture, the gaming machines  200  do not require much processing capability because games being played on the machines  200  are controlled and executed remotely by the game controller  110 . Otherwise, in a “fat client” architecture, part of the game is executed by the gaming machine  200  while another part is executed by the game controller  110 . As such, it should be understood that although steps of the method in  FIG. 4  are described to be performed by the controller  110  in one embodiment, some or all of the steps may also be performed by the onboard processor  210  of a gaming machine  200  in other embodiments. 
     To enhance the level of entertainment provided by the gaming machines  200 , there are two types of game that can be played by a player: base game and bonus game. The base game may be slot, blackjack, keno, pokier or the like. In addition to winning credits by playing the base game, the bonus game provides the player with opportunity to win additional prizes. 
     A player plays abuse game by making a wager and pressing the play button  241 ; step  410  in  FIG. 4 . Wager can be performed by depositing cash or inserting a card into the cash  230  or card  235  acceptor respectively. The controller  110  then determines an outcome of the game, that is whether the player has won any credits and how many; see step  415 . For example in a slot machine game, the value of credits won may be either Grand, Major, Minor or Mini which are shown in  FIG. 2  in decreasing value. 
     The bonus game can be triggered by the controller  110  at any time, such as in between base games; see step  420 . The bonus game may be triggered based on one or more of the following:
         The outcome of the base game, such as whether the Grand, Major, Minor and Mini jackpots are won by the player, or whether the number of credits won is above or below a predetermined threshold. The outcome of the game may also be a specific combination of symbols on a pay line of the gaming machine  200 .   A number between 0 and 1 generated according to a probability distribution. The bonus game is triggered if the generated number is more than a predetermined threshold such as 0.3.   A random number between 0 and 1 that is generated by a random number generator at the controller  110 . The bonus game is triggered if the random number is more than a predetermined threshold such as 0.3.   Number of base games played since the last bonus game. The number may be predetermined or random within a predetermined range, such as between 50 to 150 games. Increasing stake rate will could increase the probability of the bonus being triggered. For example, with a higher stake the bonus may be triggered between 20-50 games.       

     If the bonus game is triggered, the controller  110  retrieves a puzzle from the data store  120  and displays puzzle pieces of the retrieved puzzle on the lower display screen  252 ; see steps  425  and  430 . In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the puzzle is a jigsaw puzzle. 
     The jigsaw puzzle retrieved by the controller  110  is related to the geographical location of the gaming machine  200 . For example, if the gaming machine  200  is located in Australia, a jigsaw puzzle of the Sydney Opera House or Harbour Bridge will be retrieved and displayed. Alternatively, the jigsaw puzzle retrieved by the controller  110  is predetermined by a venue operator. For example, a gaining machine  200  in Sydney may be themed around French scenery to match the decor of the venue. 
     While the bonus game is being played, the controller  110  also plays a theme video or slide show related to the geographical location on a shared display screen  256  linked to the gaming machines  200 ; see  FIG. 2 . In addition, Australia-related sound or music is played on the speakers  270  to further enhance player&#39;s experience. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  again, a partially completed jigsaw puzzle is displayed on the shared display screen  256 . The remaining puzzle pieces that are missing from the shared display screen  256  are displayed on the lower display screen  252 . As shown more clearly in  FIG. 5(   a ), the puzzle pieces are displayed in a scrambled manner, where some pieces are displayed in an incorrect orientation. 
     The controller  110  then prompts the player to select one of the puzzle pieces; see step  435 . This may involve displaying an text-based instruction on the lower display screen  252  or outputting an audio-based instruction on the speakers  270 . 
     The controller  110  then receives the player&#39;s selection of one of the puzzle pieces via the lower display screen  252 ; see step  440 . The player&#39;s selection is received by detecting a touching action by the player on an area on the lower display screen  252 , the area displaying at least part of the selected puzzle piece. 
     When a puzzle piece is selected, the controller  110  determines a prize that is associated with the selected puzzle piece; see step  445 . The prize may be one or more of the following:
         Free spins: The player will receive a set number of free base games as a prize.   Bonus pay: The player will receive a set number of credits as a prize. The prize level may be Grand, Major, Minor or Mini.   Multiply your pay: The player will receive a payment multiplication factor, such as 2 or more times for a specific number of subsequent base games as a prize. And,   Second chance: The player will receive another chance at selecting a puzzle piece.       

     The controller  110  then displays an animation of the selected puzzle piece and the prize associated with the selected puzzle piece on the lower display screen  252 ; see step  450 . In one example, the animation involves zooming in, rotation and flipping of the selected puzzle piece before displaying the prize. The animation is generally stored on the data store  120  or in the ROM  224  of the gaming machine  200 . 
     Every time a puzzle piece is selected by a player using the lower display screen  252 , the controller  110  marks the selected puzzle piece as “played” and records this information in the data store  120  or the RAM  222  of the gaming machine  200 . The controller  110  then removes the selected puzzle piece from the lower display screen  252  and adds it to the partially completed puzzle on the shared display screen  256  above the gaming machine  200 . 
     When the bonus game is triggered again in step  420 , puzzle pieces that have not been selected by the player in previous rounds of the bonus game will be displayed for selection by the player in step  425 . However, once all puzzle pieces have been selected and removed from the lower display screen  252 , the controller  110  will retrieve a new puzzle in the next round. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 
     For example, the bonus puzzle game can be added to any existing base game. Apart from pokies, keno, blackjack and poker, the base game may be Queen of the Nile, Dolphin Treasure, Indian Dreaming, White Tiger, Black Rhino and KG Bird. The bonus game may also be played on the gaming machine  200  as a “theme” or secondary feature. 
     In the linked configuration shown in  FIG. 2 , the puzzle may be played by multiple players. In this case, if a puzzle piece is selected by one of the players, the same puzzle piece will be removed from the lower display screen  252  of all the linked gaming machine  200 . This configuration further creates excitement for players, as they race to complete the puzzle. The player who selects most or last puzzle piece is awarded a major prize. 
     While the gaming machines  200  are shown to be linked in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an embodiment where the machines  200  are standalone machines are also envisaged. In this case, the game controller  110  is not required and the processor  210  of the standalone gaming machine implements the gaming method shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     It should also be understood that, unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “receiving”, “processing”, “retrieving”, “selecting”, “calculating”, “determining”, “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that processes and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system&#39;s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, words using singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. 
     It should also be understood that the techniques described might be implemented using a variety of technologies. For example, the methods described herein may be implemented by a series of computer executable instructions residing on a suitable computer readable medium. Suitable computer readable media may include volatile (e.g. RAM) and/or non-volatile (e.g. ROM, disk) memory, carrier waves and transmission media (e.g. copper wire, coaxial cable, fibre optic media). Exemplary carrier waves may take the form of electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals conveying digital data steams along a local network or a publically accessible network such as the Internet.