AU2001288321A1 - Gaming device round off bonus - Google Patents

Description

Gaming Device Round Off Bonus

Technical Field

The following invention relates generally to a gaming device in which players wager in order to win money and provide entertainment. More specifically, the instant invention standardizes preferably all gaming machines on the floor of a gaming establishment such as a casino such that payouts occur with a coin, token or the like having only one value.

Background Art

A typical gaming establishment has a very large number of gaming devices known as slot machines on its floor. Some of the larger casinos have gaming machines numbering in the thousands. Each gaming machine includes a hopper filled with coins to provide payouts to players upon cessation of play and also when a large jackpot is won. The industry has experienced great difficulty refilling the machines.

Penny slot machines, heretofore were found only in museums are making a come back with multi-coin, multi-decision games. Especially with the new penny slot machines, wagers in the order to hundreds of coins are made per play of machine. Machines which receive and payout nickels, quarters and dollars are the industry norm. Machines which receive and payout dimes and half dollars, while relatively rare, also exist. The logistics in providing coins of each denomination in each hopper of each machine and also in reserve to replenish hoppers on demand, requires both a considerable inventory of coins and more than a modicum of skill in making sure that adequate reserves exist. Even though most gaming machines will divert coins received by a player into the hopper for replenishing coins dispensed from the hopper, coins in excess of the present hopper requirement drop into a collection or drop box for subsequent retrieval by the gaming establishment. Once in the "drop" box, they are typically out of circulation until collected by an employee, since they rarely recirculate to the hopper after entering the drop box. The foregoing problems can be summarized by two factors: cash in and huge wagers and payouts in terms of coinage.

When players receive a large payout on a coin machine, because the payout uses coins of the same value as the wager, a large number of coins can be involved. Typically, the player is given a coin container that can become quite heavy when receiving coins from a large payout. These containers are bulky to transport for many people and can provide a considerable challenge in transporting the container filled with coins from machine to machine or to a remote cashier to convert the coins to larger denominations and currency.

A gaming establishment's response to these problems has historically been to assure that a large enough surplus of different denomination coins is always in stock along with an increased inventory during peak periods which have been determined by historical experience. Nonetheless, a crying need exists for a system which streamlines the coin handling operation and efficiently minimizes the needs for maintaining large surpluses of varying denominations.

Disclosure of Invention The instant invention addresses the foregoing enunciated problems as well as others which are more subtle by providing gaming machines with coins or tokens to be used in the hopper for payouts which is a whole number multiple of the minimum wager.

For example, consider a five cent slot machine. Most slot machines are adapted to receive either coins (in this case nickels) or currency, such as a one dollar, five dollar or ten dollar bill. Upon the receipt of a five dollar bill, for example one hundred credits are posted on the machine. Assume after a period of play the player has accumulated an aggregate of one hundred and twenty-five credits. In the prior art, the hopper would be required to return one hundred and twenty five nickels or six dollars and twenty-five cents. This clearly would strain the storage capabilities of the hopper, and, upon payout, would render to the player a large volume of coins which must be ultimately trundled to a cashier for conversion back into paper currency and perhaps a twenty-five cent piece. The hopper according to this example would also need replenishment rather soon. Instead, the instant invention would pay the player upon demand the requested payout in a coin or token having a different magnitude than the input. Assume that the hopper has been stocked with dollar coins rather than nickels. Using this example, the hopper would dispense six one dollar coins leaving a credit balance of five credits, totaling twenty-five cents. At this point, a gaming proposition is offered the player. The premise of the betting proposition is that the player is to now wager the surplus (i.e., twenty-five cents) in the hope of winning seventy-five cents more, thereby totaling one dollar. In a preferred form of the invention, the game offered is a "zero sum game". In other words, the player is wagering the twenty-five cents and the player either loses the twenty-five cents or receives another dollar. Thus, the player's expectation is preferably exactly equal to the wager. For example, a random game with twenty possible outcomes would yield five win places any one of which yields a dollar and fifteen loss places where the player loses the twenty-five cent wager. In a preferred form of the invention, the outcome of the game is weighted mathematically so that the player has five wirtning chances and fifteen losing chances which corresponds to the betting increment that the player started with, namely a nickel.

Mathematical equivalencies obviously exist. For example, the player could be exposed to an equivalency in which the player had one chance to win and three to lose.

Where the gaming device includes a display which is a video monitor or includes a video monitor, the screen would provide visual prompts to the player showing visually the player's twenty-five percent chance of winning. For example, this weighting could be a pie shaped bonus wheel having sectors nominated as winning sectors reflective of the surplus credits that the player enjoys along with sectors where the player will lose. An indicator would simulate rotation over the various sectors like a roulette wheel. A random number generator correlating the twenty-five percent odds delivers an outcome, preferably by illuminating one sector reflecting the results of the player's wager.

Other forms of bonus indicia could exist. For example, the player would be given a choice of one of four boxes (or five of twenty boxes). The player selects a box via a video touch screen. Where four boxes are shown, in this example one box provides the bonus. Where twenty boxes are shown, five would provide the winning outcome.

Should the player elect not to partake in the bonus "zero sum" game, the player is given the option of continuing to wager the twenty-five cents to round that twenty- five cents off to a nominated currency in the present example, a one dollar coin or token for a final cash out. Alternatively, the player could be issued a printed voucher from a ticket printer on the machine to redeem the twenty-five cents. In this way, the coin stocking requirements for the casino will have been minimized.

As a further example, consider the case of a ten cent machine. With dollars in the hopper as the nominated denomination, payouts that result in surplus credits less than one dollar would receive the same treatment as the previous example except that, with the nickel there were twenty nickels in the dollar, and, in this case there are only ten dimes in the dollar. For a twenty-five cent machine, the surplus credits would provide the same ratio as four quarters to the dollar. For a fifty cent machine there would be two credits per dollar. With dollar machines, tokens could be used or rarer, larger denomination coins could be stocked into the machine. Thus, a twenty dollar token in a hopper of a dollar machine follows the nickel machine example. Thus, while the foregoing examples use the dollar as the preferred nominated denomination, tokens could have been substituted in the above elaborated examples. It is only desirable that the nominated denomination is a whole number multiple of the individual credits used in the wagering. While the foregoing discussion focuses on coins and tokens, it is clear the same discussion holds true where currency driven gaming machines using $1., $5., $10., $20.,

$50., and $100. bills are concerned. Thus, this invention is equally applicable to dispensing cash.

There could be two or more hoppers in the game, each with large tokens. For example, a game could have $1. and $25. "coins". If a player cashes out $105.30, the player gets four tokens worth $25. each and 5 units at $1. each and therefore plays for

$0.30.

Also, the game may accept multiple coin denominations. A nickel game that dispenses dollars should best accept both nickels and dollars, or just dollars, or just nickels. Only the dispensed coins would be diverted back to the hoppers. Others received as the wager would go straight to the drop box.

Industrial Applicability

The industrial applicability of this invention shall be demonstrated through discussion of the following objects of the invention. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and novel method and apparatus for solving the persistent problem of stocking coins and maintaining an inventory of coins in a gaming establishment and in gaming machines.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device and method as characterized above which provides added stimulation and enjoyment to a player while minimizing the player's burden of having to carry a large container of coins from a gaming machine to a remote cashier.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device as characterized above which is durable in construction, lends itself to mass production techniques and is reliable in use. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an enhanced form of entertainment which is easy to understand, enriches the playing experience and streamlines the gaming process.

Viewed from a first vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming device, comprising, in combination: wagering receiving means posted as credits, means for incrementing/decrementing the credits as a function of game play, payout means to dispense credits from the machine in a nominated denomination, and round off chance means to enable the payout means to either dispense additional credits in the nominated denomination or to retain surplus credits

(S) which when aggregated are less than the nominated denomination. Viewed from a second vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for cashing out credits from a gaming device, the steps including: processing a command to cash out the credits by dividing a predetermined denomination into the number of credits due, resulting in a number, sequestering the number into a whole number integer and a remainder fraction, paying out the whole number integer and displaying a game for any remainder fraction.

These and other objects will be made manifest when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 is a flow chart according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a gaming machine according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a visual depiction of the bonus preferably presented to the player upon cashing out when there is surplus credits.

Best Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention

Considering the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various drawing figures, reference numeral 10 as shown in figure 2 is directed to the device according to the present invention.

In its essence, the apparatus 10 includes a housing 16 which supports a visual display 2, preferably a video monitor, therewithin. Alternatively, the device may use a mechanical reel system. The display 2 may include a window 8 for special messages or for incrementing counting of credits accumulated by the player. For example, the window 8 can be used to describe the initiation of the feature of the present invention, or describe the particular rule set for the bonus delineated infra. The device also includes an LED readout 4 for prompting the player and can provide similar verbiage as the window 8 or in lieu thereof, to stimulate the player. The device includes an inlet 6 for the reception therein for coins, currency or the like to auger in the inception of play. A plurality of decision-making buttons 12 are located on the face of the apparatus 10, preferable below the display 2 and a pull handle 14 can be used to initiate play as an alternative to supplement the decision-making buttons 12. A coin tray 18 may be included to effectuate an output of an award due the player from a coin hopper. A plurality of hoppers, H_α, H₂ . . . H_N are shown. Each hopper preferably dispenses (and receives) different denomination coins or tokens script or currency, e.g. quarters, dollar, twenty, etc. The apparatus 10 may have a top portion 32 with a display thereon having a motif correlative with the game to be played and can include a paytable. A plurality of speakers 34 may be included on the device for aural interaction with the player. The apparatus also includes a processor P coordinating all functions and a random number generator G operatively coupled thereto for generating outcomes. The random game could be purely mechanical and not have a computer random number generator. A voucher printer 7 may be integrated into the system to facilitate payouts as described infra.

Referring to figure 1, the flow chart associated with the apparatus of figure 2 and 3 can be explored. Initially, the player plays a gaming device according to a conventional protocol. When the player initiates a cash out demand, the processor calculates the number of tokens necessary for a payout by dividing a predetermined denomination into the number of credits due, resulting in a number. For example, if the predetermined denomination is one dollar and the base unit or elemental credit posted is a nickel and if the number of credits posted is twenty, one nominated denomination or one dollar is paid directly as shown in figure 1. However, if the remainder came to one hundred and seven credits which equals one dollar and thirty- five cents, the one dollar would be paid forthwith and the number of base units or surplus credits S would equal thirty-five cents. A zero sum game then is initiated to show the player the gaming proposition. If the player loses, the thirty-five cents is forfeit. As mentioned infra, it is preferred that the zero sum game is comparable to that which is shown in figure 3. A wheel is depicted with a spin enabling feature and the wheel is segmented into pie shaped sectors in which the thirty-five cent remainder on a nickel game and nominated denomination is one dollar. Thus, there are seven win possibilities and thirteen losing possibilities. The random number generator, once the spin command has been given, will reveal an outcome as reflected by the pointer at the top of the wheel. If the player wins, one more dollar inures to the player's benefit. Should the player elect not to play the zero sum game, the player can receive a voucher for the amount due from a voucher dispenser/printer 7. Alternatively, once the player learns of base units remaining, the player may elect to "play off" the surplus in the normal game or, the casino may elect to "hand pay" the surplus..

Moreover, having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.

For example, the instant invention is compatible with games in which wagers made during the course of regular play can be increased. Thus, a poker game can receive a "maximum" wager to modify the paytable.

Another example includes payouts in one of several monumental denominations. The player may even be empowered to nominate the payout denomination.

For existing machines, the device could be embodied as an accessory, mounted on the machine and operatively coupled thereto.

Claims (1)

1. Claims

   I Claim:

   Claim 1 - A gaming device, comprising, in combination: wagering receiving means posted wagers as credits, means for incrementing/decrementing said credits as a function of game play, payout means to dispense credits from the machine in a nominated denomination, and round off chance means to enable said payout means to either dispense additional credits in said nominated denomination or to retain surplus credits (S) which when aggregated are less than said nominated denomination.

   Claim 2 - The gaming device of claim 1 wherein said nominated denomination is a whole number multiple (N) of one said credit.

   Claim 3 - The gaming device of claim 2 wherein said round off chance means comprises a universe of N opportunities with S chances to win and N-S chances to lose. Claim 4 - The gaming device of claim 1 wherein said nominated denomination is other than a minimum wager which defines a base denomination.

   Claim 5 - A method for cashing out credits from a gaming device, the steps including: processing a command to cash out the credits by dividing a predetermined denomination into the number of credits due, resulting in a number, sequestering the number into a whole number integer and a remainder fraction, paying out the whole number integer and displaying a game for any remainder fraction.

   Claim 6 - The method of claim 5 including playing the game for the remainder fraction game by displaying the remainder fraction as a percentage of the whole number integer and prompting an action from the player to either win the whole number integer or lose the remainder fraction. Claim 7 - The method of claim 5 including offering the player a voucher in lieu of wagering the remainder fraction.

   Claim 8 - The method of claim 5 including allowing a player to continue regular play.

   Claim 9 - The method of claim 5 including dispensing the whole number integer via the gaming device and hand-paying the remainder fraction. - re _¬ claim 10 - The method of claim 5 including paying an award in multiple denominations.

   Claim 11 - The method of claim 10 including dispensing the denomination in coins. Claim 12 - The method of claim 10 including dispensing the denomination in tokens.

   Claim 13 - The method of claim 10 including dispensing the denomination in cash.

   Claim 14 - The method of claim 5 including accepting multiple denominations into the device by only dispensing denominations which can be replenished.

   AMENDED CLAIMS

   [received by the International Bureau on 07 January 2002 (07.01.02); original claims 1 and 5 amended; remaining claims unchanged (1 page)]

   Claim 1 - A gaming device, comprising, in combination: wagering receiving means including means to post wagers as credits on said device, means for incrementing/decrementing said credits as a function of game play, payout means to dispense credits from the machine in a nominated denomination, and round off chance means to enable said payout means to either dispense additional credits in said nominated denomination or to retain surplus credits (S) which when aggregated are less than said nominated denomination.

   Claim 2 - The gaming device of claim 1 wherein said nominated denomination is a whole number multiple (N) of one said credit. Claim 3 - The gaming device of claim 2 wherein said round off chance means comprises a universe of N opportunities with S chances to win and N-S chances to lose.

   Claim 4 - The gaming device of claim 1 wherein said nominated denomination is other than a minirnum wager which defines a base denomination.

   Claim 5 - A method for cashing out credits from a gaming device, wherein the device receives an initial source of the credits which are adjusted as a function of random gaming, the steps including: processing a command to cash out the credits by dividing a predetermined denomination into the number of credits due, resulting in a number, sequestering the number into a whole number integer and a remainder fraction, paying out the whole number integer and displaying a game for any remainder fraction.

   Claim 6 - The method of claim 5 including playing the game for the remainder fraction game by displaying the remainder fraction as a percentage of the whole number integer and prompting an action from the player to either win the whole number integer or lose the remainder fraction.

   Claim 7 - The method of claim 5 including offering the player a voucher in lieu of wagering the remainder fraction.

   Claim 8 - The method of claim 5 including allowing a player to continue regular play.