Granted Patent B2

US 7,510,473 · App. 10/881,285 · Granted Mar 31, 2009

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:

receiving a wager input;

selecting at least one randomly-selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to said receiving step for playing a wagering game, said wagering game including at least one progressive jackpot funded by a portion of said wager input;

representing a value of said progressive jackpot as a dynamic element in the form of at least one nonnumerical symbol having an original size, said dynamic element being able to change between said original size and another size; and

modifying said original size of said nonnumerical symbol in real-time in accordance with changes in said value of said at least one progressive jackpot to visually represent said changes in said progressive jackpot in a nonnumerical manner as said changes are occurring.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said modifying step includes linearly increasing said original size of said dynamic element in response to an increase in said at least one progressive jackpot.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said representing step includes selecting said dynamic element from a group consisting of a mechanical device, a video image, and a combination of a mechanical device and a video image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said modifying step includes displaying in a video mode said dynamic element bursting into a plurality of pieces when said at least one progressive jackpot is won.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said representing step includes texture-mapping one or more symbols on said dynamic element.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said texture-mapping includes displaying a three-dimensional symbol.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said representing step includes displaying said dynamic element as a first symbol and a second symbol, said modifying step modifying only one of said first symbol and said second symbol.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said representing step includes displaying said dynamic element as a first symbol and a second symbol, said at least one progressive jackpot including a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot, said modifying step including changing a size of said first symbol in accordance to changes in said first progressive jackpot and a size of said second symbol in accordance to changes in said second progressive jackpot.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said representing step includes displaying said dynamic element as a first symbol and a second symbol, said at least one progressive jackpot including a first progressive jackpot and a second progressive jackpot, said modifying step including changing each one of a size of said first symbol and a size of said second symbol in accordance to changes each one of said first progressive jackpot and said second progressive jackpot.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said modifying step includes modifying said size of said dynamic element according to the probability of winning said at least one progressive jackpot.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said representing step includes displaying said dynamic element as a first symbol and a second symbol, said modifying step includes modifying a size of said second symbol in real-time in accordance with changes in the probability of winning said at least one progressive jackpot.

12. A method for playing a wagering game, comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of symbols for playing a basic game;

(b) indicating, via said symbols, a randomly-selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes of said basic game;

(c) displaying a progressive game when said randomly-selected outcome is a predetermined outcome, said progressive game including a progressive jackpot funded by a portion of said wager input;

(d) presenting a physical representation of a value of said progressive jackpot using a dynamic representation, said dynamic representation including at least one nonnumeric element having an original size, said nonumeric element being able to change between said original size and another size; and

(e) changing the size of said nonnumeric element in real-time according to changes in said value of said progressive jackpot to visually represent said changes in said progressive jackpot in a nonnumerical manner as said changes are occurring.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said presenting step includes texture-mapping another element on said nonnumeric element.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said texture-mapping includes displaying said another element as a three-dimensional symbol.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising changing the size of said dynamic representation in real-time according to changes in the probability of winning said progressive jackpot.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising changing the size of said nonnumeric element in real-time according to changes in the probability of winning said progressive jackpot.

17. A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:

receiving a wager input;

selecting at least one randomly-selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to said receiving step for playing a wagering game, said wagering game including at least one progressive jackpot funded by a portion of said wager input;

representing a value of said progressive jackpot as a dynamic element in the form of at least one nonnumerical symbol having an original size, said dynamic element being able to change between said original size and another size in accordance with changes in said value of said progressive jackpot; and

texture-mapping a symbol on said dynamic element.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said texture-mapping includes displaying a three-dimensional symbol.

Assignments (12)