IP Library Granted Patent US 9,928,694
Granted Patent B2
US 9,928,694 · App. 15/248,987 · Granted Mar 27, 2018

Gaming machine and system including adjustable use of game percentage variants

Inventors: Joseph Kisenwether (Sparks, NV); Kenneth Shawn Soong (Henderson, NV)
Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
G07F17/34G07F17/3213G07F17/3216G07F17/3244
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,928,694
App. No.
15/248,987
Granted
Mar 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are a gaming system, a regulated gaming machine and a method primarily dedicated for use in playing at least one regulated casino wagering game in which the gaming machine randomly determines which of a plurality of mathematical models of the casino wagering game to apply to a given play in order to achieve a selected game yield which may be different from the game yield of any one of the plurality of mathematical models defined for the casino wagering game.

Claims (52)

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a regulated gaming machine primarily dedicated for use in playing at least one regulated casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device, one or more electronic input devices, a value input device; and

game-logic circuitry configured to:

provide a low variant mathematical model of the casino wagering game providing a first yield percentage and a high variant mathematical model of the casino wagering game providing a second yield percentage greater than the first yield percentage;

accept an input indicative of a desired yield percentage between the first yield percentage and the second yield percentage, inclusive;

based on the first yield percentage, the second yield percentage and the desired yield percentage, compute relative probabilities of selecting the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model for a given play of the casino wagering game and generate a weighted table based on the relative probabilities;

detect, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;

receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;

randomly select an entry from the weighted table to determine whether the low variant mathematical model or the high variant mathematical model will be used for the current play of the casino wagering game;

randomly select an outcome of the casino wagering game based in part on the determined mathematical model;

direct the electronic display device to display the selected outcome;

award an award in response to the displayed outcome meeting a predetermined award criterion; and

receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the probability of selecting the low variant mathematical model for the current play of the casino wagering game is determined by the formula (H−D)/(H−L), wherein H is the yield percentage of the high variant mathematical model, L is the yield percentage of the low variant mathematical model and D represents the desired yield percentage.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the probability of selecting the high variant mathematical model for the current play of the casino wagering game is determined by the formula (D−L)/(H−L), wherein H is the yield percentage of the high variant mathematical model, L is the yield percentage of the low variant mathematical model and D represents the desired yield percentage.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering layouts of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights and layouts of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights of segments on a wheel associated with the casino wagering game.

8. A regulated gaming machine primarily dedicated for use in playing at least one regulated casino wagering game, the gaming machine comprising an electronic display device, one or more electronic input devices, a value input device; and game-logic circuitry configured to:

provide a low variant mathematical model of the casino wagering game providing a first yield percentage and a high variant mathematical model of the casino wagering game providing a second yield percentage greater than the first yield percentage;

accept an input indicative of a desired yield percentage between the first yield percentage and the second yield percentage, inclusive;

based on the first yield percentage, the second yield percentage and the desired yield percentage, compute relative probabilities of selecting the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model for a given play of the casino wagering game and generate a weighted table based on the relative probabilities;

detect, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;

receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;

randomly select an entry from the weighted table to determine whether the low variant mathematical model or the high variant mathematical model will be used for the current play of the casino wagering game;

randomly select an outcome of the casino wagering game based in part on the determined mathematical model;

direct the electronic display device to display the selected outcome; and

award an award in response to the displayed outcome meeting a predetermined award criterion; and

receive, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein the probability of selecting the low variant mathematical model for the current play of the casino wagering game is determined by the formula (H−D)/(H−L), wherein H is the yield percentage of the high variant mathematical model, L is the yield percentage of the low variant mathematical model and D represents the desired yield percentage.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein the probability of selecting the high variant mathematical model for the current play of the casino wagering game is determined by the formula (D−L)/(H−L), wherein H is the yield percentage of the high variant mathematical model, L is the yield percentage of the low variant mathematical model and D represents the desired yield percentage.

11. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

12. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering layouts of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

13. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights and layouts of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

14. The gaming machine of claim 8 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights of segments on a wheel associated with the casino wagering game.

15. A method of operating a gaming system, the gaming system including game-logic circuitry and a regulated gaming machine, the gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device, one or more electronic input devices and a value input device, the method comprising:

providing a low variant mathematical model of the casino wagering game providing a first yield percentage and a high variant mathematical model of the casino wagering game providing a second yield percentage greater than the first yield percentage;

accepting an input indicative of a desired yield percentage between the first yield percentage and the second yield percentage, inclusive;

based on the first yield percentage, the second yield percentage and the desired yield percentage, computing relative probabilities of selecting the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model for a given play of the casino wagering game and generating a weighted table based on the relative probabilities;

detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;

receiving via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;

randomly selecting an entry from the weighted table to determine whether the low variant mathematical model or the high variant mathematical model will be used for the current play of the casino wagering game;

randomly selecting an outcome of the casino wagering game based in part on the determined mathematical model;

directing the electronic display device to display the selected outcome;

awarding an award in response to the displayed outcome meeting a predetermined award criterion; and

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the probability of selecting the low variant mathematical model for the current play of the casino wagering game is determined by the formula (H−D)/(H−L), wherein H is the yield percentage of the high variant mathematical model, L is the yield percentage of the low variant mathematical model and D represents the desired yield percentage.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the probability of selecting the high variant mathematical model for the current play of the casino wagering game is determined by the formula (D−L)/(H−L), wherein H is the yield percentage of the high variant mathematical model, L is the yield percentage of the low variant mathematical model and D represents the desired yield percentage.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering layouts of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the low variant mathematical model and the high variant mathematical model are produced by altering weights and layouts of symbols on reel strips associated with the casino wagering game.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 23, 2025
From: LNW GAMING, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071340/0404 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 9076307 AND THE OTHER 19 PROPERTIES LISTED ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE ATTACHMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 051643 FRAME: 0044. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Mar 21, 2023
From: BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: SG GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 063122/0655 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 7, 2023
From: SG GAMING, INC.
To: LNW GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 062669/0341 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2022
From: SG GAMING INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059793/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 19, 2020
From: BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: SG GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051643/0044 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 11, 2018
From: SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC.; BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045909/0513 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 15, 2017
From: SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC.; BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044889/0662 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2016
From: KISENWETHER, JOSEPH; SOONG, KENNETH SHAWN
To: BALLY GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039558/0357 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62212954 · Sep 1, 2015
Related Publication 20170061744A1 · Mar 2, 2017