Granted Patent B2

US 8,398,471 · App. 11/846,336 · Granted Mar 19, 2013

Inventor: Gerald Duhamel (Drummondville, CA)

Assignee: Labtronix Concept inc.

Abstract

Claims (88)

1. A method of conducting a feature game played by a player on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

(a) providing, using a display means of the gaming machine, a representation of locations as an array, wherein each location has a position within the array, the locations having a spatial relationship with each of the other locations, and one of said locations of the array is designated as being a reference location;

(b) establishing a sequence for the locations of the array, the sequence establishing one subsequent location with respect to the reference location and at least one non-subsequent location with respect to the reference location, wherein the sequence of locations, being unknown by the player, is stored in a memory of the gaming machine;

(c) receiving from the player through an inputting means of the gaming machine a guessed spatial relationship of the subsequent location with respect to the reference location;

(d) revealing on the displaying means to the player the location in the array of the subsequent location according to the sequence stored in the gaming machine memory and consequently the spatial relationship of the subsequent location with respect to the reference location, namely an actual spatial relationship;

(e) evaluating the guessed spatial relationship as either correct or incorrect based on a comparison to the actual spatial relationship; and

(f) evaluating fulfillment of a game-ending criterion,

wherein non-fulfillment of the game-ending criterion results in:

(g) changing the reference location by designating the subsequent location which is last revealed as the reference location, the newly-designated reference location having a position different from the previously-designated reference location in the array, thereby generating new player perceivable probabilities of providing a correct player input when guessing of a spatial relationship of a new subsequent location with respect to the newly-designated reference location; and

(h) repeating at least once the steps (c) to (f) using the reference location which is last designated;

while fulfillment of the game ending criterion results in:

(i) performing an outcome evaluation of the game against a pay schedule stored in the memory; and

(j) providing an award to the player based on the outcome evaluation of the game.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(k) illustrating in a distinctive fashion throughout the conduct of the method at least two of:

the reference location,

the one or more locations among the plurality of locations that can be the subsequent location,

the zero or more locations among the plurality locations that cannot be the subsequent location, and

the subsequent location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing an outcome evaluation of the feature game comprises at least one of:

evaluating the number of correct inputs;

evaluating the number of incorrect inputs;

evaluating value of indicia corresponding to said subsequent locations;

evaluating value of indicia corresponding to said subsequent locations resulting from correct inputs;

evaluating a combination of indicia corresponding to said subsequent locations;

evaluating a combination of indicia corresponding to said subsequent locations resulting from correct inputs; and

evaluating at least one location resulting from at least one correct input.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

determining a number of allowed incorrect inputs prior to the beginning of the feature game;

determining a maximum number of player inputs prior to the beginning of the feature game; and

determining a goal influencing the conduct of the feature game following its determination.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

using a structure of a primary game in order to conduct the feature game, the structure being used to provide the representation of a plurality of locations according to the step (a); and

generating a game structure distinct from the game structure of the primary game in order to conduct the feature game.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the player's input is a selection between at least two options, wherein one option is opposed from the other according to their spatial relationship.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

conducting a primary game; and

conducting the feature game upon detection of a trigger event.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the conduct of the feature game is influenced by at least one of:

an outcome of the primary game;

game data resulting from the conduct of a plurality of plays of the primary game; and

a player's selection of a configuration in the primary game.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a wager value from a player; and

calculating the prize based at least in part on the wager value.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a triggering event, comprising one of:

receiving the triggering event signal;

detecting a particular outcome or status of the gaming machine in which a primary game is conducted, said outcome or status being associated with the triggering event.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling the probabilities of awarding a prize and/or the value of the prize to award through at least one of:

controlling the probabilities of selection of the other location;

controlling the number of allowed incorrect inputs; and

controlling the number of inputs to receive from the player.

12. A gaming machine comprising:

controlling means to control the conduct of a game comprising the steps of:

(a) providing using a displaying means of the gaming machine a representation of locations as an array, wherein each location has a position within the array, the locations having a spatial relationship with each of the other locations, and one of said locations of the array is designated as being a reference location;

(b) establishing a sequence for the locations of the array, the sequence establishing one subsequent location with respect to the reference locations and at least one non-subsequent location with respect to the reference locations, wherein the sequence of locations, being unknown by a player, is stored in a memory of the gaming machine;

(c) receiving from the player through an inputting means of the gaming machine a guessed spatial relationship of the subsequent location with respect to the reference location;

(d) revealing on the displaying means to the player the location in the array of the subsequent location according to the sequence stored in the gaming machine memory and consequently the spatial relationship of the subsequent location with respect to the reference location, namely an actual spatial relationship;

(e) evaluating the guessed spatial relationship as either correct or incorrect based on a comparison to the actual spatial relationship; and

(f) evaluating fulfillment of a game-ending criterion,

wherein non-fulfillment of the game-ending criterion results in:

(g) changing the reference location by designating the subsequent location which is last revealed as the reference location, the newly-designated reference location having a position different from the previously-designated reference location in the array, thereby generating new player perceivable probabilities of providing a correct player input when guessing of a spatial relationship of a new subsequent location with respect to the newly-designated reference location; and

(h) repeating at least once the steps (c) to (f) using the reference location which is last designated;

while fulfillment of the game ending criterion results in:

(i) performing an outcome evaluation of the game against a pay schedule stored in the memory; and

(j) providing an award to the player based on the outcome evaluation of the game;

accepting means for receiving a wager from the player to allow participation in said game;

the inputting means for receiving player inputs from the player at least at the step (c), these inputs being evaluated by the controlling means throughout the conduct of the game;

the displaying means for displaying a representation of the game to the player throughout the conduct of the game;

awarding means for providing said award according to the step (j) to the player on the gaming machine.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12 , further comprising communicating means for communicating with another gaming device remote from said gaming machine, the gaming device being responsible, through communication of a signal to the gaming machine, for at least one of:

the gaming machine initiating the game;

the prize to be awarded to the player in the game by the gaming machine; and

the determination of at least one game characteristic influencing the conduct of the game on the gaming machine.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a game comprising:

(a) providing using a displaying means of the gaming machine a representation of locations as an array, wherein each location has a position within the array, the locations having a spatial relationship with each of the other locations, and one of said locations of the array is designated as being a reference location;

(b) establishing a sequence for the locations of the array , the sequence establishing one subsequent location with respect to the reference location and at least one non-subsequent location with respect to the reference location, wherein the sequence of locations, being unknown by the player, is stored in a memory of the gaming machine;

(c) receiving from the player through an inputting means of the gaming machine a guessed spatial relationship of the subsequent location with respect to the reference location;

(d) revealing on the displaying means to the player the location in the array of the subsequent location according to the sequence stored in the gaming machine memory and consequently the spatial relationship of the subsequent location with respect to the reference location, namely an actual spatial relationship;

(e) evaluating the guessed spatial relationship as either correct or incorrect based on a comparison to the actual spatial relationship; and

(f) evaluating fulfillment of a game-ending criterion,

wherein non-fulfillment of the game-ending criterion results in:

(g) changing the reference location by designating the subsequent location which is last revealed as the reference location, the newly-designated reference location having a position different from the previously-designated reference location in the array, thereby generating new player perceivable probabilities of providing a correct player input when guessing of a spatial relationship of a new subsequent location with respect to the newly-designated reference location; and

(h) repeating at least once the steps (c) to (f) using the reference location which is last designated;

while fulfillment of the game ending criterion results in:

(i) performing an outcome evaluation of the game against a pay schedule stored in the memory; and

(j) providing an award to the player on the gaming machine based on the outcome evaluation of the game.

Assignments (10)

Continuity (2)