IP Library Granted Patent US 9,564,013
Granted Patent B2
US 9,564,013 · App. 14/809,794 · Granted Feb 7, 2017

Wager selections for wagering games truncated by prior wage level

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,564,013
App. No.
14/809,794
Granted
Feb 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gaming system includes one or more input devices, one or more display devices, one or more processors, and one or more memory devices storing instructions. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions cause the gaming system to receive, via at least one of the input devices, an input indicative of a wager selected from at least one wager amount being a function of a previous wager associated with an immediately preceding wagering game. The instructions cause the gaming system to display a wagering game on the one or more displays, the wagering game being in an advantageous state relative to the immediately preceding wagering game. The instructions further cause the gaming system to display an outcome of the wagering game on the one or more displays, at least a portion of the outcome being enhanced by an outcome of the immediately preceding wagering game.

Claims (36)

1. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine including an electronic display device and a value input device, the display device configured to display a wagering game; and

one or more controllers configured to:

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

initiate a first play of the wagering game in response to a first input indicative of a first wager covered by the credit balance, the first wager being selectable from a set of possible wager amounts;

trigger, by an event in the first play, an advantageous state for a subsequent second play of the wagering game;

initiate the second play in response to a second input indicative of a second wager covered by the credit balance, the second wager being selectable from a subset of the set of possible wager amounts, the subset having fewer possible wager amounts than the set of possible wager amounts even when the credit balance is greater than or equal to the largest wager amount of the set of possible wager amounts; and

award any awards resulting from the first and second plays, the awards being added to the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the event includes at least one predetermined symbol appearing in the first play.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second wager must be a multiple or only a predetermined amount more than the first wager.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the set of possible wager amounts are displayed on the display device for the first play, and wherein the wager amounts of the set, other than the subset, are deactivated for the second play.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein in the advantageous state, the second play has a higher expected value than the first play.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein in the advantageous state, the second play has a higher likelihood of achieving a winning outcome than the first play.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plays include respective spins of symbol-bearing reels of a base game of the wagering game.

8. A method of operating a gaming system including one or more controllers and a gaming machine, the gaming machine including an electronic display device and a value input device, the display device configured to display a wagering game, the method comprising:

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

initiating, by at least one of the one or more controllers, a first play of the wagering game in response to a first input indicative of a first wager covered by the credit balance, the first wager being selectable from a set of possible wager amounts; triggering, by an event in the first play, an advantageous state for a subsequent second play of the wagering game;

initiating, by at least one of the one or more controllers, the second play in response to a second input indicative of a second wager covered by the credit balance, the second wager being selectable from a subset of the set of possible wager amounts, the subset having fewer possible wager amounts than the set of possible wager amounts even when the credit balance is greater than or equal to the largest wager amount of the set of possible wager amounts; and

awarding, by at least one of the one or more controllers, any awards resulting from the first and second plays, the awards being added to the credit balance.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the event includes at least one predetermined symbol appearing in the first play.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second wager must be a multiple or only a predetermined amount more than the first wager.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the set of possible wager amounts are displayed on the display device for the first play, and wherein the wager amounts of the set, other than the subset, are deactivated for the second play.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein in the advantageous state, the second play has a higher expected value than the first play.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein in the advantageous state, the second play has a higher likelihood of achieving a winning outcome than the first play.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first and second plays include respective spins of symbol-bearing reels of a base game of the wagering game.

15. A method of operating a gaming system including one or more controllers and a gaming machine, the gaming machine including an electronic display device and a value input device, the display device configured to display a wagering game, the method comprising:

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

initiating, by at least one of the one or more controllers, a first play of the wagering game in response to a first input indicative of a first wager covered by the credit balance, the first wager being selectable from a set of possible wager amounts, the first play triggering an advantageous state for a subsequent second play of the wagering game;

limiting, by at least one of the one or more controllers, an amount that may be selected for a second wager to play the second play to a subset of the set of possible wager amounts, the subset having fewer possible wager amounts than the set of possible wager amounts even when the credit balance is greater than or equal to the largest wager amount of the set of possible wager amounts based on an amount of the first wager;

initiating, by at least one of the one or more controllers, the second play in response to a second input indicative of the second wager covered by the credit balance; and

awarding, by at least one of the one or more controllers, any awards resulting from the first and second plays, the awards being added to the credit balance.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the advantageous state is triggered by at least one predetermined symbol appearing in the first play.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the amount that may be selected for the second wager must be a multiple or only a predetermined amount more than the amount of the first wager.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein in the advantageous state, the second play has a higher expected value than the first play.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein in the advantageous state, the second play has a higher likelihood of achieving a winning outcome than the first play.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second plays include respective spins of symbol-bearing reels of a base game of the 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 →
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 20, 2020
From: BALLY GAMING, INC.
To: SG GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051649/0239 →
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 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 18, 2015
From: WMS GAMING INC.
To: BALLY GAMING, INC.
Reel/Frame 036350/0360 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2015
From: JAFFE, JOEL R.
To: WMS GAMING INC.
Reel/Frame 036186/0286 →