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Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive gameRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), In A Chance Application, Lot Match Or Lot Combination (e.g., Roulette, Lottery, Etc.), Plural Lots (e.g., Keno, Etc.), Plural Matches Create Pattern (e.g., Bingo, Etc.)Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060019737, Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 093122096, filed on Jul. 23, 2004. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The invention relates to a computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game that includes main and bonus games. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Computer-implemented methods and apparatus for playing bingo are known in the art. FIG. 1 illustrates a graphical user interface 10 generated by a conventional gaming apparatus for playing bingo. The interface 10 includes a virtual bingo card 11 and an odds table 12. The virtual bingo card 11 includes a numerical bingo pattern in the form of a 5.times.5 numerical matrix, each element of which is randomly selected by the gaming apparatus. The odds table 12 includes fifteen rows 121 of five number spaces. Each of the rows 121 of the odds table 12 is associated with a corresponding payout multiplier, such as .times.20 (20 times payout), .times.10 (10 times payout), .times.5 (5 times payout), etc., that is marked at a left end thereof. When playing the bingo game, a bingo number is randomly drawn, one of the number spaces of the odds table 12 is filled with the drawn bingo number according to the drawing sequence of the bingo number, and the virtual bingo card 11 is marked accordingly when the drawn bingo number is present in the numerical bingo pattern of the virtual bingo card 11. The above procedure is repeated until a predefined winning bingo pattern, such as a complete row of marked bingo numbers, is formed on the virtual bingo card 11. The gaming apparatus then determines a payout amount based on a bet placed beforehand by the player and the payout multiplier associated with one of the rows 121 of the odds table 12 containing a latest one of the bingo numbers that was drawn and that resulted in the formation of the winning bingo pattern on the virtual bingo card 11. In the example of FIG. 1, the bet placed beforehand by the player is 5 points, the latest bingo number that resulted in the formation of the winning bingo pattern is "70" and is contained in the third row 121 of the odds table 12, and the payout multiplier associated with the third row 121 of the odds table 12 is .times.5. The payout amount is thus equal to 5.times.5 or 25 points. [0006] The aforesaid gaming apparatus is disadvantageous in that it is monotonous and lacks variety, and is unable to keep the interest of a player who has been playing the bingo game for some time. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game so as to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art. [0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method for playing a progressive game, comprising: [0009] a) playing a main game, the main game being associated with a predetermined first prize combination that includes a set of virtual prizes, and being further associated with a set of predefined first winning criteria for winning one of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination; [0010] b) awarding the player one of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination when the outcome of the main game played in step a) matches the first winning criteria; [0011] c) repeating steps a) and b) until the player has collected all of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination; and [0012] d) playing a bonus game when the player has collected all of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination. [0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product for a gaming apparatus that includes a user input unit, a display unit, and a game processor coupled to the user input unit and the display unit. The computer program product configures the gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game, and comprises a computer readable storage medium comprising: [0014] a first code that directs the game processor to allow the player to play a main game, the main game being associated with a predetermined first prize combination that includes a set of virtual prizes, and being further associated with a set of predefined first winning criteria for winning one of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination; [0015] a second code that directs the game processor to award the player one of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination when the outcome of the main game matches the first winning criteria; [0016] a third code that directs the game processor to repeat execution of the first and second codes until the player has collected all of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination; and [0017] a fourth code that directs the game processor to allow the player to play a bonus game when the player has collected all of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination. [0018] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming apparatus that comprises a user input unit, a display unit, a game processor coupled to the user input unit and the display unit, and a computer program product for configuring the gaming apparatus to perform consecutive steps of a computer-implemented method for playing a progressive game. The computer-implemented method comprises: [0019] a) playing a main game, the main game being associated with a predetermined first prize combination that includes a set of virtual prizes, and being further associated with a set of predefined first winning criteria for winning one of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination; [0020] b) awarding the player one of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination when the outcome of the main game played in step a) matches the first winning criteria; [0021] c) repeating steps a) and b) until the player has collected all of the virtual prizes in the first prize combination; and Continue reading about Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game... Full patent description for Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Computer-implemented method and gaming apparatus for playing a progressive game patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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