| Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature -> Monitor Keywords |
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Wagering game having a ramping bonus featureRelated 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.)Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060223615, Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/666,915 filed Mar. 31, 2005, titled "Wagering Game Having A Ramping Bonus Feature," which is incorporated herein in its entirety. COPYRIGHT [0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates generally to gaming machines, and methods for playing wagering games, and more particularly, to a gaming machine for implementing a wagering game having a ramping bonus game trigger that awards bonus game play based on the amount of the player's wager. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player. [0005] One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a "secondary" or "bonus" game that may be played in conjunction with a "basic" game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with "progressive jackpot" awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators. [0006] Operators of gaming machines strive to keep high worth players playing on their gaming machines. However, as more and more players go to a penny configuration game, operators have pulled the return percentage down to a relatively low amount, such as 86%. By doing so, players who would normally wager a $2-$3 bet often choose to forgo the machines having these low return percentages. A need therefore exists for providing players with a fair level of game play for their bet level. The present invention is directed to satisfying this and other needs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a wager-input device for receiving a wager from a player to play a wagering game having a basic game and a bonus game. In response to the wager being at least as large as a threshold amount, a hidden trigger for randomly triggering the bonus game is enabled. A display displays symbols during the basic game. The symbols indicate a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to the wager. The plurality of outcomes include at least one bonus-game-triggering outcome for triggering the bonus game. A probability of randomly triggering the bonus game via the hidden trigger is related to an amount of the wager. [0008] According to another aspect of the invention, a method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine comprises receiving a wager from a player to player the wagering game. The wagering game has a basic game and a bonus game. A game outcome is randomly selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to the wager. In response to the wager being at least as large as a threshold amount, a hidden trigger is enabled that randomly triggers the bonus game. A probability of randomly triggering the bonus game is related to an amount of the wager. The game outcome for the wagering game is displayed as symbols indicating a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes. The plurality of outcomes includes at least one bonus-game-triggering outcome for triggering the bonus game. The bonus game is activated if the bonus-game-triggering event is achieved or if the hidden trigger randomly triggers the bonus game. [0009] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a computer readable storage medium is encoded with instructions for directing a gaming device to perform the above method. [0010] According to an additional aspect of the invention, a gaming system is provided for playing a wagering game having a basic game and a bonus game. The gaming system has at least one display and a controller coupled to the display. The controller is programmed to initiate the wagering game in response to detection of a wager from a player. A basic game of the wagering game displays symbols indicating a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes based on a first random-number generator event. The plurality of outcomes include at least one bonus-game-triggering outcome for triggering a bonus game. In response to the wager being at least as large as a threshold amount, a hidden trigger is enabled that randomly triggers the bonus game based on a second random-number generator event. A probability of triggering the bonus game by the alternative-bonus feature is related to an amount of the wager. [0011] According to another aspect of the invention, a method of playing a wagering game having a basic game and a bonus game that is triggered by an outcome in the basic game comprises receiving from a player a first wager amount, a second wager amount, or a third wager amount for playing the wagering game. The third wager amount is larger than the second wager amount, and the second wager amount is larger than the first wager amount. The basic game is played in response to the first wager amount being received. In response to the second wager amount being received, the basic game is played and a random selection is independently conducted with a hidden trigger that randomly triggers the bonus game. The hidden trigger triggers the bonus game at a first probability. In response to the third wager amount being received, the basic game is played and the random selection is independently conducted with the hidden trigger. The hidden trigger triggers the bonus game at a second probability. [0012] Additional aspects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gaming machine embodying the present invention; [0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system suitable for operating the gaming machine; [0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a video slot wagering game according to an embodiment of the invention; [0016] FIG. 4 illustrates the video slot wagering game in which the player has achieved a bonus-triggering symbol combination according to an embodiment of the invention; [0017] FIG. 5 illustrates the primary display when the controller has triggered the "Ramp Up" enabled bonus game according to an embodiment of the invention; and [0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a bonus game according to an embodiment of the invention. Continue reading about Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature... Full patent description for Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature 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. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Systems and methods wherein a lottery number combination is associated with a limited number of occurrences Next Patent Application: Gaming machine Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Wagering game having a ramping bonus feature patent info. 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