US 2012023.8346A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/023834.6 A1 Hurst (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 20, 2012 (54) GAMING DEVICE HAVING MAHJONG (52) U.S. Cl. .......................................................... 463/20 ELEMENTS (57) ABSTRACT (76) Inventor: Matt Hurst, Taipa (MO) Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices that incorporate various aspects of the traditional (21) Appl. No.: 13/050,856 Asian game of Mahjong. Mahjong tiles or symbols may be used in various types of games that include a single hand of (22) Filed: Mar 17, 2011 dealt tiles, hands that use tile drawing and discarding, poker e - f 9 style game play with a dealt and/or drawn hand of Mahjong tiles, multi-player games with Mahjong tiles, and other types Publication Classification of games that utilize elements from Mahjong. These games (51) Int. Cl. may be more favorably received than traditional slot machine A63F 9/24 (2006.01) games by players with familiarity with Mahjong. 72 73 70 EGMHEGM/Y70 Cell EGM EGM 50 Bank 60 Controller C Optical 63 Converter 75 Personal Opticall Computer Elec 65 Converter Server 74 90 80 Database Patent Application Publication Sep. 20, 2012 Sheet 1 of 9 US 2012/023834.6 A1 Simple Tiles of Circles or Dots Simple Tiles of Characters or Myriads Simple Tiles of Bamboos Honor Tiles of East, South, West, and North Honor Tiles of White, Green, and Red Dragons Bonus Tiles of Seasons and Flowers Patent Application Publication Sep. 20, 2012 Sheet 2 of 9 US 2012/023834.6 A1 FIG. 2 Patent Application Publication Sep. 20, 2012 Sheet 3 of 9 US 2012/023834.6 A1 FIG. 3 Patent Application Publication Sep. 20, 2012 Sheet 4 of 9 US 2012/023834.6 A1 72 73 70 EGMHEGM-Y70 EGMHEGM 50 Bank 6O 61 EGMHEGM Controller C Elec EGM Optical 63 62 Converter 4. 75 Personal Opticall Computer Elec 65 Converter SD 90 Database FIG. 4 Patent Application Publication Sep. 20, 2012 Sheet 5 of 9 US 2012/023834.6 A1 Patent Application Publication Sep. 20, 2012 Sheet 6 of 9 US 2012/023834.6 A1 For The Drago Prog :| CY E do ö) CO Play Max Bet To Be Eligible For The Dragon Progres ????[8] No.. ?No.. 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This disclosure relates generally to gaming devices, jong elements according to embodiments of the invention. and more particularly to gaming devices that include ele 0012 FIG. 8 is a detail diagram of a gaming device having ments of Mahjong in game play. Mahjong elements according to embodiments of the inven tion. BACKGROUND 0013 FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a multiplayer game 0002 Legalized casino gambling has developed rapidly in having Mahjong elements according to embodiments of the Macau (or Macao) since it opened its industry to foreign invention. companies in 2002. Since electronic gaming devices have traditionally been a large part of casino business in the United DETAILED DESCRIPTION States, Australia, Europe, and other countries with legalized gaming, a similar business model has likewise been attempted 0014 Embodiments of the present invention are directed in Macau. In the above mentioned countries, slot machines to gaming devices and methods of operating gaming devices have typically included spinning reel type games, video poker to incorporate elements of Mahjong gameplay. Mahjong is an games, and, to a lesser extent, video keno and blackjack ancient and popular game that originated in China and is games. Although some of these games have enjoyed modest common in various forms throughout Eastern Asia. The term popularity in Macau, many players are not familiar with the “Mahjong' (or "Mah Jong') is used in this document, as it is game play ideas of these gaming devices, and hence do not the most common form of spelling in roman characters, play these gaming devices. meant to represent the phonetic spelling of the Cantonese 0003. In order to improve popularity, many slot machine dialect for the term, whereas spelling for Mandarin in pinyin manufactures have attempted to tailor games to Chinese play format would be Ma Jiang, the Chinese characters being ers in order to gain popularity and improve business. One Pitié in traditional Chinese, and if in simplified Chinese. Such attempt was made by Bally Gaming at the opening of the The traditional Asian game of Mahjong consists of 144 tiles Macau Sands Casino in May 2004, with their game titled (although variations of the game sometimes contain more or "Mah Jong,” which was basically an old mechanical stepper fewer tiles). It is these symbols, and commonly recognized reel style game already released in the United States, but with variations of these symbols, that are referred to in this inven new artwork utilizing some of the symbols used in the game tion. of Mahjong (or Mah Jong). While this game was moderately 0015 FIG. 1 is a detail diagram illustrating an example set Successful, it had little resemblance to the actual game of of Mahjong tiles according to embodiments of the invention. Mahjong, and merely utilized some of its symbols, replacing Images in this figure have been drawn by Jerry Crimson Mann those used in the game in the USA. Another game introduced and are used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share by Bally was Golden 8's, another artwork combination Alike 3.0 Unported license. Referring to FIG. 1, the 144 appealing to the Chinese appreciation of the number 8, but Mahjong tiles are separated into Simple tiles, Honor tiles, and again with little association with anything else recognizable Bonus tiles. The words “tile' or “tiles' will be regularly used in this document, but other terms and/or objects could be used to Chinese players. Other efforts were made by manufactur interchangeably, Such as symbols, cards, plaques, graphic ers such as IGT, with games Such as "Fa Cai 12s. Again, this icons etc. to represent the images of the symbols used in the was another game involving simply changing the artwork traditional Asian game of Mahjong for the purposes outlined from a pre-existing game to Some apparently auspicious Chi in this document. nese symbolisms, which was no more than moderately suc 0016 Embodiments of this invention are meant to provide cessful. unique games for enjoyment, particularly in casino type envi 0004. The relative lack of success of these games, and ronments (whether land based, sea based, server based, Inter others, was based on their Superficial attention to Asian cul net type, or otherwise). These methods of play, incorporated ture, and their lack of combining the symbols used with with the use of Mahjong tiles, open up a new realm of games playing methods that Chinese players were accustomed to. for potential offer to people. Application of these games could Embodiments of this invention address these and other issues be, but is not limited to the following: table style gaming in in the prior art. casinos (in similar fashion to Blackjack or others), electronic BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS gaming machines (slot machines), computer games (includ ing but not limited to Internet style games), and hand held 0005 FIG. 1 is a detail diagram illustrating an example set device style gaming (such as mobile phones, tablets, and of Mahjong tiles according to embodiments of the invention. PDAs or otherwise) as discussed below. 0006 FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram that illustrates 0017. As discussed below embodiments of the present a gaming device according to embodiments of the invention. concept combine the traditional tiles of the ancient Chinese 0007 FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the gaming device game of Mahjong with various features of traditional gaming illustrated in FIG. 2. devices to create a unique mix of games readily identifiable 0008 FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of networked by Asian players with easily understood methodology and gaming devices according to embodiments of the invention. potentially meaningful payouts based on pay tables that 0009 FIG. 5 is a detail diagram of a gaming device having resemble winning combinations within the actual game of Mahjong elements according to embodiments of the inven Mahjong. tion. Like to display the tiles in a row of 13, rather than two 0018. The advantages of the methods of gaming outlined rows if possible in the embodiments discussed in this disclosure include sym US 2012/023834.6 A1 Sep. 20, 2012 bol recognition with familiar game play elements. In addi However, it is often preferable to have the credit meter 27 tion, some embodiments of the present invention utilize all of reflect a number of credits, rather than a monetary unit.