Automated selection of video gaming options

Abstract

A gaming apparatus may include a display unit capable of generating video images, a value input device and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device. The controller may comprise a processor and a memory, and may be programmed to allow a person to make a wager, to make an automated selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options presented to the player, to cause a video image representing a game to be generated on the display unit, and to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the game.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to make an automated selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options presented to said person,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots and video bingo,  
 said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game.  
   
     
     
         2 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow said person a choice of making a selection from among said user-selectable options or to instruct said controller to make said automated selection.  
     
     
         3 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow said person an opportunity to change said automated selection by at least one of a manual selection by the player and an automated selection by said controller.  
     
     
         4 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to cause a second video image to be generated on said display unit, said second video image representing a secondary game associated with said selected game, wherein said secondary game presents a plurality of user-selectable options to said person.  
     
     
         5 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said automated selection is a random selection.  
     
     
         6 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said automated selection is dependent upon parameters of said selected game.  
     
     
         7 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said user-selectable options comprise the selection of one or more of said at least five playing cards to hold if said game comprises video poker, said user-selectable options comprises whether to accept another card if said game comprises video blackjack, said user-selectable options comprise a plurality of paylines if said game comprises video slots, and said user-selectable options comprise a plurality of bingo grids if said game comprises video bingo.  
     
     
         8 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said user-selectable option comprises the option of playing one of video poker, video blackjack, video slots and video bingo.  
     
     
         9 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said selection of a game from said group of games is performed by said controller.  
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 1 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         11 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
     
     
         12 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager;  
 said controller being programmed to make an automated selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options presented to said person;  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game other than video keno; and  
 said controller being programmed to determine, after said video image has been displayed, a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image.  
   
     
     
         13 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow said person a choice of making a selection from among said user-selectable options or to instruct said controller to make said automated selection.  
     
     
         14 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow said person an opportunity to change said automated selection by at least one of a manual selection by the player and an automated selection by said controller.  
     
     
         15 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said controller is programmed to cause a second video image to be generated on said display unit, said second video image representing a secondary game associated with said game, wherein said secondary game presents a plurality of user-selectable options to said person.  
     
     
         16 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said automated selection is a random selection.  
     
     
         17 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said automated selection is dependent on parameters of said game.  
     
     
         18 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said user-selectable options comprise the selection of one or more of said at least five playing cards to hold if said game comprises video poker, said user-selectable options comprises whether to accept another card if said game comprises video blackjack, said user-selectable options comprise a plurality of paylines if said game comprises video slots, and said user-selectable options comprise a plurality of bingo grids if said game comprises video bingo.  
     
     
         19 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said user-selectable option comprises the option of playing one of video poker, video blackjack, video slots and video bingo.  
     
     
         20 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said selection of a game from said plurality of games is performed by said controller.  
     
     
         21 . A gaming system, comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 12 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         22 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
     
     
         23 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a payline selection,  
 said controller being programmed to make an automated selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options presented to said person,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image comprising a plurality of simulated slot machine reels of a slots game, each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said slots game, said controller being programmed to determine said value payout based on at least one of a configuration of said slot machine symbols and display of a particular slot machine symbol.  
   
     
     
         24 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow said person an option of making a selection from among said user-selectable options or to instruct said controller to make said automated selection.  
     
     
         25 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said controller is programmed to allow said person an opportunity to change said automated selection by at least one of a manual selection by the player and an automated selection by said controller.  
     
     
         26 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said controller is programmed to generate a second video image on said display unit, said second video image representing a secondary game associated with said slots game, wherein said secondary game presents a plurality of user-selectable options to said person.  
     
     
         27 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said automated selection is a random selection.  
     
     
         28 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said automated selection is dependent on parameters of said slots game.  
     
     
         29 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said user-selectable options comprise a number of said paylines.  
     
     
         30 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said user-selectable options comprise said slot machine symbols.  
     
     
         31 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 23 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         32 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 31 , wherein said gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
     
     
         33 . A gaming method comprising: 
 causing a video image to be generated, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots and video bingo, 
 said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo;  
   performing an automatic selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options presented to a person; and    determining a value payout associated with an outcome of said game.    
     
     
         34 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 33 , comprising: 
 allowing said person at least the option of either performing an automatic selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options or making a selection from among said user-selectable options.    
     
     
         35 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 33 , comprising: 
 allowing said person an opportunity to change said automated selection by at least one of a manual selection by the player and an automated selection.    
     
     
         36 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 33 , comprising: 
 causing a second video image to be generated, said second video image representing a secondary game associated with said selected game, wherein said secondary game presents a plurality of user-selectable options to said person.    
     
     
         37 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 33 , comprising: 
 randomly selecting from among said plurality of user-selectable options presented to said person.    
     
     
         38 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 33 , wherein performing an automatic selection is dependent upon parameters of said selected game.  
     
     
         39 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 33 , comprising: 
 selecting one or more of said at least five playing cards to hold if said game comprises video poker;    accepting another card if said game comprises video blackjack,    selecting one or more of said paylines if said game comprises video slots; and    selecting one or more of said bingo grids if said game comprises video bingo.    
     
     
         40 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 33 , comprising selecting to play one of video poker, video blackjack, video slots and video bingo.  
     
     
         41 . A memory having a computer program stored therein, said computer program being capable of being used in connection with a gaming apparatus, said memory comprising: 
 a first memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to allow a person to make a wager;    a second memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to cause a video image to be generated on a display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots, and video bingo, 
 said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo,  
   a third memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to perform an automated selection from among a plurality of user-selectable options presented to said person; and    a fourth memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game.    
     
     
         42 . A memory defined in  claim 41 , wherein said third memory portion is physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause a random selection from among said plurality of user-selectable options presented to said person.  
     
     
         43 . A memory as defined in  claim 41 , comprising a fifth memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to allow said person an opportunity to change said automated selection by at least one of a manual selection by the player and an automated selection by said gaming apparatus.  
     
     
         44 . A memory as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said memory comprises a fifth portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to cause a second video image to be generated on said display unit, said second video image representing a secondary game associated with said selected game, wherein said secondary game presents a plurality of user-selectable options to said person.  
     
     
         45 . A memory as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said third memory portion is physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause the gaming apparatus to perform an automated selection that is dependent upon parameters of said selected game.