Gaming device having an award exchange bonus round and method for revealing award exchange possibilities

Abstract

A gaming device, which awards an initial award to a player, discloses to a player that a higher valued enticement award is available and selectable, and enables the player to selectively swap the initial award for an opportunity to select the enticement award. The game preferably discloses the value of the initial award and the enticement award. The game masks the enticement award in a pattern along with one or more masked consolation awards, the consolation awards having values less than the value of the initial award. The game reveals the awards using a secondary display having mechanical doors that open and close.

1 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, 
 said gaming device comprising:    a game controlled by the processor;    a plurality of separate value pools, each separate value pool having a different value range;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein one of said masked awards has a minimum value randomly selected from one of said value pools, said minimum value is less than any values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards has a maximum value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said maximum value is greater than any values of the other masked awards and at least one of said masked awards has an intermediate value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said intermediate value is greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having the intermediate value first if the player selects said award having said minimum value.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having said minimum value.  
   
   
       3 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: 
 a game controlled by the processor;    a plurality of separate value pools, each separate value pool having a different value range;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein one of said masked awards has a minimum value randomly selected from one of said value pools, said minimum value is less than any values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards has a maximum value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said maximum value is greater than any values of the other masked awards and at least one of said masked awards has an intermediate value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said intermediate value is greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having the minimum value first if the player selects said award having said intermediate value.    
   
   
       4 . The gaming device of  claim 3 , wherein said processor is operable to control the play of said game by moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having an intermediate value.  
   
   
       5 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: 
 a game controlled by the processor;    a plurality of separate value pools, each separate value pool having a different value range;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein one of said masked awards has a minimum value randomly selected from one of said value pools, said minimum value is less than any values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards has a maximum value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said maximum value is greater than any values of the other masked awards and a plurality of said masked awards having an intermediate value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said intermediate value is greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having the intermediate value first if the player selects another award having an intermediate value.    
   
   
       6 . The gaming device of  claim 5 , wherein said processor is operable to control the play of said game by moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having an intermediate value.  
   
   
       7 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: 
 a game controlled by the processor;    a plurality of separate value pools, each separate value pool having a different value range;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein one of said masked awards has a minimum value randomly selected from one of said value pools, said minimum value is less than any values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards has a maximum value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said maximum value is greater than any values of the other masked awards and at least one of said masked awards has an intermediate value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said intermediate value is greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having the maximum value first if the player selects said award having said maximum value.    
   
   
       8 . The gaming device of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said award having said maximum value.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming device of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by randomly determining whether to move the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said award having said maximum value.  
   
   
       10 . The gaming device of  claim 9 , wherein said random determination includes an equal probability of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or said award having said intermediate value first.  
   
   
       11 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: 
 a game controlled by the processor;    a known award in said game;    a plurality of separate value pools, each separate value pool having a different value range;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein one of said masked awards has a minimum value randomly selected from one of said value pools, said minimum value is less than any values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards has a maximum value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said maximum value is greater than any values of the other masked awards and at least one of said masked awards has an intermediate value randomly selected from a different one of said value pools, said intermediate value is greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said plurality of masked awards and said known award to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having the maximum value last if the player selects said known award.    
   
   
       12 . The gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value first if the player selects said known award.  
   
   
       13 . The gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said known award.  
   
   
       14 . The gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is operable to control the play of said game by randomly determining whether to moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said known award.  
   
   
       15 . The gaming device of  claim 14 , wherein said random determination includes an equal probability of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or an award having an intermediate value first.  
   
   
       16 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: 
 a game controlled by the processor;    a known award in said game;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein two of said masked awards have higher values than said known award and a plurality of said masked awards each have a lower value than said known award; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said known award and said plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select said known award or at least one of said masked awards;    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal all non-selected lower value awards;    (d) moving the mechanical member to reveal one high value award;    (e) moving the mechanical member to reveal a selected lower value award; and    (f) moving the mechanical member to reveal the other high value award.    
   
   
       17 . A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: 
 a game controlled by the processor;    a known award in said game;    a plurality of masked awards in said game, wherein two of said masked awards have higher values than said known award and a plurality of said masked awards each have a lower value than said known award; and    a display device operable to display said game, said display device including at least one mechanical member operable to cover said masked awards;    wherein said processor is operable with said display device and said mechanical member to control a play of said game by:    (a) displaying said known award and said plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by said mechanical member;    (b) enabling the player to select said known award or at least one of said masked awards;    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal all but one lower value award;    (d) moving the mechanical member to reveal a non-selected high value award;    (e) moving the mechanical member to reveal a remaining lower value award; and    (f) moving the mechanical member to reveal a selected high value award.    
   
   
       18 . A system for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said system comprising: 
 a processor operable with at least one award pool to randomly select at three awards, said selected awards including a highest value award; and    a display device which includes at least one movable masked member and operable with the processor, wherein the mechanical member masks the selected awards, and the processor and the display device operate to enable a player to input a decision to obtain one of the selected awards, wherein one of the selected awards is provided to the player based on the inputted decision, wherein the processor causes the mechanical to move to reveal said provided award to the player after another one of the selected awards is revealed to the player and wherein the highest value award is revealed last to the player whether or not the highest value award is the provided award.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the display device displays the plurality of awards as a plurality of player selectable masked awards.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , which includes a secondary display device connected to said controller, said secondary display device including at least one mechanical door that opens to disclose at least one of said masked awards, and said primary display device including means for enabling the opening of said door.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18 , which includes a secondary display device connected to a controller of said gaming device, said secondary display device including means for revealing at least one of said masked awards.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said revealing means includes at least one mechanical door that opens to disclose at least one of said masked awards.  
   
   
       23 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a processor, one of said masked awards having a minimum value less than the values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards having a maximum value greater than the values of the other masked awards, and at least one of said masked awards having an intermediate value greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value, the minimum, maximum and intermediate values each selected randomly from separate value pools stored in the gaming device, the separate value pools each having different value ranges;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having the intermediate value first if the player selects said award having said minimum value.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having said minimum value.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       26 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a process, one of said masked awards having a minimum value less than the values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards having a maximum value greater than the values of the other masked awards, and at least one of said masked awards having an intermediate value greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value, the minimum, maximum and intermediate values each selected randomly from separate value pools stored in the gaming device, the separate value pools each having different value ranges;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value first if the player selects said award having an intermediate value.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having an intermediate value.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       29 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a processor, one of said masked awards having a minimum value less than the values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards having a maximum value greater than the values of the other masked awards, and a plurality of said masked awards having an intermediate value greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value, the minimum, maximum and intermediate values each selected randomly from separate value pools stored in the gaming device, the separate value pools each having different value ranges;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving said mechanical member to reveal said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects another award having an intermediate value.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having an intermediate value.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       32 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a processor, one of said masked awards having a minimum value less than the values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards having a maximum value greater than the values of the other masked awards, and at least one of said masked awards having an intermediate value greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value, the minimum, maximum and intermediate values each selected randomly from separate value pools stored in the gaming device, the separate value pools each having different value ranges;    (b) enabling the player to select at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said award having said maximum value.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value first if the player selects said award having said maximum value.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said award having said maximum value.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , which includes the step of randomly determining whether to move the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said award having said maximum value.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said random determination includes an equal probability of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or said award having said intermediate value first.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       38 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a known award and a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a processor, one of said masked awards having a minimum value less than the values of the other masked awards, one of said masked awards having a maximum value greater than the values of the other masked awards, and at least one of said masked awards having an intermediate value greater than said minimum value and less than said maximum value, the minimum, maximum and intermediate values each selected randomly from separate value pools stored in the gaming device, the separate value pools each having different value ranges;    (b) enabling the player to select said known award or at least one of said masked awards; and    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said maximum value last if the player selects said known award.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value first if the player selects said known award.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 38 , which includes the step of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said known award.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 38 , which includes the step of randomly determining whether to moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or said award having said intermediate value first if the player selects said known award.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said random determination includes an equal probability of moving the mechanical member to reveal said award having said minimum value or an award having an intermediate value first.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 38 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       44 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a known award and a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a processor, two of said masked awards having higher values than said known award, and a plurality of said masked awards having a lower value than said known award;    (b) enabling the player to select said known award or at least one of said masked awards;    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal all non-selected lower value awards;    (d) moving the mechanical member to reveal one high value award;    (e) moving the mechanical member to reveal a selected lower value award; and    (f) moving the mechanical member to reveal the other high value award.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       46 . A method for revealing masked awards in a gaming device, said method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a known award and a plurality of masked awards to a player, wherein said masked awards are covered by at least one mechanical member controlled by a processor, two of said masked awards having higher values than said known award, and a plurality of said masked awards having a lower value than said known award;    (b) enabling the player to select said known award or at least one of said masked awards;    (c) moving the mechanical member to reveal all but one lower value award;    (d) moving the mechanical member to reveal a non-selected high value award;    (e) moving the mechanical member to reveal a remaining lower value award; and    (f) moving the mechanical member to reveal a selected high value award.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , which is provided through a data network.