Games and gaming machines having prizes triggered by expanding reels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10102710-B2
Application number	US-201615254178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Sep 1, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

In a game event a first set of game symbols are displayed in a game symbol display area, at least one prize is displayed in a prize display area, and an expanded second set of game symbols having at least one game symbol located in the prize display area is displayed. A winning game outcome may be declared if at least one game symbol located in the prize display area contacts at least one prize which is displayed in the prize display area. The game event may be presented via a uniquely configured gaming machine or system in which the game symbols and prizes are generated and displayed as graphical elements on a video display. The game event may be presented as or as part of a wagering event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming machine comprising:
a monetary funds accepting mechanism for accepting monetary funds in creating a player credit balance;
at least one display device;
at least one player input device;
a memory device;
a controller; and
machine-readable code stored in said memory device executable by said controller to, in response to a wager placed by said player from said player credit balance, to present a game event comprising:
causing said at least one display device to display a first spin of a set of reels in a base game symbol display area, said first spin of said set of reels displaying a first set of game symbols comprising two or more columns, each of said two or more columns having a first number of game symbols comprising at least one game symbol;
causing said at least one display device to display at least one prize in a prize display area said prize display area located above said base game symbol display area;
causing said at least one display device to display an expanded second set of game symbols in said base game symbol display area, said expanded second set of game symbols comprising said two or more columns having said first number of game symbols, and at least one of said two or more columns including at least one additional game symbol which is displayed at least partially in said prize display area;
determining if a prize winning condition has occurred comprising said at least one additional game symbol displayed at least partially in said prize display area contacting said at least one prize which is displayed in said prize display area; and
awarding at least one award if said prize winning condition occurred.

2. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one prize is displayed as a graphical element in said prize display area, and wherein a size of said graphical element may vary.

3. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first set of game symbols comprise a matrix of M rows by N columns of game symbols.

4. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said expanded second set of game symbols comprises a matrix of M rows by N columns of game symbols and at least one of said N columns increased by at least one row.

5. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one prize is displayed as a graphical icon having a size and location and wherein at least one of a size and location of at least one prize prevents game symbols in one or more of said columns of said expanded second set of game symbols from contacting said at least one prize to achieve a prize-winning condition.

6. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one prize is displayed as a graphical icon and where a location of said graphical icon in said prize display area is varied.

7. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one prize is displayed as a graphical icon and a size and/or location of said graphical icon is randomly determined.

8. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising causing said at least one display to no longer display said at least one prize if said prize winning condition has occurred.

9. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said machine-readable code further causes said controller to determine if at least one winning combination of game symbols exists relative to at least one of said first set of game symbols and said expanded second set of game symbols and to award at least one award for said at least one winning combination of game symbols.

10. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said game event comprise a bonus event to a primary game.

11. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first set of game symbols is displayed relative to a first spin of said set of reels and said expanded second set of game symbols is displayed relative to a second spin of said set of reels.

12. A method of presenting a game event via an electronic gaming device, where the electronic gaming device includes one or more processors, the method comprising:
receiving via a credit device an item associated with a monetary value;
establishing via the one or more processors a credit balance based at least in part on the received item;
receiving via a wager button a wager amount on a play of a game, wherein the wager amount is deducted from the credit balance;
displaying via at least one display device a first spin of a set of reels in a game symbol display area, said first spin of said set of reels displaying a first set of game symbols comprising two or more columns, each of said two or more columns having a first number of game symbols comprising at least one game symbol;
displaying via said at least one display device at least one prize in a prize display area, said prize display area located above said base game symbol display area;
displaying via said at least one display device an expanded second set of game symbols in said base game symbol area, said expanded second set of game symbols comprising said two or more columns having said first number of game symbols, and at least one of said two or more columns including at least one additional game symbol which is displayed at least partially in said prize display area;
determining if a prize winning condition has occurred comprising said at least one additional game symbol at least partially displayed in said prize display area contacting said at least one prize which is displayed in said prize display area; and
awarding at least one award if said prize winning condition occurred.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising displaying said at least one prize as a graphical element in prize display area, and varying said size of said graphical element at one or more times.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first set of game symbols comprise a matrix of M rows by N columns of game symbols.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said expanded second set of game symbols comprises a matrix of M rows by N columns of game symbols and at least one of said N columns increased by at least one row.

16. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising displaying said at least one prize as a graphical icon having a size and location which prevent them from being contracted by game symbols in at least one column of said expanded set of game symbols wherein.

17. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising displaying said at least one prize is displayed as a graphical icon and varying a location of said graphical icon in said prize display area at one or more times.

18. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising displaying said at least one prize as a graphical icon and randomly determining a size and/or location of said graphical icon.

19. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising no longer displaying said at least one prize if said prize winning condition has occurred.

20. The method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising determining if at least one winning combination of game symbols exists relative to at least one of said first set of game symbols and said expanded second set of game symbols and awarding at least one award for said at least one winning combination of game symbols.

Assignees

• Cadillac Jack Inc
• Ags Llc

Inventors

• Boese Eric Steven
• Ryan Timothy Curtis

Classifications

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3267

  Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title

• G07F17/3213 Primary

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title