Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11100762-B2
Application number	US-201514823743-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

An electronic gaming system comprises a first video display, a second video display, and a game controller to select a plurality of symbols from a symbol set for display at respective ones of a plurality of symbol display positions on the first video display. Upon a trigger condition being met, the game controller awards one or more wild symbols to be incorporated into the symbol display independently of selection of the symbols from the symbol set, controls the second video display to display a first portion of a wild symbol awarding animation, and controls the first video display to display a second portion of the wild symbol awarding animation during which one or more animated objects shown in the first portion of the wild symbol awarding animation move to the first video display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gaming machine, comprising:
a first video display;
a second video display;
a random number generator;
a game controller; and
a memory which stores instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the game controller, cause the game controller to at least:
select a plurality of symbols from a symbol set;
display the plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display positions of the first video display;
make a determination as to whether to add at least one extra wild symbol to at least one of a plurality of symbol display positions of the first video display, wherein the determination is randomly made, based on the random number generator, without regard to the plurality of symbols selected from the symbol set;
in response to the determination being that no extra wild symbols are to be added to the plurality of symbol display positions evaluate the plurality of symbols to determine an award value; and
in response to the determination being to add at least one extra wild symbol to at least one of the plurality of symbol display positions:
randomly select, based, at least in part, on a value generated by the random number generator, a symbol display position from among all display positions of the plurality of symbol display positions as a wild symbol position;
control the second video display to display a first portion of a wild symbol awarding animation, during which an animated object is displayed moving on the second video display;
control the first video display and the second video display to display a second portion of the wild symbol awarding animation, during which the animated object, shown in the first portion of the wild symbol awarding animation, moves from the second video display to the first video display, moves to the wild symbol position, and displays a wild symbol at the wild symbol position; and
evaluate the plurality of symbols including the wild symbol at the wild symbol position to determine the award value.

2. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second video display is positioned above the first video display.

3. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the game controller to:
select a quantity of extra wild symbols to add to the plurality of symbol display positions of the first video display; and
control the second video display to present a quantity of animated objects during the first portion of the wild symbol awarding animation, wherein the quantity of animated objects indicates the quantity of extra wild symbols to be added to the plurality of symbol display positions.

4. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the game controller to:
select a multiple wild symbol as the wild symbol added to the wild symbol position; and
control the first video display to place the multiple wild symbol at the wild symbol position, divide the multiple wild symbol placed at the wild symbol position into a plurality of single wild symbols, add one single wild symbol of the plurality of single wild symbols to the wild symbol position, and add at least one other single wild symbol of the plurality of single wild symbols to another symbol display position of the plurality of symbol display positions.

5. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the animated object associated with the multiple wild symbol is visually distinct from another animated object associated with the single wild symbol.

6. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions, further causes the game controller to make the determination to add at least one extra wild symbol to at least one of the plurality of symbol display positions if a random value produced by the random number generator corresponds to a defined sub-range of a range of possible random values generated by the random number generator.

7. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of symbol display positions comprises a plurality of columns;
each column of the plurality of columns represents a reel of a plurality of reels; and
execution of the instructions further causes the game controller to control the first video display to display the plurality of symbols on a plurality of reels spinning through the plurality of symbol display positions.

8. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of symbol display positions are arranged in a matrix comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of symbol display positions; and
the instructions further cause the game controller to, at least, randomly select the wild symbol position from among all of the symbol display positions in the matrix that are not occupied by the wild symbol.

9. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the game controller to randomly select, based on another random value produced by the random number generator, the wild symbol from a set of wild symbols including a single wild symbol and a multiple wild symbol.

10. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the game controller to select the plurality of symbols and displays the wild symbol at the wild symbol position after receiving a wager.

11. A gaming machine, comprising:
a gaming cabinet configured to house components associated with the gaming machine;
a credit input mechanism coupled to the gaming cabinet and configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based on wagering activity;
a wagering input mechanism;
a payout mechanism coupled to the gaming cabinet and configured to make a payout from the credit balance;
a first video display coupled to the gaming cabinet;
a second video display coupled to the gaming cabinet;
a game controller within the gaming cabinet;
a random number generator within the gaming cabinet; and
a memory within the gaming cabinet which stores instructions, wherein execution of the instructions causes the game controller to at least:
initiate a casino wagering game in response to receiving a wager input from the wagering input mechanism, the wager input indicative of a wager amount that is deducted from the credit balance;
display a plurality of reels via the first video display, the plurality of reels providing a matrix of symbol display positions on the first video display;
spin the plurality of reels to present, based on a value generated by the random number generator, a plurality of symbols from a symbol set in respective ones of the symbol display positions of the matrix of symbol display positions;
make a determination as to whether to add at least one extra wild symbol to the matrix of symbol display positions, wherein the determination is randomly made, based on the random number generator, without regard to the plurality of symbols presented from the symbol set;
in response to the determination being to add at least one extra wild symbol to the matrix of symbol display positions:
control the second video display to display a first portion of a wild symbol awarding animation, during which an animated object is displayed moving on the second video display;
control the first video display and the second video display to display a second portion of the wild symbol awarding animation during which the animated object, shown in the first portion of the wild symbol awarding animation, moves from the second video display to a selected symbol display position in the matrix of symbol displ

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Au

Inventors

• Fong Colin
• Tam Billy Ho Ching
• Huynh Vinh Hoang
• Murphy Gesa
• Salmon Christian

Classifications

• 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

• G07F17/3216

  Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects · CPC title

• G07F17/34 Primary

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title