Gaming machine and method for stack activated prizes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11816959-B2
Application number	US-202117174770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2021
Priority date	Feb 12, 2021
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a display for displaying a game including game symbols arranged into an array of game positions. A game controller controls the display of randomly selected game symbols on the display in an array of game positions, preferably arranged into reels. One or more bonus positions are also displayed above the reels, the bonus positions each being associated with a reel. The bonus positions each display a bonus symbol associated with a game enhancing element, such as a credit prize, multiplier, free games or a jackpot. When a special symbol is displayed in each game position of a reel, the controller must award the game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbol displayed in the bonus position associated with the reel. A method is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gaming machine comprising:
a display for displaying a game, and;
a controller for controlling the display of the game symbols on the display; and
a value transfer mechanism for receiving value from the player, wherein the controller is in communication with the value transfer mechanism and the value transfer mechanism comprises at least one of a coin acceptor and a paper currency acceptor;
wherein the controller is configured to:
determine if a wager has been received via the value transfer mechanism;
display a play of the game on the display including one or more configurations of game symbols if the wager has been received, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a game outcome, the game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player;
provide an array of game positions in which to display the one or more configurations of game symbols, the game positions being arranged into one or more groups;
provide one or more bonus positions, the bonus positions each displaying a bonus symbol associated with a game enhancing element;
associate at least one bonus position with at least one group;
determine whether a special symbol is displayed in at least one game position of the at least one group;
in response at least to a special symbol displayed in at least one game position of the at least one group, fixing the bonus symbol in the at least one bonus position between plays of the game, and in response to a special symbol displayed in at least one additional game position of the at least one group, changing the bonus symbol in the at least one bonus position in a predefined manner;
determine whether a special symbol is displayed in each game position of the at least one group; and
in response to the special symbol being displayed in each game position of the at least one group, always award the game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbol displayed in the at least one bonus position associated with the at least one group.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein each bonus position is associated with one of said groups.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the bonus positions are each shown on the display adjacent to its associated group.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein there is a bonus position for each group in the array.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the bonus symbols displayed in the bonus positions change between plays of the game when no special symbol is displayed in at least one dame position of the at least one group.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbol comprises a credit prize, and the amount of the credit prize increases for each game position of the at least one group that is occupied by the special symbol.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbol comprises a credit prize, and the amount of the credit prize increases for each game position in the array that is occupied by the special symbol.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game enhancing element associated with bonus symbol comprises a jackpot prize.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured so that any special symbols appearing in game positions in a play of the game are displayed in the same game positions for one or more subsequent plays of the game.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9 , wherein the special symbols are displayed in the same game positions until the end of the game.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game enhancing element is immediately awarded to the player during the game.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game enhancing element is immediately awarded to the player at the end of the game.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein a predetermined number of retrigger symbols appearing in game positions in the array causes the controller to reset a number of plays remaining in the game.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein, where there is more than one bonus position and the special symbol appears in each game position of more than one group, the controller must award each game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbols displayed in the bonus positions associated with the groups which display the special symbol in each game position.

15. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the groups comprise reels in the array.

16. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein there are at least five bonus positions in the array and the groups comprise reels in the array, each bonus position being associated with at least one reel.

17. A gaming machine comprising:
at least one video display for displaying a game, and;
a value input comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor and a ticket reader; and
at least one electronic controller coupled to the at least one video display and the value input;
wherein the controller is configured to:
determine if a wager has been received via the value input;
display the game on the display including one or more configurations of game symbols if the wager has been received, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a game outcome, the game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player;
provide a plurality of reels comprising game positions for displaying game symbols and the one or more configurations of game symbols;
provide one or more bonus positions, the bonus positions each displaying a bonus symbol associated with a game enhancing element;
associate at least one bonus position with at least one reel;
determine whether a special symbol is displayed in at least one game position of the at least one reel;
in response at least to a special symbol displayed in at least one game position of the at least one reel, fixing the bonus symbol in the at least one bonus position between plays of the game, and in response to a special symbol displayed in at least one additional game position of the at least one reel, changing the bonus symbol in the at least one bonus position in a predefined manner;
determine whether a special symbol is displayed in each game position of the at least one reel; and
in response to the special symbol being displayed in each game position of the at least one reel, always award the game enhancing element associated with the bonus symbol displayed in the at least one bonus position associated with the at least one reel.

Assignees

• Ainsworth Game Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Djemal Ozbay
• Prabhu Sujay
• Paotrukal Pairatch

Classifications

• G07F17/3267 Primary

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

• G07F17/3213 Primary

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

• G07F17/3258

  Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots · CPC title