Gaming device with a changing arrangement of symbol display positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11869310-B2
Application number	US-202016850704-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2020
Priority date	Feb 14, 2019
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A gaming device comprises a display, a processor, and a memory storing (a) a current symbol position state defining, for each of a plurality of columns of symbol positions, a number of symbol positions for which symbols are to be selected; (b) a pay table; and (c) instructions. When the instructions are executed by the processor cause the processor to control the display to display a plurality of columns of symbol positions corresponding to the current symbol position state, select symbols for the displayed symbol positions by selecting stopping positions of a plurality of reel strips, wherein at least one of the reel strips comprises at least one designated symbol, evaluate the selected symbols for winning combinations based on the pay table, and responsive to the selected symbols of a column including a designated symbol, modify the symbol position state for the respective column to include at least one additional symbol position for a next symbol selection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming system comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing (a) a column size for each of a plurality of columns of symbol positions, each respective column size defining a number of symbol positions for which symbols are to be selected; (b) a pay table; and (c) instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:
control a display to display the plurality of columns of symbol positions corresponding to the respective column size;
generate, by a random number generator (RNG), one or more returned values of the RNG to identify stopping positions of a plurality of reel strips for a first spin, each reel strip of the plurality of reel strips associated with a respective one of the plurality of columns, and wherein at least one reel strip of the plurality of reel strips includes a column growth symbol indicative of increasing column size;
map a first plurality of symbols from the plurality of reel strips onto each respective column of the plurality of columns of symbol positions based on the identified stopping positions;
for each column of the plurality of columns of symbol positions:
if the column includes the column growth symbol mapped to at least one symbol position of the column:
increase the column size of the column to include at least one additional symbol position; and
replace the column growth symbol in the at least one symbol position with an additional symbol from the plurality of reel strips; and

if the column does not include a column growth symbol mapped to at least one symbol position of the column, do not change the column size of the column; and

cause display of a second plurality of symbols to be evaluated responsive to the first spin for winning combinations based on the pay table, the second plurality of symbols including the first plurality of symbols and at least one additional symbol having replaced the column growth symbol.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to control the display to vertically expand the respective column after one or more of a plurality of spins until the respective column reaches a maximum column size.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to control the display to display an animation associated with the respective column when modifying the column size for the respective column, and wherein the evaluating of the plurality of symbols for winning combinations includes evaluating the additional symbol added to the at least one symbol position.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein a subset of the plurality of reel strips includes the column growth symbol.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein each reel strip of the plurality of reel strips includes a plurality of reel strip positions, and wherein a first reel strip of the plurality of reel strips includes a greater number of reel strip positions than a second reel strip of the plurality of reel strips.

6. The gaming system of claim 5 , wherein the first reel strip of the plurality of reel strips does not include the column growth symbol, and wherein the second reel strip of the plurality of reel strips includes the column growth symbol.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the increased column size for the respective column persists over a predetermined number of spins.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of symbols is a first plurality of symbols and the column size of a first column of the plurality of columns is increased to include the at least one additional symbol position during a first spin of a plurality of spins, and wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to:
select, for a second spin of the plurality of spins, a second plurality of symbols for the plurality of columns of symbol positions;
determine that the second plurality of symbols include the column growth symbol; and
map the column growth symbol to a second column of the plurality of columns.

9. The gaming system of claim 8 , wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to:
modify the respective column size for the second column of the plurality of columns to include one or more additional symbol positions; and
evaluate the selected second plurality of symbols for winning combinations based on the pay table.

10. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores an initial column size and a maximum column size for each column of the plurality of columns, wherein, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to determine whether the column size for each column is at the maximum column size.

11. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the maximum column size for a first column of the plurality of columns includes a first number of symbol positions and the maximum column size for a second column of the plurality of columns includes a second, different, number of symbol positions.

12. The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to, in response to determining that a first column has reached the maximum column size, increment a column specific counter to monitor a number of spins that will be conducted with the first column at the maximum column size.

13. The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to set the column size of the first column to the initial column size in response to determining that the column specific counter associated with the first column has reached a predetermined value.

14. A gaming system comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing (a) a current column size for each of a plurality of columns of symbol positions, each respective current column size defining a number of symbol positions for which symbols are to be selected; (b) a pay table; (c) an initial column size and a maximum column size for each column of the plurality of columns; and (d) instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:
control a display to display the plurality of columns of symbol positions corresponding to the respective current column size;
generate, by a random number generator (RNG), one or more first returned values of the RNG for a first spin of a plurality of spins to identify stopping positions of a plurality of reel strips and a first plurality of symbols for the displayed symbol positions, each reel strip of the plurality of reel strips associated with a respective one of the plurality of columns, and wherein the first plurality of symbols include at least one designated symbol;
cause display of the at least one designated symbol in a first displayed symbol position, wherein the at least one designated symbol is indicative of increasing a column size of a corresponding column of the plurality of columns;
modify, in response to the displayed symbols of a column including the at least one designated symbol, the column size for the respective column, the respective column including at least one additional symbol position;
in response to a first column reaching the maximum column size, increment

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Au

Inventors

• Chan Matthew
• Lombardo Paul
• Mileto Claire
• Kroon James

Classifications

• G07F17/3262 Primary

  Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played · CPC title

• G07F17/3213 Primary

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

• G07F17/34

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

• G07F17/326 Primary

  Game play aspects of gaming systems · CPC title

• G07F17/3225

  Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users · CPC title