Systems and methods for using volatility stabilizing sub-event triggers for a primary game and/or secondary game of chance including randomized independent expanding reels with dynamically changing graphical elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12100268-B2
Application number	US-202217810801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2022
Priority date	Sep 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for operating a game of chance. A gaming system includes one or more game displays, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance and memory in communication with said at least one processor. The game of chance including a two-part game wherein at least one part of the two-part games includes a video reel game and includes the generation of random sub-events wherein two or more of said random sub-events are required to trigger another game part including a bonus game, a secondary game, a free game round, a “hold and spin” round, or other game event. The plurality of sub-events required to trigger another game part serve to reduce the frequency of significant player “cold streaks” during game play. The game of chance including randomized independent expanding reels with dynamically changing graphical elements.

First claim

We claim:

1. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor;
said at least one processor configured to:
present a plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels each formed of one or more rows on said game display;
independently and randomly expand a number of rows associated with said one or more of said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels to an increased number of rows; and

dynamically scale, reorientate and/or reposition non-game play graphical elements near any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels to accommodate any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes are required to trigger a bonus event and (ii) require a predefined minimum number of plays to trigger the bonus event which equals or exceeds the number of sub-event game outcomes necessary to trigger the bonus event.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said game display comprises one or more separate displays.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said game display comprises separate display areas.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:
remove non-game play graphical elements near any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels to accommodate said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said graphical elements comprise progressive jackpot meters.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels depict game symbols.

8. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor;
said at least one processor configured to:
present a plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels each formed of one or more rows on said game display;
independently and randomly expand vertically one or more of said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels to an increased number of rows; and

dynamically scale, reorientate and/or reposition non-game play graphical elements near any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels to accommodate any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels.

9. The gaming system of claim 8 wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes are required to trigger a bonus event and (ii) require a predefined minimum number of plays to trigger the bonus event which equals or exceeds the number of sub-event game outcomes necessary to trigger the bonus event.

10. The gaming system of claim 8 wherein said game display comprises one or more separate displays.

11. The gaming system of claim 8 wherein said game display comprises separate display areas.

12. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:
remove non-game play graphical elements near any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels to accommodate said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels.

13. The gaming system of claim 8 wherein said graphical elements comprise progressive jackpot meters.

14. The gaming system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels depict game symbols.

15. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display depicting a plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels each formed of at least one rows and memory in communication with said at least one processor;
wherein said at least one processor is configured to:
randomly expand one or more of said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels to have an increased number of rows; and
dynamically scale, reorientate and/or reposition non-game play graphical elements near any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels to accommodate any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels.

16. The gaming system of claim 15 wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes are required to trigger a bonus event and (ii) require a predefined minimum number of plays to trigger the bonus event which equals or exceeds the number of sub-event game outcomes necessary to trigger the bonus event.

17. The gaming system of claim 15 wherein said game display comprises one or more separate displays.

18. The gaming system of claim 15 wherein said game display comprises separate display areas.

19. The gaming system of claim 15 wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:
remove graphic elements near any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels to accommodate any of said independently and randomly expanded vertically oriented virtual reels.

20. The gaming system of claim 15 wherein said graphical elements comprise progressive jackpot meters.

21. The gaming system of claim 15 wherein said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels depict game symbols.

22. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including a monetary input device configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value, a user interface, at least one processor running executable instructions related to a game of chance, a game display and memory in communication with said at least one processor;
a plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels each formed of one or more rows forming an m×n matrix of game symbol positions depicted on said game display;
wherein m number of rows of one or more of said plurality of vertically oriented virtual reels may independently and randomly be increased by said at least one processor; and
wherein non-game play graphical elements near any of said vertically oriented virtual reels having m number of rows increased are dynamically scaled, reorientated and/or repositioned by said at least one processor to accommodate said new rows.

23. The gaming system of claim 22 wherein the m×n matrix is a 4×5 matrix.

24. The gaming system of claim 22 wherein m may be increased up to 10.

25. The gaming system of claim 22 wherein said at least one processor runs executable instructions to: (i) generate random sub-event game outcomes wherein two or more of said random sub-event game outcomes are requi

Assignees

• Gaming Arts LLC

Inventors

• Colvin David
• Colvin Eric
• Kruczynski Keith
• Sims Scott
• Mussetter Mark

Classifications

• G07F17/3258

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

• 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

• G07F17/34

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