Gaming system and method providing a slot game including a partial reel re-spin feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015302703-A1
Application number	US-201414258635-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2014
Priority date	Apr 22, 2014
Publication date	Oct 22, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a gaming system and method providing a slot game including a partial reel re-spin feature. Generally, for a play of the slot game in various embodiments, the gaming system displays a randomly determined plurality of symbols of a first set of symbols at a plurality of symbol display areas and makes an award determination based on the displayed symbols. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, such as the display of a triggering symbol, the gaming system selects a designated set of a plurality of the symbol display areas and replaces the symbols of the first set of symbols displayed at the symbol display areas of the designated set with symbols from a second set of symbols, which may be the same as or different than the first set of symbols. The gaming system makes another award determination based on the displayed symbols.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1 . A gaming system comprising:
at least one processor; at least one display device; at least one input device; and at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to, for a play of a game: (a) display a plurality of symbol display areas; (b) for each symbol display area, display a randomly determined symbol of a first set of a plurality of symbols at said symbol display area, the first set of symbols including a triggering symbol; and (c) if the triggering symbol is displayed at one of the symbol display areas:
(i) determine a designated set of a plurality of the symbol display areas based at least in part on a proximity of each other symbol display area to the symbol display area at which said triggering symbol is displayed;
(ii) for each symbol display area of the designated set of the symbol display areas, replace the symbol of the first set of symbols displayed at said symbol display area with a randomly determined symbol of a second set of one or more symbols;
(iii) determine any awards based on the displayed symbols; and
(iv) display any determined awards.

2 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, for each symbol display area, display a randomly determined symbol of the first set of symbols at said symbol display area by displaying a first set of a plurality of reels spinning and stopping in association with the symbol display areas.

3 . The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, for each symbol display area of the designated set of the symbol display areas, replace the symbol of the first set of symbols displayed at said symbol display area with a randomly determined symbol of a second set of one or more symbols by displaying a second set of a plurality of reels spinning and stopping in association with the symbol display areas of the designated set of the symbol display areas.

4 . The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein the first set of reels and the second set of reels are the same.

5 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols are the same.

6 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine the second set of symbols based, at least in part, on the symbols of the first set of symbols displayed at the symbol display areas of the designated set of the symbol display areas.

7 . A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
for a play of a game: (a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display a plurality of symbol display areas; (b) for each symbol display area, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a randomly determined symbol of a first set of a plurality of symbols at said symbol display area, the first set of symbols including a triggering symbol; and (c) if the triggering symbol is displayed at one of the symbol display areas:
(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a designated set of a plurality of the symbol display areas based at least in part on a proximity of each other symbol display area to the symbol display area at which said triggering symbol is displayed;
(ii) for each symbol display area of the designated set of the symbol display areas, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to replace the symbol of the first set of symbols displayed at said symbol display area with a randomly determined symbol of a second set of one or more symbols;
(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any awards based on the displayed symbols; and
(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any determined awards.

8 . The method of claim 7 , which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, for each symbol display area, display a randomly determined symbol of the first set of symbols at said symbol display area by displaying a first set of a plurality of reels spinning and stopping in association with the symbol display areas.

9 . The method of claim 8 , which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to, for each symbol display area of the designated set of the symbol display areas, replace the symbol of the first set of symbols displayed at said symbol display area with a randomly determined symbol of a second set of one or more symbols by displaying a second set of a plurality of reels spinning and stopping in association with the symbol display areas of the designated set of the symbol display areas.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first set of reels and the second set of reels are the same.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols are the same.

12 . The method of claim 7 , which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine the second set of symbols based, at least in part, on the symbols of the first set of symbols displayed at the symbol display areas of the designated set of the symbol display areas.

13 . The method of claim 7 , which is provided through a data network.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the data network is an internet.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
for a play of a game: (a) cause at least one display device to display a plurality of symbol display areas; (b) for each symbol display area, cause the at least one display device to display a randomly determined symbol of a first set of a plurality of symbols at said symbol display area, the first set of symbols including a triggering symbol; and (c) if the triggering symbol is displayed at one of the symbol display areas:
(i) determine a designated set of a plurality of the symbol display areas based at least in part on a proximity of each other symbol display area to the symbol display area at which said triggering symbol is displayed;
(ii) for each symbol display area of the designated set of the symbol display areas, cause the at least one display device to replace the symbol of the first set of symbols displayed at said symbol display area with a randomly determined symbol of a second set of one or more symbols;
(iii) determine any awards based on the displayed symbols; and
(iv) cause the at least one display device to display any determined awards.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by

Assignees

• Igt Reno Nev

Inventors

• Nelson Dwayne R
• Palchetti Johnny L
• Filipour Cameron A

Classifications

• G07F17/3262

  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

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

• G07F17/3211 Primary

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

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

• G07F17/3232

  wherein the operator is informed · CPC title