Digit-based electronic gaming systems and methods with expanding symbol positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025069479-A1
Application number	US-202318237650-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 24, 2023
Priority date	Aug 24, 2023
Publication date	Feb 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic gaming device that includes a memory device and a processor is described. The electronic gaming device is configured to cause display of a first symbol position, a second symbol position, and a third symbol position for an electronic game wherein the electronic game includes a plurality of plays and determine that at least four symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a play of the plurality of plays. The electronic gaming device is also configured to, in response to determining that the at least four symbols will be displayed, cause display of a fourth symbol position that was not previously displayed for the plurality of plays, and cause display of a respective symbol for the play at the first symbol position, the second symbol position, the third symbol position, and the fourth symbol position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic gaming device comprising:
at least one memory device with instructions stored thereon; and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory device, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
cause display of a first symbol position, a second symbol position, and a third symbol position for an electronic game, wherein the electronic game comprises a plurality of plays;
determine that at least four symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a play of the plurality of plays;
in response to determining that the at least four symbols will be displayed, cause display of a fourth symbol position that was not previously displayed for the plurality of plays; and
cause display of a respective symbol for the play at the first symbol position, the second symbol position, the third symbol position, and the fourth symbol position.

2 . The electronic gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
determine that at least five symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a second play of the plurality of plays; and in response to determining that the at least five symbols will be displayed, cause display of a fifth symbol position that was not previously displayed for the plurality of plays.

3 . The electronic gaming device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
determine that at least three symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a prior play of the plurality of plays, the prior play occurring prior to the play of the plurality of plays and the second play of the plurality of plays; and cause display of a respective symbol for the prior play at the first symbol position, the second symbol position, and the third symbol position while not causing display of the fourth symbol position or the fifth symbol position.

4 . The electronic gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
cause display of a plurality of display areas for a base game different from the electronic game; randomly determine whether to add an unlock symbol to a display area of the plurality of display areas upon each non-winning outcome of the base game; and upon each display area of the plurality of display areas including the unlock symbol, cause the electronic game to be initiated, wherein the electronic game comprises a bonus game.

5 . The electronic gaming device of claim 1 , wherein the first symbol position, the second symbol position, the third symbol position, and the fourth symbol position are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to determine that at least one of the respective symbols comprises a blank symbol.

6 . The electronic gaming device of claim 5 , wherein respective symbols not comprising the blank symbol comprise respective numerical digits, wherein multiple symbols of the respective symbols are included to the left of the blank symbol, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
concatenate the respective numerical digits of the multiple symbols to generate a concatenated number; add the concatenated number to the respective numerical digit displayed to the right of the blank symbol to generate an output amount; and cause display of the output amount.

7 . The electronic gaming device of claim 5 , wherein respective symbols not comprising the blank symbol comprise respective numerical digits, wherein multiple symbols of the respective symbols are included to the right of the blank symbol, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
concatenate the respective numerical digits of the multiple symbols to generate a concatenated number; add the concatenated number to the respective numerical digit displayed to the left of the blank symbol to generate an output amount; and cause display of the output amount.

8 . The electronic gaming device of claim 5 , wherein respective symbols not comprising the blank symbol comprise respective numerical digits, wherein multiple symbols of the respective symbols are included to the right and to the left of the blank symbol, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
concatenate the respective numerical digits of the multiple symbols to the left of the blank symbol to generate a first concatenated number; concatenate the respective numerical digits of the multiple symbols to the right of the blank symbol to generate a second concatenated number; add the first concatenated number to the second concatenated number to generate an output amount; and cause display of the output amount.

9 . The electronic gaming device of claim 5 , wherein respective symbols not comprising the blank symbol comprise respective numerical digits, wherein the blank symbol comprises at least one of a leftmost symbol of the respective symbols or a rightmost symbol of the respective symbols, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
concatenate the respective numerical digits of the respective symbols not comprising the blank symbol to generate a concatenated number; and cause display the concatenated number as an output amount.

10 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
cause display of a first symbol position, a second symbol position, and a third symbol position for an electronic game, wherein the electronic game comprises a plurality of plays; determine that at least four symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a play of the plurality of plays; in response to determining that the at least four symbols will be displayed, cause display of a fourth symbol position that was not previously displayed for the plurality of plays; and cause display of a respective symbol for the play at the first symbol position, the second symbol position, the third symbol position, and the fourth symbol position.

11 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
determine that at least five symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a second play of the plurality of plays; and in response to determining that the at least five symbols will be displayed, cause display of a fifth symbol position that was not previously displayed for the plurality of plays.

12 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
determine that at least three symbols will be displayed in an outcome for a prior play of the plurality of plays, the prior play occurring prior to the play of the plurality of plays and the second play of the plurality of plays; and cause display of a respective symbol for the prior play at the first symbol position, the second symbol position, and the third symbol position while not causing display of the fourth symbol position or the fifth symbol position.

13 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the first symbol position, the second symbol position, the third symbol position, and the fourth symbol position are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to determine that at least one of the respective s

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Walsh Kevin
• Marston Daniel

Classifications

• G07F17/34

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