Electronic gaming machine and gaming method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9311787-B2
Application number	US-201313784771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2013
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

An electronic gaming machine includes a display for displaying a first array of game symbols for playing a game and two or more second arrays of game enhancing elements, said second arrays being associated with columns of said first array. In response to a trigger event occurring in the columns, the second arrays each randomly award one or more game enhancing elements. A gaming method is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a display for displaying a first array of game symbols for playing a game, where the game symbols are arranged in two or more columns and predetermined winning combinations of randomly selected game symbols award prizes to a player,
vending slots to receive monetary bets, and
an electronic game controller in electronic communication with the display and the vending slots and adapted to control the display of game symbols on the display, to permit a player to select a number of pay lines depending on the amount of the monetary bet, and to award a prize if any predetermined winning combinations appear in a selected pay line during the game,
wherein, said electronic game controller causes the display of two or more second arrays of game enhancing elements, said two or more second arrays being associated with said two or more columns of said first array, and
wherein in response to a trigger event occurring in said two or more columns, said electronic game controller causes said two or more second arrays to each randomly award one or more instances of one or more game enhancing elements, said one or more game enhancing elements associated with one of said two or more second arrays being different than said one or more game enhancing elements associated with others of said two or more second arrays and said game enhancing elements simultaneously modifying one or more subsequent games played on the first array,
wherein said two or more second arrays comprise five second arrays, a first second array associated with a free game enhancing element, a second array associated with a global free game multiplier game enhancing element, a third second array associated with a wild multiplier game enhancing element, a fourth second array associated with a wild symbol game enhancing element, and a fifth second array associated with a bonus prize game enhancing element.

2. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein each second array is individually associated with each column of the first array.

3. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein said association of said two or more second arrays to said two or more columns is visually indicated on said display.

4. The electronic gaming machine of claim 3 , wherein said association is visually indicated by allocating a specific color to each column and its associated second array.

5. The electronic gaming machine of claim 3 , wherein said association is visually indicated by each column and its associated second array being in proximity to or visually linked to each other.

6. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein said trigger event comprises an in-game event during play of the game on the first array.

7. The electronic gaming machine of claim 6 , wherein said trigger event comprises the appearance of one or more trigger symbols, and wherein said trigger symbols appearing in said two or more columns activate the two or more second arrays associated with said columns.

8. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein said two or more second arrays are in the form of a circular, triangular, oval, semi-circular or other non-rectangular shape.

9. The electronic gaming machine of claim 8 , wherein said two or more second arrays take the form of circular wheels.

10. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein said game enhancing elements modify a predetermined number of said subsequent games played on said first array.

11. The electronic gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein said predetermined number of subsequent games is played sequentially on the first array.

12. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising a third array that is associated with all of the columns of said first array.

13. The electronic gaming machine of claim 12 , wherein said third array is activated by the appearance of a predetermined number of trigger symbols appearing in any of the columns of said first array.

14. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein said electronic game controller causes display of said first array and said two or more second arrays during play of a game on said first array.

15. The electronic gaming machine of claim 14 , wherein the change in said two or more second arrays from being inactive to being active is indicated on said display.

16. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein said player selectively starts, stops, or starts and stops play of one or more of said two or more second arrays.

Assignees

• Ainsworth Game Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Meyer Jason

Classifications

• G07F17/34 Primary

  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

• G07F17/3211

  Display means · CPC title

• G07F17/323

  wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions · CPC title