Gaming system and a method of gaming for providing a spinner game

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9466184-B2
Application number	US-201514744936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Dec 5, 2008
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A gaming system is disclosed which includes a plurality of spinners, each spinner being associated with a plurality of display positions and having a plurality of symbols disposable at the display positions. A spinner controller is arranged to select the symbols to appear at the display positions for each spinner, and an outcome evaluator is arranged to determine whether the symbols shown at the display positions correspond to at least one winning outcome by reference to at least one defined win condition. Each win condition comprises a win line having at least three display positions from two adjacent spinners. A corresponding method of gaming is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gaming system comprising:
a credit mechanism configured to receive a wager from a player for play of a base game, wherein the credit mechanism includes at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a card reader, and a ticket reader;
a display configured to present the base game to the player;
a plurality of non-concentric spinners, each spinner of the plurality of non-concentric spinners comprising a plurality of display positions annularly disposed on the spinner, and having a plurality of symbols displayable at the plurality of display positions, wherein all display positions of the plurality of display positions are visible to a player during play of the gaming system; and
a game controller comprising:
a base game controller configured to conduct the base game, wherein a spinner game initiates upon an occurrence of a trigger condition in the base game;
a spinner controller configured to select the symbols to appear at the display positions for each spinner during the spinner game; and
an outcome evaluator configured to:
determine whether the symbols shown at the display positions correspond to at least one winning outcome by reference to at least one predefined combination of symbols, each predefined combination of symbols comprising a win line extending through respective centers of rotation of two adjacent spinners of the plurality of non-concentric spinners, the win line including two display positions from each of the two adjacent spinners; and
determine a payout for the spinner game.

2. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a prize allocator configured to allocate a prize to a player when a winning outcome exists, wherein the prize is equal to the determined payout.

3. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each spinner of the plurality of non-concentric spinners has a respective set of associated symbols.

4. A gaming system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each set of symbols associated with a spinner is displayed on the spinner in a defined configuration.

5. A gaming system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each set of symbols associated with a spinner is selectable for display on the spinner.

6. A gaming system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the number of symbols in the set of symbols is equal to or greater than the number of display positions associated with the spinner.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one win line is defined for each two adjacently disposed spinners of the plurality of non-concentric spinners.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each win line of the at least one win line comprises three or four display positions.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of win lines wherein at least one win line of the plurality of win lines is linear.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of win lines wherein at least one win line of the plurality of win lines is non-linear.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-concentric spinners are circular.

12. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one winning outcome is defined in relation to symbols appearing in one or more win lines.

13. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-concentric spinners include three or four spinners.

14. A gaming system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of non-concentric spinners are disposed in a triangular or diamond shaped configuration.

15. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-concentric spinners are virtual spinners represented on a display.

16. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is configured to operate in a special game mode or in a normal game mode, wherein the base game is implemented in the normal game mode.

17. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the gaming system is further configured to commence the special game mode when a specific game outcome occurs.

18. A gaming system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the gaming system is further configured to commence the special game mode based on a game event occurring during a game, said game event including at least one of display of a particular symbol, player input, an amount or a type of bet placed, and a special game is purchased by the player.

19. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is implemented as a stand alone gaming machine or across a network.

20. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the spinner controller and the outcome evaluator is implemented, at least in part, by a processor executing program code stored in a memory.

21. A method of gaming comprising:
receiving, at a processor, a wager for a player from a credit mechanism for play of a base game, wherein the credit mechanism includes at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a card reader, and a ticket reader;
providing a plurality of non-concentric spinners, each spinner of the plurality of non-concentric spinners comprising a plurality of display positions annularly disposed on the spinner, and having a plurality of symbols displayable at the plurality of display positions, wherein all display positions of the plurality of display positions are visible to a player;
conducting the base game, wherein a spinner game initiates upon an occurrence of a trigger condition in the base game;
selecting, using a processor, the symbols to appear at the display positions for each spinner during the spinner game;
determining, using the processor, whether the symbols displayed at the display positions correspond to at least one winning outcome by reference to at least one predefined combination of symbols, each predefined combination of symbols comprising a win line extending through respective centers of rotations of two adjacent spinners of the plurality of non-concentric spinners, said win line extending through a diameter of at least one spinner of said two adjacent spinners, the win line including two display positions from each of the two adjacent spinners; and
determining, using the processor, a payout for the spinner game.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising allocating a prize to a player when a winning outcome exists, wherein the prize is equal to the payout.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising providing each spinner with a respective set of associated symbols.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 , comprising displaying each set of symbols associated with a spinner on the spinner in a defined configuration.

25. A method as claimed in claim 23 , comprising facilitating selection of each set of symbols associated with a spinner of the plurality of non-concentric spinners for display on the spinner.

26. A method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the number of symbols in the set of symbols is equal to or greater than the number of display positions associated with the spinner.

27. A method as claimed in claim 21 , comprising defining at least one win line for each two adjacently disposed spinners of the plurality of non-concentric spinners.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 , wherein each win line of the at least one win line comprises three or four display positions.

29. A method as c

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Au

Inventors

• Bond Anthony Wayne
• Jones Stephen C
• Anderson Philip Jeffrey
• Stewart Scott Monroe
• Frerking Gary

Classifications

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3251

  involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens · CPC title

• G07F17/3246

  involving coins and/or banknotes · CPC title

• G07F17/3225

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

• G07F17/326

  Game play aspects of gaming systems · CPC title