Wagering game with reel array having extended symbol visually overlaying adjacent reel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9495839-B2
Application number	US-201313783273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2013
Priority date	May 29, 2012
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A gaming system includes an input device, a display device, a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the gaming system to receive a wager and to display an array having a plurality of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions being populated by symbols located on a plurality of symbol-bearing reels. The reels spin and stop to place symbols on the symbol-bearing reels in visual association with symbol positions of the array. At least one extended symbol indexed on a first reel visually overlaps one or more symbols on an adjacent second reel (a) as the first reel spins the extended symbol through the array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of the adjacent second reel. An award is awarded for any winning combinations defined by the symbols in the display area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including one or more electronic input devices and one or more electronic display devices; and
one or more controllers configured to:
detect, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance shown on a credit meter displayed by at least one of the one or more electronic display devices;
initiate the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
determine a randomly generated outcome of the casino wagering game;
direct at least one of the one or more electronic display devices to display a first array comprising a plurality of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions being populated by a symbol that spins and stops with one of a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the plurality of symbol-bearing reels including at least a first reel, the first reel including at least one extended symbol that spins and stops with the first reel, and to display a second array of symbol-bearing reels adjacent to the first array;
direct at least one of the one or more electronic display devices to spin and stop the symbol-bearing reels to place symbols on the symbol-bearing reels in visual association with the symbol positions of the first and second arrays, the at least one extended symbol on the first reel visually overlapping one or more symbols on the adjacent second array (a) as the first reel spins the extended symbol through the first array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of a reel of the adjacent second array, and
award an award for any winning combinations defined by the symbols displayed on the first and second arrays, the award having a credit value that is added to the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one extended symbol supersedes functions of the one or more symbols on the adjacent second array.

3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one extended symbol is displayed when the spin of the symbol-bearing reels is initiated.

4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one extended symbol is displayed overlapping at least two symbol positions on the second array.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the winning combinations are determined based on the at least one extended symbol and any non-overlapped symbols of the symbols displayed in the first and second arrays.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of symbol-bearing reels of the first array further includes a second extended symbol that spins and stops with a second reel distinct from the first reel, the second extended symbol visually overlapping one or more symbols on the adjacent second array (a) as the second reel spins the second extended symbol through the second array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of a reel of the second array.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first array of symbol-bearing reels is displayed in a side-by-side configuration with the second array of symbol-bearing reels.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein first the array of symbol-bearing reels is displayed in a top-bottom configuration with the second array of symbol-bearing reels.

9. A method of operating a gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming system one or more controllers and a gaming machine, the gaming machine including one or more electronic display devices, and one or more electronic input devices, the method comprising:
detecting, by at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance shown on a credit meter displayed by at least one of the one or more electronic display devices;
initiating the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
displaying, on at least one of the one or more electronic display devices, a first array comprising a plurality of symbol positions, each of the symbol positions being populated by a symbol that spins and stops with one of a first plurality of symbol-bearing reels, the first plurality of symbol-bearing reels including at least a first reel, the first reel including at least one extended symbol that spins and stops with the first reel, and a second array distinct from the first array, the second array including a second plurality of symbol-bearing reels;
spinning and stopping, by one or more controllers, the symbol-bearing reels to place symbols representing the outcome on the symbol-bearing reels in visual association with the symbol positions of the first and second arrays, the at least one extended symbol on the first reel visually overlapping one or more symbols on the second array (a) as the first reel spins the extended symbol through the first array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of a reel of the second array; and
awarding, by at least one of the one or more controllers, an award for any winning combinations defined by the symbols displayed on one or both of the first and second arrays, the award having a credit value that is added to the credit balance.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one extended symbol supersedes functions of the one or more symbols on the second array.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying the at least one extended symbol when the spin of the symbol-bearing reels is initiated.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one extended symbol is displayed overlapping at least two symbol positions of the second array.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining winning combinations based on the at least one extended symbol and any non-overlapped symbols of the symbols displayed on the first and second arrays.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of symbol-bearing reels of the first array further includes a second extended symbol that spins and stops with a second reel distinct from the first reel, the second reel being the rightmost reel of the first plurality, the second extended symbol visually overlapping one or more symbols on the second array (a) as the second reel spins the second extended symbol through the first array and (b) without affecting a stopping position of a reel of the second array.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying the first array of symbol-bearing reels in a side-by-side configuration with the second array of symbol-bearing reels.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying the first array of symbol-bearing reels in a top-bottom configuration with the second array of symbol-bearing reels.

17. One or more machine-readable non-transitory storage media including instructions which, when executed by a gaming system including one or more controllers and a gaming machine, the gaming machine including one or more electronic display devices and one or more electronic input devices, cause the one or more controllers to perform operations comprising:
detecting, by at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance shown on a credit meter displayed by at least one of the one or more electronic display devices;
initiating the casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
displaying, on at leas

Assignees

• Wms Gaming Inc
• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Aoki Dion K
• Collette Shawn C
• Hornik Jeremy M
• Smith Pamela S

Classifications

• G07F17/3244

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

• G07F17/326 Primary

  Game play aspects of gaming systems · 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