Gaming system and method providing a game having a sub-symbol award evaluation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9501898-B1
Application number	US-201314025037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2013
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a game having a sub-symbol award evaluation. Generally, in various embodiments, if an outcome of a play of the game includes a set of one or more displayed designated symbols that are each associated with a same one of a plurality of different characteristics and that are collectively associated with a quantity of sub-symbols that is at least a designated quantity, the gaming system determines an award based on that particular characteristic and that particular quantity of sub-symbols. Put differently, the determined award varies based on the particular characteristic associated with each of those displayed designated symbols and the particular quantity of sub-symbols collectively associated with those displayed designated symbols.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gaming system comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including an acceptor;
at least one display device supported by the housing;
at least one processor; 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 plurality of input devices and the at least one display device to:
(a) establish a credit balance associated with a monetary value of a physical item after the acceptor receives the physical item;
(b) place a wager on a play of a game after an actuation of a wager button is received, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;
(c) initiate the play of the game, which is associated with a plurality of different symbols, wherein:
(i) the plurality of different symbols includes a plurality of non-designated symbols and a plurality of designated symbols, each designated symbol being associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics;
(ii) each designated symbol is associated with one or more of a plurality of different sub-symbols, each sub-symbol being associated with one of the plurality of different characteristics;
(iii) for each designated symbol, said designated symbol and the one or more sub-symbols associated with said designated symbol are associated with a same one of the plurality of different characteristics; and
(iv) a first designated symbol and its associated one or more sub-symbols are associated with a first characteristic and a second different designated symbol and its associated one or more sub-symbols are associated with a second different characteristic;

(d) for each of a plurality of symbol display areas, randomly generate and display one of the plurality of different symbols and any sub-symbols associated with said symbol at said symbol display area;
(e) determine and display any awards associated with any displayed non-designated symbols;
(f) if at least one set of one or more designated symbols that: (A) are each associated with a same one of the characteristics, and (B) are collectively associated with at least a designated quantity of sub-symbols associated with said same one of the characteristics is displayed, for each said set, determine and display an award associated with said set based on:
(i) the characteristic associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols and associated sub-symbols of said set, and
(ii) a quantity of sub-symbols that are collectively associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols of said set, the credit balance being increasable by the award,

wherein:
(i) the award is a first award when the characteristic associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols and associated sub-symbols of said set is a first characteristic and the quantity of sub-symbols that are collectively associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols of said set is a first quantity;
(ii) the award is a second award when the characteristic associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols and associated sub-symbols of said set is a second different characteristic and the quantity of sub-symbols that are collectively associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols of said set is the first quantity, the second award being different than the first award; and
(iii) the award is a third award when the characteristic associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols and associated sub-symbols of said set is the first characteristic and the quantity of sub-symbols that are collectively associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols of said set is a second different quantity, the third award being different than the first award; and

(g) initiate a payout associated with the credit balance after an actuation of a cashout button is received.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game is associated with a plurality of reels and each of the plurality of different symbols is associated with one of the reels.

3. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein each designated symbol associated with a first reel is associated with up to a first maximum quantity of sub-symbols and each designated symbol associated with a second different reel is associated with up to a second different maximum quantity of sub-symbols.

4. The gaming system of claim 3 , wherein the maximum quantity of sub-symbols associated with each designated symbol of each reel is different.

5. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein each designated symbol associated with a first reel is associated with a first maximum quantity of sub-symbols and each designated symbol associated with a second different reel is associated with a second maximum quantity of sub-symbols.

6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second quantity is greater than the first quantity and the third award is greater than the first award.

7. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to establish a credit balance associated with a monetary value of a physical item after an acceptor supported by a housing of the gaming system receives the physical item;
(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to place a wager on a play of a game after an actuation of a wager button is received, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;
(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate the play of the game, which is associated with a plurality of different symbols, wherein:
(i) the plurality of different symbols includes a plurality of non-designated symbols and a plurality of designated symbols, each designated symbol being associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics;
(ii) each designated symbol is associated with one or more of a plurality of different sub-symbols, each sub-symbol being associated with one of the plurality of different characteristics;
(iii) for each designated symbol, said designated symbol and the one or more sub-symbols associated with said designated symbol are associated with a same one of the plurality of different characteristics; and
(iv) a first designated symbol and its associated one or more sub-symbols are associated with a first characteristic and a second different designated symbol and its associated one or more sub-symbols are associated with a second different characteristic;

(d) for each of a plurality of symbol display areas, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display one of the plurality of different symbols and any sub-symbols associated with said symbol at said symbol display area;
(e) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine and operate with the at least one display device to display any awards associated with any displayed non-designated symbols;
(f) if at least one set of one or more designated symbols that: (A) are each associated with a same one of the characteristics, and (B) are collectively associated with at least a designated quantity of sub-symbols associated with said same one of the characteristics is displayed, for each said set, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine and operate with the at least one display device to display an award associated with said set based on:
(i) the characteristic associated with the one or more displayed designated symbols and associated sub-symbols of said set, and
(ii) a q

Assignees

• Igt Reno Nev

Inventors

• Gerchak Christian D
• Hughes William K
• Grace Kelsy J

Classifications

• G07F17/3213

  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

• G07F17/3244 Primary

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