Gaming device having multiple spins for winning outcomes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9564002-B2
Application number	US-201514923417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Mar 22, 2007
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention set forth systems, apparatuses and methods for providing multiple spins during gaming events to provide increased opportunities to receive winning outcomes. Accordingly, a gaming device can be configured to have a plurality of reels with multiple symbols on each reel. A portion of the symbols on each reel are displayed on a game grid having a number of symbol positions. During a gaming event, the symbols are randomly arranged via a first spin on game grid to generate a first configuration and a determination is made as to whether the first condition satisfies a predetermined condition. When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the reels or symbols in the symbol positions associated with the predetermined condition are held while the remaining reels or symbol positions are subjected to a second spin to randomly generate a second configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a gaming device including a memory storing data related to a plurality of game reels, a display device having a grid of symbols positions, a player interface including at least one button, a wager input device structured to identify and validate cards, currency, or currency based tickets, and a processor, the method comprising:
determining a first game outcome to display;
manipulating the plurality of gaming reels to display the first game outcome in the grid;
determining, based on the first game outcome, whether a winning condition that is entitled to a payout is present in the displayed first game outcome in the grid;
when a winning condition has been determined to be present:
identifying a first subset of the plurality of gaming reels displayed in the grid as reels associated with the winning condition,
identifying a second subset of the plurality of gaming reels displayed in the grid as the remaining reels of the plurality of gaming reels not in the first subset of gaming reels,
determining a second game outcome by maintaining a position of the first subset of gaming reels and selecting new outcomes to display in the grid for each of the second subset of gaming reels, and
manipulating the second subset of gaming reels to display the second game outcome in the grid; and

awarding any payouts based on the second game outcome.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a second game outcome and manipulating the second subset of gaming reels to display the second game outcome in the grid is performed two or more times in response to the winning condition being satisfied.

3. A gaming apparatus comprising:
a memory storing data related to a plurality of game reels each having a plurality of symbols;
a display device having a grid of symbols positions;

a player interface including at least one button, the button configured to generate a signal in response to being activated;
a wager input device structured to identify and validate cards, currency, or currency based tickets; and
a processor operable to:
randomly determine a first game outcome including determining which symbols on each gaming reel to show on the game grid;
manipulate the plurality of gaming reels to display the first game outcome on the game grid;
determine, based on the first game outcome, whether a winning condition that is entitled to a payout is present on the game grid;
when a winning condition has been determined to be present on the game grid:
identifying a first subset of symbol positions as positions that include symbols that are part of the winning condition,
identifying a second subset of symbol positions as the remaining symbol positions not in the first subset of symbol positions,
determining a second game outcome by maintaining the symbols displayed in the first subset of symbol positions and randomly selecting which of the plurality of symbols to display in the second subset of symbol positions, and
manipulating the gaming reels to display the second game outcome on the game grid; and

a payout device configured to award any payouts based on the first game outcome and the second game outcome.

4. The gaming apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
determine based, on the second game outcome, whether a subsequent winning condition that is entitled to a payout is present on the game grid, where the subsequent winning condition is different than the previously determined winning condition in the first game outcome; and
when a subsequent winning condition has been determined to be present on the game grid:
identifying a first subset of symbol positions as positions that include symbols that are part of the subsequent winning condition,
identifying a second subset of symbol positions as the remaining symbol positions not in the first subset of symbol positions,
determining a third game outcome by maintaining the symbols displayed in the first subset of symbol positions and randomly selecting which of the plurality of symbols to display in the second subset of symbol positions, and
manipulating the gaming reels to display the second game outcome on the game grid.

5. The gaming apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the subsequent winning condition is defined as a winning condition that is associated with an award larger than an award associated with than the previously determined winning condition in the first game outcome.

6. The gaming apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processes of determining if a subsequent winning condition for a current game outcome is present on a game grid, identifying a first subset of symbols, identifying a second subset of symbols, determining another game outcome, and manipulating the game reels to display the another game outcome are repeated until it is determined that a subsequent winning outcome is not present on the reels.

7. The gaming apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
determine based, on the second game outcome, whether a subsequent winning condition that is entitled to a payout is present on the game grid, where the subsequent winning condition is different than the previously determined winning condition in the first game outcome; and
when a subsequent winning condition has been determined to be present on the game grid:
identifying a first subset of symbol positions as positions that include symbols that are part of both the subsequent winning condition and the previously determined winning condition in the first game outcome,
identifying a second subset of symbol positions as the remaining symbol positions not in the first subset of symbol positions,
determining a third game outcome by maintaining the symbols displayed in the first subset of symbol positions and randomly selecting which of the plurality of symbols to display in the second subset of symbol positions, and
manipulating the gaming reels to display the second game outcome on the game grid.

8. The gaming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the subsequent winning condition is defined as a winning condition that is associated with an award larger than an award associated with than the previously determined winning condition in the first game outcome.

9. The gaming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processes of determining if a subsequent winning condition for a current game outcome is present on a game grid, identifying a first subset of symbols, identifying a second subset of symbols, determining another game outcome, and manipulating the game reels to display the another game outcome are repeated until it is determined that a subsequent winning outcome is not present on the reels.

10. The gaming apparatus of claim 3 , wherein determining whether a winning condition that is entitled to a payout is present on the grid includes determining all winning conditions entitled to a payout on the grid, and wherein identifying a first subset of symbol positions includes identifying all symbol positions used in all winning conditions.

11. A method of operating a gaming device including a memory storing data related to a plurality of game reels, a display device having a grid of symbols positions, a player interface including at least one button, a wager input device structured to identify and validate cards, currency, or currency based tickets, and a processor, the method comprising:
randomizing, in response to a user input, a plurality of gaming reels so that the gaming reels are in a first configuration on a gaming display having a game grid with a plurality of symbol positions;
determining, based on the first configuration of the gaming reels, whether an arrangement of symbols on the

Assignees

• King Show Games Inc

Inventors

• Berman Bradley
• Shapiro Chad

Classifications

• G07F17/3209

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

• G07F17/3218

  wherein at least part of the system is portable · CPC title

• G07F17/3213 Primary

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title

• G07F17/3265

  Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding · CPC title

• G07F17/34

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