# US 10,121,310 B2 · Association or linking of symbol bearing array elements in a gaming machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,121,310 B2 - Document ID: US10121310B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/952,360 - Filed: 2018-04-13 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-28 - Assignees: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Applicants: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Jeremy Hornik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121310B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/3213: {Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members} - G07F 17/3209: {Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen} - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F 17/3265: {Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding} - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - G07F 17/3216: {Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects} - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A gaming system includes a wagering game mechanism associating the game-outcome symbol of multiple reels of the wagering game to a unified game-symbol outcome. The wagering game generates an outcome symbol array with independent array elements and one or more associated groups of array elements. The associated groups of array elements are visually coordinated while the reels are spinning. Each associated group of array elements share a common game-outcome symbol based upon reels having a common reel strip for the associated group or a particular game-outcome symbol array element of the associated group. When the reels stop spinning and the wagering game outcome is displayed, the elements of a given associated group share an identical game-outcome symbol. Each array element not a part of a associated group uses a reel having a default reel strip to determine game-outcome symbols, and associated group array elements use a reel having a reel strip containing at least one symbol common to every element of the associated group. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A casino gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one regulated casino wagering game including a wagering game component having a symbol array of individual array elements, each individual array element having a respective reel defined by a corresponding default reel strip, the gaming machine comprising: a secure gaming cabinet for housing components associated with the at least one regulated casino wagering game; an electronic display device coupled to the gaming cabinet; and game-logic circuitry disposed within the gaming cabinet, the game-logic circuitry configured to: initiate the at least one regulated casino wagering game including the wagering game component; and in response to initiating the wagering game component, link a plurality, but not all, of the individual array elements, the linking based, at least in part, on one or more random elements; randomly select a common reel strip to replace the default reel strips of the linked array elements; direct the electronic display device to display the reels of the plurality of array elements of the symbol array actively spinning, the default reel strips of the linked array elements being replaced prior to stopping the active spinning of the reels; and direct the electronic display device to display an outcome of the wagering game component by stopping the active spinning of the reels of the plurality of array elements at a specific reel stop position of the corresponding reel strip for each array element, each of the plurality of array elements displaying a randomly selected game-outcome symbol, wherein the game-outcome symbols displayed by each of the reels of the linked array elements are the same symbol. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to, in response to initiating the wagering game component: identify a linked group leader from the linked array elements based, at least in part, on one or more random elements; and replace the default reel strips of the linked array elements with the default reel strip of the linked group leader. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to, in response to initiating the wagering game component, generate the common reel strip using a plurality of randomly selected symbols from the default reel strips of the linked array elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the plurality of randomly selected symbols includes at least one symbol from the default reel strip of each linked array element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to, in response to initiating the wagering game component, generate the common reel strip with a plurality of symbols selected from a predetermined set of symbols. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the common reel strip contains game-outcome symbols that are not present on any of the default reel strips of the linked array elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the reels of the plurality of linked array elements are synchronized while spinning. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one regulated casino wagering game including a wagering game component having a symbol array of individual array elements, each individual array element having a respective reel defined by a corresponding default reel strip, the gaming system including a secure gaming cabinet, game-logic circuitry, and an electronic display device coupled to the gaming cabinet, the method comprising: initiating the at least one regulated casino wagering game including the wagering game component; and in response to initiating the wagering game component, linking, by the game-logic circuitry, a plurality, but not all, of the individual array elements prior to displaying an outcome of the wagering game component, the linking based, at least in part, on one or more random elements; randomly selecting, by the game-logic circuitry, a common reel strip to replace the default reel strips of the linked array elements; displaying, on the electronic display device, the reels of the plurality of array elements of the symbol array actively spinning, the default reel strips of the linked array elements being replaced prior to stopping the active spinning of the reels; displaying, on the electronic display device, the outcome of the wagering game component by stopping the active spinning of the reels of the plurality of array elements of the symbol array at a specific reel stop position of the corresponding reel strip for each array element, each of the plurality of array elements displaying a randomly selected game-outcome symbol, wherein the game-outcome symbols displayed by each of the linked array elements are the same symbol. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein replacing the default reel strips of the linked array elements with the common reel strip further comprises, in response to initiating the wagering game component: identifying, by the game-logic circuitry, a linked group leader from the linked array elements based, at least in part, on one or more random elements; and replacing, by the game-logic circuitry, the default reel strips of the linked array elements with the default reel strip of the linked group leader. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the common reel strip is generated using a plurality of randomly selected symbols form the default reel strips of the linked array elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of randomly selected symbols includes at least one symbol from the default reel strip of each linked array element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the common reel strip is generated using a plurality of symbols selected from a predetermined set of symbols. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the common reel strip contains game-outcome symbols that are not present on any of the default reel strip of the linked array elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the reels of the plurality of linked array elements are synchronized while spinning. ### Claim 15 A gaming system primarily dedicated to playing at least one regulated casino wagering game including a wagering game component having a symbol array of individual array elements, each individual array element having a respective reel defined by a corresponding default reel strip, the gaming system comprising: a secure gaming cabinet for housing components associated with the at least one regulated casino wagering game; an electronic display device coupled to the gaming cabinet; and game-logic circuitry configured to: initiate the at least one regulated casino wagering game including the wagering game component; and in response to initiating the wagering game component, link a plurality, but not all, of the individual array elements, the linking based, at least in part, on one or more random elements; randomly select a common reel strip to replace the default reel strips of the linked array elements; direct the electronic display device to display the reels of the plurality of array elements of the symbol array actively spinning, the default reel strips of the linked array elements being replaced prior to stopping the active spinning of the reels; and direct the electronic display device to display an outcome of the wagering game component by stopping the active spinning of the reels of the plurality of array elements of the symbol array at a specific reel stop position of the corresponding reel strip for each array element, each of the plurality of array elements displaying a randomly selected game-outcome symbol, wherein the game-outcome symbols displayed by each of the reels of the linked array elements are the same symbol. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the common reel strip is the default reel strip of a first linked array element of the linked array elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to, in response to initiating the wagering game component, generate the common reel strip using a plurality of randomly selected symbols from the default reel strips of the linked array elements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of randomly selected symbols includes at least one symbol from the default reel strip of each linked array element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to, in response to initiating the wagering game component, generate the common reel strip with a plurality of symbols selected from a predetermined set of symbols. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the reels of the plurality of linked array elements are synchronized while spinning.