# US 12,002,329 B2 · Gaming machine and method with persistence feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,329 B2 - Document ID: US12002329B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/850,506 - Filed: 2022-06-27 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-20 - Assignees: LNW Gaming, Inc. - Applicants: LNW Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Kenneth Shawn Soong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002329B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/3267: {Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games} - G06Q 50/34: Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - 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}) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A gaming system comprises a gaming machine and game-logic circuitry. The gaming machine includes an electronic display device configured to display an array of symbol positions. The game-logic circuitry is configured to perform the operations of: spinning and stopping symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions; awarding an award based on the value borne by the second value-bearing symbol; and animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising the operations of: displaying, on an electronic display device, a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions; conducting a first spin including: spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including: again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in another one of the tagged symbol positions that is in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a fourth value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions; animating the array to display (i) a first value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a second value borne by the third value-bearing symbol in the another one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a third value derived from the first and second values in any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster; awarding an award based on the first, second, and third values; animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in the cluster; and animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the third value is equal to the sum of the first and second values. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the operations of: detecting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and receiving, via at least one of one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising the operation of: receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin. ### Claim 8 A gaming system comprising: a gaming machine including an electronic display device configured to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions; and game-logic circuitry configured to perform the operations of: conducting a first spin including: spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including: again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in another one of the tagged symbol positions that is in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a fourth value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions; animating the array to display (i) a first value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a second value borne by the third value-bearing symbol in the another one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a third value derived from the first and second values in any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster; awarding an award based on the first, second, and third values; animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in the cluster; and animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the fourth value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the third value is equal to the sum of the first and second values. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the gaming machine includes a value input device and one or more electronic input devices, and wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to perform the operations of: detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to perform the operation of: receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin. ### Claim 15 A method of operating a gaming machine, the method comprising the operations of: displaying, on an electronic display device, a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions; conducting a first spin including: spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including: again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, and (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions; animating the array to display a value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions; awarding an award based on the value borne by the second value-bearing symbol, multiplied by the number of tagged symbol positions in the cluster; animating the array to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions that are in the cluster; and animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the third value-bearing symbol landed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the third value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising the operations of: detecting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and receiving, via at least one of one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising the operation of: receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.