# US 12,183,169 B2 · Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play gaming machines having replaceable reels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,169 B2 - Document ID: US12183169B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/131,750 - Filed: 2023-04-06 - Published: 2023-11-23 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-12 - Assignees: Konami Gaming, Inc. - Applicants: Konami Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Keith Rucker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183169B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - G07F 17/326: {Game play aspects of gaming systems} - 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 device for providing an award to a player is described. The gaming device includes a controller that is configured to display a game including a plurality of reels being displayed within a grid. Each of the plurality of reels includes a plurality of symbol positions that are each being displayed with a corresponding symbol. The controller randomly generates a first outcome and spins and stops the plurality of reels to display the first outcome. The controller also detects a triggering condition and responsively selects a reel and replaces the selected reel with a replacement reel. The replacement reel includes a number of symbol positions being displayed in the grid that is less than a number of symbol positions included with the selected reel. The controller randomly generates a second outcome, spins and stops the plurality of reels including the replacement reel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming machine, comprising: a gaming cabinet; a display device mounted to the gaming cabinet and including a display screen displaying computer-generated images; a user input device mounted to the gaming cabinet and configured to generate a signal indicative of a player's selection input; and a controller including one or more processors coupled to the display device and the user input device, the one or more processors programmed to execute an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on the display device including the steps of: rendering five reels within five columns on the display screen of the display device with each of the five reels including a plurality of symbol positions displayed with a corresponding symbol; transforming a first set of adjacent reels of the five reels into a first single replacement reel having fewer symbol positions than the first set of adjacent reels and displaying oversized symbols extending across each column associated with the first set of adjacent reels; transforming a second set of adjacent reels of the five reels into a second single replacement reel having fewer symbol positions than the second set of adjacent reels and displaying oversized symbols extending across each column associated with the second set of adjacent reels; and animating the reels including the first and second replacement reels to spin and stop to display an outcome of a game. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of: displaying the first single replacement reel with a first reel height greater than the second single replacement reel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the second set of adjacent reels including a greater number of adjacent reels than the first set of adjacent reels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the first set of adjacent reels including two adjacent reels of the five reels into the first single replacement reel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the second set of adjacent reels including three adjacent reels of the five reels into the second single replacement reel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of: animating the reels to stop with the first single replacement reel displaying three oversized symbols. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors is programmed to execute the algorithm including the steps of: animating the reels to stop with the second single replacement reel displaying one oversized symbol. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a gaming machine including a gaming cabinet, a display device mounted to the gaming cabinet and including a display screen displaying computer-generated images, a user input device mounted to the gaming cabinet and configured to generate a signal indicative of a player's selection input, and a controller including one or more processors coupled to the display device and the user input device, the method including the one or more processors performing an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on the display device including the steps of: rendering five reels within five columns on the display screen of the display device with each of the five reels including a plurality of symbol positions displayed with a corresponding symbol; transforming a first set of adjacent reels of the five reels into a first single replacement reel having fewer symbol positions than the first set of adjacent reels and displaying oversized symbols extending across each column associated with the first set of adjacent reels; transforming a second set of adjacent reels of the five reels into a second single replacement reel having fewer symbol positions than the second set of adjacent reels and displaying oversized symbols extending across each column associated with the second set of adjacent reels; and animating the reels including the first and second replacement reels to spin and stop to display an outcome of a game. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of: displaying the first single replacement reel with a first reel height greater than the second single replacement reel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the second set of adjacent reels including a greater number of adjacent reels than the first set of adjacent reels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the first set of adjacent reels including two adjacent reels of the five reels into the first single replacement reel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the second set of adjacent reels including three adjacent reels of the five reels into the second single replacement reel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of: animating the reels to stop with the first single replacement reel displaying three oversized symbols. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, including the one or more processors performing the algorithm including the steps of: animating the reels to stop with the second single replacement reel displaying one oversized symbol. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for operating a gaming machine including a gaming cabinet, a display device mounted to the gaming cabinet and including a display screen displaying computer-generated images, a user input device mounted to the gaming cabinet and configured to generate a signal indicative of a player's selection input, and a controller including one or more processors coupled to the display device and the user input device, when executed by one or more processors the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on the display device including the steps of: rendering five reels within five columns on the display screen of the display device with each of the five reels including a plurality of symbol positions displayed with a corresponding symbol; transforming a first set of adjacent reels of the five reels into a first single replacement reel having fewer symbol positions than the first set of adjacent reels and displaying oversized symbols extending across each column associated with the first set of adjacent reels; transforming a second set of adjacent reels of the five reels into a second single replacement reel having fewer symbol positions than the second set of adjacent reels and displaying oversized symbols extending across each column associated with the second set of adjacent reels; and animating the reels including the first and second replacement reels to spin and stop to display an outcome of a game. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of: displaying the first single replacement reel with a first reel height greater than the second single replacement reel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the second set of adjacent reels including a greater number of adjacent reels than the first set of adjacent reels. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the first set of adjacent reels including two adjacent reels of the five reels into the first single replacement reel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of: transforming the second set of adjacent reels including three adjacent reels of the five reels into the second single replacement reel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the algorithm including the steps of: animating the reels to stop with the first single replacement reel displaying three oversized symbols and the second single replacement reel displaying one oversized symbol.