# US 12,217,576 B2 · Gaming system and method providing multi-function symbol accumulation sequences > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,576 B2 - Document ID: US12217576B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/404,369 - Filed: 2024-01-04 - Published: 2024-05-09 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-26 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Igt - Inventors: Klaus Hufnagl-Abraham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217576B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - G07F 17/3213: {Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members} - 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} - 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 In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods that provide a first game sequence including an accumulation of designated symbols during a plurality of sequential plays of one or more of a plurality of different games of the first game sequence. In various embodiments, the gaming system determines which of the plurality of different games are employed for each play of a game of the first game sequence based on the quantity of accumulated symbols for that first game sequence prior to the start of that game play. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: displaying, by a display device, a first occurrence of a triggering event; displaying, by the display device, a first event comprising a display of a first set of symbols generated from a plurality of different symbols, the plurality of different symbols comprising a plurality of designated symbols; displaying, by the display device, a first accumulation of any of the displayed designated symbols from the first event; displaying, by the display device, an indication that less than a first designated quantity of the designated symbols are accumulated from the first event; displaying, by the display device, a second occurrence of the triggering event; displaying, by the display device, a second event comprising a display of a second set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols; displaying, by the display device, a second accumulation of any of the displayed designated symbols from the second event; displaying, by the display device, a third occurrence of the triggering event; displaying, by the display device, a third event comprising a display of a third set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols; displaying, by the display device, a third accumulation of the displayed designated symbols from the third event; displaying, by the display device, an indication that the first designated quantity of the designated symbols being displayed and being accumulated from the third event; displaying, by the display device, a fourth occurrence of the triggering event; displaying, by the display device, fourth event comprising a display of a fourth set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols, wherein the fourth event has a greater likelihood of displaying any of the designated symbols than the second event; displaying, by the display device, a fourth accumulation of the displayed designated symbols from the fourth event; displaying, by the display device, an indication of the fourth accumulation of the designated symbols resulting in at least a second triggering designated quantity of the designated symbols that is greater than the first designated quantity; and displaying, by the display device, a second sequence that employs the accumulated designated quantity of designated symbols. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which comprises: displaying, by the display device, an indication of a second designated quantity of the designated symbols greater than the first designated quantity of the designated symbols being accumulated after fourth event; displaying, by the display device, a fifth occurrence of the triggering event; displaying, by the display device, a fifth event comprising a display of a fifth set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols, wherein the fifth event has a greater likelihood of displaying any of the designated symbols than the fourth event; and displaying, by the display device, a fifth accumulation of any of the displayed designated symbols from the fifth event. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, which comprises displaying, by the display device, a subsequent occurrence of the triggering event and a reset of the quantity of accumulated designated symbols. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which comprises displaying, by the display device, a subsequent occurrence of the triggering event and a reset of the quantity of accumulated designated symbols. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which comprises the displaying, by the display device, the symbols on video reels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming system comprises: a housing comprising an openable access door; a security monitoring circuit within the housing and configured to monitor the access door; a power distribution component within by the housing; a plurality of mechanical input devices supported by the housing; a plurality of output devices comprising the display device supported by the housing, a player tracking display device supported by the housing, and a speaker supported by the housing; a ticket printer supported by the housing and configured to print a ticket responsive to an activation of one of the input devices; a sound card within by the housing and operable with the speaker; a processor within the housing; and a trusted memory device within the housing and that stores a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to control the display device. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: displaying, by a display device, a first sequence comprising a plurality of different events each having different sets of symbols, wherein a first event and a second event of the plurality of different events of the first sequence have different probabilities of generating designated symbols of the respective different sets of symbols; displaying, by the display device, an accumulation of any designated symbols that are generated and displayed during the displayed first sequence, wherein for each of the plurality of different events of the first sequence, which of the different events is displayed depends on a quantity of the designated symbols accumulated during the first sequence prior to a start of that event; displaying, by the display device, an indication of an accumulation of a designated quantity of the designated symbols; and displaying, by the display device, a second sequence that employs the accumulated designated quantity of designated symbols. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second event has a higher probability of generating any of the designated symbols than the first event, the second event is associated with a greater accumulated quantity of designated symbols than the first event, and which comprises: displaying, by the display device, an indication of the greater quantity of designated symbols being accumulated; and displaying, by the display device, the second event for the first sequence. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second event comprises a modification of the first event. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein each of the different events have different likelihoods of generating any of the designated symbols. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, which comprises: displaying, by the display device, an indication of an occurrence of a reset event; and displaying, by the display device, an indication of a reset of the quantity of accumulated designated symbols for the first sequence. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the reset event comprises less than a minimum quantity of designated symbols being accumulated in a designated quantity of plays of the plurality of different events of the first sequence. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, which comprises displaying, by the display device, the second sequence comprising an accumulation of additional designated symbols. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, which comprises the displaying, by the display device, the symbols on video reels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the gaming system comprises: a housing comprising an openable access door; a security monitoring circuit within the housing and configured to monitor the access door; a power distribution component within by the housing; a plurality of mechanical input devices supported by the housing; a plurality of output devices comprising the display device supported by the housing, a player tracking display device supported by the housing, and a speaker supported by the housing; a ticket printer supported by the housing and configured to print a ticket responsive to an activation of one of the input devices; a sound card within by the housing and operable with the speaker; a processor within the housing; and a trusted memory device within the housing and that stores a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to control the display device. ### Claim 18 A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: displaying, by a display device, a first occurrence of a triggering event on video reels; displaying, by the display device, a first event comprising a display of a first set of symbols generated from a plurality of different symbols on the video reel, the plurality of different symbols comprising a plurality of designated symbols on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a first accumulation of any of the displayed designated symbols from the first event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, an indication that less than a first designated quantity of the designated symbols are accumulated from the first event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a second occurrence of the triggering event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a second event comprising a display of a second set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a second accumulation of any of the displayed designated symbols from the second event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a third occurrence of the triggering event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a third event comprising a display of a third set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a third accumulation of the displayed designated symbols from the third event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, an indication that the first designated quantity of the designated symbols being displayed and being accumulated from the third event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, a fourth occurrence of the triggering event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, fourth event comprising a display of a fourth set of symbols generated from the plurality of different symbols, wherein the fourth event has a greater likelihood of displaying any of the designated symbols than the second event; displaying, by the display device, a fourth accumulation of the displayed designated symbols from the fourth event on the video reels; displaying, by the display device, an indication of the fourth accumulation of the designated symbols resulting in at least a second triggering designated quantity of the designated symbols that is greater than the first designated quantity; and displaying, by the display device, a second sequence that employs the accumulated designated quantity of designated symbols. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the gaming system comprises: a housing comprising an openable access door; a security monitoring circuit within the housing and configured to monitor the access door; a power distribution component within by the housing; a plurality of mechanical input devices supported by the housing; a plurality of output devices comprising the display device supported by the housing, a player tracking display device supported by the housing, and a speaker supported by the housing; a ticket printer supported by the housing and configured to print a ticket responsive to an activation of one of the input devices; a sound card within by the housing and operable with the speaker; a processor within the housing; and a trusted memory device within the housing and that stores a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to control the display device.