# US 2016/0260291 A1 · Gaming system, gaming controller, and a prize triggering method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0260291 A1 - Document ID: US20160260291A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/156,038 - Filed: 2016-05-16 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-28 - Assignees: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited - Applicants: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited - Inventors: Claudio Daniel Dias Pires - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160260291A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3258: {Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots} - G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements - G07F 17/3213: {Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members} - G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes} - G07F 17/3262: {Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played} - G07F 17/3288: {Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking} - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - 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 credit mechanism configured to receive credit input by a player for contribution to a credit balance and a display configured to display a plurality of standard symbol positions and optionally one or more additional symbol positions. The system also includes a betting module configured to determine a bet amount and game play instructions on commencement of a game input using a player interface, the bet subtracted from the credit balance. A symbol selector selects symbols for display in the plurality of standard symbol positions and, dependent on the amount wagered, further arranged to select and display symbols in the additional symbol position(s) to increase the probability of a win outcome being generated. An outcome determiner determines an outcome of the game based on the displayed symbol positions. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A gaming system comprising: a credit mechanism configured to receive credit input by a player for contribution to a credit balance; a display configured to display a plurality of standard symbol positions and optionally one or more additional symbol positions; a betting module configured to determine an amount bet and game play instructions on commencement of a game input by the player using a player interface, the bet subtracted from the credit balance; a symbol selector configured to select symbols for display in the plurality of standard symbol positions and, based on the amount wagered, is further configured to select and display symbols in the additional symbol position(s) to increase the probability of a win outcome being generated; and an outcome determiner configured to determine an outcome of the game based on the displayed symbol positions. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The gaming system according to claim 21, wherein the symbol selector displays a symbol in the additional symbol position(s) when the amount bet meets or exceeds a designated threshold. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The gaming system according to claim 22, wherein the number of additional symbols displayed corresponds to the amount bet. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The gaming system according to claim 21, wherein a trigger condition is satisfied when a particular number or combination of symbol positions are displayed in the standard and/or additional symbol positions. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The gaming system according to claim 24, wherein the trigger condition causes at least one of a feature game to commence, a win outcome to be triggered, and multiplication of a prize awarded for a winning outcome. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The gaming system according to claim 25, wherein triggering the win outcome includes awarding a jackpot prize. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The gaming system according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of standard symbols are displayed in a format having an array of rows and columns and whereby each additional symbol position is associated with one of the rows or columns. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The gaming system according to claim 27, wherein the standard symbol positions define at least one player selectable payline used to determine the outcome of the game, and wherein symbols displayed in the additional symbol position(s) form part of a payline dependent on their location. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The gaming system according to claim 28, wherein the row or column associated with each additional symbol position is randomly determined. ### Claim 30 A triggering method for a win outcome on a gaming device that includes a game controller, a credit mechanism, and a player interface, said method comprising: receiving, by the credit mechanism, credit input by a player for contribution to a credit balance; displaying, by the player interface, a number of symbol positions in a reel window of the player interface; receiving, by the game controller, a bet and game play instructions for commencement of game play input by the player using the player interface, the bet subtracted from the credit balance; increasing, by the game controller, the number of symbol positions displayed in the reel window as a function of the amount bet when the amount bet meets or exceeds a predetermined value to increase the probability of a win outcome being generated. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, further comprising determining, by the game controller, that a trigger condition is satisfied when a specific symbol combination is displayed. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method according to claim 31, further comprising at least one of commencing a feature game, awarding a prize, and multiplying a prize for a winning outcome when the trigger condition is satisfied. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, further comprising increasing the number of symbol positions displayed by a particular amount when the amount of credit bet exceeds or meets the predetermined value. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein the particular amount corresponds to the amount bet. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, wherein the game is a reel game and increasing the number of symbol positions displayed comprises increasing the number of symbol positions dependent on an amount bet per payline selected in the reel game. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, wherein increasing the number of symbol positions displayed comprises increasing the number of symbol positions in direct proportion to the amount of credit bet. ### Claim 37 A non-transitory computer readable medium having a set of instructions for execution on a processor, said set of instructions configured to execute a triggering method for a win outcome on a gaming device having a game controller, a credit mechanism, and a player interface, the triggering method comprising: receiving, by the credit mechanism, credit input by a player for contribution to a credit balance; displaying, by the player interface, a number of symbol positions in a reel window of the player interface; receiving, by the game controller, a bet and game play instructions for commencement of game play input by the player using the player interface, the bet subtracted from the credit balance; and increasing, by the game controller, the number of symbol positions displayed in the reel window as a function of the amount bet when the amount bet meets or exceeds a predetermined value to increase the probability of a win outcome being generated. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 37, wherein the game is a reel game, increasing the number of symbol positions displayed further comprises increasing the number of symbol positions dependent on an amount bet per payline selected in the reel game ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 37, wherein the triggering method further comprises displaying the plurality of standard symbols in a format having an array of rows and columns, wherein each additional symbol position is associated with one of the rows or columns.