# US 2018/0025584 A1 · Gaming device having snaking symbols > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025584 A1 - Document ID: US20180025584A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/656,733 - Filed: 2017-07-21 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21 - Assignees: High 5 Games, LLC - Applicants: High 5 Games, LLC - Inventors: Brent Daniels - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025584A1 ## 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} - G07F 17/3213: {Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members} - 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 game device comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols at least one of the plurality of symbols located in at least one of the plurality of symbol positions; a play matrix; and a set of program instructions executable to implement: accepting a wager; receiving an instruction to initiate play of the game; determining a game outcome including a stop position for each of the plurality of reels; displaying a portion of the reels based on each reel's stop position on the display device, the portion of the plurality of reels comprising a play matrix; determining if a directional cue symbol having an associated direction is displayed in the play matrix; upgrading symbols in the path of the associated direction of the directional cue symbol if a directional cue symbol is displayed on the play matrix; and issuing an award if a winning symbol combination is displayed on the play matrix. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A game device comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols at least one of the plurality of symbols located in at least one of the plurality of symbol positions; a play matrix; and a set of program instructions executable to implement: accepting a wager; receiving an instruction to initiate play of the game; determining a game outcome including a stop position for each of the plurality of reels; displaying a portion of the reels based on each reel's stop position on the display device, the portion of the plurality of reels comprising a play matrix; determining if a directional cue symbol having an associated direction is displayed in the play matrix; upgrading symbols in the path of the associated direction of the directional cue symbol if a directional cue symbol is displayed on the play matrix; and issuing an award if a winning symbol combination is displayed on the play matrix. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the upgrading is turning symbols into wild symbols. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the upgrading is replicating each symbol in the symbol position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the upgrading is increasing a multiplier for each upgraded symbol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further comprising a second directional cue symbol having an associated direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 wherein upgrading only occurs if the directional cue symbol's associated direction intersects with the second directional cue symbol. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 wherein upgrading only occurs if the directional cue symbol's associated direction intersects with the second directional cue symbol's associated direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6 wherein upgrading symbols in the path of the associated direction of the directional cue symbol stops when it intersects with the second directional cue symbol. ### Claim 9 A method of providing a slot game comprising: providing a device comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols at least one of the plurality of symbols located in at least one of the plurality of symbol positions; a display having a play matrix; and an input; accepting a wager through the device input; receiving an instruction to initiate play of the game through the device input; determining game outcome including a stop position for each of the plurality of reels; displaying a portion of the reels based on each reel's stop position on the device display; determining if a directional cue symbol having an associated direction is displayed in the play matrix; upgrading symbols in the path of the associated direction of the directional cue symbol if a directional cue symbol is displayed on the play matrix; and issuing an award if a winning symbol combination is displayed on the matrix. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the upgrading is turning symbols into wild symbols. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the upgrading is replicating each symbol in the symbol position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the upgrading is increasing a multiplier for each upgraded symbol. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the upgrading is issuing an award for each upgraded symbol regardless of relative alignment with other symbols. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising having a second directional cue symbol having an associated direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein upgrading only occurs if the directional cue symbol's direction intersects with the second directional cue symbol. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein upgrading only occurs if the directional cue symbol's associated direction intersects with the section directional cue symbol's associated direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein upgrading symbols in the path of associated direction of the directional cue symbol stops when intersecting with the second directional cue symbol. ### Claim 18 A game comprising: a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a plurality of symbol positions; a plurality of symbols at least one of the plurality of symbols located in at least one of the plurality of symbol positions; a wager received through an input; an initiation of game play received through the input; a game outcome including a stop position for each of the plurality of reels; a display of a portion of the reels, based on each reel's stop position, on a play matrix on a display; if a directional cue symbol having an associated direction is displayed on the play matrix, an upgrade of symbols in the path of the directional cue symbol's associated direction; and if a winning symbol combination is displayed in the play matrix, issuing an award. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The game of claim 18 wherein the upgrading is turning symbols into wild symbols. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The game of claim 19 further comprising a second directional cue symbol having an associated direction.