# US 2021/0241572 A1 · System and Method of Providing a Hold and Spin Feature Game with Iterative Awards > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0241572 A1 - Document ID: US20210241572A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/780,839 - Filed: 2020-02-03 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-03 - Assignees: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. (ATI) - Applicants: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. (ATI) - Inventors: Daniel Marks; Hua Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241572A1 ## CPC - 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: 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 machine provides a spinning reel game having a base game, from which a hold and spin feature game is triggered when a determined number of configurable symbols are displayed in a base game outcome. When the feature game is triggered, the configurable symbols are held in place on the display and the player is provided one or more spins during the feature game in which to collect additional configurable symbols. Any additional configurable symbols are retained on the display during subsequent spins until the feature game is completed. For each spin that includes additional configurable symbols, one or more awards are determined in an iterative manner that includes award values from any configurable symbols in the previous outcomes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming device, comprising: a player interface; a display system comprising one or more display devices; and a control system comprising one or more processors, the control system executing instructions which cause the control system to: determine a base game outcome and corresponding display symbols, the display symbols selected from a base game symbol set; control the display system to present the base game outcome; determine that a feature game trigger condition exists when the base game outcome comprises at least a quantity of trigger symbols; control the display system to present a feature game having a first quantity of instances; and for each instance of the feature game, determine an outcome and corresponding display symbols for the instance, the display symbols selected from a feature game symbol set comprising configurable symbols and non-configurable symbols; control the display system to hold each displayed configurable symbol at its corresponding display symbol position for any remaining instance of the feature game; and in response to determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least two additional configurable symbols, determine a first award amount and a second award amount, the first award amount based on values of the configurable symbols held from previous instances, the second award amount based on the first award amount and one of the at least two additional configurable symbols. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the control system to, for each instance of the feature game, determine that the outcome for the instance includes one configurable symbol; and in response to determining that the outcome for the instance includes one additional configurable symbol; determine a third award amount based on values of the configurable symbols held from previous instances. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the control system to control the display system to: replace the trigger symbols with configurable symbols prior to presenting the feature game; and hold each displayed configurable symbol at its corresponding display symbol position for all instance of the feature game. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gaming device of claim 3, wherein each of the configurable symbols display a value corresponding to that configurable symbol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the one of the at least two additional configurable symbols is one of: a randomly selected configurable symbol from the at least two additional configurable symbols, or a first configurable symbol from the at least two additional configurable symbols. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least two additional configurable symbols, further comprises in response to determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least a third additional configurable symbol, determining a third award amount based on the second award amount and a second of the at least two additional configurable symbols. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein determining the outcome and corresponding display symbols for the instance further comprises selecting and displaying replacement symbols for non-configurable symbols in a plurality of display symbol positions not occupied by the held configurable symbols. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the feature game symbol set comprises non-configurable symbols and configurable symbols. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gaming device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the control system to control the display system to initially display the configurable symbols in the feature game symbol set without showing their corresponding values and after the initial display, display their corresponding values. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the configurable symbols comprise a common component and a variable component, the variable component associated with a value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the control system to control the display system to randomly increasing values associated with the displayed configurable symbols. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The gaming device of claim 1, further comprising: a credit input mechanism; and a payout mechanism, wherein the instructions further cause the control system to: establish a credit balance in response to the credit input mechanism receiving a physical item representing a monetary value; fund a wager amount funded by the credit balance and initiate play of a base game in response to input received via the player interface; and dispense a payout of the credit balance via the payout mechanism. ### Claim 13 A method, comprising: determining, by a controller, a base game outcome and corresponding display symbols, the display symbols selected from a base game symbol set; presenting, via a display device, the base game outcome; determining, by the controller, that a feature game trigger condition exists when the base game outcome comprises at least a quantity of trigger symbols; presenting, via the display device, a feature game having a first quantity of instances; and for each instance of the feature game, determining an outcome and corresponding display symbols for the instance, the display symbols selected from a feature game symbol set comprising configurable symbols and non-configurable symbols; holding each displayed configurable symbol at its corresponding display symbol position for any remaining instance of the feature game; and based on determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least two additional configurable symbols, determining a first award amount and a second award amount, the first award amount based on values of the configurable symbols held from previous instances, the second award amount based on the first award amount and a first of the at least two additional configurable symbols. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising, for each instance of the feature game: determining that the outcome for the instance includes one configurable symbol; and based on determining that the outcome for the instance includes one additional configurable symbol; determining a third award amount based on values of the configurable symbols held from previous instances. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: replacing the trigger symbols with configurable symbols prior to the presentation of the feature game; and holding each displayed configurable symbol at its corresponding display symbol position for all instance of the feature game. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least two additional configurable symbols, further comprises based on determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least a third additional configurable symbol, determining a third award amount based on the second award amount and a second of the at least two additional configurable symbols. ### Claim 17 One or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for controlling one or more devices to perform a method, the method comprising: determining, by a controller, a base game outcome and corresponding display symbols, the display symbols selected from a base game symbol set; presenting, via a display device, the base game outcome; determining, by the controller, that a feature game trigger condition exists when the base game outcome comprises at least a quantity of trigger symbols; presenting, via the display device, a feature game having a first quantity of instances; and for each instance of the feature game, determining an outcome and corresponding display symbols for the instance, the display symbols selected from a feature game symbol set comprising configurable symbols and non-configurable symbols; holding each displayed configurable symbol at its corresponding display symbol position for any remaining instance of the feature game; and in response to determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least two additional configurable symbols, determining a first award amount and a second award amount, the first award amount based on values of the configurable symbols held from previous instances, the second award amount based on the first award amount and a first of the at least two additional configurable symbols. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory media of claim 17, further comprising, for each instance of the feature game: determining that the outcome for the instance includes one configurable symbol; and in response to determining that the outcome for the instance includes one additional configurable symbol; determining a third award amount based on values of the configurable symbols held from previous instances. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory media of claim 17, further comprising: replacing the trigger symbols with configurable symbols prior to the presentation of the feature game; and holding each displayed configurable symbol at its corresponding display symbol position for all instance of the feature game. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory media of claim 17, wherein determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least two additional configurable symbols, further comprises in response to determining that the outcome for the instance includes at least a third additional configurable symbol, determining a third award amount based on the second award amount and a second of the at least two additional configurable symbols.