# US 2023/0057134 A1 · Gaming system and method providing free activations with pattern matching feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0057134 A1 - Document ID: US20230057134A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/048,177 - Filed: 2022-10-20 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-18 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Igt - Inventors: Adam Narducci - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230057134A1 ## CPC - G07F 17/3213: {Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members} - G07F 17/3223: {Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication} - 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 Gaming systems and methods that, upon an occurrence of a designated triggering event, provide a free activation with pattern matching feature for rapid play by a player. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device storing a plurality of instructions, that when executed by the processor, responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, cause the processor to: prior to free activations of symbol displays, cause a display, via a display device, of different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays; and for each of the free activations of the symbol displays: cause a display, via the display device, of the symbol displays and symbols of the symbol displays, wherein the displayed symbols can comprise one or more different patterns of symbols; responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays comprising a first pattern of symbols matching any one of the displayed different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays, cause the first pattern of symbols of the displayed symbols that match that predetermined pattern of symbols to be locked for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays; and responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays comprising a second pattern of symbols not matching any one of the displayed different predetermined patterns of symbols and not matching one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols that was previously matched during the free activations of the symbol displays, not locking the second pattern of symbols of the displayed symbols for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays comprise a predetermined different patterns of wild symbols, and responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays comprising wild symbols that match one of the different predetermined patterns of wild symbols associated with the symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the displayed symbols of the symbol displays that match that predetermined pattern of the wild symbols to be locked for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the displayed symbols of the symbol displays that match that predetermined pattern of symbols to be locked for any remaining subsequent free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein responsive to the displayed symbols on the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause a removal, via the display device, of that predetermined pattern of symbols. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to provide a designated quantity of additional free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the different predetermined patterns of symbols comprise different predetermined patterns of symbols of entire symbol displays. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The gaming system of claim 6, wherein responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols of entire symbol displays associated with the symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the displayed symbols of the symbol displays that match that predetermined pattern of symbols of entire symbol displays to be locked for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the different predetermined patterns of symbols comprise different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays, and responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the displayed symbols of the symbol displays that match that pattern of entire wild symbol displays to be locked for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays for a combination of the free activations of the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the displayed symbols of the symbol displays that match that predetermined pattern of symbols to be locked for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein one of the symbol displays are reels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a payment acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the payment acceptor, establish a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device configured to communicate with the processor via a wireless network. ### Claim 13 A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device storing a plurality of instructions, that when executed by the processor, responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, cause the processor to: cause a display, via a display device, of different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays associated with symbol displays; and for each of a plurality of free activations of the symbol displays: cause a display, via the display device, of the symbols of the symbol displays such that each of one or more of the symbol displays comprise an entire wild symbol display; responsive to a first entire wild symbol display matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays that has not been previously matched during the plurality of free activations of the symbol displays, cause the first entire wild symbol display to be locked for a subsequent free activation of the symbol displays; and responsive to a second entire wild symbol display not matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays and not matching one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays that was previously matched during the plurality of free activations of the symbol displays, not locking the second entire wild symbol display for a subsequent free activation of the symbol displays. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein responsive to a displayed plurality of entire wild symbol displays for a combination of the plurality of free activations of the symbol displays matching any one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the displayed plurality of entire wild symbol displays that match that pattern of entire wild symbol displays to be locked for a subsequent one of the free activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays to be matched before allowing another one of the different predetermined patterns of entire wild symbol displays to be matched. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, further comprising a payment acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the payment acceptor, establish a credit balance based on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the display device comprises part of a mobile device configured to communicate with the processor via a wireless network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein one of the symbol displays are reels. ### Claim 19 A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device storing a plurality of instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: prior to activations of symbol displays, cause a display, via a display device, of different predetermined patterns of symbols associated with the symbol displays; and for each of the activations of the symbol displays: cause a display, via the display device, of randomly determined symbols of the symbol displays, wherein the displayed symbols of the symbol displays can comprise one or more patterns of symbols of the symbol displays; responsive to the displayed symbols of the symbol displays comprising a first pattern of symbols matching any one of the displayed different predetermined patterns of symbols, cause the first pattern of symbols of the symbol displays that match that predetermined pattern of symbols to be locked for a subsequent one of the activations of the symbol displays; and responsive to displayed symbols of the symbol displays comprising a second pattern of symbols not matching any one of the displayed different predetermined patterns of symbols and not matching one of the different predetermined patterns of symbols that was previously matched during one of the activations of the symbol displays, not locking the second pattern of symbols of symbol displays for a subsequent one of the activations of the symbol displays. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The gaming system of claim 19, wherein one of the symbol displays are reels.