Gaming device and method
AssigneeAtlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company, Inc.
InventorsJerald C. Seelig, Lawrence M. Henshaw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
At least one embodiment of a gaming device generally comprising a gaming apparatus configured to allow a player to place a wager and play a game and a bonus display configured to indicate a bonus prize to be awarded to the player. One embodiment of the gaming device comprises at least one game reel having a plurality of game symbols. At least one symbol on the game reel may indicate a game outcome. The gaming device also generally comprises at least one bonus reel having a plurality of bonus symbols which may include one or more of the following: bonus position symbol(s), bonus cycle symbol(s), bonus multiplication symbol(s), and bonus addition symbol(s). The bonus symbols(s) displayed by the bonus reel changes the bonus display in a predetermined relationship.
Claims25
A gaming apparatus, comprising:
- (A) a bonus display, the bonus display being configured to indicate a bonus prize to be awarded to a player;
- (B) a gaming device, the gaming device being configured to allow the player to place a wager and play a game, the gaming device comprising:
- (a) at least one game reel, the reel having a plurality of game symbols, wherein an outcome of the game is indicated by displaying at least one of the game symbols to the player;
- and
- (b) at least one bonus reel, the bonus reel having a plurality of bonus symbols and not having game symbols, wherein the bonus reel is not used to display the outcome of the game and the bonus symbols are selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) a bonus position symbol, the bonus position symbol being configured to communicate how the bonus display will change, wherein the bonus display is configured to change in a predetermined relationship to the bonus position symbol;
- (ii) a bonus cycle symbol, the bonus cycle symbol being configured to communicate a number of cycles a bonus event will be performed, wherein the bonus display is configured to display the bonus event the number of cycles communicated by the bonus cycle symbol;
- and
- (iii) a bonus addition symbol, the bonus addition symbol being configured to communicate a prize that will be awarded in addition to the bonus prize.
A method of playing a game, the method comprising of, but not necessarily in the order shown below:
- (A) providing at least one game reel, the game reel having a plurality of game symbols;
- (B) providing at least one bonus reel, the bonus reel having a plurality of bonus symbols, none of the bonus symbols being used to indicate the outcome of a game;
- (C) providing at least one bonus display, the bonus display comprising a moveable bonus indicator adapted to indicate a bonus prize to be awarded to a player, wherein the bonus prize may be positioned in a plurality of positions;
- (D) causing the game reel to display at least one of the game symbols, the game symbol being used to indicate the outcome of the game;
- (E) causing a bonus-qualifying event to occur;
- (F) causing the bonus reel to display at least one of the bonus symbol;
- and
- (G) performing at least one step from a group of steps consisting of:
- (i) if the bonus symbol is a bonus position symbol, the bonus position symbol being configured to communicate how the bonus display will change then causing the moveable bonus indicator move to a position having a predetermined relationship to the bonus position symbol;
- (ii) if the bonus symbol is a bonus cycle symbol, then causing the moveable bonus indicator to move a number of cycles, the number of cycles having a predetermined relationship to the bonus cycle symbol;
- and
- (iii) if the bonus symbol is a bonus addition symbol, then causing the moveable bonus indicator to move to a position showing an addition to the bonus award, the addition having a predetermined relationship to the bonus addition symbol.
A gaming apparatus, comprising:
- (A) game means for displaying an outcome of a game;
- (B) indicating means for indicating one of a plurality of bonus prizes to be awarded to a player, wherein each bonus prize is associated with a position;
- (C) bonus symbol means for displaying at least one bonus symbol, the bonus symbol means not being used to display the outcome of the game, wherein the bonus symbol is a bonus symbol from a set of bonus symbols consisting of:
- (a) a bonus position symbol, the bonus position symbol being configured to communicate how the indicating means will change, wherein the resulting bonus prize is determined at least in part by a predetermined relationship associated with the bonus position symbol;
- (b) a bonus cycle symbol, the bonus cycle symbol being configured to communicate a number of bonus cycles a bonus event will be performed, wherein the bonus prize is determined at least in part by the number of bonus cycles the number of bonus cycles being communicated by the bonus cycle symbol;
- and
- (c) a bonus addition symbol, the bonus addition symbol being configured to communicate an additional prize that will be awarded in addition to the bonus prize, wherein the bonus prize is determined at least in part by the additional prize, the additional prize being communicated by the bonus addition symbol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.