US 8,574,061 B2Granted

Gaming device including player selectable wild symbols

AssigneeIgt

InventorsDaniel M. Marks, Anthony M. Singer, Howard M. Marks

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of symbols. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas. For an activation of the reels, the gaming system randomly generates and causes each of the reels to display one of the symbols on that reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with that reel. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system: adds one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels and provides a plurality of additional activations of the reels. If a removal condition is satisfied prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels, the gaming system removes a remaining wild symbol from one of the reels.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;
at least one display device;
at least one processor;
and
at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to:
for a play of a game associated with a plurality of different symbols:
(a) display a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas;
(b) for an activation of the reels, randomly generate and cause each of the reels to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
and
(c) upon an occurrence of a triggering event:
(i) add one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels;
(ii) provide a plurality of additional activations of the reels;
and
(iii) for each of the additional activations of the reels prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels:
(A) for each of one or more of the reels, randomly generate and cause said reel to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
(B) display any awards associated with any displayed winning combinations of the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas;
and
(C) for each added wild symbol remaining on one of the reels, if a removal condition is satisfied, remove said wild symbol from said reel for at least one subsequent one of the additional activations of the reels.

15 more elements

A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

for a play of a game associated with a plurality of different symbols:
(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas;
(b) for an activation of the reels, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to randomly generate and cause each of the reels to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
and
(c) upon an occurrence of a triggering event:
(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to add one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels;
(ii) providing a plurality of additional activations of the reels;
and
(iii) for each of the additional activations of the reels prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to:
(A) for each of one or more of the reels, randomly generate and cause said reel to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
(B) display any awards associated with any displayed winning combinations of the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas;
and
(C) for each added wild symbol remaining on one of the reels, if a removal condition is satisfied, remove said wild symbol from said reel for at least one subsequent one of the additional activations of the reels.

10 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

for a play of a game associated with a plurality of different symbols:
(a) cause at least one display device to display a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas;
(b) for an activation of the reels, randomly generate and cause the at least one display device to cause each of the reels to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
and
(c) upon an occurrence of a triggering event:
(i) add one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels;
(ii) provide a plurality of additional activations of the reels;
and
(iii) for each of the additional activations of the reels prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels:
(A) for each of one or more of the reels, randomly generate and cause the at least one display device to cause said reel to display one of the symbols on said reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with said reel;
(B) cause the at least one display device to display any awards associated with any displayed winning combinations of the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas;
and
(C) for each added wild symbol remaining on one of the reels, if a removal condition is satisfied, remove said wild symbol from said reel for at least one subsequent one of the additional activations of the reels.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/763,225Filed 8 Feb 2013 · continuation
Priority: 2 Jan 2004
Published: US 2013/0150147 A113 Jun 2013
Granted: 5 Nov 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G07F 17/3213
Display means: details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
G07F 17/3209
Player-machine interfaces: input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
G07F 17/3232
Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users: wherein the operator is informed
G07F 17/3244
For games, toys, sports, or amusements: payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Family

Application60/534,042Us provisional application · filed 2 Jan 2004
Application11/018,053Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Dec 2004
Application12/817,931Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Jun 2010
US 7,749,071 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Jul 2010
US 2013/0150147 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Jun 2013
US 8,382,574 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2005/0148384 A1Published application
US 2010/0273550 A1Published application
US 8,574,061 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.