US 9,286,765 B2Granted

Gaming system and method providing a game providing an award if a shape of a symbol displayed at a symbol display area corresponds to a shape of that symbol display area

AssigneeIgt

InventorsBrian F. Saunders, Timothy L. Isaacson, Ernest M. Lafky

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Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game providing an award if a shape of a symbol displayed at a symbol display area corresponds to a shape of that symbol display area. Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game having a player-adjustable volatility. In certain embodiments, the game is the above-described game, while in other embodiments, the game is a different game. Generally, in certain such embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to tailor the overall volatility of a play of the game to the player's preference by selecting a desired combination of symbol display areas to employ for a play of the game.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gaming system comprising:

a housing;
a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including:
(i) an acceptor, and
(ii) a cashout button;
at least one display device supported by the housing;
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 plurality of input devices and the at least one display device to:
(a) if a first physical item associated with a first monetary value is received via the acceptor,
establish a credit balance based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the first physical item;
(b) display a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the symbol display areas:
(i) having one of a plurality of different shapes, and (ii) being associated with one of a plurality of symbol generators associated with a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol display area and associated symbol generator is distinct from and independent from the other symbol display areas and associated symbol generators;
(c) for a play of a game, for each of a designated quantity of at least one of the symbol display areas:
(i) generate one of the symbols associated with the symbol generator associated with said symbol display area;
(ii) display the one generated symbol at said symbol display area;
(iii) determine any award based, at least in part, on whether a shape of the one symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area and independent of whether the shapes of the symbols displayed at the other symbol display areas match the shapes of those other symbol display areas;
and
(iv) modify the credit balance based on any determined awards;
and
(d) if an actuation of the cashout button is received, cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

17 more elements

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

(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 symbol display areas, each of the symbol display areas:
(i) having one of a plurality of different shapes, and (ii) being associated with one of a plurality of symbol generators associated with a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol display area and associated symbol generator is distinct from and independent from the other symbol display areas and associated symbol generators;
and
(b) for a play of a game, for each of a designated quantity of at least one of the symbol display areas:
(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate one of the symbols associated with the symbol generator associated with said symbol display area;
(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display the one generated symbol at said symbol display area;
(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award based, at least in part, on whether a shape of the one symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area and independent of whether the shapes of the symbols displayed at the other symbol display areas match the shapes of those other symbol display areas;
and
(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify a credit balance based on any determined awards, wherein the credit balance is:
(A) increasable via receipt, by an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;
and
(B) decreasable via actuation of a cashout button to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

9 more elements

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

(a) cause at least one display device to display a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the symbol display areas:
(i) having one of a plurality of different shapes, and (ii) being associated with one of a plurality of symbol generators associated with a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol display area and associated symbol generator is distinct from and independent from the other symbol display areas and associated symbol generators;
and
(b) for a play of a game, for each of a designated quantity of at least one of the symbol display areas:
(i) generate one of the symbols associated with the symbol generator associated with said symbol display area;
(ii) cause the at least one display device to display the one generated symbol at said symbol display area;
(iii) determine any award based, at least in part, on whether a shape of the one symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area and independent of whether the shapes of the symbols displayed at the other symbol display areas match the shapes of those other symbol display areas;
and
(iv) modify a credit balance based on any determined awards, wherein the credit balance is:
(A) increasable via receipt, by an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;
and
(B) decreasable via actuation of a cashout button to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/902,195Filed 24 May 2013
Published: US 2014/0349733 A127 Nov 2014
Granted: 15 Mar 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G07F 17/34
For games, toys, sports, or amusements: depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
G07F 17/3211
Player-machine interfaces: display means
G07F 17/3213
Display means: details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
G07F 17/3227
Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users: configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal…