US 9,542,806 B2Granted

Methods and systems for electronic gaming

AssigneeBally Technologies ANZ PTY LTD

InventorsRoss M. Gilbertson, Qin You, Andrew B. Masen

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An electronic gaming machine and a computer implemented method of administering game play, include displaying an electronic reel simulation including a multiple reel array for a wagering game on a display. A user input is accepted indicating a selected play option from a plurality of play options, wherein all play options of the plurality of play options enable all displayed positions of the multiple reel array to be considered in winning outcomes. A game outcome is determined and presented on the game display, the game outcome including game symbols for the displayed positions of the multiple reel array. Winning combinations of the game symbols are determined, where each winning combination includes three or more matching game symbols appearing in the displayed positions on each of three or more adjacent reels and at least one of the three or more matching game symbols is not used in another winning combination.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of operating a gaming system, the gaming system including an electronic gaming machine having a processor primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game on a game display, the electronic gaming machine further including at least one input device and a non-transitory data storage device operably coupled to the processor, the method comprising:

detecting, via the at least one input device, a physical item associated with monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating the at least one casino wagering game in response to an input, via the at least one input device, indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
displaying, from a non-transitory data storage device to the game display, an electronic reel simulation of the at least one casino wagering game including a multiple reel array;
providing a plurality of play options on at least one of the game display or the at least one input device, each play option having a corresponding set of possible bonus prizes associated therewith;
receiving, via the at least one input device, an indication of a selected play option indicating a player election to elect a play option of the plurality of play options;
increasing, by the processor, a jackpot accumulator value responsive to a wild symbol appearing on at least one displayed position on the electronic reel simulation including the multiple reel array according to a base trigger probability that is different for each play option of the plurality of play options;
and
determining, by the processor, a bonus event responsive to a combination of the wild symbol appearing on at least one displayed position on the electronic reel simulation and the jackpot accumulator value reaching a predetermined threshold;
determining, by the processor, a jackpot prize responsive to the bonus event when the set of possible bonus prizes associated with the selected play option includes a single bonus prize;
and
receiving, via the at least one input device, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

8 more elements

An electronic gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, comprising:

a gaming cabinet;
at least one input device coupled to the gaming cabinet;
a game display coupled to the gaming cabinet;
and
a processor disposed within the gaming cabinet, and operably coupled to the at least one input device and the game display, wherein the processor is configured to execute computing instructions to cause the electronic gaming machine to:
detect, via the at least one input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that established a credit balance;
initiate the at least one casino wagering game in response to a wager input via the at least one input device;
provide a plurality of play options on at least one of the game display or the at least one input device, each play option having a corresponding set of possible bonus prizes associated therewith;
receive, via the at least one input device, an indication of a selected play option indicating a player election to elect a play option of the plurality of play options based on a wager amount;
increase a jackpot accumulator value responsive to a wild symbol appearing on at least one displayed position on an electronic reel simulation including a multiple reel array according to a base trigger probability that is different for each play option of the plurality of play options;
trigger a bonus event responsive to a combination of the wild symbol appearing on at least one displayed position on the electronic reel simulation including the multiple reel array and the jackpot accumulator value reaching a predetermined threshold level;
and
determine a jackpot prize responsive to the bonus event when the set of possible bonus prizes associated with the selected play option includes a single bonus prize.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/894,361Filed 14 May 2013 · continuation in part
Priority: AU 20109035367 Aug 2010
Published: US 2013/0053124 A126 Sep 2013
Granted: 10 Jan 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G07F 17/326
For games, toys, sports, or amusements: game play aspects of gaming systems
G07F 7/12
By coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means: card verification
G07F 17/32
Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services: for games, toys, sports, or amusements
G07F 17/3213
Display means: details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Family

Application13/042,647Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Mar 2011
Application13/620,217Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Sep 2012
US 2013/0252704 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Sep 2013
Application13/620,217Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0034965 A1Published application
US 2013/0053124 A1Published application
US 9,640,036 B2Related patent
US 9,747,751 B2Related patent
US 9,542,806 B2This patent

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