Games and gaming machines having wheel features

• US 10,366,578 B1
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronnie W. Harris
• Original Assignee: Ronnie W. Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Ronnie W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Torimiro, Adetokunbo O
• Application Number:
  US15/154,013
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 463 13, 463 19, 463 21, 463 25, 463 40, 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 5/045 using a rotating wheel and a fixed indicator, e.g. fortune wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Gaming machines and games are configured with one or more wheel events or features. The wheel events or features may comprise main games or bonus games, or may comprise entertaining representations of outcomes of other games or events. The wheel events comprise the selection of one or more segments of a wheel having associated awards. Wheel events may have various entertaining configurations, such as morphing wheels, symbols that reveal awards and the like.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

at least one value accepting device for accepting monetary value from a player for placing a wager;

at least one electronic video display;

at least one player input device;

a memory storing game data for use by a processor in presenting at least one wagering game;

at least one processor, said at least one processor configured to utilize said game data to present at least one wagering game, comprising causing said at least one electronic video display to display a first wheel element having a plurality of segments, one or more of said segments displaying an icon which does not identify an award, initiating a wheel segment selection event comprising a wheel spin of said first wheel element, and replacing at least one of said displayed icons to cause said segment to instead display an award after said wheel spin is initiated.

2. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of replacing comprises transforming said icon to a numerical value.

3. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 2 wherein said numerical value comprises a number of monetary value credits.

4. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said wheel element comprises graphically represented wheel displayed via said at least one electronic video display and said step of initiating a wheel segment selection event comprises graphically representing rotation of said wheel and stopping said rotation of said wheel.

5. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein said step of replacing occurs after said wheel has stopped rotation.

6. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein one or more of said segment display award values.

7. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein when said rotation of said wheel is stopped, if a segment of said wheel which displays an icon is aligned with a pointer, then replacing said icon with an award.

8. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 7 wherein said award comprises a number of monetary value credits.

9. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein said award comprises one or more of a number of credits, a monetary value, a jackpot, one or more free games and one or more free spins.