Gaming method and apparatus implementing a hierarchical display grid and dynamically generated paylines

• US 20030045345A1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Show Games, LLC
• Original Assignee: King Show Games, LLC
• Inventors: Berman, Bradley
• Granted Patent: US 6,896,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method and apparatus for use in gaming activities such as slot machines. A display grid having a multiple display segments is presented, where one or more of the display segments is presented having multiple display subsegments. Each of the display subsegments presents a subsegment symbol independently of the other display subsegments in its respective display segment. Paylines are created from a plurality of the display segments, where each of the subsegment symbols of each of the display subsegments is independently used in formulating payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated. Paylines may be dynamically created at any location as a result of corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments and/or subsegments.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating participation in a slot game, comprising:

presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments;

presenting a plurality of display subsegments in at least one of the display segments, wherein each of the display subsegments presents a subsegment symbol independently of the other display subsegments in its respective display segment; and

creating paylines from a plurality of the display segments, wherein each of the subsegment symbols of each of the display subsegments is independently used in formulating payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein creating paylines comprises creating paylines of display segments at predetermined locations, wherein a plurality of the payout results are formulated for each of the paylines associated with at least one display segment having a plurality of the display subsegments.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein creating paylines comprises dynamically generating the paylines as a result of corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein dynamically generating the paylines comprises determining whether each of the adjacent display segments includes the corresponding symbol in either the display segment or in one of the display subsegments of the display segment.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising dynamically creating auxiliary paylines having no predetermined arrangement, formulated from corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display subsegments independent of the display segments.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting the display grid comprises displaying a two-dimensional display grid, and wherein presenting a plurality of display subsegments comprises displaying the plurality of display subsegments on two-dimensional displays of their respective display segments.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting the display grid comprises displaying a three-dimensional display grid, and wherein presenting a plurality of display subsegments comprises displaying the plurality of display subsegments on three-dimensional displays of their respective display segments.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein displaying the plurality of display subsegments on three-dimensional displays of their respective display segments comprises displaying the plurality of display subsegments on different faces of individual display segment cubes of the three-dimensional display grid.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein creating paylines comprises creating the paylines along any predetermined path on a face or through the three-dimensional display grid.

10. The method as in claim 8, wherein creating paylines comprises creating the paylines along any dynamically generated payline resulting from corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments in the three-dimensional display grid.

11. The method as in claim 7, wherein displaying the plurality of display subsegments on three-dimensional displays of their respective display segments comprises displaying the plurality of display subsegments at corresponding locations on different axis of the three-dimensional display grid.

12. The method as in claim 7, wherein displaying the plurality of display subsegments on three-dimensional displays of their respective display segments comprises displaying the plurality of display subsegments on corresponding faces of each of a plurality display subsegment cubes associated with their respective display segments.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting a plurality of display subsegments comprises presenting the plurality of display subsegments in all of the display segments of the display grid.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein:

presenting a plurality of display subsegments comprises presenting the plurality of display subsegments in a plurality of the display segments of the display grid; and

presenting a display grid comprises presenting a remaining plurality of the display segments with a single symbol.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein presenting a remaining plurality of the display segments with a single symbol comprises presenting the single symbol independently of symbols and subsegment symbols presented in the other display segments and display subsegments in the display grid.

16. The method as in claim 14, further comprising utilizing the single symbols associated with each of the remaining plurality of the display segments only once in formulating the payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated.

17. The method as in claim 14, further comprising utilizing the single symbols associated with each of the remaining plurality of the display segments repeatedly in formulating the payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein utilizing the single symbols repeatedly comprises repeatedly utilizing the single symbols for each of the payout results that can be formulated for a particular payline using each of the display subsegments in other display segments of the particular payline.

19. The method as in claim 1, further comprising formulating the payout results for each of the paylines using each of the subsegment symbols only once.

20. The method as in claim 1, further comprising formulating the payout results for each of the paylines allowing at least one of the subsegment symbols associated with a respective display subsegment a predetermined number of times in formulating the payout results.

21. The method as in claim 1, further comprising presenting payout results on the display grid by distinguishing the symbols and subsegment symbols associated with a winning payout result from the other symbols and subsegment symbols.

22. The method as in claim 1, further comprising presenting payout results on individual display grids each revealing the subsegment symbols associated with a winning payout result in their respective display segments without displaying other subsegment symbols associated with the respective display segment.

23. The method as in claim 22, wherein the revealed subsegment symbols associated with the winning payout result are displayed in an increased size in their respective display segments.

24. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting a plurality of display subsegments and creating paylines from a plurality of the display segments is effected in a standard mode of the slot game.

25. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting a plurality of display subsegments and creating paylines from a plurality of the display segments is effected in a bonus mode of the slot game.

26. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting a display grid comprises presenting a display grid via a video display.

27. The method as in claim 1, wherein presenting a display grid comprises presenting a display grid via a mechanical reel display.

28. The method as in claim 1, wherein the corresponding symbols comprise a predetermined one or more associated symbols.

29. The method as in claim 1, wherein the corresponding symbols comprise matching symbols.

30. A method for facilitating participation in a slot game, comprising:

presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments;

dynamically creating winning slot game paylines formulated from corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

providing at least first and second modes of slot game play;

presenting a plurality of display subsegments in at least one of the display segments in the first mode of slot game play, wherein each of the display subsegments presents a subsegment symbol independently of the other display subsegments in its respective display segment;

in the first mode of slot game play, creating paylines from a plurality of the display segments, wherein each of the subsegment symbols of each of the display subsegments is independently used in formulating payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated; and

dynamically creating the winning slot game paylines formulated from corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments when in the second mode of slot game play.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first mode of slot game play is a standard mode and the second mode of slot game play is a bonus mode availed in response to an occurrence of a predetermined symbol combination in the standard mode of slot game play.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments and dynamically creating winning slot game paylines is availed during a standard mode of slot game play.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments and dynamically creating winning slot game paylines is availed during a bonus mode of slot game play.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising configuring the predetermined number of adjacent display segments by assigning a minimum number of adjacent corresponding symbols required to create the winning slot game paylines for particular symbols of the slot game.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one of the symbols of the slot game results in no winning slot game payline regardless of the number of adjacent corresponding symbols that occur.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein an occurrence of the predetermined number of adjacent display segments results in a first payout result.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein an occurrence of a number of the adjacent display segments greater than the predetermined number results in a second payout result greater than the first payout result.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein an occurrence of a number of the adjacent display segments greater than the predetermined number results in a second payout result larger than the first payout result, wherein the second payout result is based on a multiplier and a difference between the number of adjacent display segments greater than the predetermined number.

40. The method of claim 30, further comprising allowing participant selection of one or more symbols desired by the participant to be used in dynamically creating the winning slot game paylines.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising requiring additional wager inputs by the participant for additional symbols desired by the participant to be used in dynamically creating the winning slot game paylines.

42. The method of claim 30, further comprising predefining one or more symbols to be used in dynamically creating the winning slot game paylines.

43. A casino gaming apparatus hosting a gaming activity, the casino gaming apparatus comprising:

a display device to present a display grid having a plurality of display segments, and to present a plurality of display subsegments in each of one or more of the display segments;

a random number generator configured to randomly select symbols for presentation in the display segments and display subsegments of the display grid; and

a processor configured to identify winning symbol combinations presented on display segment paylines of the display grid, wherein the winning symbol combinations comprise corresponding symbols in each of the display segments of the display segment paylines, and wherein each of the symbols presented in the display subsegments of a display segment is independently considered in identifying the winning symbol combinations occurring on the display segment paylines encompassing that display segment.

44. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the display segment paylines have predetermined locations in the display grid.

45. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the processor is further configured to identify winning symbol combinations presented on dynamically-generated paylines, wherein the dynamically-generated paylines are identified by determining an occurrence of a predetermined number of adjacent display segments presenting the corresponding symbols.

46. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the processor is further configured to identify winning symbol combinations presented on dynamically-generated paylines, wherein the dynamically-generated paylines are identified by determining an occurrence of a predetermined number of adjacent display subsegments presenting the corresponding symbols across display segment boundaries.

47. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the processor is further configured to identify winning symbol combinations presented on dynamically-generated paylines, wherein the dynamically-generated paylines are identified by determining an occurrence of a predetermined number of adjacent display segments and display subsegments presenting the corresponding symbols.

48. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the random number generator is integral with the processor.

49. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, further comprising a reel strip associated with each of the display segments and display subsegments from which the symbols for each respective display segment and subsegment is selected.

50. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 49, wherein the reel strips are physical strips, and wherein the random number generator randomly selects a reel strip stop position to select the symbol for presentation in the display segments and display subsegments of the display grid.

51. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 49, further comprising a memory to store each of the reel strips as electronic reel strips, and wherein the random number generator randomly selects one of the symbols associated with each electronic reel strip for presentation in the display segments and display subsegments of the display grid.

52. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the casino gaming apparatus is a slot machine.

53. The casino gaming apparatus as in claim 43, wherein the casino gaming apparatus is a video poker machine.

54. A slot machine comprising:

a display to present a display grid having a plurality of display segments;

a random number generator configured to randomly select symbols for presentation in the display segments; and

a processor configured to identify at least one dynamically-generated winning symbol combination by recognizing a predetermined minimum number of adjacent display segments presenting corresponding symbols therein.

55. The slot machine of claim 54, wherein the display presents a two-dimensional display grid, and wherein the processor is configured to identify at least one dynamically-generated winning symbol combination by recognizing a predetermined minimum number of any touching display segments on the two-dimensional display grid.

56. The slot machine of claim 54, wherein the display presents a three-dimensional display grid, and wherein the processor is configured to identify at least one dynamically-generated winning symbol combination by recognizing a predetermined minimum number of any touching display segments on the three-dimensional display grid.

57. The slot machine of claim 54, further comprising a user interface to allow a participant to select the symbols to be identified as the dynamically-generated winning symbol combination.

58. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for facilitating slot gaming activity using multiple symbols per display segment, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising:

presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments;

presenting a plurality of display subsegments in at least one of the display segments, wherein each of the display subsegments presents a subsegment symbol independently of the other display subsegments in its respective display segment; and

creating paylines from a plurality of the display segments, wherein each of the subsegment symbols of each of the display subsegments is independently used in formulating payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated.

59. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for facilitating dynamic paylines in slot gaming activity, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising:

presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments;

dynamically creating winning slot game paylines formulated from corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments.

60. A slot machine comprising:

means for presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments;

means for presenting a plurality of display subsegments in at least one of the display segments, wherein each of the display subsegments presents a subsegment symbol independently of the other display subsegments in its respective display segment; and

means for creating paylines from a plurality of the display segments, wherein each of the subsegment symbols of each of the display subsegments is independently used in formulating payout results for each of the paylines in which the display segment is affiliated.

61. A slot machine comprising:

means for presenting a display grid comprising a plurality of display segments;

means for dynamically creating winning slot game paylines formulated from corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments.