Gaming device having symbol stacks

• US 20040023714A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Asdale, Shawn M. Van
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A gaming device is provided including a set of symbols on a plurality of reels and a symbol stack that includes an initially displayed symbol and at least one initially hidden symbol. In one embodiment, the hidden symbols are stacked beneath the displayed symbol. The initially displayed symbol may be removed to reveal an initially hidden symbol so that one or more different sets of visible symbols appears on the display device.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on the reels;

a symbol stack on at least one of the reels, the symbol stack including an initially displayed one of said symbols and an initially hidden one of said symbols; and

a processor that controls the reels and the symbol stack on the reels.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of the symbol stacks on one of the reels.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one of the symbol stacks on each of the reels.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol stack includes a plurality of initially hidden symbols.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of the symbol stacks each having a plurality of initially hidden symbols.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol stack includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol stack includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol stack includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol stack includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol upon a random event.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol upon a player input.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed in conjunction with a graphical display to reveal the initially hidden symbol.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a graphical display of how many hidden symbols are included in the symbol stack.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of initially displayed symbols that are, upon a randomly determined event, sequentially revealed upon the removal of the initially displayed symbol and each previously revealed initially hidden symbol.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of initially hidden symbols that are, upon at least one player input, sequentially revealed upon the removal of the initially displayed symbol and each previously revealed initially hidden symbol.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of symbol stacks displayed on the reels, wherein initially displayed symbols of the stacks are simultaneously removed to reveal the initially hidden symbols.

17. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a first award evaluation using the initially displayed symbol and a second award evaluation using the initially hidden symbol.

18. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a graphical representation of the initially displayed symbol being removed and the initially hidden symbol being revealed.

19. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on the reels;

at least one symbol stack on at least one of the reels, the symbol stack including an initially displayed symbol and an initially hidden symbol; and

a processor operable to;

(i) control the reels and the symbol stack on the reels, and upon the occurrence of the symbol stack on the reels; and

(ii) evaluate the symbols randomly generated on the reels before and after the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol.

20. The gaming device of claim 19, which includes a plurality of symbol stacks on one of the reels.

21. The gaming device of claim 19, which includes at least one symbol stack on each of the reels.

22. The gaming device of claim 19, which additionally includes a rotatable symbol set having an initially displayed symbol and a plurality of initially hidden symbols.

23. The gaming device of claim 19, which includes a plurality of symbol stacks each having a plurality of initially hidden rotatable symbols.

24. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the symbol stack includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

25. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the symbol stack includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

26. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the symbol stack includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

27. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the symbol stack includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

28. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol upon a random event.

29. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol upon a player input.

30. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed in conjunction with a graphical display to reveal the initially hidden symbol.

31. The gaming device of claim 19, which includes a graphical display of how many hidden symbols are associated with the symbol stack.

32. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on the reels;

at least one symbol stack on at least one of the reels, the symbol stack including an initially displayed symbol and an initially hidden symbol; and

a processor operable to control the reels and to activate the symbol stack on the reels, wherein, upon activation of the symbol stack, the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol.

33. The gaming device of claim 32, which includes a plurality of symbol stacks on one of the reels.

34. The gaming device of claim 32, which includes at least one symbol stack on each of the reels.

35. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the symbol stack includes a plurality of initially hidden symbols.

36. The gaming device of claim 32, which includes a plurality of symbol stacks each having a plurality of initially hidden symbols.

37. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the symbol stack includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

38. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the symbol stack includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

39. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the symbol stack includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

40. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the symbol stack includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

41. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol upon a random event.

42. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed to reveal the initially hidden symbol upon a player input.

43. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed in conjunction with a graphical display to reveal the initially hidden symbol.

44. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on the reels;

a rotatable symbol set on at least one of the reels, the set including an initially displayed symbol and an initially hidden symbol; and

a processor that controls the reels and the rotatable symbol on the reels.

45. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes a plurality of rotatable symbol sets on one of the reels.

46. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes at least one rotatable symbol set on a plurality of the reels.

47. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the rotatable symbol set includes a plurality of initially hidden rotatable symbols.

48. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes a plurality of rotatable symbol sets each having a plurality of initially hidden symbols.

49. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the rotatable symbol set includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

50. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the rotatable symbol set includes a predetermined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

51. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the rotatable symbol set includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a predetermined order.

52. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the rotatable symbol set includes a randomly determined number of initially hidden symbols in a randomly determined order.

53. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the initially hidden symbol is revealed upon the rotation of the initially displayed symbol upon a random event.

54. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the initially hidden symbol is revealed upon the rotation of the initially displayed symbol upon a player input.

55. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the initially displayed symbol is rotated in conjunction with a graphical display to reveal the initially hidden symbol.

56. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes a graphical display of how many rotable hidden symbols are associated with the rotatable symbol set.

57. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes a plurality of initially hidden symbols that are, upon a randomly determined event, sequentially revealed upon the rotation of the initially displayed symbol and each previously revealed initially hidden symbol.

58. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes a plurality of initially hidden symbols that are, upon at least one player input, sequentially revealed upon the rotation of the initially displayed symbol and each previously revealed initially hidden symbol.

59. The gaming device of claim 44, which includes a first award evaluation using the initially displayed symbol and a second award evaluation using the initially hidden symbol.

60. The gaming device of claim 44, wherein the rotable set appears on one of the reels as a geometrical shape.

61. A gaming device comprising:

a display device; and

a first set of symbols displayed by the display device on a plurality of reels, wherein at least one of the symbols appearing in the first set includes an initially displayed symbol and at least one initially hidden symbol, wherein one of the initially hidden symbols is revealed upon a removal of the initially displayed symbol so that a second set of visible symbols appears on the display device.

62. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the initially hidden symbols are selected from the plurality of symbols before the first set of visible symbols appears on the display device.

63. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the number of initially hidden symbols included with the initially displayed symbol is determined before the first set of visible symbols appears on the display device, and wherein the initially hidden symbol that is revealed upon the removal of the initially displayed symbol is determined after the first set of visible symbols appears on the display device.

64. The gaming device of claim 61, which includes a plurality of slot machine reels displayed on the display device, each reel including a plurality of the symbols.

65. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein a second one of the initially hidden symbols is revealed upon a removal of the initially hidden symbol that replaced the initially displayed symbol, so that a third set of visible symbols appears on the display device.

66. The gaming device of claim 65, wherein at least one of the first, second and third sets of symbols is evaluated to determine if a payout is provided to the player.

67. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed upon a triggering event and the second removal occurs due to the same triggering event.

68. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed upon the random appearance of the initially displayed symbol in the first set of symbols.

69. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein each of the initially hidden symbols are automatically and sequentially revealed upon the random occurrence of the initially displayed symbol in the first set of symbols.

70. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the initially displayed symbol is removed upon the random occurrence of the initially displayed symbol in the first set of symbols and upon a player input.

71. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein each of the initially hidden symbols are sequentially revealed upon the random appearance of the initially displayed symbol in the first set of symbols and upon a player input.

72. The gaming device of claim 71, which includes an input that enables the player to end the sequential display before each of the initially hidden symbols are revealed.

73. The gaming device of claim 61, wherein the initially displayed symbol and the plurality of initially hidden symbols are revealed in a rotating order on the display device.

74. A gaming device comprising:

a display device that displays a first set of symbols on a plurality of reels;

a first payout provided to the player if the first set of symbols yields the first payout;

at least one of the symbols appearing in the first set including an initially displayed symbol and at least one initially hidden symbol, wherein one of the initially hidden symbols is revealed when the initially displayed symbol is removed so that a second set of symbols appears on the display device; and

a second payout provided to the player if the second set of symbols yields the second payout.

75. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein a second one of the initially hidden symbols is revealed upon the removal of the initially hidden symbol so that a third set of visible symbols appears on the display device, and which includes a third payout provided to the player if the third set of visible symbols yields the third payout.

76. The gaming device of claim 74, wherein the first and second removals occur upon a single triggering event.

77. A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of symbols;

(b) randomly displaying a first set of symbols from the plurality of symbols;

(c) determining if at least one initially hidden symbol is associated with one of the displayed symbols; and

(d) if so, removing the associated initially displayed symbol to reveal the initially hidden symbol to create a second set of symbols from the plurality of symbols.

78. The method of claim 77, which includes removing the initially displayed symbol upon a player input.

79. The method of claim 77, which includes sequentially removing displayed symbols to reveal each of the initially hidden symbols and evaluating each new set of symbols to determine if a win for a player occurs.

80. The method of claim 77, which includes sequentially removing the displayed symbols upon at least one player input.

81. The gaming device of claim 77, which includes sequentially removing a displayed symbol to reveal one of the initially hidden symbols until a player decides not to use any remaining initially hidden symbols.

82. The method of claim 77, which includes rotating the initially displayed symbol to display the initially hidden symbol.

83. The method of claim 82, which includes rotating the displayed initially hidden symbol to display another one of the initially hidden symbols.

84. The method of claim 77, wherein steps (a) to (d) are provided through a data network.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the data network is an internet.

86. A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of symbols;

(b) randomly displaying a first set of symbols from the plurality of symbols;

(c) evaluating the first set to determine if a win for a player occurs;

(d) determining if an initially displayed symbol of the first set obscures at least one initially hidden symbol; and

(e) if so, removing the initially displayed symbol of the first set to reveal one of the initially hidden symbols to create a second set of symbols from the plurality of symbols and evaluating the second set to determine if a win for a player occurs.

87. The method of claim 86, which includes automatically removing the initially displayed symbol upon the determination that the initially displayed symbol obscures at least one initially hidden symbol.

88. The method of claim 86, which includes rotating the initially displayed display device to display the initially hidden symbol.

89. A gaming device comprising:

a display device;

a video reel that moves in a first direction on the display device; and

a plurality of symbols on the video reel, wherein at least one of the symbols rotates in a second direction on the display device.