Gaming device having a plurality of symbol generators and accumulation game with multiple independent terminating conditions

• US 20050054434A1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cuddy, Ryan W., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Krueger, Brian, Scarpulla, Joel P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• 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 includes a plurality of symbol generators displayed to a player. A plurality of symbol sets are associated with each symbol generator and each symbol set includes a plurality of symbols. Each of the symbols has a value and a probability. The processor generates one of the symbols on each of the symbol generators and marks each generated symbol. The gaming device continues generating symbols until all of the symbols in a symbol set associated with at least one of the symbol generators are marked. The game provides an award to a player when all of the symbols in at least one of the symbol sets are marked.

Claims

1. A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbol sets in the game, wherein each symbol set includes a plurality of symbols and at least one of the symbols in each set is associated with a value;

a plurality of predetermined numbers associated with each of the symbol sets, wherein each of the predetermined numbers are greater than one;

a plurality of symbol generators in the game, wherein each of the symbol generators is separately associated with a different one of the symbol sets;

at least one display device controlled by the processor and operable with the symbols generators to;

(a) generate for each of the symbol generators one of the symbols of the symbol set associated with said symbol generator;

(b) indicate each generated symbol to a player;

(c) accumulate any values associated with the generated symbols for each symbol generator, wherein if one of the symbols is repeated on said symbol generator, the value is added to the accumulated value for that symbol generator;

(d) repeat (a) to (c) until at least one of the predetermined numbers have been indicated for one of the symbol sets; and

(e) provide an award to a player based, at least in part, on the accumulated values associated with at least one of the symbol sets for which the predetermined number of the symbols have been generated.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the symbol generators is selected from a group consisting of reels, dice and wheels.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol generator is associated with an accumulation meter.

4. The gaming device of claim 3, wherein the display device displays the plurality of accumulation meters.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol is associated with a probability of being generated on said symbol generators and at least two of the probabilities are different.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the processor determines which symbol to indicate for each symbol generator based on the probabilities associated with each symbol in the symbol set associated with each symbol generator.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol set includes the same set of symbols.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol set includes at least one different symbol.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least two of the symbol sets include the same symbol, wherein the same symbol is associated with a different value for a plurality of the symbol sets.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the value associated with a particular symbol is the same for each symbol set.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the values associated with the symbols are numerical.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the symbol generators is associated with non-designated symbols.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the display device is operable with the processor and the symbol generators to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said symbol generators are independent.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the symbol generators are associated with different predetermined numbers of symbols.

16. A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, comprising:

a plurality of symbol indicators controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbols associated with each of the symbol indicators, wherein a plurality of the symbols are each associated with a value and a probability;

at least one display device controlled by the processor, wherein the processor, display device and symbol indicators are operable to;

(a) determine the symbol to indicate for each symbol indicator based on the probabilities associated with the symbols associated with that symbol indicator;

(b) for each of the symbol indicators, generate and indicate the determined symbol;

(c) display any value associated with the indicated symbols;

(d) accumulate any values associated with the generated symbols for each symbol indicator, wherein if a symbol is repeated for said symbol indicator, the value is added to the accumulated value for that symbol indicator;

(e) repeat (a) to (d) until a designated number of the symbols associated with at least one of the symbol indicators have been generated, wherein said designated number is greater than one; and

(f) provide an award to a player based, at least in part, on the indicated symbols associated with at least one symbol indicator associated for which the designated number symbols have been generated.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the symbol indicators are selected from a group consisting of reels, dice and wheels.

18. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein each of the symbol indicators are associated with the same number of symbols.

19. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein at least two of the symbol indicators are associated with a different number of symbols.

20. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the display device includes a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol indicator.

21. The gaming device of claim 20 wherein the value of each indicated symbol is displayed on the corresponding accumulation meter.

22. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the display device controlled by the processor and operable with the symbol indicators to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

23. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein said symbol indicators are independent.

24. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different.

25. A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, comprising:

a game controlled by a processor;

a plurality of reels in the game;

a plurality of symbols sets associated with each of said reels which each include a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one of the symbols in each set is associated with a value and a probability, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different;

at least one display device controlled by the processor, wherein the processor, display device and symbol indicators are operable to;

(a) determine which symbol to indicate for each reel based on the probabilities associated with the symbols associated with that reel;

(b) for each of the reels, indicate the determined symbol;

(c) display any value associated with the indicated symbols;

(d) accumulate any values associated with the indicated symbols for each reel, wherein if one of the symbols is repeated for that reel, the value is added to the accumulated value for that reel;

(e) repeat (a) to (d) until a designated number of the symbols of at least one of the reels have been indicated, wherein said designated number is greater than one; and

(f) provide an award to a player based, at least in part, on the accumulated values associated with the indicated symbols associated with at least one of the reels for which the designated number of symbols has been indicated.

26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the award provided to the player is the sum of the values of the generated symbols indicated by the reel for which the designated number of symbols were first indicated.

27. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the reels are mechanical.

28. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the value of each of the symbols is displayed next to the symbol.

29. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein each reel is associated with an accumulation meter.

30. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein each accumulation meter displays the accumulated value for each reel.

31. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the accumulation meters display the symbols associated with the corresponding reel.

32. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein each of the symbols are associated with a related area on the accumulation meters, wherein the related area of the corresponding accumulation meter is highlighted or marked upon indication of said symbols.

33. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the display device and the processor are operable with the reels to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

34. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein said reels are independent.

35. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein a plurality of the reels are associated with plurality of designated numbers of symbols.

36. A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbol sets in the game, wherein each symbol set includes a plurality of symbols and at least one of the symbols in each set is associated with a value;

a plurality of symbol generators in the game, wherein each of the symbol generators is separately associated with a different one of the symbol sets;

at least one display device controlled by the processor and operable with the symbols generators to;

(a) cause each of the symbol generators to generate and indicate one of the symbols of the symbol set associated with that symbol generator;

(b) accumulate any values associated with any generated symbols for each symbol generator;

(c) repeat steps (a) to (b) until a designated number of different symbols are indicated for at least one of the symbol sets, wherein said designated number is greater than one;

(d) provide an award to a player which is based, at least in part, on the values associated with the symbol set with the indicated designated number symbols; and

(e) when the designated number of symbols are indicated for one of the symbol sets, reset the accumulated values and the designated numbers.

37. The gaming device of claim 36, repeat (a) to (d) at least once.

38. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the display device includes a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol generator.

39. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the value of each indicated symbol is displayed on the corresponding accumulation meter.

40. The gaming device of claim 39, wherein when the designated number of symbols are indicated of one of the symbol sets, the processor is operable with the display device to reset the accumulation meter corresponding to the symbol generator associated with that symbol set.

41. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein the display device and the processor are operable with the symbol generators to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

42. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein said symbol generators are independent.

43. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein one of the designated numbers of symbols includes all of the symbols in at least one of the sets.

44. The gaming device of claim 36, wherein a plurality of the symbol generators are associated with a plurality of different designated numbers of symbols.

45. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of symbol sets, wherein each of the symbol sets includes a plurality of symbols and at least one of the symbols in each of the symbol sets is associated with a value,

(b) associating each of the symbol sets with a predetermined number of symbols, wherein said predetermined number is greater than one;

(b) separately associating each of the symbol sets with a plurality of symbol generators;

(c) generating a symbol for a plurality of the symbol generators from the associated symbol sets;

(d) indicating each generated symbol to a player;

(e) accumulating any values associated with any generated symbols for each symbol generator, wherein if one of the symbols is repeated on said symbol generator, the value is added to the accumulated value for that symbol generator;

(f) repeating steps (a) to (e) until a predetermined number of symbols have been indicated in at least one symbol set, and

(g) providing an award to a player based, at least in part, on the accumulated values associated with at least one symbol generator associated with one of the symbol sets in which the predetermined number of the symbols have been generated.

46. The method of claim 45, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol generator.

47. The method of claim 46, which includes displaying any of the values associated with the indicated symbols on the corresponding accumulation meter.

48. The method of claim 45, which includes marking each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated.

49. The method of claim 45, which includes said predetermined number for at least one of the symbol sets including all of the symbols of that symbol set.

50. The method of claim 45, which includes associating a plurality of the symbol sets with different designated numbers of symbols.

51. The method of claim 45, which includes associating each symbol with a probability of being generated on said symbol generators, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different.

52. The method of claim 51, which includes determining which symbol to indicate for each symbol generator based on the probabilities associated with each symbol in the symbol set associated with each symbol generator.

53. The method of claim 45, which includes generating non-designated symbols for at least one of the symbol generators.

54. The method of claim 45, which includes at least one of the symbol sets including at least one terminating symbol.

55. The method of claim 45, which includes at least one of the symbol sets including at least one reset symbol.

56. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) determining a symbol of a plurality of symbols to indicate for each of a plurality symbol indicators based on a plurality of probabilities associated with the symbols, wherein at least one of the symbols is associated with a value;

(b) generating the determined symbol for each of the symbol indicators;

(c) indicating the determined symbol for each of the symbol indicators;

(d) displaying any values associated with the indicated symbols;

(e) accumulating any values associated with the indicated symbol for each symbol indicator associated with the indicated symbol, wherein if a symbol is repeated for said symbol indicator, the value is added to the accumulated value for that symbol indicator;

(f) repeating steps (a) through (e) until a designated number of the symbols associated with at least one of the symbol indicators have been generated, wherein said designated number is greater than one; and

(g) providing an award to a player based, at least in part, on the indicated symbols associated with at least one symbol indicator for which the designated number of symbols have been generated.

57. The method of claim 56, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol indicator.

58. The method of claim 57, which includes displaying the value of each indicated symbol on the corresponding accumulation meter.

59. The method of claim 56, which includes marking each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

60. The method of claim 56, which includes associating at least one of the symbol indicators with different designated numbers of symbols.

61. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of reels in a game;

(b) providing a plurality of symbols sets associated with each of said reels which each include a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one of the symbols in each set is associated with a value and a probability, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different;

(c) determining which symbol to indicate for each reel based on the probabilities associated with the symbols associated with that reel;

(d) indicating the determined symbol for each of the reels;

(e) displaying any value associated with any of the indicated symbols;

(f) accumulating any values associated with the indicated symbols for each reel, wherein if one of the symbols is repeated for that reel, the value is added to the accumulated value for that reel;

(g) repeating (c) to (f) until a designated number of the symbols of at least one of the reels have been indicated, wherein said designated number is greater than one; and

(h) providing an award to a player based, at least in part, one of the values associated with the indicated symbols associated with at least one of the reels for which the designated number of symbols has been indicated.

62. The method of claim 61, which includes displaying any values associated with the indicated symbols next to each symbol.

63. The method of claim 61, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein said accumulation meters are associated with each reel.

64. The method of claim 63, which includes displaying the accumulated value for each reel in each accumulation meter.

65. The method of claim 64, which includes displaying the symbols associated with the corresponding reel on each of the accumulation meters.

66. The method of claim 63, which includes associating each of the symbols with a related area on the accumulation meters, wherein the related area of the corresponding accumulation meter is highlighted or marked upon indication of said symbols.

67. The method of claim 61, which includes marking each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

68. The method of claim 61, which includes associating the reels with a plurality of different designated numbers of symbols.

69. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising;

(a) providing a plurality of symbol sets, wherein each symbol set includes a plurality of symbols and at least one of the symbols in each set is associated with a value;

(b) displaying a plurality of symbol generators;

wherein each of the symbol generators is separately associated with a different one of the symbol sets,

(c) generating and indicating one of the symbols for each the plurality of symbol generators;

(d) accumulating any values associated with any of the generated symbols for each symbol generator;

(e) repeating steps (c) to (d) until a designated number of different symbols are indicated for at least one of the symbol sets, wherein said designated number is greater than one;

(f) providing an award to the player, based at least in part, on the values associated with the symbols of the symbol set with the designated number of symbols generated;

(g) resetting the accumulated values and the designated numbers of indicated symbols when the designated number of symbols are indicated for one of the symbol sets.

70. The method of claim 69, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol generator.

71. The method of claim 70, which includes displaying the values associated of any indicated symbols on the corresponding accumulation meter.

72. The method of claim 69, which includes repeating steps (c) to (f) at least once.

73. The method of claim 69, which includes one of the designated numbers including all of the symbols in at least one of the sets.

74. The method of claim 69, which includes associating the symbol sets with a plurality of different designated number of symbols.