Gaming device having an accumulating award symbol

• US 20050130733A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cregan, Karen M., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Mierau, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,104,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3262 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming device and method which includes a plurality of reels having multiple symbols on the reels. The symbols include at least one activator symbol. In one embodiment, if the player obtains an activator symbol on the reels, the activator symbol activates the symbols that are adjacent to the activator symbol. Activating the adjacent symbols reveals the awards associated with the adjacent symbols. The player receives an award that equals the activator symbol award plus the awards associated with each symbol that is adjacent to the activator symbol.

Claims

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

a plurality of reels controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbols on the reels, said symbols including at least one activator symbol;

a plurality of paylines associated with the reels; and

a first award provided to a player if a winning combination of symbols occurs on the reels, a second award associated with a first one of the paylines of the plurality of paylines which modifies the first award if the activator symbol appears on the first payline and the activator symbol is not in the winning combination of symbols.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first award is provided to the player if the winning combination occurs on a second different one of the paylines of the plurality of paylines.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the first award is modified by the second award by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing the first award and the second award.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one symbol from the winning combination of symbols must occur on the first payline to provide the first award to the player.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the activator symbol is activatable by the processor.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, including a third award associated with one of the reels of the plurality of reels.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the activator symbol is on the reel associated with the third award.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbols include a plurality of activator symbols.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, including a network connection, wherein the processor communicates with the reels via the network connection.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a number of spins of the plurality of reels in a game implemented by the processor, wherein the processor enables a player to initiate each of the spins until there are no spins remaining.

11. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of reels;

providing a plurality of symbols on the reels, the reels including an activator symbol;

displaying a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

providing a player a first award associated if a winning combination of symbols occurs on the reels; and

providing the player a second award associated with a first one payline of the plurality of paylines which modifies the first award if the activator symbol appears on the first payline and the activator symbol is not in the winning combination of symbols.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first award is associated with the winning combination occurring on a second different payline of the plurality of paylines.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first award is modified by the second award by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing the first award and the second award.

14. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein at least one symbol from the winning combination of symbols must occur on the first payline.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the activator symbol is activatable.

16. The method of claim 11, including providing a third award to a player associated with one of the reels of the plurality of reels.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the activator symbol appears on the reel associated with the third award.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the symbols include a plurality of activator symbols.

19. The method of claim 11, which is provided through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network includes an internet.

21. The method of claim 11, which includes displaying a number of spins of the plurality of reels and allowing a player to initiate each of the spins until there are no spins remaining.

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

a plurality of reels controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbols on the reels, said symbols including at least one activator symbol;

a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

a first award provided to the player if a winning combination of symbols occurs on the reels; and

a second award which modifies the first award if the activator symbol appears on a first one of the paylines and the activator symbol is activated.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the first award is associated with the winning combination occurring on a second different payline in the plurality of paylines.

24. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the first award is modified by the second award by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing the first award and the second award.

25. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the first payline also includes at least one symbol from the winning combination of symbols.

26. The gaming device of claim 22, including a third award associated with a reel in the plurality of reels.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the activator symbol appears on the reel associated with the third award.

28. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the symbols include a plurality of activator symbols.

29. The gaming device of claim 22, including a network connection, wherein the processor communicates with the reels via the network connection.

30. The gaming device of claim 22, which includes a number of spins of the plurality of reels in a game implemented by the processor, wherein the processor enables a player to initiate each of the spins until there are no spins remaining.

31. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of reels;

providing a plurality of symbols on the reels, the reels including an activator symbol;

displaying a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

providing a first award to a player if a winning combination of symbols occurs on the reels; and

modifying the first award with a second award associated with a first one of the paylines of the plurality of paylines if the activator symbol appears on the first payline and the activator symbol is activated.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first award is associated with the winning combination occurring on a second different payline in the plurality of paylines.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first award is modified by the second award by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing the first award and the second award.

34. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein at least one symbol from the winning combination of symbols must occur on the first payline.

35. The method of claim 31, including providing a third award associated with one of the reels of the plurality of reels.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the activator symbol must appear on the reel associated with the third award.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the symbols include a plurality of activator symbols.

38. The method of claim 31, which is provided through a data network.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the data network includes an internet.

40. The method of claim 31, which includes displaying a number of spins of the plurality of reels and allowing a player to initiate each of the spins until there are no spins remaining.

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

a plurality of reels controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbols on the reels, said symbols including at least one activator symbol;

a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

a first plurality of awards individually associated with the plurality of symbols;

a second plurality of awards individually associated with the plurality of reels;

a third plurality of awards individually associated with the plurality of paylines; and

an accumulated award provided to a player if the activator symbol is generated on the reels, the accumulated award including a first award from the first plurality of awards associated with the activator symbol, a second award from the first plurality of awards associated with another symbol generated on the reels which is related to the activator symbol, a third award from the second plurality of awards associated with the reel on which the activator symbol is generated, and a fourth award from the third plurality of awards associated with one of the paylines on which the activator symbol is generated.

42. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the first award is associated with a winning combination occurring on one of the paylines.

43. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the activator symbol is activatable.

44. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the symbols include a plurality of activator symbols.

45. The gaming device of claim 41, including a network connection, wherein the processor communicates with the reels via the network connection.

46. The gaming device of claim 41, wherein the accumulated award is provided to a player if the activator symbol is randomly generated on the reels.

47. The gaming device of claim 41, which includes a number of spins of the plurality of reels in a game implemented by the processor, wherein the processor enables a player to initiate each of the spins until there are no spins remaining.

48. A method of operating a gaming device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of reels;

providing a plurality of symbols on the reels, the reels including an activator symbol;

displaying a plurality of paylines associated with the reels;

providing a first plurality of awards individually associated with the plurality of symbols;

providing a second plurality of awards individually associated with the plurality of reels;

providing a third plurality of awards individually associated with the plurality of paylines; and

awarding an accumulated award to a player if the activator symbol is generated on the reels, the accumulated award including a first award from the first plurality of awards associated with the activator symbol, a second award from the first plurality of awards associated with another symbol generated on the reels which is related to the activator symbol, a third award from the second plurality of awards associated with the reel on which the activator symbol is generated, and a fourth award from the third plurality of awards associated with one of the paylines on which the activator symbol is generated.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the first award is associated with a winning combination occurring on one of the paylines.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the activator symbol is activatable.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the symbols include a plurality of activator symbols.

52. The method of claim 48, which is provided to the player through a data network.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the data network connection includes an internet.

54. The gaming device of claim 48, which includes displaying a number of spins of the plurality of reels and allowing the player to initiate each of the spins until there are no spins remaining.