Gaming device providing touch activated symbol information

• US 20050233800A1
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jones, Aaron T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,977 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

An apparatus and method for quickly and easily providing desired paytable information to a player of a gaming device. The invention utilizes the game'"'"'s display device containing a plurality of game generated symbols as an index of symbols from which a player can choose a desired symbol. The present invention enables a player to touch or otherwise select the desired symbol and produce desired paytable information, which includes a plurality of different types of information. Touching a desired symbol is simple, interactive and entertaining. Such features are not inherent in the existing methods. The invention contemplates the game maintaining one or more databases for every single symbol. Alternatively, the game can maintain one or more databases having information on all the symbols of the gaming device and immediately scroll to the desired symbol upon the player'"'"'s selection.

Claims

1. A gaming device operated under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a display device controlled by the processor;

a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager, said game including at least one symbol generator, said at least one symbol generator configured to generate a plurality of symbols including a plurality of different symbols;

at least one player input device activatable to select at least one of said symbols, wherein when the player input device is activated by a player to select one of the symbols, the player input device is configured to initiate sending a signal to the processor to communicate a player selection of said symbol to the processor; and

a plurality of different paytable displays associated with the plurality of different symbols and stored in a memory device accessible by the processor, wherein if the processor receives the signal communicating the player selection of one of said symbols, said processor causes said display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol generator includes at least one reel.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game includes a plurality of symbol generators, said symbol generators configured to generate a plurality of the different symbols.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said at least one player input device includes a touch screen.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to cause the display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol at a position of at least part of the at least one symbol generator.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game includes a plurality of symbol generators and the selected symbol is associated with one of said symbol generators, wherein the processor is configured to cause the display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol at a position of at least part of another one of said symbol generators.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the different symbols have different functions in the game and the paytable displays associated with said different symbols are different.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different symbols has a plurality of associated paytable displays, wherein if the processor receives a signal communicating the player selection of said at least one different symbol, said processor is configured to cause said display device to sequentially display said paytable displays for said selected at least one different symbol.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the paytable displays each include payout information for combinations of the symbol associated with said paytable display.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein one of said paytable displays includes at least one of:

(a) bonus triggering information for the symbol associated with said paytable display;

(b) substitute information for the symbol associated with said paytable display;

(c) scatter pay information for the symbol associated with said paytable display;

(d) multiplier information for the symbol associated with said paytable display; and

(e) payout information for the symbol associated with said paytable display.

11. A gaming device operated under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager, said game including a plurality of symbol generators;

a plurality of symbols on said symbol generators, said plurality of symbols including a plurality of different symbols;

a display device operable to display said symbol generators and said symbols;

a touch screen connected to the display device; and

a plurality of paytable displays for said different symbols, wherein a plurality of the different symbols have different functions in the game and the paytable displays associated with said different symbols are different, and wherein the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the paytable display for a selected one of the different symbols if said symbol is selected by a player using the touch screen.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol at a position of at least part of the symbol generator having the selected symbol.

13. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the selected symbol is associated with one of said symbol generators and the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol at a position of at least part of another one of said symbol generators.

14. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the different symbols has a plurality of associated paytable displays, wherein the processor is programmed to cause the display device to sequentially display said paytable displays for said symbol if said symbol is selected by the player using the touch screen.

15. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein said paytable displays each include payout information for combinations of the symbol associated with said paytable display.

16. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein one of said paytable displays includes at least one of:

(a) bonus triggering information for the symbol associated with said paytable display;

(b) substitute information for the symbol associated with said paytable display;

(c) scatter pay information for the symbol associated with said paytable display;

(d) multiplier information for the symbol associated with said paytable display; and

(e) payout information for the symbol associated with said paytable display.

17. A gaming device operated under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager, said game including a plurality of symbol generators;

a plurality of symbols on said symbol generators, said plurality of symbols including a plurality of different symbols;

a paytable associated with said symbols based on the functionality of the symbols in the game;

a symbol selector; and

a display device, wherein the processor is programmed to, upon player selection of one of said symbols using the symbol selector, cause said display device to display a portion of the paytable associated with said selected symbol.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the symbol generators includes at least one reel.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein said symbol selector includes a touch screen.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein a plurality of the different symbols have different functions in the game and the portions of the paytable associated with said different symbols are different.

21. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein at least one of the different symbols has a plurality of associated portions of the paytable, wherein the processor is programmed to, upon the player selection of said symbol using the symbol selector, cause said display device to sequentially display said portions of the paytable associated with said symbol.

22. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein said portions of said paytable each include payout information for combinations of the symbol associated with said portion of the paytable.

23. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein one of said portions of the paytable includes at least one of:

(a) bonus triggering information for the symbol associated with said portion of the paytable;

(b) substitute information for the symbol associated with said portion of the paytable;

(c) scatter pay information for the symbol associated with said portion of the paytable;

(d) multiplier information for the symbol associated with said portion of the paytable; and

(e) payout information for the symbol associated with said portion of the paytable.

24. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol at a position of at least part of the symbol generator having the selected symbol.

25. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the selected symbol is associated with one of the symbol generators and the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the paytable display for said selected symbol at a position of at least part of another one of the symbol generators.

26. A gaming device operated under control of at least one processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player;

a plurality of symbol generators in the game, said symbol generators including a plurality of symbols, said symbols including a plurality of different symbols;

a plurality of different winning combinations of said symbols obtainable in said game;

a plurality of awards including a plurality of different awards obtainable in said game, each award resulting from at least one of said different winning combinations of symbols which can be generated by the symbol generators;

a symbol selection input device; and

a display device, wherein upon the player selecting one of said symbols using the symbol selection input device, the processor causes the display device to display paytable information indicating the winning combinations that include said symbol and the obtainable awards for at least one of said winning combinations.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the symbol generators includes at least one reel.

28. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein said symbol selection input device includes a touch screen.

29. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein a plurality of the different symbols have different functions in the game and the winning combinations associated with said different symbols are different.

30. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein a plurality of the different symbols have different functions in the game and the awards associated with said different symbols are different.

31. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein a plurality of the different symbols have different functions in the game and the winning combinations and awards associated with said different symbols are different.

32. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein upon the player selecting one of said symbols using the symbol selection input device, the processor causes the display device to sequentially display the information of the winning combinations of said symbol and the obtainable award associated with each said winning combination.

33. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein one of said winning combinations for at least one of the symbols includes at least one of:

(a) bonus triggering information for the symbol;

(b) substitute information for the symbol;

(c) scatter pay information for the symbol;

(d) multiplier information for the symbol; and

(e) payout information for the symbol.

34. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the information on the winning combinations that include said symbol and the obtainable awards for said winning combinations at a position of at least part of the symbol generator having the selected symbol.

35. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the selected symbol is associated with one of the symbol generators and the processor is programmed to cause the display device to display the information on the winning combinations for said selected symbol and the obtainable awards for said winning combinations at a position of at least part of another one of the symbol generators.

36. A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager, said method comprising:

displaying a plurality of symbol generators of the game and a plurality of symbols on the symbol generators; and

in response to an input from a player selecting one of the symbols, displaying on an electronic display device at least a portion of a paytable associated with said selected symbol for a subsequent play of the game, wherein said portion of said paytable includes;

(i) at least one winning combination of symbols that includes said selected symbol, and

(ii) at least one award associated with each said winning combination.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the paytable associated with each symbol includes all winning combinations that include said symbol.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the paytable associated with each symbol includes all awards associated with the winning combinations that include said symbol.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the paytable associated with each symbol includes all winning combinations that include said symbol and all awards associated with the winning combinations that include said symbol.

40. The method of claim 36, which includes sequentially displaying, upon receipt of input from a player selecting one of the symbols, a plurality of portions of the paytable associated with said symbol.

41. The method of claim 36, which includes displaying the portion of the paytable associated with said selected symbol at a position of at least part of the symbol generator having the selected symbol.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected symbol is associated with one of the symbol generators, the method including displaying the portion of the paytable associated with said selected symbol at a position of at least part of another one of the symbol generators.