Gaming machine having cooperative bonus symbols

• US 20060189378A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Dion K.
• Application Number:
  US11/358,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189378A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Abstract

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a display for displaying a plurality of standard symbols. The plurality of standard symbols indicate a randomly-selected outcome selected from a plurality of possible outcomes. The plurality of outcomes includes at least one winning outcome. The display further displays a bonus quantity symbol and a bonus quality symbol. The gaming machine further includes a controller operative to vary the displayed standard symbols, vary the displayed bonus quantity and bonus quality symbols, and award a bonus award comprising the displayed bonus quantity symbol in cooperation with the displayed bonus quality symbol.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a value input device for receiving a wager;

a display for displaying a plurality of standard symbols indicating a randomly-selected outcome selected from a plurality of possible outcomes, the plurality of outcomes including at least one winning outcome, the display further displaying a bonus quantity symbol and a bonus quality symbol; and

a controller operative to (i) vary the displayed standard symbols, (ii) vary the displayed bonus quantity and bonus quality symbols, and (iii) award a bonus award comprising the displayed bonus quantity symbol in cooperation with the displayed bonus quality symbol.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the bonus quantity symbol is a numeral.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the bonus quality symbol is chosen from the group consisting of a multiplier, a credit amount, and a free spin.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first reels, a second reel, and a third reel, wherein the standard symbols are located on the first reels, wherein the bonus quantity symbols are located on the second reel, wherein the bonus quality symbols are located on the third reel, wherein the controller is operative to vary the standard symbols, the bonus quantity symbols and the bonus quality symbols by spinning and stopping the first reels, the second reel and the third reel.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the plurality of first reels, the second reel, and the third reel are mechanical or electromechanical reels.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the controller is operative to award the bonus award in response to the displayed standard symbols indicating the at least one winning outcome.

7. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the winning outcome includes a trigger symbol.

8. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein a first axis passes through the plurality of first reels, and a second axis passes through the second and third reels, wherein the first and second axes are not parallel.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the first axis is horizontal and the second axis is vertical.

10. A gaming machine comprising:

a value input device for receiving a wager;

a display for displaying a plurality of first reels, the first reels having a plurality of standard symbols indicating a randomly-selected outcome selected from a plurality of possible outcomes, the plurality of outcomes including at least one winning outcome, the display further displaying a mechanical second reel and a mechanical third reel, the second and third reels visible through a single reel window, the second reel having a plurality of second symbols, the third reel having a plurality of third symbols; and

a controller operative to (i) spin and stop the first reels to display the standard symbols, (ii) spin and stop the second and third reels to display the second and third symbols, and (iii) award a bonus award based upon the second and third symbols displayed.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the second and third symbols comprise a plurality of pre-associated groups, wherein the controller is operative to award the bonus award if the second symbol displayed on the second reel and the third symbol displayed on the third reel are in a pre-associated group.

12. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the second symbols are bonus quantity symbols and the third symbols are bonus quality symbols.

13. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a wager through a value input device;

displaying a plurality of first reels, a second reel, and a third reel, the first reels having a plurality of standard symbols indicating a randomly-selected outcome selected from a plurality of possible outcomes, the plurality of outcomes including at least one winning outcome, the second reel having a plurality of bonus quantity symbols, the third reel having a plurality of bonus quality symbols;

spinning and stopping the first reels to display the standard symbols;

spinning and stopping the second and third reels to display a bonus award, the bonus award comprising at least one of the bonus quantity symbols displayed on the second reel in cooperation with at least one of the bonus quality symbols displayed on the third reel; and

awarding the bonus award.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of first reels, the second reel, and the third reel are mechanical or electromechanical reels.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of awarding the bonus award is performed in response to the displayed standard symbols indicating the at least one winning outcome.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the winning outcome includes a trigger symbol.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one bonus quality symbol is chosen from the group consisting of a multiplier, a credit amount, and a free spin.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a first axis passes through the plurality of first reels, and a second axis passes through the second and third reels, wherein the first and second axes are not parallel

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first axis is horizontal and the second axis is vertical.

20. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming device to perform the method of claim 13.