Slot Machine Game With Symbol Lock-In

• US 20100004048A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Games Global Operations Limited (Games Global Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Etasse Limited
• Inventors: Brito, Melisa
• Granted Patent: US 9,520,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding

Abstract

A slot machine game that allows a player to lock in particular symbol(s) after playing a game. If the player prefers one or more particular symbols to remain in position after a spin, the player can indicate to the slot machine the desire to lock in the particular symbols, wherein the player will have to pay a price for the ability to have those symbols locked in for a next spin. Then, the player places another wager and spins the reels while the particular symbols remain unchanged.

Claims

1. A method to play a slot machine game, the method comprising:

receiving an initial wager from a player;

determining symbols randomly to display a first result in a grid;

paying any earned award on the initial wager based on the first result;

receiving a selection of a particular lock in symbol from the first result;

receiving a second wager and a lock in price from the player;

determining symbols randomly but maintaining the particular lock in symbol to display a second result in the grid; and

paying any earned award on the second wager based on the second result.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising after the determining symbols randomly to display a first result in a grid, displaying respective lock in prices for symbols on the grid.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, after the receiving a selection of a lock in symbol from the first result, updating respective lock in prices for symbols on the grid for a second lock in symbol, reflecting that the particular lock in symbol is locked in.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising maintaining the particular lock in symbol as a lock in symbol after the determining symbols randomly but maintaining the particular lock in symbol.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein all symbols in the grid spin on their own independent reel.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each column in the grid is an independently spinning reel.

7. A method to play a slot machine game, the method comprising:

receiving an initial wager from a player;

determining symbols randomly to display a first result in a grid;

paying any earned award on the initial wager based on the first result;

displaying a game wager amount for a particular lock in symbol on the grid;

receiving an indication, by the player, to play the game for the game wager amount;

receiving the game wager amount from the player;

determining symbols randomly but maintaining the particular lock in symbol to display a second result in the grid; and

paying any earned award using the second result.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising maintaining the particular lock in symbol as a lock in symbol after the determining symbols randomly but maintaining the particular lock in symbol.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein all symbols in the grid spin on their own independent reel.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein each column in the grid is an independently spinning reel.

12. An electronic gaming machine to play a slot machine game, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit, performing;

receiving an initial wager from a player;

determining symbols randomly to display a first result in a grid;

paying any earned award on the initial wager based on the first result;

receiving a selection of a particular lock in symbol from the first result;

receiving a second wager and a lock in price from the player;

determining symbols randomly but maintaining the particular lock in symbol to display a second result in the grid;

paying any earned award on the second wager based on the second result; and

an output device displaying results of the processing unit.

13. The machine as recited in claim 12, further comprising after the determining symbols randomly to display a first result in a grid, displaying respective lock in prices for symbols on the grid.

14. The machine as recited in claim 12, further comprising, after the receiving a selection of a lock in symbol from the first result, updating respective lock in prices for symbols on the grid reflecting that the particular lock in symbol is locked in.

15. The machine as recited in claim 12, further comprising maintaining the particular lock in symbol as a lock in symbol after the determining symbols randomly but maintaining the particular lock in symbol.

16. The machine as recited in claim 12, wherein all symbols in the grid spin on their own independent reel.

17. The machine as recited in claim 12, wherein each column in the grid is an independently spinning reel.