GAMING DEVICE HAVING MULTIPLE INTERACTING INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE WHEELS

• US 20110212760A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Brill, Zeke, Elias, Hans, Rodgers, Paulina, Webb, Bayard S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,651,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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

A gaming device having multiple interacting independently operated symbol generators, such as wheels. In one embodiment, each wheel includes a plurality of sections that are associated with a plurality of different outcomes which are displayed to a player. One or more of the wheels are activated, either sequentially or simultaneously and the results of the wheel activations influence one or more subsequent wheel activations. Upon a terminating event, an outcome based on the results from one or more spins of one or more of the wheels is provided to the player.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one display device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) enable a player to pick one of a plurality of selections;

(b) designate a characteristic from a plurality of characteristics, wherein said designated characteristic is based on the player'"'"'s picked selection;

(c) associate said designated characteristic with a modifier;

(d) activate an award display including a plurality of sections, wherein said award display is associated with at least one award indicator, a plurality of the sections of the award display are each associated with an award and a plurality of the sections of the award display are each associated with one of said plurality of characteristics;

(e) indicate at least one of said sections of the award display; and

(f) if the at least one indicated section of the award display is associated with the designated characteristic;

(i) modify the award associated with the indicated section of the award display, wherein said modification is based on the modifier associated with the designated characteristic, and

(ii) display the modified award.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said characteristics include colors.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, said instructions cause the at least one processor to display the award associated with the indicated section of the award display if the at least one indicated section of the award display is not associated with the designated characteristic.

4. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) enabling a player to pick one of a plurality of selections;

(b) designating a characteristic from a plurality of characteristics, wherein said designated characteristic is based on the player'"'"'s picked selection;

(c) associating said designated characteristic with a modifier;

(d) activating an award display including a plurality of sections, wherein said award display is associated with at least one award indicator, a plurality of the sections of the award display are each associated with an award and a plurality of the sections of the award display are each associated with one of said plurality of characteristics;

(e) indicating at least one of said sections of the award display; and

(f) if the at least one indicated section of the award display is associated with the designated characteristic;

(i) modifying the award associated with the indicated section of the award display, wherein said modification is based on the modifier associated with the designated characteristic, and

(ii) displaying the modified award.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said characteristics include colors.

6. The method of claim 4, which includes displaying the award associated with the indicated section of the award display if the at least one indicated section of the award display is not associated with the designated characteristic.

7. The method of claim 4, which is provided through a data network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data network is an internet.