GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A GAME INCLUDING ROAMING WILD SYMBOLS

• US 20140256411A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Basallo, Leandro, Arora, Prashant
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• 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

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing one or more games employing roaming wild symbols.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input 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 wager on each of a plurality of games, wherein each of the wagered on games is overlappingly played,

(b) for each wagered on game, randomly generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display positions associated with said wagered on game,

(c) for each of a plurality of wild symbols, display said wild symbol at one of the symbol display positions of one of the plurality of games, wherein independent of whether the player wagered on each of the plurality of games, said wild symbol is configured to be displayed at at least one of the symbol display positions of any of the plurality of games, and

(d) for each wagered on game;

(i) determine any awards associated with the generated symbols and any wild symbols displayed at any of the symbol display positions associated with said wagered on game, and

(ii) display any determined awards to the player.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the plurality of wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol display positions of a plurality of the games.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the plurality of wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol display positions of one of the games.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to activate a feature if a plurality of the wild symbols are displayed at a single symbol display position.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the activated feature includes applying a modifier to any award associated with the generated symbols and the plurality of wild symbols displayed at the single symbol display position.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to:

prior to enabling the player to wager on each of the plurality of games, display the plurality of wild symbols at a first plurality of symbol display positions, and

display the plurality of wild symbols moving from the first plurality of symbol display positions to a second plurality of symbol display positions.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to display the wild symbols if a wild symbol generation event occurs.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the wagered on games is simultaneously played.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein for each of a plurality of wild symbols, said wild symbol is configured to be displayed at any of the symbol display positions of any of the plurality of games.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

(i) at least one of the wagers and (ii) any determined award include at least one of;

(A) an amount of monetary credits, (B) an amount of non-monetary credits, (C) an amount of promotional credits and (D) an amount of player tracking points.

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

(a) enabling a player to wager on each of a plurality of games, wherein each of the wagered on games is overlappingly played,

(b) for each wagered on game, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to randomly generate a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display positions associated with said wagered on game,

(c) for each of a plurality of wild symbols, causing at least one display device to display said wild symbol at one of the symbol display positions of one of the plurality of games, wherein independent of whether the player wagered on each of the plurality of games, said wild symbol is configured to be displayed at at least one of the symbol display positions of any of the plurality of games, and

(d) for each wagered on game;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any awards associated with the generated symbols and any wild symbols displayed at any of the symbol display positions associated with said wagered on game, and

(ii) causing the at least one display device to display any determined awards to the player.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the plurality of wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol display positions of a plurality of the games.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the plurality of wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol display positions of one of the games.

14. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to activate a feature if a plurality of the wild symbols are displayed at a single symbol display position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the activated feature includes applying a modifier to any award associated with the generated symbols and the plurality of wild symbols displayed at the single symbol display position.

16. The method of claim 11, which includes:

prior to enabling the player to wager on each of the plurality of games, causing the at least one display device to display the plurality of wild symbols at a first plurality of symbol display positions, and

causing the at least one display device to display the plurality of wild symbols moving from the first plurality of symbol display positions to a second plurality of symbol display positions.

17. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one display device to display the wild symbols if a wild symbol generation event occurs.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the wagered on games is simultaneously played.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein for each of a plurality of wild symbols, said wild symbol is configured to be displayed at any of the symbol display positions of any of the plurality of games.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of:

(i) at least one of the wagers and (ii) any determined award include at least one of;

(A) an amount of monetary credits, (B) an amount of non-monetary credits, (C) an amount of promotional credits and (D) an amount of player tracking points.

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

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is the Internet.