Gaming device with traveling reel symbols

• US 6,561,900 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Blomquist, Cari L., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Kaminkow, Joseph E., Webb, Bayard S., Peterson, Lance R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US09/606,928
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/6, 273/138.1, 273/143.R, 273/139
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gaming device feature which involves one or more symbols which travel from location to location on one or more reels. The travel can occur at any time during a primary game or bonus round, however it preferably occurs to accompany an outcome such as a value award. This travel feature provides players with engaging entertainment and increases player enjoyment.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a game including a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on each of said reels, each of said symbols movable with movement of the reels during play of the game;

at least one triggering event associated with at least one of the symbols;

an award associated with the triggering event;

a graphical representation including at least one of said symbols traveling on said reels toward at least one destination on one of said reels;

a display device which displays the reels, the symbols and the graphical representation; and

a processor in communication with the display device which causes the display device to display said graphical representation after said triggering event occurs and provides the player with the award.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of symbols traveling on said reels, and the destination is located on one of the plurality of reels between two of said symbols.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of said symbols traveling on said reels toward a plurality of destinations on at least one of said reels.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of the symbols traveling on said reels toward a plurality of destinations on a plurality of said reels.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the destination is one of said symbols.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol traveling in the graphical representation is a person or character.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol traveling in the graphical representation is an object.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol traveling in the graphical representation moves from one of said reels onto another of said reels.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one image on said reels positioned between at least two of the symbols before the triggering event occurs.

10. The gaming device of claim 9, which does not include said image after the triggering event occurs.

11. The gaming device of claim 9, which includes a change to said image after the triggering event occurs.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of said symbols traveling on said reels.

13. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the reels are virtual reels.

14. A gaming device comprising:

a slot game including a plurality of virtual reels;

a plurality of symbols on each of the virtual reels, each of said symbols movable with movement of the reels during play of the slot game;

at least one bonus triggering event associated with at least one of the symbols;

a bonus award associated with the bonus triggering event;

a graphical representation including a plurality of said symbols traveling on said reels until a predetermined event occurs;

at least one bonus award associated with the bonus triggering event;

a display device which displays the virtual reels, the symbols and the graphical representation; and

a processor in communication with the display device which;

(a) randomly generates the symbols on the virtual reels;

(b) detects the bonus triggering event;

(c) generates the graphical representation after detecting the bonus triggering event; and

(d) provides the player with the bonus award.

15. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is at least one of the symbols traveling to a predetermined position on at least one of the virtual reels.

16. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is the symbols each traveling to a predetermined position on the virtual reels.

17. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is the symbols meeting each other on at least one virtual reel.

18. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is the symbols traveling to a predetermined image on at least one of the virtual reels.

19. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is one of the symbols catching another symbol on at least one of the virtual reels.

20. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is one of the symbols passing another symbol on at least one of the virtual reels.

21. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is one of the symbols traveling to a predetermined position on one of the virtual reels.

22. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined event is an expiration of a period of time.

23. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein the graphical representation includes at least one image positioned between the symbols which travel toward each other.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the graphical representation includes a change in said image after a predetermined event occurs.

25. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the graphical representation includes a removal of said image after a predetermined event occurs.

26. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on each of said reels, each of said symbols movable with movement of the reels;

at least one bonus triggering event associated with at least one of the symbols and a starting position associated with a position of said symbol;

a bonus award associated with the bonus triggering event;

a graphical representation including at least one of said symbols traveling from the starting position to at least one destination on one of said reels;

a display device which displays the reels, the symbols and the graphical representation; and

a processor in communication with the display device which causes the display device to display said graphical representation upon said bonus triggering event occurring and provides a player with the bonus award.

27. The gaming device of claim 26, which includes a symbol image at the starting position before the bonus triggering event occurs.

28. The gaming device of claim 27, wherein the graphical representation includes an image-less starting position after the bonus triggering event occurs.

29. The gaming device of claim 27, wherein the graphical representation includes a change in said symbol image after the bonus triggering event occurs.

30. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the graphical representation includes displaying a removal of said entire image after the bonus triggering event occurs.

31. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the graphical representation includes a change to at least part of said image after the bonus triggering event occurs.

32. The gaming device of claim 26, wherein the reels are virtual reels.

33. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a plurality of reels;

(b) displaying a plurality of symbols on said reels;

(c) spinning the reels, thereby causing the symbols to spin;

(d) detecting a triggering event associated with at least one of said symbols;

(e) providing at least one destination on one of said reels;

(f) displaying at least one of the symbols traveling toward the destination to indicate the triggering event to a player; and

(g) providing to the player an award associated with said triggering event.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of providing the destination includes the step of determining at least one of the symbols as a destination.

35. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of providing a plurality of different destinations on at least one of said reels.

36. The method of claim 35, which includes the step of displaying a plurality of symbols moving toward said destinations.

37. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of displaying a plurality of the symbols traveling until meeting each other at the destination.

38. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of displaying at least one symbol chasing at least one other symbol.

39. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of displaying a plurality of symbols racing against one another.

40. The method of claim 33, which includes the steps of displaying at least one image positioned between at least one symbol and the destination and making a change to said image after the triggering event is detected.

41. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of displaying a path on at least one of the reels after the triggering event is detected.

42. The method of claim 41, which includes the step of graphically identifying at least one predetermined position on said path.

43. The method of claim 42, which includes the step of displaying a plurality of the symbols moving toward said position on said path.

44. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a plurality of reels;

(b) displaying a plurality of symbols on said reels;

(c) spinning the reels, thereby causing the symbols to spin;

(d) detecting a bonus triggering event associated with at least one of said symbols;

(e) providing at least one destination on one of said reels;

(f) enabling a player to activate at least one of the symbols by making an input;

(g) displaying at least two of the symbols traveling toward the destination to indicate the bonus triggering event to the player; and

(h) providing to the player a bonus award associated with said bonus triggering event.

45. The method of claim 44, which includes the steps of enabling the player to control which of the symbols will travel toward the destination by selectively activating at least one of the symbols.

46. The method of claim 44, which includes the step of determining a plurality of destinations on at least one of the reels.

47. The method of claim 46, which includes the step of enabling the player to selectively control which of the destinations at least one of the symbols will move toward.

48. A gaming device comprising:

a game including a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on each of said reels, each of the symbols movable with movement of the reels during play of the game;

a graphical representation including a plurality of the symbols traveling toward each other;

a display device which displays the reels, the symbols and the graphical representation;

at least one event associated with the game;

an award associated with the event; and

a processor in communication with the display device which causes the display device to display the graphical representation after the event occurs and provides the player with the award.

49. The gaming device of claim 48, wherein the graphical representation includes a collision involving the symbols which travel toward each other.

50. The gaming device of claim 48, wherein the graphical representation includes a meeting of the symbols which travel toward each other.

51. A gaming device comprising:

a game including a plurality of reels;

a plurality of symbols on each of said reels, each of the symbols movable with movement of the reels during play of the game;

a graphical representation including a symbol moving away from at least one of the symbols;

a display device which displays the reels, the symbols and the graphical representation;

at least one event associated with the game;

an award associated with the event; and

a processor in communication with the display device which causes the display device to display the graphical representation after the event occurs and provides the player with the award.

52. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the graphical representation includes the symbol moving toward one of the symbols.

53. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the graphical representation includes the symbol moving toward a location on the reels.

54. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the graphical representation includes the symbol moving toward another symbol on at least one of the reels.

55. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the symbol includes a portion of the symbol from which the symbol is moving.