Gaming device having a free spin game

• US 7,094,148 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cuddy, Ryan W., Baerlocher, Anthony J., MacVittie, Michael, Cregan, Karen Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim
• Application Number:
  US10/953,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20050070354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 273/143.R
• 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 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• 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

A gaming device including a re-initiation mode wherein the probability of extending the bonus game is increased by fixing the reel or reels displaying a locking symbol on the reel. In the re-initiation mode embodiment, the gaming device re-activates some or all of the reels except the reel displaying the locking symbol for a predetermined number of additional free spins or until the reactivated reels display or indicate a terminating symbol on the reels. The gaming device provides any outcomes associated with indicated symbols or combination of symbols. In one embodiment, if a terminating symbol is displayed on designated reels during one of the additional free spins, the gaming device re-initiates the bonus game.

Claims

1. A gaming device controlled by a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a primary game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager by a player; and

a free spin mode controlled by the processor and that is initiated if a triggering event occurs in a play of the primary game, wherein said free spin mode includes;

(a) an unlimited number of free spins of a plurality of reels without an additional wager by the player, said reels including a plurality of symbols, said plurality of symbols including at least one locking symbol and at least one terminating symbol, wherein for each free spin, an award is provided to the player for any winning symbol combinations which occur in said free spin, and

(b) a free spin mode terminating event triggered upon a generation of at least one of the locking symbols and at least one of the terminating symbols in one of said free spins, wherein in the free spin mode terminating event a finite number of additional free spins of the reels are provided, said finite number being at least one, and for each said additional free spin, at least one locking symbol on the reels is held stationary and the symbols generated in said additional free spin including each held locking symbol are evaluated to determine if any winning symbol combinations occur.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a free spin mode re-initiation event occurring after the free spin mode terminating event, wherein upon an occurrence of at least one of the terminating symbols during any of said additional free spins in the free spin mode terminating event, said free spin mode which provides an unlimited number of free spins is re-initiated.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the free spin mode terminating event includes designating all of the locking symbols as wild for each additional free spin.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the free spin mode terminating event includes selecting at least one non-locking symbol generated on the reel including the locking symbol and causing said selected symbols to function as wild symbols for each additional free spin.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the free spin mode terminating event includes selecting a plurality of non-locking symbols generated on the reel including the locking symbol and causing said selected symbols to function as wild symbols for each additional free spin.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the free spin mode terminating event is triggered if at least one of the locking symbols and at least one of the terminating symbols are generated on different reels.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein during any of the additional free spins, any reel on which at least one of the locking symbols occurs is held stationary and said locking symbols function as wild symbols for each additional free spin.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the primary game includes said plurality of reels.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the primary game includes a plurality of second reels different from said plurality of reels.

10. A gaming device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of symbols in said game, said symbols including at least one locking symbol and at least one terminating symbol;

an unlimited number of free spins of a plurality of reels controlled by the processor, said reels including said plurality of reels, wherein in each free spin an award is provided to a player if any winning symbol combination is generated on said reels; and

a free spin terminating event triggered upon a generation of at least one of the locking symbols and at least one of the terminating symbols on said reels in one of said free spins, wherein the player is provided with a finite number of additional free spins, said finite number being at least one, and, for each said additional free spin, at least one locking symbol is held stationary and the symbols generated in said additional free spin including each held locking symbol are evaluated to determine if any winning symbol combinations are generated.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, which includes a free spin mode re-initiation event occurring after the free spin terminating event, wherein upon an occurrence of at least one of the terminating symbols during any of said additional free spins, the free spin mode which provides an unlimited number of free spins is re-initiated.

12. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the free spin mode terminating event includes designating all of the locking symbols as wild for each additional free spin.

13. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the free spin terminating event includes selecting at least one non-locking symbol generated on the reel including the locking symbol and causing said selected symbols to function as wild symbols for each additional free spin.

14. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the free spin terminating event includes selecting a plurality of the non-locking symbols generated on the reel including the locking symbol and causing said selected symbols to function as wild symbols for each additional free spin.

15. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the free spin terminating event is triggered if at least one of the locking symbols and at least one of the terminating symbols are generated on different reels.

16. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein during any of the additional free spins, any reel on which locking symbols subsequently occur is held stationary and said locking symbols function as wild symbols for each additional free spin.

17. A gaming device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a primary game controlled by the processor, said primary game operable upon a wager;

a triggering event, wherein after an occurrence of the triggering event in a play of the primary game, the processor is operable to;

(i) provide an unlimited number of spins to a player until a terminating condition occurs by;

(a) causing a spin of a plurality of reels without any additional wager, said reels including a plurality of symbols,

(b) providing the player any awards for any winning symbol combinations in said spin,

(c) repeating (a) and (b) if the terminating condition does not occur in said spin;

(ii) if the terminating condition occurs in said spin, providing a finite number of additional spins of the plurality of reels, said finite number being at least one, and providing the player any awards for any winning symbol combination in said additional spins; and

(iii) if the terminating condition subsequently occurs during any of said additional spins, providing a further unlimited number of spins by repeating (a) to (c).

18. The gaming device of claim 17, which includes causing at least one symbol generated on said plurality of reels to function as a wild symbol for each said additional spin.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, which includes causing a plurality of symbols generated on said plurality of reels to function as wild symbols for each said additional spin.

20. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the terminating condition includes an occurrence of at least one locking symbol and at least one terminating symbol on any of the reels.

21. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the primary game includes said plurality of reels.

22. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the primary game includes a plurality of second reels different from said plurality of reels.

23. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) operating a primary game upon a wager by a player;

(b) after a triggering event in the primary game, providing an unlimited number of spins to a player until a terminating condition occurs by;

(i) causing a spin of a plurality of reels without an additional wager, said reels including a plurality of symbols,

(ii) providing the player any awards for any winning symbol combinations which occur on said plurality of reels in said spin, and

(iii) repeating (i) and (ii) if the terminating condition does not occur in said spin;

(c) if the terminating condition occurs in said spin, providing a finite number of additional spins of the reels, said finite number being at least one; and

(d) if the terminating condition occurs during any of said additional spins, providing a further unlimited number of spins by repeating (i) to (iii).

24. The method of claim 23, which includes causing at least one symbol generated on said plurality of reels to function as a wild symbol for each said additional spin.

25. The method of claim 23, which includes causing a plurality of symbols generated on said plurality of reels to function as wild symbols for each said additional spin.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the terminating condition includes an occurrence of at least one locking symbol and at least one terminating symbol.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the primary game includes said plurality of reels.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the primary game includes a plurality of second reels different from said plurality of reels.

29. The method of claim 23, which is provided through a data network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the data network is an internet.

31. A method for operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) providing a game operable on a wager by a player, wherein said game includes a triggering event;

(b) initiating a free activation mode if said triggering event occurs in a play of said game, wherein said free activation mode includes providing an unlimited number of activations to said player until a terminating condition occurs by;

(i) re-activating the game without an additional wager by the player to generate a plurality of award symbols and providing any awards to the player for any winning combinations of award symbols, and

(ii) repeating (i) until the terminating condition occurs;

(c) if the terminating condition occurs, determining a finite number of additional re-activations of the game, said finite number of additional re-activations being at least one, and for said number of additional re-activations reactivating said game to generate the plurality of award symbols and providing any awards to the player for any winning combinations of award symbols; and

(d) if a re-initiation condition is fulfilled during any of said additional re-activations, re-initiating the free activation mode by providing a further unlimited number of activations and repeating (i) and (ii).

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the number of additional reactivations is determined based on the wager made by the player.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the number of additional reactivations is randomly determined.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the number of additional reactivations is based on a result in the game.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the game includes a plurality of reels and a plurality of paylines associated with the reels, wherein the number of additional reactivations is based on the number of paylines wagered upon in the game.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the number of additional reactivations is predetermined.

37. The method of claim 31, which is provided through a data network.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the data network is an internet.