Gaming device having an accumulating award symbol

• US 7,338,369 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cregan, Karen M., Baerlocher, Anthony J., Mierau, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US11/421,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463 25- 27, 463 29- 32, 463/37, 463/40, 463/42, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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 and method which includes a plurality of reels having multiple symbols on the reels. The symbols include at least one activator symbol. In one embodiment, if the player obtains an activator symbol on the reels, the activator symbol activates the symbols that are adjacent to the activator symbol. Activating the adjacent symbols reveals the awards associated with the adjacent symbols. The player receives an award that equals the activator symbol award plus the awards associated with each symbol that is adjacent to the activator symbol.

Claims

1. A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of reels in the game;

a plurality of symbols on the reels, said symbols including at least one designated symbol;

a plurality of winning combinations of said symbols;

a plurality of losing combinations of said symbols;

a plurality of awards associated with the plurality of winning combinations of said symbols;

a plurality of modifiers associated with the game, wherein at least two of the modifiers are different;

a plurality of paylines associated with the plurality of reels, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each individually associated with at least one of said modifiers; and

a display device operable to display said game;

wherein said processor is programmed to operate with the display device to control a play of the game by;

(a) enabling a player to place at least one payline wager amount on each of one or more of the paylines;

(b) generating a plurality of the symbols on the reels;

(c) determining if said generated symbols form one of the winning combinations of said symbols;

(d) determining if the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(e) if the generated symbols form one of the winning combinations of said symbols and the designated symbol was not generated on one of said paylines, providing the player the award associated with the formed winning combination of said symbols; and

(f) if the generated symbols form one of the winning combinations of said symbols and the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(i) modifying the award associated with the formed winning combination of said symbols with the modifier associated with the payline which the designated symbol was generated on, and

(ii) providing the player the modified award.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of awards are selected from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the designated symbol is an activator symbol.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of said paylines is individually associated with at least one of modifiers.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said paylines is associated with a plurality of said modifiers.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each associated with a plurality of said modifiers.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to control the play of the game by providing the player the modified award if the designated symbol was generated on one of said wagered on paylines.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to control the play of the game by providing the player one of the awards if the symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning combinations of said symbols.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of the modifiers are different.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said modifiers are multipliers.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said modifiers is based on the number of paylines wagered on.

12. A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game controlled by the processor;

a plurality of reels in the game;

a plurality of symbols on the reels, said symbols including at least one designated symbol;

a plurality of winning combinations of said symbols;

a plurality of losing combinations of said symbols;

a plurality of awards associated with the plurality of winning combinations of said symbols;

a plurality of modifiers associated with the game, wherein at least two of the modifiers are different;

a plurality of paylines associated with the plurality of reels, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each individually associated with at least one of said modifiers; and

a display device operable to display said game;

wherein said processor is programmed to operate with the display device to control a play of the game by;

(a) enabling a player to place at least one payline wager amount on each of one or more of the paylines;

(b) generating a plurality of the symbols on the reels;

(c) determining if said symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning combinations of said symbols;

(d) determining if the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(e) if the symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning combinations of said symbols and the designated symbol was not generated on one of said paylines, providing the player the award associated with the formed winning combination of said symbols; and

(f) if the symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning combinations of said symbols and the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(i) modifying the award associated with the formed winning combination of said symbols with the modifier associated with the payline which the designated symbol was generated on, and

(ii) providing the player the modified award.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of awards are selected from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

14. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the designated symbol is an activator symbol.

15. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to control the play of the game by providing the player the modified award if the designated symbol was generated on one of said wagered on paylines.

16. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein each of the modifiers are different.

17. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein said modifiers are multipliers.

18. A gaming device operable under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a plurality of symbols on a plurality of reels, wherein upon at least one wager placed on at least one of a plurality of paylines, a plurality of the symbols are generated;

a first modifier associated with a first of said paylines, wherein if the generated symbols form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations and a designated symbol is generated on the first of said paylines, said processor modifies any award associated with the generated winning symbol combination by the first modifier and provides said modified award to a player;

a different second modifier associated with a second of said paylines, wherein if the generated symbols form one of the plurality of winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol is generated on the second of said paylines, said processor modifies any award associated with the generated winning symbol combination by the second modifier and provides said modified award to the player; and

a display device operable with said processor to display said symbols, said first modifier and said second modifier.

19. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the awards are selected from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

20. The gaming device of claim 18, wherein the designated symbol is an activator symbol.

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

(a) enabling a player to place at least one payline wager amount on each of one or more of a plurality of paylines, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each individually associated with at least one of a plurality of modifiers and at least two of the modifiers are different;

(b) generating a plurality symbols;

(c) determining if said generated symbols form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations or one of a plurality of losing symbol combinations, wherein a plurality of awards are associated with the plurality of winning symbol combinations;

(d) determining if a designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(e) if the generated symbols form one of the winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol was not generated on one of said paylines, providing the player the award associated with the formed winning symbol combination; and

(f) if the generated symbols form one of the winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(i) modifying the award associated with the formed winning symbol combination with the modifier associated with the payline which the designated symbol was generated on, and

(ii) providing the player the modified award.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of awards are selected from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the designated symbol is an activator symbol.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein each of said paylines is individually associated with at least one of modifiers.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of said paylines is associated with a plurality of said modifiers.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each associated with a plurality of said modifiers.

27. The method of claim 21, which includes providing the player the modified award if the designated symbol was generated on one of said wagered on paylines.

28. The method of claim 21, which includes providing the player one of the awards if the symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning symbol combinations.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the modifiers are different.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein said modifiers are multipliers.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of said modifiers is based on the number of paylines wagered on.

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

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place at least one payline wager amount on each of one or more of a plurality of paylines, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each individually associated with at least one of a plurality of modifiers and at least two of the modifiers are different;

(b) generating a plurality symbols;

(c) determining if said symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations or one of a plurality of losing symbol combinations, wherein a plurality of awards are associated with the plurality of winning symbol combinations;

(d) determining if a designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(e) if the symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol was not generated on one of said paylines, providing the player the award associated with the formed winning symbol combination; and

(f) if the symbols generated along one of said wagered on paylines form one of the winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(i) modifying the award associated with the formed winning symbol combination with the modifier associated with the payline which the designated symbol was generated on, and

(ii) providing the player the modified award.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of awards are selected from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the designated symbol is an activator symbol.

37. The method of claim 34, which includes providing the player the modified award if the designated symbol was generated on one of said wagered on paylines.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein each of the modifiers are different.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein said modifiers are multipliers.

40. The method of claim 34, which is provided through a data network.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) enabling a player to place at least one payline wager amount on each of a plurality of paylines;

(b) generating a plurality of symbols;

(c) if the generated symbols form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations and a designated symbol is generated on a first of said paylines;

(i) modifying any award associated with the generated winning symbol combination by a first modifier associated with said first of said paylines, and

(ii) providing the player said modified award; and

(d) if the generated symbols form one of the plurality of winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol is generated on a second of said paylines;

(i) modifying any award associated with the generated winning symbol combination by a second modifier associated with said second of said paylines, and

(ii) providing the player said modified award.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the plurality of awards are selected from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the designated symbol is an activator symbol.

45. The method of claim 42, which is provided through a data network.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the data network is an internet.

47. A memory device which includes a plurality of instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause a gaming machine to:

(a) enable a player to place at least one payline wager amount on each of one or more of a plurality of paylines, wherein a plurality of said paylines are each individually associated with at least one of a plurality of modifiers and at least two of said modifiers are different;

(b) generate a plurality symbols on a plurality of reels;

(c) determine if said generated symbols form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations, wherein a plurality of awards are associated with the plurality of winning symbol combinations;

(d) determine if a designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(e) if the generated symbols form one of the winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol was not generated on one of said paylines, provide the player the award associated with the formed winning symbol combination; and

(f) if the generated symbols form one of the winning symbol combinations and the designated symbol was generated on one of said paylines;

(i) modify the award associated with the formed winning symbol combination with the modifier associated with the payline which the designated symbol was generated on, and

(ii) provide the player the modified award.

48. The memory device of claim 47, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the gaming machine select the awards from the group consisting of values, credits, multipliers and free spins.

49. The memory device of claim 47, which is selected from the group consisting of a random access memory, a read only memory, and an application-specific integrated circuit.