Gaming device having multiple interacting independently operable wheels

• US 7,425,177 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Scott E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US10/953,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20060073873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 23, 463 30- 31, 273/138.1, 273/141.R, 273/142.R, 273/143.R, 273/142.B, 273/142.H, 273/142.HA, 273/141.A, 273/143.A, 273/138.2
• 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 device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:

a game;

a primary wheel in said game, said primary wheel including a plurality of sections, wherein each section is associated with a modifier and each section is associated with one of a plurality of different characteristics;

a plurality of selections in said game, wherein each selection is associated with at least one of said different characteristics and at least one of said selections is associated with a plurality of said different characteristics;

a plurality of secondary wheels in said game, each secondary wheel including a plurality of sections which are each associated with a value;

a display device operable to display said game; and

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

(a) causing one of said selections to be picked;

(b) revealing any characteristics associated with said picked selection;

(c) tracking each of said revealed characteristics;

(d) determining if at least one of said characteristics has been tracked a predetermined number of times;

(e) if at least one of said characteristics has not been tracked the predetermined number of times, repeating steps (a) to (d); and

(f) if at least one of said characteristics has been tracked the predetermined number of times;

(i) activating said primary wheel and each of said plurality of secondary wheels,

(ii) indicating one section of one secondary wheel by the section of said primary wheel associated with the same characteristic as the characteristic tracked the predetermined number of times,

(iii) modifying the value associated with the indicated section to form an award, wherein said modification is based on the modifier associated with the section of said primary wheel associated with the same characteristic as the characteristic tracked the predetermined number of times, and

(iv) providing said formed award to a player.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to operate to control the play of said game by enabling the player to pick said selections.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of said modifiers are different.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of said values are different.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said selections are each associated with a plurality of said characteristics.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said selections is associated with each of said characteristics.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said selections are each associated with each of said characteristics.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to operate to control the play of said game by forming a plurality of awards if a plurality of said characteristics are tracked the predetermined number of times.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein said characteristics include colors.

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

a game;

a primary wheel in said game, said primary wheel including a plurality of sections, wherein each of said sections is associated with a modifier, one of a plurality of different characteristics and an indicator;

a plurality of symbols in said game, wherein each of said symbols is associated with at least one of said characteristics and at least one of said symbols is associated with a plurality of said characteristics;

a plurality of selections in said game, wherein each selection is associated with one of said symbols;

a plurality of secondary wheels in said game, each secondary wheel including a plurality of sections which are each associated with a value;

a plurality of tracking meters in said game, wherein each of said tracking meters is associated with a different one of said characteristics; and

a display device operable to display said game;

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

(a) causing one of said selections to be picked;

(b) revealing the symbol associated with said picked selection;

(c) incrementing each tracking meter associated with the same characteristics which are associated with the revealed symbol;

(d) determining if at least one of said tracking meters has been incremented a predetermined number of times;

(e) if at least one of said tracking meters has not been incremented the predetermined number of times, repeating steps (a) to (d); and

(f) if at least one of said tracking meters has been incremented the predetermined number of times;

(i) activating said primary wheel and each of said plurality of secondary wheels,

(ii) determining which section of which secondary wheel is indicated by the indicator associated the section of said primary wheel which is associated with the same characteristic as the tracking meter which is incremented the predetermined number of times,

(iii) modifying the value associated with the indicated section to form an award, wherein said modification is based on the modifier associated with the section of said primary wheel which is associated with the same characteristic as the tracking meter which is incremented the predetermined number of times, and

(iv) providing said formed award to a player.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to operate to control the play of said game by enabling the player to pick said selections.

12. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein a plurality of said symbols are each associated with a plurality of said characteristics.

13. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein at least one of said symbols is associated with each of said characteristics.

14. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein a plurality of said symbols are each associated with each of said characteristics.

15. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to operate to control the play of said game by forming a plurality of awards if a plurality of said tacking meters are incremented the predetermined number of times.

16. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein said characteristics include colors.

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

(a) displaying a primary wheel and a plurality of secondary wheels, wherein said primary wheel includes a plurality of sections which are each associated with a modifier and one of a plurality of characteristics and each secondary wheel includes a plurality of sections which are each associated with a value;

(b) causing one of a plurality of selections to be picked, wherein each selection is associated with at least one of said characteristics and at least one of said selections is associated with a plurality of said characteristics;

(c) revealing any characteristics associated with said picked selection;

(d) tracking each of said revealed characteristics;

(e) determining if at least one of said characteristics has been tracked a predetermined number of times;

(f) if at least one of said characteristics has not been tracked the predetermined number of times, repeating steps (b) to (e); and

(g) if at least one of said characteristics has been tracked the predetermined number of times;

(i) activating said primary wheel and each of said plurality of secondary wheels,

(ii) indicating one section of one secondary wheel by the section of said primary wheel associated with the same characteristic as the characteristic tracked the predetermined number of times,

(iii) modifying the value associated with the indicated section to form an award, wherein said modification is based on the modifier associated with the section of said primary wheel associated with the same characteristic as the characteristic tracked the predetermined number of times, and

(iv) providing said formed award to a player.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes enabling the player to pick said selections.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said modifiers are different.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said values are different.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of said selections are each associated with a plurality of said characteristics.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of said selections is associated with each of said characteristics.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of said selections are each associated with each of said characteristics.

24. The method of claim 17, which includes forming a plurality of awards if a plurality of said characteristics are tracked the predetermined number of times.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said characteristics include colors.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein said steps are provided through a data network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the data network is an internet.

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

(a) displaying a primary wheel and a plurality of secondary wheels, wherein said primary wheel includes a plurality of sections which are each associated with a modifier, one of a plurality of different characteristics and an indicator and each secondary wheel includes a plurality of sections which are each associated with a value;

(b) displaying a plurality of tracking meters, wherein each of said tracking meters is associated with a different one of said characteristics;

(c) causing one of a plurality of selections to be picked, wherein each of said selections is associated with one of a plurality of symbols, wherein each of said symbols is associated with at least one of said characteristics and at least one of said symbols is associated with a plurality of said characteristics;

(d) revealing the symbol associated with said picked selection;

(e) incrementing each tracking meter associated with the same characteristics which are associated with the revealed symbol;

(f) determining if at least one of said tracking meters has been incremented a predetermined number of times;

(g) if at least one of said tracking meters has not been incremented the predetermined number of times, repeating steps (c) to (f); and

(h) if at least one of said tracking meters has been incremented the predetermined number of times;

(i) activating said primary wheel and each of said plurality of secondary wheels to spin,

(ii) determining which section of which secondary wheel is indicated by the indicator associated the section of said primary wheel which is associated with the same characteristic as the tracking meter which is incremented the predetermined number of times,

(iii) modifying the value associated with the indicated section to form an award, wherein said modification is based on the modifier associated with the section of said primary wheel which is associated with the same characteristic as the tracking meter which is incremented the predetermined number of times, and

(iv) providing said formed award to a player.

29. The method of claim 28, which includes enabling the player to pick said selections.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein a plurality of said symbols are each associated with a plurality of said characteristics.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of said symbols is associated with each of said characteristics.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein a plurality of said symbols are each associated with each of said characteristics.

33. The method of claim 28, which includes forming a plurality of awards if a plurality of said tacking meters are incremented the predetermined number of times.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein said characteristics include colors.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein said steps are provided through a data network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data network is an internet.