Gaming device having a matching symbol game

• US 7,585,219 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Randall, Dov L., Oles, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, III; John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski; Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US11/214,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 22, 463/40, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 matrix having a plurality of positions defining at least one row and at least one column. The matrix includes a plurality of independently operable symbol generators where each of the positions of the matrix includes at least one of the independently operable symbol generators. Each of the symbol generators include a plurality of symbols. The gaming device enables the player to purchase or activate one or more of the symbols based on a wager made by the player. After the player makes a wager the gaming device activates the designated symbols based on the wager made by the player. The gaming device then causes the symbol generators to each generate symbols in the game. The gaming device evaluates the purchased or activatable symbols generated by the symbol generators in the matrix and provides an award to the player for any winning symbol combinations including the purchased or activated symbols displayed by the symbol generators in the matrix.

Claims

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

at least one input device;

a symbol display associated with a primary game controlled by the processor; and

wherein the processor is configured to operate with the symbol display and the at least one input device for each play of the primary game to;

(a) enable a player to wager one of;

(i) a first wagerable amount associated with a first group of designated symbols from a plurality of different activatable symbols, said first group including at least two designated symbols, and

(ii) a second wagerable amount associated with a second group of designated symbols from the plurality of different activatable symbols, wherein the second wagerable amount is greater than the first wagerable amount, at least one of the designated symbols from the second group is different from each of the designated symbols from the first group, the second group has a greater number of designated symbols than the first group, and the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one scatter symbol;

(b) if the player wagers the first wagerable amount, activate each designated symbol of the first group of the plurality of activatable symbols;

(c) if the player wagers the second wagerable amount, activate each designated symbol of the second group of the plurality of activatable symbols;

(d) for each one of a designated number of symbol display positions, generate and display a randomly determined one of the activatable symbols at said symbol display position regardless of whether said symbol is any one of said activated symbols;

(e) if the player wagers the first wagerable amount or the second wagerable amount, for each activated designated symbol, determine if any winning symbol combinations of said designated symbol are generated and displayed at the designated number of symbol display positions, wherein each and every winning symbol combination of said designated symbol must include at least a predetermined number of said designated symbols displayed at adjacent positions of the designated number of symbol display positions, the predetermined number being at least two, and wherein each and every occurrence of the predetermined number of said designated symbol displayed at adjacent positions is a winning symbol combination;

(f) determine if any scatter symbols are generated;

(g) if a designated number of scatter symbols is generated, provide a number of the bonus games to the player based on the number of generated scatter symbols; and

(h) provide any awards to the player based on any determined winning symbol combinations and any provided bonus games.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of bonus games provided to the player is equal to a number of all of the generated scatter symbols.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of the generated activatable symbols is displayed in a matrix.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol display includes a plurality of symbol generators.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a reel.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the symbol display includes a plurality of independent reels.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one wild symbol.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the winning activated symbol combinations includes a plurality of different activated symbols.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes a plurality of scatter symbols.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the number of bonus games provided to the player is based on a number of generated scatter symbols associated with a wagerable amount wagered by the player.

43. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the second group of designated symbols includes each symbol of the first group of designated symbols.

44. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol of the first group of designated symbols is different from each symbol of the second group of designated symbols.

11. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising for each play of a primary game:

(a) enabling a player to wager one of;

(i) a first wagerable amount associated with a first group of designated symbols from a plurality of different activatable symbols, said first group including at least two designated symbols and

(ii) a second wagerable amount associated with a second group of designated symbols from the plurality of different activatable symbols, wherein the second wagerable amount is greater than the first wagerable amount, at least one of the designated symbols from the second group is different from each of the designated symbols from the first group, the second group has a greater number of designated symbols than the first group, and the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one scatter symbol;

(b) receiving a wager from the player for one of the first wagerable amount and the second wagerable amount, and;

(i) if the player wagers the first wagerable amount, activating each designated symbol of the first group of the plurality of activatable symbols;

(ii) if the player wagers the second wagerable amount, activating each designated symbol of the second group of the plurality of activatable symbols;

(c) generating a plurality of the activatable symbols;

(d) for each one of a designated number of symbol display positions, causing a display device to display a randomly determined one of said generated activated symbols at said symbol display position regardless of whether said symbol is any one of said activated symbols;

(e) regardless of whether the player wagers the first wagerable amount or the second wagerable amount, for each activated designated symbol, determining if any winning symbol combinations of said designated symbol are generated and displayed at the designated number of symbol display positions, wherein each and every winning symbol combination of said designated symbol must include at least a predetermined number of said designated symbols displayed at adjacent positions of the designated number of symbol display positions, the predetermined number being at least two, and wherein each and every occurrence of the predetermined number of said designated symbol displayed at adjacent positions is a winning symbol combination;

(f) determining if any scatter symbols are generated;

(g) if a designated number of scatter symbols is generated, providing a number of bonus games to the player from a plurality of bonus games, wherein the number of bonus games is based on the number of generated scatter symbols; and

(h) providing any awards to the player based on any determined activated symbol combinations and any provided bonus games.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of bonus games provided to the player is equal to a number of all of the generated scatter symbols.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the display device to display each of the generated activatable symbols in a matrix.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the displayed activatable symbols are displayed by a plurality of symbol generators.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a reel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a plurality of independent reels.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one wild symbol.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the winning activated symbol combinations includes a plurality of different activated symbols.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes a plurality of scatter symbols.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of bonus games provided to the player is based on the number of generated scatter symbols associated with a wagerable amount wagered by the player.

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.

45. The method of claim 11, wherein the second group of designated symbols includes each symbol of the first group of designated symbols.

46. The method of claim 11, wherein each symbol of the first group of designated symbols is different from each symbol of the second group of designated symbols.

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

at least one input device; and

a matrix associated with a primary game controlled by the processor, said matrix including a designated number of symbol display positions defined by a plurality of symbol generators;

wherein the processor is configured to operate with the symbol generators and the at least one input device for each play of the primary game to;

(a) enable a player to wager any one of a plurality of different wagerable amounts, wherein each of the plurality of different wagerable amounts is associated with a different one of a plurality of symbol sets, each of the plurality of symbol sets includes a different plurality of designated symbols from a plurality of activatable symbols, and at least one of the plurality of symbol sets includes a greater number of designated symbols than a different one of the plurality of symbol sets;

(b) if the player wagers one of the plurality of different wagerable amounts, activate each designated symbol of the symbol set associated with said one of the plurality of different wagerable amounts wagered by the player;

(c) cause a plurality of the symbol generators to display a randomly determined one of the activatable symbols at each symbol display position of the designated number of symbol display positions of the matrix regardless of whether said symbol is any one of said activated symbols;

(d) if the player wagers one or more of the wagerable amounts, regardless of which of the wagerable amounts the player wagers, for each activated designated symbol, evaluate the symbols displayed at the designated number of symbol display positions of the matrix for any of a plurality of winning symbol combinations of said designated symbol, wherein each and every one of said plurality of winning symbol combinations of said designated symbol must include at least a predetermined number of said designated symbols displayed at adjacent positions of the designated number of symbol display positions of the matrix, the predetermined number being at least two, and wherein each and every occurrence of the predetermined number of said designated symbol displayed at adjacent positions is a winning symbol combination; and

(e) provide an award to the player for any displayed winning symbol combinations.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one wild symbol.

25. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one scatter symbol.

26. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a reel.

27. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes a plurality of independent reels.

28. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the winning activated symbol combinations includes a plurality of different activated symbols.

29. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein a plurality of the symbol sets include a different number of designated symbols from the plurality of different activatable symbols.

30. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to operate with the symbol generators and the at least one input device to:

(a) activate each symbol of a first symbol set if the player wagers a first wagerable amount associated with said first symbol set, and (b) activate each symbol of a second symbol set if the player wagers a second greater wagerable amount associated with said second symbol set, wherein said second symbol set includes each of the symbols of said first symbol set and at least one additional symbol.

31. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein each symbol of at least one generated winning symbol combination must be displayed at symbols display positions arranged along a straight line.

32. A method of operating a gaming device, said gaming device including a primary game, a plurality of different wagerable amounts in the primary game, a plurality of different symbol sets in the primary game, a plurality of said symbol sets each including a different plurality of designated symbols from a plurality of different activatable symbols, wherein each one of the symbol sets is associated with a different one of said different wagerable amounts, and at least one of the symbol sets includes a greater number of the activatable symbols than a different one of the symbol sets, said method comprising for each play of the primary game:

(a) enabling a player to wager any one of the plurality of different wagerable amounts;

(b) receiving a wager from the player for one of the plurality of different wagerable amounts and activating each designated symbols of the symbol set associated with said one of the plurality of different wagerable amounts;

(c) causing a display device to display a randomly determined one of the activatable symbols at each position of a designated number of symbol display positions of a matrix, regardless of whether said symbol is any one of said activated symbols;

(d) if the player wagers one of the wagerable amounts, regardless of which of the wagerable amounts the player wagers, for each activated designated symbol, evaluating the symbols displayed at the designated number of symbol display positions of the matrix for any of a plurality of winning symbol combinations, wherein each and every one of said plurality of winning symbol combinations of said designated symbol must include at least a predetermined number of said designated symbols displayed at adjacent positions of the designated number of symbol display positions of the matrix, the predetermined number being at least two, and wherein each and every occurrence of the predetermined number of said designated symbol displayed at adjacent positions is a winning symbol combination; and

(e) providing an award to the player for any displayed winning activated symbol combinations.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one wild symbol.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of activatable symbols includes at least one scatter symbol.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the designated number of symbol display positions of the matrix are defined by a plurality of symbol generators.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one of the symbol generators includes an independent reel.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein at least one of the winning activated symbol combinations includes a plurality of different activated symbols.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein a plurality of the symbol sets include a different number of the activatable symbols.

39. The method of claim 32, which includes:

(a) activating each symbol of a first symbol set if the player wagers a first wagerable amount associated with said first symbol set, and (b) activating each symbol of a second symbol set if the player wagers a second greater wagerable amount associated with said second symbol set, wherein said second symbol set includes each of the symbols of said first symbol set and at least one additional symbol.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein each symbol of at least one of said winning symbol combinations must be displayed at symbols display positions arranged along a straight line.

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

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