Gaming device having a multiple accumulated symbols game

• US 7,771,266 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Evans, Michael, Gerrard, Peter, Randall, Dov L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US10/660,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20050059455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 463/10, 463/16, 463/20, 463/21, 463/22, 463/25, 463/26, 463/30, 463/28
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A gaming device including a display device having a plurality of award groups and an indicator generator. Each of the award groups includes at least one indicator and at least one award. The indicator generator generates a number of indicators for each of the award groups. The gaming device then indicates the corresponding number of indicators in each of the award columns based on the number of indicators associated with those award columns by the indicator generator. When all of the indicators are accumulated in one or more of the award columns, the gaming device provides the awards associated with those award columns to the player and determines whether to end the game. If the gaming device determines not to end the game, the gaming device resets the indicators in the award columns including the provided wards and enables the player to continue playing the game.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device, for a single play of a game, to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager for said single play of the game, said game associated with a plurality of displayed award groups, each of said award groups including at least one indicator, a plurality of said award groups including a plurality of indicators, each of the award groups associated with at least one of a plurality of awards;

(b) cause an indicator generator of the at least one display device to generate and associate a number of indicators with each of the award groups;

(c) for each of the award groups, accumulate a quantity of indicators corresponding to the number of indicators that is associated with that award group by the indicator generator;

(d) without requiring any additional wager by the player, repeat (b) to (c) until all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of the award groups; and

(e) when all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of the award groups;

(i) provide to the player the awards associated with any award groups in which all of the indicators have been accumulated,

(ii) after providing the awards associated with any award groups in which all of the indicators have been accumulated to the player, randomly determine whether to end the single play of the game, and

(iii) if it is randomly determined not to end the single play of the game;

(A) reset the indicators in the award groups associated with the awards provided to the player in said single play of the game, and

(B) after resetting the indicators in the award groups associated with the awards provided to the player in said single play of the game, provide the player with at least one opportunity to win at least one additional award for accumulating all of the indicators in at least one of the award groups, including any award groups associated with any awards previously provided to the player in said single play of the game, by repeating (b) to (e) until it is determined to end the single play of the game without requiring any additional wager by the player.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the indicator generator includes at least one reel.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the indicator generator includes a mechanical wheel.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a substantially transparent plate including different color sections which is positioned adjacent to the indicator generator.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a probability of ending the game associated with the game.

6. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the probability of ending the game is randomly determined.

7. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the probability of ending the game is pre-determined.

8. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the probability of ending the game is determined based on the wager made by the player.

9. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the probability of ending the game changes after each time all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of said award groups.

10. The gaming device of claim 5, wherein the probability of ending the game changes after a plurality of times all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of said award groups.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one illumination device connected to each of the indicators.

12. The gaming device of claim 11, wherein the illumination devices include different color lights.

13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the illumination devices connected to the indicators of at least two of the award groups include different color lights.

14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the indicator generator to randomly generate the numbers of indicators associated with each of the award groups.

15. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the indicator generator to generate the numbers of indicators associated with each of the award groups based on the wager made by the player.

16. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to reset at least one of the indicators in at least one of the award groups when the award associated with the award group is provided to the player.

17. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of display devices including a first display device and a rotatable display;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the plurality of display devices and the at least one input device, for a single play of a game, to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager for said single play of the game, said game associated with a plurality of displayed award groups, each of said award groups including at least one indicator, a plurality of said award groups including a plurality of indicators, wherein each of the award groups is associated with at least one of a plurality of awards;

(b) cause the rotatable display to rotate, said rotatable display positioned adjacent to the award groups and including a plurality of static values, each of said values corresponding to a number of indicators;

(c) cause the rotatable display to stop and align one of the values with each of the award groups;

(d) for each of the award groups, accumulate the number of indicators corresponding to the value aligned with that award group;

(e) without requiring any additional wager by the player, repeat (b) to (d) until all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of the award groups; and

(f) when all of the indicators have been accumulated at least one of the award groups;

(i) provide to the player the awards associated with any award groups in which all of the indicators have been accumulated,

(ii) after providing to the player the awards associated with any award groups in which all of the indicators have been accumulated, randomly determine whether to end the single play of game, and

(iii) if it is randomly determined not to end the single play of the game;

(A) reset the indicators in the award groups associated with the awards provided to the player in said single play of the game, and

(B) after resetting the indicators in the award groups associated with the awards provided to the player in said single play of the game, provide the player with at least one opportunity to win at least one additional award for accumulating all of the indicators in at least one of the award groups, including any award groups associated with any awards previously provided to the player in said single play of the game, by repeating (b) to (f) until it is determined to end the single play of the game without requiring any additional wager by the player.

18. The gaming device of claim 17, which includes a substantially transparent plate including different color sections which is positioned adjacent to the rotatable display.

19. The gaming device of claim 17, which includes a probability of ending the game associated with the game.

20. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the probability of ending the game is randomly determined.

21. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the probability of ending the game is pre-determined.

22. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the probability of ending the game is determined based on the wager made by the player.

23. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the probability of ending the game changes after each time all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of said award groups.

24. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the probability of ending the game changes after a plurality of times all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of said award groups.

25. The gaming device of claim 17, which includes at least one illumination device connected to each of the indicators.

26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the illumination devices include different color lights.

27. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the illumination devices connected to the indicators of at least two of the award groups include different color lights.

28. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the values aligned with each of the award groups are randomly generated.

29. The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the values aligned with each of the award groups are generated based on the wager made by the player.

30. A gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device for a single play of a game to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager on said single play of the game, said game associated with a plurality of displayed award groups, each of said award groups including at least one indicator, a plurality of said award groups including a plurality of indicators, each of the award groups associated with at least one of a plurality of awards,

(b) cause an indicator generator of the at least one display device to generate and associate a number of indicators with each of the award groups,

(c) accumulate a quantity of indicators in each of the award groups corresponding to the number of indicators associated with that award group by the indicator generator,

(d) without requiring any additional wager by the player, repeat (b) to (c) until all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of the award groups, and

(e) when all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of said award groups;

(i) indicate the awards associated with any award groups in which all of the indicators have been accumulated,

(ii) randomly determine whether to provide any of the indicated awards to a player,

(iii) if it is determined not to provide the indicated awards to the player;

(A) reset the indicators in the award groups associated with the indicated awards, and

(B) repeat (b) to (e) until it is determined to provide the indicated awards to the player without requiring any additional wager by the player, and

(iv) if it is determined to provide the indicated awards to the player, provide any indicated awards to the player and terminate said single play of the game.

31. The gaming device of claim 30, which includes a probability of providing an award to a player associated with each of the awards.

32. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein the probability of providing the awards to the player is randomly determined.

33. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein the probability of providing the awards to the player is pre-determined.

34. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein the probability of providing the awards to the player is determined based on the wager made by the player.

35. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein at least two of the probabilities associated with the awards are different.

36. The gaming device of claim 31, wherein all of the probabilities associated with the awards are different.

37. The gaming device of claim 30, which includes at least one illumination device connected to each of the indicators.

38. The gaming device of claim 37, wherein the illumination devices include different color lights.

39. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the illumination devices connected to the indicators of at least two of the award groups include different color lights.

40. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the indicator generator to randomly generate the numbers of indicators associated with each of the award groups.

41. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the indicator generator to generate the numbers of indicators associated with each of the award groups based on the wager made by the player.

42. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to reset at least one of the indicators in at least one of the award groups associated with an indicated award when it is determined that the indicated award is not to be provided to the player.

43. A gaming device comprising:

a plurality of display devices including a first display device and a rotatable display;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to operate with the plurality of display devices and the at least one input device, for a single play of a game, to;

(a) enable a player to place a wager on said single play of the game, said game associated with a plurality of displayed award groups, each of said award groups including at least one indicator, a plurality of said award groups including a plurality of indicators wherein each of the award groups is associated with at least one of a plurality of awards;

(b) cause the rotatable display to rotate, said rotatable display positioned adjacent to the award groups and including a plurality of static values, each of said values corresponding to a number of indicators;

(c) cause the rotatable display to stop and align one of the values with each of the award groups;

(d) for each of the award groups, accumulate the number of indicators corresponding to the value aligned with that award group,

(e) without requiring any additional wager by the player, repeat (b) to (d) until all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of the award groups;

(f) when all of the indicators have been accumulated in at least one of said award groups;

(i) indicate the awards associated with any award groups in which all of the indicators have been accumulated,

(ii) randomly determine whether to provide any of the indicated awards to a player,

(iii) if it is determined not to provide the indicated awards to the player;

(A) reset the indicators in the award groups associated with the indicated awards, and

(B) repeat (b) to (f) until it is determined to provide the indicated awards to the player without requiring any additional wager by the player, and

(iv) if it is determined to provide the indicated awards to the player, provide any indicated awards to the player and terminate said single play of the game.

44. The gaming device of claim 43, which includes a substantially transparent plate including different color sections which is positioned adjacent to the rotatable display.

45. The gaming device of claim 43, which includes a probability of providing an award to a player associated with each of the awards associated with the award groups.

46. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the probability of providing the awards to the player is randomly determined.

47. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the probability of providing the awards to the player is pre-determined.

48. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein the probability of providing the awards to the player is determined based on the wager made by the player.

49. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein at least two of the probabilities associated with the awards are different.

50. The gaming device of claim 45, wherein all of the probabilities associated with the awards are different.

51. The gaming device of claim 43, which includes at least one illumination device connected to each of the indicators.

52. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the illumination devices include different color lights.

53. The gaming device of claim 51, wherein the illumination devices connected to the indicators of at least two of the award groups include different color lights.

54. The gaming device of claim 43, wherein the values aligned with each of the award groups are randomly generated.

55. The gaming device of claim 43, wherein the values aligned with each of the award groups are generated based on the wager made by the player.

56. The gaming device of claim 43, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to reset at least one of the indicators in at least one of the award groups associated with an indicated award when it is determined that the indicated award is not to be provided to the player.