Gaming device having a plurality of symbol generators and accumulation game with multiple independent terminating conditions

• US 7,794,320 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Krueger, Brian, Scarpulla, Joel P., Cuddy, Ryan W., Baerlocher, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan; James S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pandya; Sunit
• Application Number:
  US10/941,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20050054434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/22, 463/26, 463/44
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• 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

Abstract

A gaming device includes a plurality of symbol generators displayed to a player. A plurality of symbol sets are associated with each symbol generator and each symbol set includes a plurality of symbols. Each of the symbols has a value and a probability. The processor generates one of the symbols on each of the symbol generators and marks each generated symbol. The gaming device continues generating symbols until all of the symbols in a symbol set associated with at least one of the symbol generators are marked. The game provides an award to a player when all of the symbols in at least one of the symbol sets are marked.

Claims

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

at least one input device; and

at least one display device including a plurality of reels, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device, for a play of a game, to;

(a) for each of the plurality of reels;

(i) randomly generate and display one of a plurality of symbols of a symbol set associated with said reel, wherein at least one of the symbols in said symbol set is associated with a value,

(ii) determine if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, wherein the predetermined number is greater than one,

(iii) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with the reel, determine any value associated with the generated symbol,

(iv) add any determined value to an accumulated value associated with the symbol subset, wherein if one of the symbols of the symbol subset is subsequently generated by said symbol generator, any determined value associated with the subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol subset is again added to the accumulated value, and

(v) determine if a designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, subsequently randomly generate and display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeat (ii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, determine an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset; and

(b) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, provide a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the award associated with at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number of the symbols have been generated.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each reel is associated with an accumulation meter.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display the plurality of accumulation meters.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein for each symbol set, each symbol is associated with a probability of being generated by its respective reel and at least two of the probabilities are different.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the processor is programmed to determine which symbol of the symbol set to generate for each reel based on the probabilities associated with each symbol in the symbol set.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol set includes the same set of symbols.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each symbol set includes at least one different symbol.

8. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least two of the symbol sets include the same symbol, wherein the same symbol is associated with a different value for a plurality of the symbol sets.

9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the value associated with a particular symbol is the same for each symbol set.

10. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the values associated with the symbols are numerical.

11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the symbol subsets are associated with a different designated number of symbols.

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

at least one input device; and

at least one display device including a plurality of reels, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device, for a play of a game, to;

(a) for each reel;

(i) randomly generate a symbol from a plurality of symbols of a symbol set associated with the reel based on a plurality of probabilities associated with the symbols of the symbol set associated with that reel, wherein at least one of the symbols in said symbol set is associated with a value,

(ii) determine if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, wherein the predetermined number is greater than one,

(iii) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with the reel, determine any value associated with the generated symbol,

(iv) add any determined value to an accumulated value associated with the symbol subset, wherein if one of the generated symbols is subsequently generated by said reel, any determined value associated with said subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol subset is again added to the accumulated value, and

(v) determine if a designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, wherein said designated number is greater than one and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, subsequently randomly generate and display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeat (ii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, determine an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset; and

(b) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, provide a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the award associated with at least one of the subsets of symbols for which the designated number symbols have been generated.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein each of the symbol subsets are associated with a same designated number of symbols.

15. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein at least two of the symbol subsets are associated with a different designated number of symbols.

16. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different reel.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display the value associated with each indicated symbol at the corresponding accumulation meter.

18. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

19. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different.

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

at least one input device; and

at least one display device including a plurality of mechanical reels, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device, for a play of a game, to;

(a) for each of the plurality of reels;

(i) randomly generate and display one of a plurality of symbols of a symbol set associated with the reel based on a plurality of probabilities associated with the symbols in the symbol set associated with that reel, wherein at least one of the symbols in said symbol set is associated with a value,

(ii) determine if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, said predetermined number being greater than one,

(iii) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with said reel, determine any value associated with the generated symbol,

(iv) add any determined value to an accumulated value associated with the symbol subset for said reel, wherein if one of the symbols in the symbol set associated with the reel is subsequently generated by said reel, any determined value associated with the subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol subset is again added to the accumulated value, and

(v) determine if a designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, wherein said designated number is greater than one and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, subsequently randomly generate and display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeat (ii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, determine an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the reel; and

(b) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, provide a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the award associated with the at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number of symbols has been generated.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the award provided to the player is the sum of the values of the generated symbols in the symbol set for which the designated number of symbols were generated.

22. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display the value of each of the generated symbols next to the symbol.

23. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein each reel is associated with an accumulation meter.

24. The gaming device of claim 23, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display each accumulation meter and display the accumulated value for each symbol subset of each reel at its respective accumulation meter.

25. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display the symbols in the symbol subset associated with the each reel at each respective accumulation meter.

26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein for each of the plurality of reels, each of the symbols in the symbol subset associated with the respective reel are associated with a related area of the accumulation meter associated with the reel, wherein the related area of the corresponding accumulation meter is highlighted or marked upon generation of said symbols by the reel.

27. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

28. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein said reels are independent.

29. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein each of a plurality of the symbol subsets are associated with a designated number of symbols.

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

at least one input device; and

at least one display device including a plurality of reels, the processor programmed to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device, for a play of a game, to;

(a) for each of the plurality of reels;

(i) randomly generate and display one of the symbols of a plurality of symbols of a symbol set associated with that reel, at least one of the symbols in said symbol set associated with a value,

(ii) determine if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with said reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, said predetermined number being greater than one,

(iii) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with said reel, determine any value associated with the generated symbol,

(iv) add any determined value to an accumulated value associated with the symbol subset for said reel, and

(v) determine if a designated number of different symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel are generated, wherein said designated number is greater than one and

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, subsequently randomly generate and display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeat (ii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, determine an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset;

(b) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, provide a total award to a player which is based, at least in part, on the award associated with at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number symbols have been generated; and

(c) when the designated number of symbols are generated for one of the symbol sets, reset the accumulated values of each of the symbol sets.

31. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein steps (ii) to (vii) are repeated at least twice for at least one of the plurality of reels.

32. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the display device includes a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different reel.

33. The gaming device of claim 32, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to display the value of each generated symbol at the corresponding accumulation meter.

34. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to when each of the symbols are generated for one of the symbol sets, reset the accumulation meter corresponding to the reel associated with that symbol set.

35. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one display device to mark each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

36. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein one of the designated numbers of symbols includes all of the symbols in at least one of the sets.

37. The gaming device of claim 30, wherein each of a plurality of the symbol subsets are associated with a different designated number of symbols.

38. A method of operating a gaming device including at least one input device, at least one display device including a plurality of reels, and at least one processor, said method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of symbol sets, wherein each of the symbol sets includes a plurality of symbols and at least one of the symbols in each of the symbol sets is associated with a value,

(b) separately associating each of the symbol sets with a different one of a plurality of reels;

(c) for each reel;

(i) the at least one processor causing the at least one display device to randomly generate and display one of the symbols of the symbol set associated with the reel,

(ii) the at least one processor determining if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, said predetermined number being greater than one,

(iii) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with the reel, the at least one processor determining any value associated with the generated symbol,

(iv) the at least one processor adding any determined value to an accumulated value associated with said symbol subset for said reel, wherein if one of the symbols of the symbol subset is subsequently generated by the reel, any determined value associated with the subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol set is again added to the accumulated value for that symbol subset, and

(v) the at least one processor determining if a predetermined number of symbols have been generated for the symbol subset and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, the at least one processor subsequently causing the at least one display device to randomly generate and display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeating (ii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, the at least one processor determining an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset; and

(d) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, providing a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the award associated with at least one of the symbol subsets for which the predetermined number of the symbols have been generated.

39. The method of claim 38, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different reel.

40. The method of claim 39, which includes displaying any of the values associated with the indicated symbols on the corresponding accumulation meter.

41. The method of claim 38, which includes marking each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated.

42. The method of claim 38, which includes associating each symbol with a probability of being generated on said reels, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different.

43. The method of claim 42, which includes determining which symbol to indicate for each reel based on the probabilities associated with each symbol in the symbol set associated with each reel.

44. The method of claim 38, which includes at least one of the symbol sets including at least one terminating symbol.

45. The method of claim 38, which includes at least one of the symbol sets including at least one reset symbol.

46. A method of operating a gaming device including at least one input device, at least one display device including a plurality of reels, and at least one processor, said method comprising:

(a) for each of the plurality of reels;

(i) the at least one processor randomly determining a symbol of a plurality of symbols of a symbol set associated with the reel to generate based on a plurality of probabilities associated with the symbols in the symbol set, wherein at least one of the symbols in the symbol set is associated with a value,

(ii) the at least one display device displaying the determined symbol,

(iii) the at least one processor determining if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, said predetermined number being greater than one,

(iv) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with the reel, the at least one processor adding any determined value to an accumulated value associated with said symbol subset, wherein if the generated symbol is subsequently generated by said reel, any determined value associated with the subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol subset is again added to the accumulated value for that symbol subset, and

(v) the at least one processor determining if a designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, wherein said designated number of symbols is greater than one and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, the at least one processor subsequently randomly generating and the at least one display device displaying an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeating (iii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, the at least one processor determining an award associated with the symbol indicator based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset; and

(b) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of symbol indicators have been generated, providing a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the award associated with at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number of symbols have been generated.

47. The method of claim 46, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol indicator.

48. The method of claim 47, which includes displaying the value of each generated symbol on the corresponding accumulation meter.

49. The method of claim 46, which includes marking each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

50. A method of operating a gaming device including at least one input device, at least one display device including a plurality of reels, and at least one processor, said method comprising:

(a) the at least one display device displaying the plurality of reels in a game;

(b) providing a plurality of symbols sets associated with each of said reels which each include a plurality of symbols, wherein at least one of the symbols in each set is associated with a value and a probability, wherein at least two of the probabilities are different;

(c) for each of the plurality of reels;

(i) the at least one processor randomly determining which symbol of a plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with the reel to generate based on the probabilities associated with the symbol set associated with that reel,

(ii) the at least one display device displaying the determined symbol,

(iii) the at least one processor determining if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, said predetermined number being greater than one,

(iv) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with the reel, the at least one processor determining any value associated with the generated symbol, and

(v) the at least one processor adding any determined value to an accumulated value associated with the symbol subset, wherein if one of the symbols of the symbol subset is subsequently generated by that reel, any determined value associated with the subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol subset is again added to the accumulated value for that symbol subset, and

(vi) the at least one processor determining if a designated number of the symbols of at least one of the symbol subsets have been generated, wherein said designated number is greater than one and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, the at least one processor subsequently randomly generating and causing the at least one display device to display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeating (iii) to (vi), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, the at least one processor determining an award associated with the symbol generator based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset; and

(d) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, providing a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the values associated with the generated symbols of at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number of symbols have been generated.

51. The method of claim 50, which includes displaying any values associated with the generated symbols next to each symbol.

52. The method of claim 50, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of said accumulation meters is associated with one of said reels.

53. The method of claim 52, which includes displaying the accumulated value for each symbol subset in each accumulation meter.

54. The method of claim 53, which includes displaying the symbols associated with the corresponding reel on each of the accumulation meters.

55. The method of claim 52, which includes associating each of the symbols with a related area on the accumulation meters, wherein the related area of the corresponding accumulation meter is highlighted or marked upon generation of said symbols.

56. The method of claim 50, which includes marking each generated symbol, wherein said marked symbols remain indicated for the game.

57. A method of operating a gaming device including at least one input device, at least one display device including a plurality of reels, and at least one processor, said method comprising;

(a) providing a plurality of symbol sets, wherein each symbol set includes a plurality of symbols and at least one of the symbols in each symbol set is associated with a value;

(b) the at least one display device displaying the plurality of reels, wherein each of the reels is separately associated with a different one of the symbol sets;

(c) for each of the plurality of reels;

(i) the at least one processor randomly generating and causing the at least one display device to display one of the symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel,

(ii) the at least one processor determining if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with said reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, said predetermined number being greater than one,

(iii) if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with said reel, the at one processor determining any value associated with the generated symbol,

(iv) the at least one processor adding any determined value to an accumulated value associated with said symbol subset, and

(v) the at least one processor determining if a designated number of different symbols are generated for at least one of the symbol subsets, wherein said designated number is greater than one and;

(a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, the at least one processor subsequently randomly generating and causing the at least one display device to display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeating (ii) to (v), and

(b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, the at least one processor determining an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset;

(d) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, providing a total award to the player, based at least in part, on the values associated with the symbols of at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number of symbols are generated; and

(e) resetting the accumulated values and the designated numbers of generated symbols of each respective symbol subset when the designated number of symbols are generated for one of the symbol subsets.

58. The method of claim 57, which includes displaying a plurality of accumulation meters, wherein each of the accumulation meters corresponds to a different symbol generator.

59. The method of claim 58, which includes displaying the values associated of any generated symbols on the corresponding accumulation meter.

60. The method of claim 57, which includes repeating steps (ii) to (vii) at least once for at least one of the plurality of symbol reels.

61. The method of claim 57, which includes one of the designated numbers of symbols including all of the symbols in at least one of the symbol subsets.

62. The method of claim 57, which includes associating the symbol subsets with a plurality of different designated numbers of symbols.