Gaming system, gaming device, and method providing an obstacle board slot game

• US 8,366,532 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/238,759
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 29, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Abstract

A gaming system, gaming device, and method providing an obstacle board slot game. A wagering game including object starting and ending areas spaced apart in relation to one another, a plurality of obstacles and a plurality of designated target areas between the object starting area and the object ending area, and a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols is displayed. The gaming system receives a wager, causes the reels to display a plurality of the symbols, and displays an object moving from the object starting area to one of the designated target areas and/or the object ending area along one of a plurality of object paths through the obstacles. If the object moves into one of the designated target areas, the gaming system determines whether to cause one of the reels to move and causes one of the reels to move if it so determines.

Claims

1. A gaming system including:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device storing 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 to;

(a) display a wagering game including;

(i) an object starting area;

(ii) an object ending area configured to receive one or more objects, the object ending area being spaced apart in relation to the object starting area;

(iii) a plurality of obstacles between the object starting area and the object ending area;

(iv) a plurality of designated target areas between the object starting area and the object ending area; and

(v) a plurality of reels each including a plurality of different symbols;

(b) receive a wager from a player;

(c) cause the reels to display a plurality of the symbols;

(d) display at least one object moving from the object starting area to one of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one of a plurality of different object paths through the obstacles;

(e) if one of the objects moves into one of the designated target areas;

(i) determine whether to cause at least one of the reels to move; and

(ii) if the at least one processor determines to cause at least one of the reels to move, cause said reel to move;

(f) determine whether the reels display at least one of a plurality of different predetermined winning combinations of the symbols; and

(g) provide the player an award for any winning combinations of the symbols displayed on the reels.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause at least one of the reels to move by at least one of the group consisting of:

rotating at least one of the reels upward, rotating at least one of the reels downward, and respinning at least one of the reels.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of objects moving from the object starting area to one or more of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one or more of the different object paths through the obstacles.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display said movement of two or more of the plurality of objects.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the object starting area includes a plurality of different object starting positions and each of the object paths begins at one of the object starting positions.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to enable the player to select one of the object starting positions for the at least one object and to display the at least one object moving from the selected object starting position to one of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one of the object paths through the obstacles.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) determine whether the reels display at least one of the winning combinations of the symbols before causing any of the reels to move; and

(b) if at least one of the winning combinations of the symbols is displayed on the reels before any of the reels are moved, not cause any of the reels to move.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to provide (f) and (g) for each movement of at least one of the reels.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to provide (c) and (d) simultaneously.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated target areas are designated object landings configured to receive one of the objects.

11. A method of operating a gaming system, said method including:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display a wagering game including;

(i) an object starting area;

(ii) an object ending area configured to receive one or more objects, the object ending area being spaced apart in relation to the object starting area;

(iii) a plurality of obstacles between the object starting area and the object ending area;

(iv) a plurality of designated target areas between the object starting area and the object ending area; and

(v) a plurality of reels each including a plurality of different symbols;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive a wager from a player;

(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause the reels to display a plurality of the symbols;

(d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display at least one object moving from the object starting area to one of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one of a plurality of different object paths through the obstacles;

(e) if one of the objects moves into one of the designated target areas;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether to cause at least one of the reels to move; and

(ii) if the at least one processor determines to cause at least one of the reels to move, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause said reel to move;

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether the reels display at least one of a plurality of different predetermined winning combinations of the symbols; and

(g) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause the player to be provided with an award for any winning combinations of the symbols displayed on the reels.

12. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause at least one of the reels to move by at least one of the group consisting of:

rotating at least one of the reels upward, rotating at least one of the reels downward, and respinning at least one of the reels.

13. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of objects moving from the object starting area to one or more of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one or more of the different object paths through the obstacles.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to simultaneously display said movement of two or more of the plurality of objects.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the object starting area includes a plurality of different object starting positions and each of the object paths begins at one of the object starting positions.

16. The method of claim 15, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to enable the player to select one of the object starting positions for the at least one object and to display the at least one object moving from the selected object starting position to one of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one of the object paths through the obstacles.

17. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to:

(a) determine whether the reels display at least one of the winning combinations of the symbols before causing any of the reels to move; and

(b) if at least one of the winning combinations of the symbols is displayed on the reels before any of the reels are moved, not cause any of the reels to move.

18. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide (f) and (g) for each movement of at least one of the reels.

19. The method of claim 11, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide (c) and (d) simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the designated target areas are designated object landings configured to receive one of the objects.

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.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the data network is a mobile telecommunications network.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) cause at least one display device to display a wagering game including;

(i) an object starting area;

(ii) an object ending area configured to receive one or more objects, the object ending area being spaced apart in relation to the object starting area;

(iii) a plurality of obstacles between the object starting area and the object ending area;

(iv) a plurality of designated target areas between the object starting area and the object ending area; and

(v) a plurality of reels each including a plurality of different symbols;

(b) receive a wager from a player;

(c) cause the reels to display a plurality of the symbols;

(d) cause the at least one display device to display at least one object moving from the object starting area to one of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one of a plurality of different object paths through the obstacles;

(e) if one of the objects moves into one of the designated target areas;

(i) determine whether to cause at least one of the reels to move;

(ii) if the at least one processor determines to cause at least one of the reels to move, cause said reel to move;

(f) determine whether the reels display at least one of a plurality of different predetermined winning combinations of the symbols; and

(g) provide the player an award for any winning combinations of the symbols displayed on the reels.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause at least one of the reels to move by at least one of the group consisting of:

rotating at least one of the reels upward, rotating at least one of the reels downward, and respinning at least one of the reels.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of objects moving from the object starting area to one or more of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one or more of the different object paths through the obstacles.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the display device to simultaneously display said movement of two or more of the plurality of objects.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the object starting area includes a plurality of different object starting positions and each of the object paths begins at one of the object starting positions.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to enable the player to select one of the object starting positions for the at least one object and to cause the at least one display device to display the at least one object moving from the selected object starting position to one of the designated target areas or the object ending area along one of the object paths through the obstacles.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) determine whether the reels display at least one of the winning combinations of the symbols before causing any of the reels to move; and

(b) if at least one of the winning combinations of the symbols is displayed on the reels before any of the reels are moved, not cause any of the reels to move.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to provide (f) and (g) for each movement of at least one of the reels.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to provide (c) and (d) simultaneously.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the designated target areas are designated object landings configured to receive one of the objects.