Slot machine game with respin feature which identifies potential wins

• US 8,376,829 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Games Global Operations Limited
• Original Assignee: Etasse Limited
• Inventors: Nores, Alvaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US12/107,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 21, 463/25, 463/29, 273/269, 273/138.1, 273/139
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A slot machine game that allows the player to respin a selected reel. Before the selected reel is respun, the game displays to the player which paylines can potentially win awards, as well as what particular combinations are available to the player to win. In this manner, a player may be encouraged to make a respin. The player will also find this information helpful in determining whether to purchase a respin.

Claims

1. A method to play a slot machine game, the method comprising:

receiving, via a slot machine, an initial wager from a player;

spinning, via the slot machine, a plurality of reels of the slot machine;

stopping, via the slot machine, each spinning reel of the plurality of spinning reels to an initial outcome for that reel, and then paying, via the slot machine, an award based on all of the initial outcomes;

cycling, via the slot machine, through all reel stops on a particular reel of the plurality of reels while the remaining reels of the plurality of reels remained stopped;

while cycling through all reel stops on the particular reel, the slot machine, at each reel stop, determining whether each payline at that reel stop is an active payline or a non-active payline, comparing a paytable to each active payline to determine if the active payline is a potential winning payline, and then computing a win value based on each active payline that is a potential winning payline at that reel stop, wherein each active payline at each reel stop includes a symbol of the particular reel, and wherein each active payline and non-active payline at each reel stop includes the initial outcomes of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels;

summing, via the slot machine, the computed win values to determine an accumulated value;

determining, via the slot machine, a respin cost for the particular reel by dividing the accumulated value by a number of reel stops on the particular reel;

displaying, via a display device at the slot machine, respin information that identifies the potential winning paylines that may result if the particular reel is respun and each reel of the remaining reels is not respun and remains at its initial outcome, wherein each potential winning payline comprises a winning combination of symbols defined by the paytable;

respinning, via the slot machine, the particular reel to a final outcome; and

paying, via the slot machine, any awards earned resulting from the initial outcome of each reel of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels and the final outcome.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is arranged to display respin information for each reel of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the respin information comprises a maximum win that can be earned when the particular reel is respun.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the respinning is performed without extra payment from the player.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the respinning is performed upon payment of the respin cost from the player.

6. An apparatus to play a slot machine game, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to;

(i) receive an initial wager from a player;

(ii) spin a plurality of reels of a slot machine game and stop each reel of the plurality of reels to an initial outcome for that reel;

(iii) cycle through all reel stops on a particular reel of the plurality of reels while the remaining reels of the plurality of reels remained stopped;

(iv) while cycling through all reel stops on the particular reel, compare, at each reel stop, a paytable to paylines at that reel stop so as to determine which paylines at that reel stop are potential winning paylines and to compute a win value based on the potential winning paylines at that reel stop, wherein the paylines at each reel stop of the particular reel include the initial outcome of each reel of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels;

(v) sum the computed win values to determine an accumulated value;

(vi) determine a respin cost for the particular reel by dividing the accumulated value by a number of reel stops on the particular reel;

(vii) respin the particular reel to a final outcome; and

(viii) pay any awards earned resulting from the initial outcome of each reel of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels and the final outcome; and

an output device to display the initial outcome, respin information, and the final outcome,

wherein the respin information comprises the respin cost for the particular reel and information that identifies potential winning paylines that may result if the particular reel is respun and each of the remaining reels remains at the initial outcome for that reel, and

wherein each identified potential winning payline comprises a winning combination of symbols defined by the paytable.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the output device displays respin information for each reel of the plurality of reels.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the respin information comprises a maximum win that can be earned when the particular reel is respun.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the respin is performed without extra payment from the player.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the respin is performed upon payment of the determined respin cost from the player.

11. A method to play a slot machine game, the method comprising:

receiving, via a slot machine, an initial wager from a player;

spinning, via the slot machine, a plurality of reels of the slot machine and stopping, via the slot machine, each reel of the plurality of reels to an initial outcome for that reel;

cycling, via the slot machine, through all reel stops on a particular reel of the plurality of reels while the remaining reels of the plurality of reels remained stopped;

while cycling through all reel stops on the particular reel, the slot machine comparing, at each reel stop, a paytable to paylines at that reel stop so as to determine which paylines at that reel stop are potential winning paylines and then computing a win value based on the potential winning paylines at that reel stop, wherein the paylines at each reel stop of the particular reel include the initial outcomes of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels;

summing, via the slot machine, the computed win values to determine an accumulated value;

determining, via the slot machine, a respin cost for the particular reel by dividing the accumulated value by a number of reel stops on the particular reel;

displaying, via a display device at the slot machine, respin information that identifies (i) the potential winning paylines that may result if the particular reel is respun and each reel of the remaining reels is not respun and is positioned at its initial outcome, and (ii) the respin cost for the particular reel;

receiving, via the slot machine, payment of the respin cost;

respinning, via the slot machine, the particular reel to a final outcome; and

paying, via the slot machine, any awards earned resulting from the initial outcome of each reel of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels and the final outcome.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the particular reel is cycled through all the reel stops on the particular reel computationally.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

displaying respin information for each reel of the remaining reels of the plurality of reels.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the respin information comprises a maximum win that can be earned when the particular reel is respun.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the respin cost includes an amount added to provide a house advantage.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the house advantage is greater than or less than a house advantage factored in for the initial wager received from the player.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

paying an award based on the initial outcomes of the plurality of reels.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein each payline determined to be a potential winning payline includes a symbol from the particular reel of the plurality of reels.