Gaming system and method providing a multiplay game with resultant symbols

• US 8,622,809 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Arora, Prashant, Basallo, Leandro, Caputo, Scott A., Isaacson, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/626,387
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/13, 463 16- 25, 273/143.R, 273/292
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a multiplay game with resultant symbols. The game is associated with a plurality of reel sets each including a plurality of reels. Each reel is associated with one or more symbol display areas. For each reel set, each symbol display area associated with a reel of that reel set is associated with a symbol display area associated with one of the reels of each other reel set. The gaming system independently generates and displays certain of the symbols on the reels of the respective reel sets at the corresponding symbol display areas. If associated symbol display areas display symbols having a designated relationship with one another, the gaming system forms a resultant symbol from those symbols. The gaming system determines any awards based on the resultant symbols and not based on any non-resultant symbols.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device;

at least one input device; 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 play of a game associated with;

(i) a first plurality of symbols;

(ii) a second plurality of symbols;

(iii) a first plurality of symbol display areas; and

(iv) a second plurality of symbol display areas, wherein each of the first plurality of symbol display areas is associated with a different one of the second plurality of symbol display areas; and

(b) for said play of the game;

(i) generate and display a plurality of the first plurality of symbols at the first plurality of symbol display areas;

(ii) independently generate and display a plurality of the second plurality of symbols at the second plurality of symbol display areas;

(iii) for each of at least one designated one of the first plurality of symbol display areas, if the symbol displayed at said symbol display area has a designated relationship with the symbol displayed at the associated one of the second plurality of symbol display areas, form a resultant symbol from said symbols based on said designated relationship;

(iv) make an award determination based on any resultant symbols and not based on any non-resultant symbols; and

(v) provide any determined awards.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the award determination is a third award determination, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) make a first award determination based on the symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display areas and not based on the symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display areas or any resultant symbols, and

(b) make a second award determination based on the symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display areas and not based on the symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display areas or any resultant symbols.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of symbol display areas is a designated symbol display area.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the first plurality of symbols includes a first partial symbol and the second plurality of symbols includes a second partial symbol;

(b) the first partial symbol and the second partial symbol have the designated relationship with one another; and

(c) the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each designated symbol display area, if the first partial symbol is displayed at said designated symbol display area and the second partial symbol is displayed at the associated one of the second plurality of symbol display areas, form the resultant symbol by combining the first and second partial symbols into a complete symbol.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the resultant symbol includes a plurality of instances of at least one of the first plurality of symbols or at least one of the second plurality of symbols.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the resultant symbol is associated with a modifier.

7. The gaming system of claim 6, wherein the modifier is a multiplier.

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 to replace at least one of the displayed symbols with a wild symbol in addition to forming the resultant symbol.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game is associated with a plurality of different designated relationships, each of the different designated relationships being associated with a different type of resultant symbol.

10. 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 matrix including a plurality of matrix positions, each matrix position including a different set of associated symbol display areas positioned adjacent to one another.

11. 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 at least two separate matrices each including a plurality of matrix positions, each matrix position of a first one of the matrices including a different one of the first plurality of symbol display areas and each matrix position of a second one of the matrices including a different one of the second plurality of symbol display areas.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, 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 any resultant symbols in a third matrix that is separate from the first and second matrices.

22. The method of claim 1, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a matrix including a plurality of matrix positions, each matrix position including a different set of associated symbol display areas positioned adjacent to one another.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(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 play of a game associated with;

(i) a first plurality of symbols;

(ii) a second plurality of symbols;

(iii) a first plurality of symbol display areas; and

(iv) a second plurality of symbol display areas, wherein each of the first plurality of symbol display areas is associated with a different one of the second plurality of symbol display areas;

(b) for said play of the game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to;

(i) generate and display a plurality of the first plurality of symbols at the first plurality of symbol display areas;

(ii) independently generate and display a plurality of the second plurality of symbols at the second plurality of symbol display areas;

(iii) for each of at least one designated one of the first plurality of symbol display areas, if the symbol displayed at said symbol display area has a designated relationship with the symbol displayed at the associated one of the second plurality of symbol display areas, form a resultant symbol from said symbols based on said designated relationship; and

(iv) make an award determination based on any resultant symbols and not based on any non-resultant symbols; and

(c) providing any determined awards.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the award determination is a third award determination, and which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to:

(a) make a first award determination based on the symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display areas and not based on the symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display areas or any resultant symbols, and

(b) make a second award determination based on the symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display areas and not based on the symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display areas or any resultant symbols.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first plurality of symbol display areas is a designated symbol display area.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of symbols includes a first partial symbol, the second plurality of symbols includes a second partial symbol, and the first partial symbol and the second partial symbol have the designated relationship with one another, and which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each designated symbol display area, if the first partial symbol is displayed at said designated symbol display area and the second partial symbol is displayed at the associated one of the second plurality of symbol display areas, form the resultant symbol by combining the first and second partial symbols into a complete symbol.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the resultant symbol includes a plurality of instances of at least one of the first plurality of symbols or at least one of the second plurality of symbols.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the resultant symbol is associated with a modifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the modifier is a multiplier.

20. The method of claim 13, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to replace at least one of the displayed symbols with a wild symbol in addition to forming the resultant symbol.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the game is associated with a plurality of different designated relationships, each of the different designated relationships being associated with a different type of resultant symbol.

23. The method of claim 13, 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 two separate matrices each including a plurality of matrix positions, each matrix position of a first one of the matrices including a different one of the first plurality of symbol display areas and each matrix position of a second one of the matrices including a different one of the second plurality of symbol display areas.

24. The method of claim 23, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any resultant symbols in a third matrix that is separate from the first and second matrices.

25. The method of claim 13, which is provided through a data network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the data network is an internet.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing 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 play of a game associated with;

(i) a first plurality of symbols;

(ii) a second plurality of symbols;

(iii) a first plurality of symbol display areas; and

(iv) a second plurality of symbol display areas, wherein each of the first plurality of symbol display areas is associated with a different one of the second plurality of symbol display areas; and

(b) for said play of the game;

(i) generate and cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of the first plurality of symbols at the first plurality of symbol display areas;

(ii) independently generate and cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of the second plurality of symbols at the second plurality of symbol display areas;

(iii) for each of at least one designated one of the first plurality of symbol display areas, if the symbol displayed at said symbol display area has a designated relationship with the symbol displayed at the associated one of the second plurality of symbol display areas, form a resultant symbol from said symbols based on said designated relationship;

(iv) make an award determination based on any resultant symbols and not based on any non-resultant symbols; and

(v) provide any determined awards.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the award determination is a third award determination, and the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) make a first award determination based on the symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display areas and not based on the symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display areas or any resultant symbols, and

(b) make a second award determination based on the symbols displayed at the second plurality of symbol display areas and not based on the symbols displayed at the first plurality of symbol display areas or any resultant symbols.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein each of the first plurality of symbol display areas is a designated symbol display area.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein:

(a) the first plurality of symbols includes a first partial symbol and the second plurality of symbols includes a second partial symbol;

(b) the first partial symbol and the second partial symbol have the designated relationship with one another; and

(c) the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each designated symbol display area, if the first partial symbol is displayed at said designated symbol display area and the second partial symbol is displayed at the associated one of the second plurality of symbol display areas, form the resultant symbol by combining the first and second partial symbols into a complete symbol.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the resultant symbol includes a plurality of instances of at least one of the first plurality of symbols or at least one of the second plurality of symbols.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the resultant symbol is associated with a modifier.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the modifier is a multiplier.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to replace at least one of the displayed symbols with a wild symbol in addition to forming the resultant symbol.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the game is associated with a plurality of different designated relationships, each of the different designated relationships being associated with a different type of resultant symbol.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, 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 matrix including a plurality of matrix positions, each matrix position including a different set of associated symbol display areas positioned adjacent to one another.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, 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 at least two separate matrices each including a plurality of matrix positions, each matrix position of a first one of the matrices including a different one of the first plurality of symbol display areas and each matrix position of a second one of the matrices including a different one of the second plurality of symbol display areas.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 37, 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 any resultant symbols in a third matrix that is separate from the first and second matrices.