Gaming system and method configured to operate a game associated with a reflector symbol

• US 8,740,689 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Saunders, Brian F., Caputo, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/543,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20140011564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/16
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack
• 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 configured to operate a game including a reflector symbol. The gaming system displays a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display areas. If the reflector symbol is displayed at one of the symbol display areas along a payline path associated with a payline, the gaming system determines a reflected payline path associated with that payline that extends along the payline path associated with that payline to the displayed reflector symbol and back along the payline path. The gaming system determines whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along the reflected payline path form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations, and displays and provides any awards associated with any winning symbol combination displayed along the reflected payline path.

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 plurality of symbols including a reflector symbol, the symbols being displayable at a plurality of symbol display areas; and

(ii) a plurality of different paylines, each of the paylines being associated with a different payline path extending along a plurality of the symbol display areas; and

(b) for said play of the game;

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

(ii) for each of at least one of the paylines;

(A) determine whether the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline;

(B) if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along said payline path;

(1) determine a reflected payline path associated with said payline, said reflected payline path extending along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back along said payline path;

(2) determine whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said reflected payline path form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations; and

(3) display and provide any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combination; and

(C) if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are not displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along said payline path;

(1) determine whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said payline path form one of the winning symbol combinations; and

(2) display and provide any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combination.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of symbols includes a plurality of reflector symbols.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of symbols includes a wild symbol.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, the gaming system considers the other symbol when determining whether any winning symbol combinations are displayed along the reflected path.

5. 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, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, determine the reflected payline path associated with said payline from left to right along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back from right to left from said displayed reflector symbol along said payline path.

6. 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, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, determine the reflected payline path associated with said payline from right to left along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back from left to right from said displayed reflector symbol along said payline path.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the symbols is associated with one of a plurality of first characteristics and one of a plurality of second characteristics, and the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said reflected payline path form one of the winning symbol combinations when said symbols share at least one of:

a same one of the first characteristics and a same one of the second characteristics.

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

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;

(a) display a play of a game associated with;

(i) a plurality of symbols including a reflector symbol, the symbols being displayable at a plurality of symbol display areas; and

(ii) a plurality of different paylines, each of the paylines being associated with a different payline path extending along a plurality of the symbol display areas; and

(b) for said play of the game;

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

(ii) for each of at least one of the paylines;

(A) determine whether the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline;

(B) if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along said payline path;

(1) determine a reflected payline path associated with said payline, said reflected payline path extending along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back along said payline path;

(2) determine whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said reflected payline path form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations; and

(3) display and provide any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combination; and

(C) if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are not displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along said payline path;

(1) determine whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said payline path form one of the winning symbol combinations; and

(2) display and provide any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combination.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of symbols includes a plurality of reflector symbols.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of symbols includes a wild symbol.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, the gaming system considers the other symbol when determining whether any winning symbol combinations are displayed along the reflected path.

12. The method of claim 8, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, determine the reflected payline path associated with said payline from left to right along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back from right to left from said displayed reflector symbol along said payline path.

13. The method of claim 8, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, determine the reflected payline path associated with said payline from right to left along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back from left to right from said displayed reflector symbol along said payline path.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the symbols is associated with one of a plurality of first characteristics and one of a plurality of second characteristics, and the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said reflected payline path form one of the winning symbol combinations when said symbols share at least one of:

a same one of the first characteristics and a same one of the second characteristics.

15. The method of claim 8, which is provided through a data network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data network is an internet.

17. 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 plurality of symbols including a reflector symbol, the symbols being displayable at a plurality of symbol display areas; and

(ii) a plurality of different paylines, each of the paylines being associated with a different payline path extending along a plurality of the symbol display areas; and

(b) for said play of the game;

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

(ii) for each of at least one of the paylines;

(A) determine whether the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline;

(B) if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along said payline path;

(1) determine a reflected payline path associated with said payline, said reflected payline path extending along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back along said payline path;

(2) determine whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said reflected payline path form one of a plurality of winning symbol combinations; and

(3) cause the at least one display device to display and provide any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combination; and

(C) if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are not displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along said payline path;

(1) determine whether the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said payline path form one of the winning symbol combinations; and

(2) cause the at least one display device to display and provide any awards associated with any displayed winning symbol combination.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of symbols includes a plurality of reflector symbols.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of symbols includes a wild symbol.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, the gaming system considers the other symbol when determining whether any winning symbol combinations are displayed along the reflected path.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, determine the reflected payline path associated with said payline from left to right along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back from right to left from said displayed reflector symbol along said payline path.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each of at least one of the paylines, if the reflector symbol and another one of the symbols are displayed at a same one of the symbol display areas along the payline path associated with said payline, determine the reflected payline path associated with said payline from right to left along said payline path to said displayed reflector symbol and back from left to right from said displayed reflector symbol along said payline path.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein each of the symbols is associated with one of a plurality of first characteristics and one of a plurality of second characteristics, and the symbols displayed at the symbol display areas along said reflected payline path form one of the winning symbol combinations when said symbols share at least one of:

a same one of the first characteristics and a same one of the second characteristics.