Gaming system and method providing a matching game having a player-adjustable volatility

• US 9,196,130 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Saunders, Brian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US14/026,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20150080084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a matching game having a player-adjustable volatility. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to select one of a plurality of different sets of symbols for the gaming system to employ for a play of the matching game. The sets of symbols include different characteristics or features such that the volatility of the matching game differs depending on which particular set of symbols the player selects for the play of the matching game. The gaming system of the present disclosure thus enables the player to tailor the volatility of the matching game to the player'"'"'s liking by selecting a particular set of symbols.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including an acceptor;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the plurality of input devices and the at least one display device to;

(a) if a physical item associated with a monetary value is received by the acceptor, establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value, wherein the physical item is one selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value, and currency;

(b) if an actuation of a wager button is received, place a wager on a play of a game, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;

(c) for said play of the game, receive, from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different sets of symbols, wherein;

(i) each of the sets of symbols includes a quantity of symbols, said quantity of symbols being at least two;

(ii) at least two of the sets of symbols include different quantities of symbols; and

(iii) for each of the sets of symbols, at least two of the symbols in said set of symbols are different;

(d) receive, from the player, a selection of a designated quantity of the symbols of the player-selected set of symbols in a target order;

(e) for each of a plurality of symbol display areas, randomly select and display one of the symbols of the player-selected set of symbols at said symbol display area such that said randomly-selected symbols are displayed in a display order;

(f) determine whether at least a designated number of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols correspond to the randomly-selected symbols, said designated number being at least one;

(g) if at least the designated number of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols correspond to the randomly-selected symbols, determine an award based on;

(i) a quantity of the player-selected symbols that correspond to different randomly-selected symbols, and (ii) a comparison of the target order and the display order, the credit balance being increasable by the award,

wherein;

(i) if the player-selected set of symbols is a first one of the sets of symbols including a first quantity of symbols, one of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols has a first probability of corresponding to one of the randomly-selected symbols; and

(ii) if the player-selected set of symbols is a second different one of the sets of symbols including a second different quantity of symbols, said one of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols has a second different probability of corresponding to one of the randomly-selected symbols; and

(h) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the sets of symbols include different quantities of symbols.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for each set of symbols, the symbols included in said set of symbols are different.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first quantity of symbols is greater than the second quantity of symbols and the second probability is greater than the first probability.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein:

(a) if the player-selected set of symbols is the first one of the sets of symbols, the determined award is a first award, and (b) if the player-selected set of symbols is the second one of the sets of symbols;

the determined award is a second different award, the first award being greater than the second award.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a player-selected symbol of the player-selected set of symbols corresponds to a randomly-selected symbol when the player-selected symbol of the player-selected set of symbols matches the randomly-selected symbol.

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

(a) if a physical item associated with a monetary value is received by an acceptor supported by a housing of the gaming system, causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value, wherein the physical item is one selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value, and currency;

(b) if an actuation of a wager button is received, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to place a wager on a play of a game, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;

(c) for said play of the game, receiving, by at least one input device and from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different sets of symbols, wherein;

(i) each of the sets of symbols includes a quantity of symbols, said quantity of symbols being at least two;

(ii) at least two of the sets of symbols include different quantities of symbols; and

(iii) for each of the sets of symbols, at least two of the symbols in said set of symbols are different;

(d) receiving, by the at least one input device and from the player, a selection of a designated quantity of the symbols of the player-selected set of symbols in a target order;

(e) for each of a plurality of symbol display areas, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly select and operate with at least one display device to display one of the symbols of the player-selected set of symbols at said symbol display area such that said randomly-selected symbols are displayed in a display order;

(f) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine whether at least a designated number of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols correspond to the randomly-selected symbols, said designated number being at least one;

(g) if at least the designated number of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols correspond to the randomly-selected symbols, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an award based on;

(i) a quantity of the player-selected symbols that correspond to different randomly-selected symbols, and (ii) a comparison of the target order and the display order, the credit balance being increasable by the award,

wherein;

(i) if the player-selected set of symbols is a first one of the sets of symbols including a first quantity of symbols, one of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols has a first probability of corresponding to one of the randomly-selected symbols; and

(ii) if the player-selected set of symbols is a second different one of the sets of symbols including a second different quantity of symbols, said one of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols has a second different probability of corresponding to one of the randomly-selected symbols; and

(h) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the sets of symbols include different quantities of symbols.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein, for each set of symbols, the symbols included in said set of symbols are different.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first quantity of symbols is greater than the second quantity of symbols and the second probability is greater than the first probability.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

(a) if the player-selected set of symbols is the first one of the sets of symbols, the determined award is a first award, and (b) if the player-selected set of symbols is the second one of the sets of symbols;

the determined award is a second different award, the first award being greater than the second award.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein a player-selected symbol of the player-selected set of symbols corresponds to a randomly-selected symbol when the player-selected symbol matches the randomly-selected symbol.

13. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. 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) if a physical item associated with a monetary value is received by an acceptor, establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value, wherein the physical item is one selected from the group consisting of;

a ticket associated with the monetary value, and currency;

(b) if an actuation of a wager button is received, place a wager on a play of a game, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;

(c) for said play of the game, operate with at least one input device to receive, from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different sets of symbols, wherein;

(i) each of the sets of symbols includes a quantity of symbols, said quantity of symbols being at least two;

(ii) at least two of the sets of symbols include different quantities of symbols; and

(iii) for each of the sets of symbols, at least two of the symbols in said set of symbols are different;

(d) operate with the at least one input device to receive, from the player, a selection of a designated quantity of the symbols of the player-selected set of symbols in a target order;

(e) for each of a plurality of symbol display areas, randomly select and cause at least one display device to display one of the symbols of the player-selected set of symbols at said symbol display area such that said randomly-selected symbols are displayed in a display order;

(f) determine whether at least a designated number of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols correspond to the randomly-selected symbols, said designated number being at least one;

(g) if at least the designated number of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols correspond to the randomly-selected symbols, determine an award based on;

(i) a quantity of the player-selected symbols that correspond to different randomly-selected symbols, and (ii) a comparison of the target order and the display order, the credit balance being increasable by the award,

wherein;

(i) if the player-selected set of symbols is a first one of the sets of symbols including a first quantity of symbols, one of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols has a first probability of corresponding to one of the randomly-selected symbols; and

(ii) if the player-selected set of symbols is a second different one of the sets of symbols including a second different quantity of symbols, said one of the player-selected symbols of the player-selected set of symbols has a second different probability of corresponding to one of the randomly-selected symbols; and

(h) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, initiate a payout associated with the credit balance.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the sets of symbols include different quantities of symbols.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein, for each set of symbols, the symbols included in said set of symbols are different.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first quantity of symbols is greater than the second quantity of symbols and the second probability is greater than the first probability.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

(a) if the player-selected set of symbols is the first one of the sets of symbols, the determined award is a first award, and (b) if the player-selected set of symbols is the second one of the sets of symbols;

the determined award is a second different award, the first award being greater than the second award.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein a player-selected symbol of the player-selected set of symbols corresponds to a randomly-selected symbol when the player-selected symbol matches the randomly-selected symbol.