Gaming system and method that determines awards based on quantities of symbols included in one or more strings of related symbols displayed along one or more paylines
First Claim
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a housing;
at least one processor;
at least one display device supported by the housing;
a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including;
(i) an acceptor,(ii) a validator, and(iii) a cashout button; 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 plurality of input devices to;
(a) receive, via the acceptor, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;
(b) identify, via the validator, the received first physical item;
(c) establish a credit balance based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the received first physical item;
(d) if a wager input is received via a wager button, place a wager on a play of a game, the wager being deductable from the credit balance, the game being associated with;
(i) a plurality of symbols, a plurality of the symbols each being associated with one of a set of a plurality of different first characteristics and one of a set of a plurality of different second characteristics, 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;
(e) 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 if a set of a plurality of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols, wherein;
(1) the set of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols;
(a) when, for each displayed symbol of the set, said displayed symbol is related to each other symbol of the set displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and
(b) regardless of whether any displayed symbol of the set is related to any other symbol of the set not displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and
(2) two symbols are related if those two symbols share at least one of;
(a) a same one of the set of first characteristics, and (b) a same one of the set of second characteristics; and
(B) if the set of the displayed symbols forms a string of related symbols, determine any awards based on a quantity of symbols in said string; and
(iii) display any determined awards and modify the credit balance based on any determined awards; and
(f) if an actuation of the cashout button is received, initiate a payout based on the credit balance.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method for determining one or more awards based on quantities of symbols included in one or more strings of related symbols. The gaming system is configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of symbols each associated with one of a plurality of first characteristics and one of a plurality of second characteristics. The gaming system displays a plurality of the symbols. The gaming system determines whether a set of the symbols displayed along a payline path associated with a payline forms a string of related symbols. Symbols are related if the symbols share at least one of: (a) a same one of the set of first characteristics, and (b) a same one of the set of second characteristics. The gaming system determines any award based on a length of the string of related symbols.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a housing; at least one processor; at least one display device supported by the housing; a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, the plurality of input devices including; (i) an acceptor, (ii) a validator, and (iii) a cashout button; 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 plurality of input devices to; (a) receive, via the acceptor, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value; (b) identify, via the validator, the received first physical item; (c) establish a credit balance based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the received first physical item; (d) if a wager input is received via a wager button, place a wager on a play of a game, the wager being deductable from the credit balance, the game being associated with; (i) a plurality of symbols, a plurality of the symbols each being associated with one of a set of a plurality of different first characteristics and one of a set of a plurality of different second characteristics, 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; (e) 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 if a set of a plurality of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols, wherein; (1) the set of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols;
(a) when, for each displayed symbol of the set, said displayed symbol is related to each other symbol of the set displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and
(b) regardless of whether any displayed symbol of the set is related to any other symbol of the set not displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and(2) two symbols are related if those two symbols share at least one of;
(a) a same one of the set of first characteristics, and (b) a same one of the set of second characteristics; and(B) if the set of the displayed symbols forms a string of related symbols, determine any awards based on a quantity of symbols in said string; and (iii) display any determined awards and modify the credit balance based on any determined awards; and (f) if an actuation of the cashout button is received, initiate a payout based on the credit balance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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(1) receiving, via an acceptor, a first physical item associated with a first monetary value; (2) identifying, via a validator, the received first physical item; (3) 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 first monetary value associated with the received first physical item; (4) if a wager input is received via a wager button, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to place a wager on a play of a game, the wager being deductable from the credit balance, the game being associated with; (a) a plurality of symbols, a plurality of the symbols each being associated with one of a set of a plurality of different first characteristics and one of a set of a plurality of different second characteristics, the symbols being displayable at a plurality of symbol display areas; and (b) 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; (5) for said play of the game; (a) 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 the symbols at the symbol display areas; (b) for each of at least one of the paylines, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to; (i) determine if a set of a plurality of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols, wherein; (A) the set of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols;
(1) when, for each displayed symbol of the set, said displayed symbol is related to at least one other symbol of the set displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and
(2) regardless of whether any displayed symbol of the set is related to any other symbol of the set not displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and(B) two symbols are related if those two symbols share at least one of;
(1) a same one of the set of first characteristics, and (2) a same one of the set of second characteristics; and(ii) if the set of the displayed symbols forms a string of related symbols, determine any awards based on a quantity of symbols in said string; (c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any determined awards; and (d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify the credit balance based on any determined awards; and (6) 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 based on the credit balance. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. 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:
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(a) after receipt, via an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value and identification, via a validator, of the received first physical item, establish a credit balance based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the received first physical item; (b) if a wager input is received via a wager button, place a wager on a play of a game, the wager being deductable from the credit balance, the game being associated with; (i) a plurality of symbols, a plurality of the symbols each being associated with one of a set of a plurality of different first characteristics and one of a set of a plurality of different second characteristics, 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; (c) 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 if a set of a plurality of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols, wherein; (1) the set of the symbols displayed along the payline path associated with said payline forms a string of related symbols;
(a) when, for each displayed symbol of the set, said displayed symbol is related to at least one other symbol of the set displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and
(b) regardless of whether any displayed symbol of the set is related to any other symbol of the set not displayed adjacent to said displayed symbol; and(2) two symbols are related if those two symbols share at least one of;
(a) a same one of the set of first characteristics, and (b) a same one of the set of second characteristics; and(B) if the set of the displayed symbols forms a string of related symbols, determine any awards based on a quantity of symbols in said string; and (iii) cause the at least one display device to display any determined awards and modify the credit balance based on any determined awards; and (d) if an actuation of a cashout button is received, cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification