Game machine having a plurality of ways for a user to obtain payouts based on the appearance of any and all symbols within an active symbol matrix (WYSIWYG)

• US 9,251,667 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PTT LLC
• Original Assignee: PTT LLC
• Inventors: Marks, Howard, Marks, Daniel, Singer, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US12/658,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20110165934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/25, 463/29, 273/138.1, 273/139
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• 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 17/3267 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming device and method for playing a gaming device which provide awards for any and all symbols appearing within selected portions of a symbol matrix (“What You See Is What You Get” or “WYSIWYG”).

Claims

1. A wagering game machine configured to provide a game of chance comprising:

an input device configured to accept an item associated with a monetary value, the monetary value establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity;

a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

a non-transitory memory device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor, which upon executing the computer-executable instructions, is configured to;

accept a wager entered through the input device for play of the game of chance, the wager amount decreasing the credit balance;

use a random number generator to select and display a portion of each of a plurality of reels on a display device, the plurality of reels comprising symbols thereon including one or more non-number symbols and one or more number symbols;

determine if a number symbol is displayed on any one of the portions of the plurality of reels on the display device;

in response to at least one number symbol being displayed on any displayed portions of the plurality of reels, issue the number of the number symbol displayed on the display device as a monetary award value for the game of chance which increases the payout by the number without regard to the alignment of the number symbols on the reels and without regard to a pay table; and

detect a command from the cashout input to cause the initiation of the payout, via the cashout device.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the number symbol has a currency denomination.

3. The machine of claim 1 wherein the number symbol on the reels is based on the wager.

4. The machine of claim 1 wherein the non-number symbol occupying a symbol position on the reels is a blank symbol.

5. The machine of claim 1 wherein the processor further determines if there is a second award based on the non-number symbol displayed on the display device.

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein the second award is based on the alignment of the non-number symbol.

7. The machine of claim 5 wherein the second award includes a free spin.

8. The machine of claim 5 wherein the second award is a bonus game.

9. A method for playing a game of chance on a wagering game machine, the method comprising:

accepting a wager through an input device configured to accept an item associated with a monetary value, the monetary value establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based on wagering activity;

displaying, on a display device, a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of symbol positions the plurality of reels comprising symbols thereon including one or more non-number symbols and one or more number symbols;

selecting, by a random number generator on a processor, stop positions for the reels to be displayed in a symbol matrix;

determining, by the processor, if a number symbol is displayed in the symbol matrix on the display device;

in response to at least one number symbol being displayed in the symbol matrix, issuing the number of the number symbol displayed on the display device as a monetary award value increasing a payout by the number without regard to the alignment of the number symbols on the reels and without regard to a pay table; and

detecting a command from the input device to cause the initiation of the payout via a cashout device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the number symbol has a currency denomination.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the number of the number symbol is based on the wager.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the non-number symbol is a blank symbol.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining if there is a second award based on the non-number symbol displayed on the display device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second award is based on the alignment of the non-number symbol.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the second award includes a bonus feature.

16. A method for operating a wagering game machine comprising:

providing a wagering game machine comprising;

an input device configured to accept an item associated with a monetary value, the monetary value establishing a credit balance, the credit balance being increasable and decreasable based at least on wagering activity;

a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

a non-transitory memory device having computer-executable instructions and data indicative of a character and a plurality of images stored thereon; and

a processor, which upon executing the computer-executable instructions, is configured to;

receive a wager entered through the input device for play of a game of chance, the wager amount decreasing the credit balance;

select, using a random number generator, and display a portion of each of a plurality of reels on a display device, the plurality of reels comprising symbols thereon including one or more non-number symbols and one or more number symbols;

determine if a number symbol is displayed on any one of the portions of the plurality of reels on the display device; and

in response to at least one number symbol being displayed on any displayed portions of the plurality of reels, issue the number of the number symbol displayed as a monetary award value increasing the payout by the number without regard to the alignment of the number symbol on the reels and without regard to a pay table.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the non-number symbol is a blank symbol.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the processor further determines whether to issue a second award based on the non-number symbol displayed on the display device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the second award is based on the alignment of the non-number symbol on the reels.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the value of the number symbol is based on the wager.