Gaming system and method providing a game providing an award if a shape of a symbol displayed at a symbol display area corresponds to a shape of that symbol display area

• US 9,286,765 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Saunders, Brian F., Isaacson, Timothy L., Lafky, Ernest M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VO V
• Application Number:
  US13/902,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• 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 game providing an award if a shape of a symbol displayed at a symbol display area corresponds to a shape of that symbol display area. Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a game having a player-adjustable volatility. In certain embodiments, the game is the above-described game, while in other embodiments, the game is a different game. Generally, in certain such embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to tailor the overall volatility of a play of the game to the player'"'"'s preference by selecting a desired combination of symbol display areas to employ for a play of the game.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

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

(i) an acceptor, and

(ii) a cashout button;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

at least one processor; 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 plurality of input devices and the at least one display device to;

(a) if a first physical item associated with a first monetary value is received via the acceptor,

establish a credit balance based at least in part on the first monetary value associated with the first physical item;

(b) display a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the symbol display areas;

(i) having one of a plurality of different shapes, and (ii) being associated with one of a plurality of symbol generators associated with a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol display area and associated symbol generator is distinct from and independent from the other symbol display areas and associated symbol generators;

(c) for a play of a game, for each of a designated quantity of at least one of the symbol display areas;

(i) generate one of the symbols associated with the symbol generator associated with said symbol display area;

(ii) display the one generated symbol at said symbol display area;

(iii) determine any award based, at least in part, on whether a shape of the one symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area and independent of whether the shapes of the symbols displayed at the other symbol display areas match the shapes of those other symbol display areas; and

(iv) modify the credit balance based on any determined awards; and

(d) if an actuation of the cashout button is received, cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

2. 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 plurality of input devices to receive a selection of the designated quantity of the symbol display areas from the player.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein each of the symbol display areas is associated with one of a plurality of different individual volatilities.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein said play of the game has a volatility based on the individual volatilities associated with the selected symbol display areas.

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 determine an additional award if the symbols having shapes matching the symbol display areas at which said symbols are displayed form a designated symbol combination.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein, for each of the designated quantity of the symbol display areas, the shape of the symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area when the shapes of said displayed symbol and said symbol display area are the same.

7. 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 plurality of symbol display areas, each of the symbol display areas;

(i) having one of a plurality of different shapes, and (ii) being associated with one of a plurality of symbol generators associated with a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol display area and associated symbol generator is distinct from and independent from the other symbol display areas and associated symbol generators; and

(b) for a play of a game, for each of a designated quantity of at least one of the symbol display areas;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate one of the symbols associated with the symbol generator associated with said symbol display area;

(ii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display the one generated symbol at said symbol display area;

(iii) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any award based, at least in part, on whether a shape of the one symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area and independent of whether the shapes of the symbols displayed at the other symbol display areas match the shapes of those other symbol display areas; and

(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify a credit balance based on any determined awards, wherein the credit balance is;

(A) increasable via receipt, by an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value; and

(B) decreasable via actuation of a cashout button to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

8. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive a selection of the designated quantity of the symbol display areas from the player.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the symbol display areas is associated with one of a plurality of different individual volatilities.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said play of the game has a volatility based on the individual volatilities associated with the selected symbol display areas.

11. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine an additional award if the symbols having shapes matching the symbol display areas at which said symbols are displayed form a designated symbol combination.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein, for each of the designated quantity of the symbol display areas, the shape of the symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area when the shapes of said displayed symbol and said symbol display area are the same.

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

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) cause at least one display device to display a plurality of symbol display areas, each of the symbol display areas;

(i) having one of a plurality of different shapes, and (ii) being associated with one of a plurality of symbol generators associated with a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol display area and associated symbol generator is distinct from and independent from the other symbol display areas and associated symbol generators; and

(b) for a play of a game, for each of a designated quantity of at least one of the symbol display areas;

(i) generate one of the symbols associated with the symbol generator associated with said symbol display area;

(ii) cause the at least one display device to display the one generated symbol at said symbol display area;

(iii) determine any award based, at least in part, on whether a shape of the one symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area and independent of whether the shapes of the symbols displayed at the other symbol display areas match the shapes of those other symbol display areas; and

(iv) modify a credit balance based on any determined awards, wherein the credit balance is;

(A) increasable via receipt, by an acceptor, of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value; and

(B) decreasable via actuation of a cashout button to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with at least one input device to receive a selection of the designated quantity of the symbol display areas from the player.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein each of the symbol display areas is associated with one of a plurality of different individual volatilities.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein said play of the game has a volatility based on the individual volatilities associated with the selected symbol display areas.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine an additional award if the symbols having shapes matching the symbol display areas at which said symbols are displayed form a designated symbol combination.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein, for each of the designated quantity of the symbol display areas, the shape of the symbol displayed at said symbol display area matches the shape of said symbol display area when the shapes of said displayed symbol and said symbol display area are the same.