Gaming system and method for playing a game including a plurality of linked symbol generators
First Claim
1. A gaming system comprising:
- a housing;
at least one display device supported by the housing;
a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;
(i) an acceptor, and(ii) a cashout device;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores 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) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,(b) display a set of a plurality of symbol generators, wherein;
(i) each symbol generator includes at least one section associated with at least one symbol,(ii) each symbol generator is directly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that two coupled symbol generators define an evaluation area, and(iii) at least one of the symbol generators is indirectly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that each of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators are coupled to each other,(c) activate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, wherein the activation of one of the symbol generators causes an activation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving,(d) randomly deactivate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, wherein the deactivation of one of the symbol generators causes a deactivation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving,(e) determine if any of the symbols associated with any of the sections stopped at the defined evaluation areas form any winning symbol combinations,(f) if a plurality of the symbols of a plurality of the sections stopped at at least one of the defined evaluation areas form at least one winning symbol combination, display one of a plurality of awards for each formed winning symbol combination, and(g) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming system including a game which utilizes a plurality of symbol generators. Each of the symbol generators is linked to at least another one of the symbol generators, such that the plurality of symbol generators are linked with each other to form a group of coupled symbol generators. In operation, for a play of a game, the gaming system activates (i.e., spins) one of the symbol generators. Due to the symbol generators being directly or indirectly coupled with one another, this activation of one of the symbol generators causes an activation of each of the linked symbol generators. Following the activation of the symbol generators, one of the symbol generators is deactivated (i.e., stopped) at a randomly selected orientation which causes each of the symbol generators to also be deactivated. The gaming system then evaluates any indicated symbols associated with the stopped symbol generators and provides one or more awards based on the evaluated symbol generators.
336 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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a housing; at least one display device supported by the housing; a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including; (i) an acceptor, and (ii) a cashout device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores 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) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, (b) display a set of a plurality of symbol generators, wherein; (i) each symbol generator includes at least one section associated with at least one symbol, (ii) each symbol generator is directly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that two coupled symbol generators define an evaluation area, and (iii) at least one of the symbol generators is indirectly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that each of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators are coupled to each other, (c) activate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, wherein the activation of one of the symbol generators causes an activation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, (d) randomly deactivate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, wherein the deactivation of one of the symbol generators causes a deactivation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, (e) determine if any of the symbols associated with any of the sections stopped at the defined evaluation areas form any winning symbol combinations, (f) if a plurality of the symbols of a plurality of the sections stopped at at least one of the defined evaluation areas form at least one winning symbol combination, display one of a plurality of awards for each formed winning symbol combination, and (g) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a gaming system, for a play of a game, said method comprising:
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(a) causing at least one display device to display a set of a plurality of symbol generators, wherein; (i) each symbol generator includes at least one section associated with at least one symbol, (ii) each symbol generator is directly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that two coupled symbol generators define an evaluation area, and (iii) at least one of the symbol generators is indirectly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that each of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators are coupled to each other, (b) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to activate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, wherein the activation of one of the symbol generators causes an activation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, (c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly deactivate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, wherein the deactivation of one of the symbol generators causes a deactivation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, (d) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if any of the symbols associated with any of the sections stopped at the defined evaluation areas form any winning symbol combinations, and (e) if a plurality of the symbols of a plurality of the sections stopped at at least one of the defined evaluation areas form at least one winning symbol combination, causing the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of awards for each formed winning symbol combination, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any displayed awards associated with each formed winning symbol combination, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A gaming system server comprising:
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at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores 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 set of a plurality of symbol generators, wherein; (i) each symbol generator includes at least one section associated with at least one symbol, (ii) each symbol generator is directly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that two coupled symbol generators define an evaluation area, and (iii) at least one of the symbol generators is indirectly coupled to at least another one of the symbol generators such that each of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators are coupled to each other, (b) activate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, wherein the activation of one of the symbol generators causes an activation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to start moving, (c) randomly deactivate one of the symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, wherein the deactivation of one of the symbol generators causes a deactivation of each of the coupled symbol generators of the set of symbol generators to stop moving, (d) determine if any of the symbols associated with any of the sections stopped at the defined evaluation areas form any winning symbol combinations, and (e) if a plurality of the symbols of a plurality of the sections stopped at at least one of the defined evaluation areas form at least one winning symbol combination, cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of awards for each formed winning symbol combination, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any displayed awards associated with each formed winning symbol combination, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable via a cashout device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification