Gaming system and method providing an additional award opportunity when a designated quantity of displayed symbols is associated with a displayed background
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- at least one processor;
at least one display device;
an acceptor configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value;
at least one input device; 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, the acceptor, and the at least one input device to;
(a) establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the physical item responsive to receipt of the physical item by the acceptor;
(b) display a first one of a plurality of different backgrounds;
(c) for a play of a game including a plurality of symbols, a first one of the symbols having a displayed association with the first background but not with a second different one of the plurality of different backgrounds and a second one of the symbols having a displayed association with the second background but not with the first background;
(i) display a plurality of the symbols in addition to the displayed first background such that the first background is displayed at least partially around a periphery of the outermost displayed symbols;
(ii) determine any awards associated with the displayed symbols;
(iii) cause the credit balance to increase based on any determined awards; and
(iv) responsive to the displayed symbols including a designated quantity of at least one instance of the first symbol having the displayed association with the displayed first background and independent of a position of the displayed at least one instance of the first symbol relative to the displayed first background, provide a first additional award opportunity including one or more plays of a bonus game, wherein the first additional award opportunity is not provided when the second background is displayed and a second triggering event associated with the second background occurs; and
(d) initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to an actuation of a cashout button.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing an additional award opportunity when a designated quantity of displayed symbols is associated with a displayed background. For a play of a game, the gaming system displays one of a plurality of different backgrounds and a plurality of a plurality of different symbols on, over, or otherwise in addition to the displayed background. The gaming system determines and provides any awards associated with the displayed symbols. If a designated quantity of at least one of the displayed symbols is associated with the displayed background, the gaming system provides an additional award opportunity.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one display device; an acceptor configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value; at least one input device; 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, the acceptor, and the at least one input device to; (a) establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the physical item responsive to receipt of the physical item by the acceptor; (b) display a first one of a plurality of different backgrounds; (c) for a play of a game including a plurality of symbols, a first one of the symbols having a displayed association with the first background but not with a second different one of the plurality of different backgrounds and a second one of the symbols having a displayed association with the second background but not with the first background; (i) display a plurality of the symbols in addition to the displayed first background such that the first background is displayed at least partially around a periphery of the outermost displayed symbols; (ii) determine any awards associated with the displayed symbols; (iii) cause the credit balance to increase based on any determined awards; and (iv) responsive to the displayed symbols including a designated quantity of at least one instance of the first symbol having the displayed association with the displayed first background and independent of a position of the displayed at least one instance of the first symbol relative to the displayed first background, provide a first additional award opportunity including one or more plays of a bonus game, wherein the first additional award opportunity is not provided when the second background is displayed and a second triggering event associated with the second background occurs; and (d) initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to an actuation of a cashout button. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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(a) receiving, by an acceptor, a physical item associated with a monetary value; (b) establishing, by at least one processor, a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item; (c) displaying, by at least one display device, a first one of a plurality of different backgrounds; (d) for a play of a game including a plurality of symbols, a first one of the symbols having a displayed association with the first background but not with a second different one of the plurality of different backgrounds and a second one of the symbols having a displayed association with the second background but not with the first background; (i) displaying, by the at least one display device, a plurality of the symbols in addition to the displayed background such that the first background is displayed at least partially around a periphery of the outermost displayed symbols; (ii) determining, by the at least one processor, any awards associated with the displayed symbols; (iii) causing, by the at least one processor, the credit balance to increase based on any determined awards; and (iv) responsive to the displayed symbols including a designated quantity of at least one instance of the first symbol having the displayed association with the displayed first background and independent of a position of the displayed at least one instance of the first symbol relative to the displayed first background, providing a first additional award opportunity including one or more plays of a bonus game, wherein the first additional award opportunity is not provided when the second background is displayed and a second triggering event associated with the second background occurs; and (e) initiating, by the at least one processor, a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to an actuation of a cashout button. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. 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) establish a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with a physical item responsive to receipt of the physical item by an acceptor; (b) cause at least one display device to display a first one of a plurality of different backgrounds; (c) for a play of a game including a plurality of symbols, a first one of the symbols having a displayed association with the first background but not with a second different one of the plurality of different backgrounds and a second one of the symbols having a displayed association with the second background but not with the first background; (i) cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of the symbols in addition to the displayed background such that the first background is displayed at least partially around a periphery of the outermost displayed symbols; (ii) determine any awards associated with the displayed symbols; (iii) cause the credit balance to increase based on any determined awards; (iv) responsive to the displayed symbols including a designated quantity of at least one instance of the first symbol having the displayed association with the displayed first background and independent of a position of the displayed at least one instance of the first symbol relative to the displayed background, provide a first additional award opportunity including one or more plays of a bonus game, wherein the first additional award opportunity is not provided when the second background is displayed and a second triggering event associated with the second background occurs; and (d) initiate a payout associated with the credit balance responsive to an actuation of a cashout button. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification