Electronic slot machine

• US 9,666,033 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2006
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Lathrop
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Lathrop
• Inventors: Lathrop, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEICHLITER, CHASE E
• Application Number:
  US11/581,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20080090636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,881 Days
• Field of Search: 463 20, 463 21, 463 16, 463 23, 463 36, 463 37, 273292, 2731381, 273139
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3204 Player-machine interfaces
• 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 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

An electronic slot machine, having a display for displaying a plurality of symbols arrayed in at least three vertical columns of symbols, and at least three horizontal rows of symbols where game play is initiated by selecting a sequence for sequentially spinning selected columns and rows up to three total. The resulting display of symbols are analyzed to determine whether the array of symbols constitute a winning combination. Additional game playing occurs when the player selects a new sequence of rows and columns for spinning to achieve a new set of symbols for analysis to determine a winning combination.

Claims

1. An electronic slot machine apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a video screen;

a bill acceptor;

a processor connected to the video screen and configured to read computer readable instructions, the instructions programmed to cause the processor to;

receive cash from the bill acceptor;

display a grid comprising X columns of Y rows of symbols, the grid comprising a first row and an adjacent second row and a first column and an adjacent second column;

maintain both a horizontal reel set and a vertical reel set, the horizontal reel set intersects the vertical reel set, wherein the grid corresponds to only a subset of the horizontal reel set and the vertical reel set so that not all symbols on the horizontal reel set are displayed on the grid at once and not all symbols on the vertical reel set are displayed on the grid at once;

wherein the first row intersects both the first column and the second column and the second row intersects both the first column and the second column;

receive a first wager;

spin and stop the first column, wherein symbols on the first column that intersect with the first row and the second row move along with the first column;

award any earned payout based on the first wager based on displayed symbols;

after the spin and stop the first column, receive a second wager;

spin and stop the first row, wherein symbols on the first row that intersect with the first column and the second column move along with the first row; and

award any earned payout based on the second wager based on displayed symbols,

wherein at least one symbol has moved on both the horizontal reel set and the vertical reel set,

wherein the spin and stop the first column and the spin and stop the first row use a random number generator to determine where to stop.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed such that before the spin and stop the first column, receive a wager from a player.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the instructions are further programmed to determine whether an active payline on the video screen forms a winning combination, and if so, pay an award to the player.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed such that before the spin and stop the first column, a first common symbol appears on both the first column and the first row on an intersecting point between the first column and the first row, and after the spin and stop the first column the first common symbol appears on both the first column and the second row but not the first row.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed such that X=5 and Y=3.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed such that X=3 and Y=3.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed to spin and stop the second column, wherein symbols on the second column that intersect with the first row and the second column move along with the second column.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed to spin and stop the second row, wherein symbols on the second row that intersect with the first column and the second column move along with the second row.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed to allow the player to select a particular row out of the displayed rows to spin.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions are further programmed to perform a diagonal spin which moves a particular symbol that intersects with the first column and the first row to a previously presented position that intersects with the second column and the second row.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein X is at least 3 and Y is at least 3.

12. A method to play a slot machine, the method comprising:

executing the following operations on an electronic processor;

crediting cash received from a bill acceptor on the slot machine;

providing and displaying a grid comprising X columns of Y rows of symbols, the grid comprising a first row and an adjacent second row and a first column and an adjacent second column;

maintaining both a horizontal reel set and a vertical reel set, the horizontal reel set intersects the vertical reel set, wherein the grid corresponds to only a subset of the horizontal reel set and the vertical reel set so that not all symbols on the horizontal reel set are displayed on the grid at once and not all symbols on the vertical reel set are displayed on the grid at once;

wherein the first row intersects both the first column and the second column and the second row intersects both the first column and the second column;

receiving a first wager;

spinning and stopping the first column, wherein symbols on the first column that intersect with the first row and the second row move along with the first column;

awarding any earned payout based on the first wager based on displayed symbols;

after the spinning and stopping the first column, receive a second wager;

spinning and stopping the first row, wherein symbols on the first row that intersect with the first column and the second column move along with the first row; and

awarding any earned payout based on the second wager based on displayed symbols,

wherein at least one symbol has moved on both the horizontal reel set and the vertical reel set,

wherein the spinning and stopping the first column and the spinning and stopping the first row use a random number generator to determine where to stop.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising, before the spinning and stopping the first column, receiving a wager from a player.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising, determining whether an active payline forms a winning combination, and if so, paying an award to the player.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein before the spinning and stopping the first column, a first common symbol appears on both the first column and the first row on an intersecting point between the first column and the first row, and after the spinning and stopping the first column the first common symbol appears on both the first column and the second row but not the first row.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein X=3 and Y=3.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein X=5 and Y=3.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising spinning and stopping the second column, wherein symbols on the second column that intersect with the first row and the second row move along with the second column.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein X is at least 3 and Y is at least 3.

20. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising allowing the player to select a particular row out of the displayed rows to spin.