Gaming system and method for providing a cascading symbol game with symbol class eliminations
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gaming system comprising:
- at least one display 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 for a play of a game, cause the at least one processor to;
(a) at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of symbols, wherein;
(i) the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row, and(ii) the plurality of symbols includes a class of symbols including a plurality of related symbols, said plurality of related symbols being less than the plurality of symbols,(b) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations,(c) responsive to a plurality of the displayed symbols forming at least one winning symbol combination, cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination,(d) determine, for each displayed symbol, whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, wherein independent of the formation of any winning symbol combinations, each of the related symbols of the class of symbols qualify to be removed responsive to a triggering event randomly occurring, and(e) for each of any displayed symbols that qualify to be removed;
(i) cause the at least one display device to display a removal of said symbol,(ii) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position,(iii) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, and(iv) for any created empty symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of symbols.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming system includes a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes one or more different classes or sets of symbols. Each class or set of symbols includes one or more related symbols. If a symbol class triggering event occurs in association with a class or set of symbols, the gaming system removes each of the related symbols in that class of symbols which are displayed at symbol display positions of one or more symbol display position matrices.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one display 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 for a play of a game, cause the at least one processor to; (a) at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of symbols, wherein; (i) the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row, and (ii) the plurality of symbols includes a class of symbols including a plurality of related symbols, said plurality of related symbols being less than the plurality of symbols, (b) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations, (c) responsive to a plurality of the displayed symbols forming at least one winning symbol combination, cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination, (d) determine, for each displayed symbol, whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, wherein independent of the formation of any winning symbol combinations, each of the related symbols of the class of symbols qualify to be removed responsive to a triggering event randomly occurring, and (e) for each of any displayed symbols that qualify to be removed; (i) cause the at least one display device to display a removal of said symbol, (ii) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, (iii) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, and (iv) for any created empty symbol display positions, cause the at least one display device to display one of the plurality of symbols. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. 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 operate, for a play of a game, to; (a) communicate data which results in at least one display device displaying, at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, one of a plurality of symbols, wherein; (i) the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row, and (ii) the plurality of symbols includes a class of symbols including a plurality of related symbols, said plurality of related symbols being less than the plurality of symbols, (b) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations, (c) responsive to a plurality of the displayed symbols forming at least one winning symbol combination, communicate data which results in the at least one display device displaying one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination, (d) determine, for each displayed symbol, whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, wherein independent of the formation of any winning symbol combinations, each of the related symbols of the class of symbols qualify to be removed if a triggering event randomly occurs, and (e) for each of any displayed symbols that qualify to be removed; (i) communicate data which results in the at least one display device displaying a removal of said symbol, (ii) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, communicate data which results in the at least one display device displaying a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, (iii) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, communicate data which results in the at least one display device displaying a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, and (iv) for any created empty symbol display positions, communicate data which results in the at least one display device displaying one of the plurality of symbols. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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(a) at each of a plurality of symbol display positions, displaying, by at least one display device, one of a plurality of symbols, wherein; (i) the plurality of symbol display positions form at least three columns and at least three rows including a first row, a second row positioned adjacent to the first row and a third row positioned adjacent to the second row, and (ii) the plurality of symbols includes a class of symbols including a plurality of related symbols, said plurality of related symbols being less than the plurality of symbols, (b) determining, by at least one processor, if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations, (c) responsive to a plurality of the displayed symbols forming at least one winning symbol combination, displaying, by the at least one display device, one of a plurality of awards for each displayed winning symbol combination, (d) determining, by the at least one processor and for each displayed symbol, whether said displayed symbol qualifies to be removed, wherein independent of the formation of any winning symbol combinations, each of the related symbols of the class of symbols qualify to be removed if a triggering event randomly occurs, and (e) for each of any displayed symbols that qualify to be removed; (i) removing, by the at least one processor, said symbol, (ii) for each of any symbols removed from the first row of the symbol display positions, displaying, by the at least one display device, a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, (iii) for each of any symbols removed from the second row of the symbol display positions, displaying, by the at least one display device, a repositioning of at least one of the displayed symbols to at least another one of the symbol display positions to create at least one empty symbol display position, and (iv) for any created empty symbol display positions, displaying, by the at least one display device, one of the plurality of symbols. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification