Gaming system and method for providing a multiple dimension symbol game with expanding wild symbols

• US 9,978,221 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Friedman, Stacy A., Dubois, Cooper
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carter, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/215,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• 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

Gaming systems and methods for providing a multi-dimensional symbol game with expanding wild symbols.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including an acceptor, and a cashout device;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

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, causes the at least one processor to;

(a) responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of different symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position grids, wherein;

(i) the plurality of different symbols include a plurality of wild symbols,

(ii) each symbol display position grid is associated with a different depth, and

(iii) a plurality of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position grids associated with a first depth correspond to a plurality of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position grids associated with a second, different depth;

(c) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations;

(d) responsive to a plurality of the displayed symbols forming at least one winning symbol combination, cause the at least one display device to display an award for each displayed winning symbol combination;

(e) responsive to at least one wild symbol modification condition being satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions and at least one non-wild symbol being displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols;

(i) modify the at least one non-wild symbol into a wild symbol, and

(ii) repeat (c) to (e) until no wild symbol modification condition is satisfied, wherein each wild symbol modification condition is satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions and at least one non-wild symbol being displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols, and

(f) responsive to a cashout input being received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein two of the symbol display positions are related if said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the adjacent symbol display positions are each in the same symbol display position grid.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein two of the symbol display positions are related if one of:

(i) said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other, and (ii) said symbol display positions are not adjacent to each other.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of any award for any displayed winning symbol combination is at least one of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

6. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing a display, by at least one display device, of one of a plurality of different symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position grids, wherein;

(i) the plurality of different symbols include a plurality of wild symbols,

(ii) each symbol display position grid is associated with a different depth, and

(iii) a plurality of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position grids associated with a first depth correspond to a plurality of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position grids associated with a second, different depth;

(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, causing a display, by the at least one display device, of an award for each displayed winning symbol combination; and

(d) responsive to at least one wild symbol modification condition being satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions and at least one non-wild symbol being displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols;

(i) modifying, by the at least one processor, the at least one non-wild symbol into a wild symbol, and

(ii) repeating (b) to (d) until no wild symbol modification condition is satisfied, wherein each wild symbol modification condition is satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions and at least one non-wild symbol being displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein two of the symbol display positions are related if said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjacent symbol display positions are each in the same symbol display position grid.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein two of the symbol display positions are related if one of:

(i) said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other, and (ii) said symbol display positions are not adjacent to each other.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of any award for any displayed winning symbol combination is at least one of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

11. The method of claim 6, which is provided through a data network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data network is an internet.

23. The method of claim 6, wherein any displayed award for any displayed winning symbol combination causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device.

24. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular mobile device.

13. A gaming system comprising:

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, causes the at least one processor to;

(a) cause a display, by at least one display device, of one of a plurality of different symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position grids, wherein;

(i) the plurality of different symbols include a plurality of wild symbols,

(ii) each symbol display position grid is associated with a different depth, and

(iii) a plurality of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position grids associated with a first depth correspond to a plurality of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position grids associated with a second, different depth;

(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 a display, by the at least one display device, of an award for each displayed winning symbol combination; and

(d) responsive to at least one wild symbol modification condition being satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions and at least one non-wild symbol being displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols;

(i) modify the at least one non-wild symbol into a wild symbol, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (d) until no wild symbol modification condition is satisfied, wherein each wild symbol modification condition is satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions and at least one non-wild symbol being displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein two of the symbol display positions are related if said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the adjacent symbol display positions are each in the same symbol display position grid.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein two of the symbol display positions are related if one of:

(i) said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other, and (ii) said symbol display positions are not adjacent to each other.

17. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein at least one of any award for any displayed winning symbol combination is at least one of:

a quantity of monetary credits, a quantity of non-monetary credits, a quantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of player tracking points.

18. The gaming system of claim 13, which transmits and receives data over a data network.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein the data network is an internet.

26. The gaming system of claim 13, which comprises an acceptor, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

27. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the at least one display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.

28. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular mobile device.

20. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including an acceptor, and a cashout device;

at least one display device supported by the housing;

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, causes the at least one processor to;

(a) responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) cause the at least one display device to display one of a plurality of different symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position grids, wherein;

(i) the plurality of different symbols include a plurality of wild symbols,

(ii) each symbol display position grid is associated with a different depth, and

(iii) a plurality of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position grids associated with a first depth correspond to a plurality of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position grids associated with a second, different depth;

(c) determine if any of the displayed symbols form any winning symbol combinations;

(d) responsive to a plurality of the displayed symbols forming at least one winning symbol combination, cause the at least one display device to display an award for each displayed winning symbol combination;

(e) responsive to at least one wild symbol modification condition being satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions;

(i) modify at least one non-wild symbol into a wild symbol, wherein the non-wild symbol was displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols, two of the symbol display positions are related if one of;

(A) said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other, and (B) said symbol display positions are not adjacent to each other, and the one of (A) the adjacent symbol display positions and (B) the non-adjacent symbol display positions are each in the same symbol display position grid, and

(ii) repeat (c) to (e) at least once, wherein each wild symbol modification condition is satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions, and

(f) responsive to a cashout input being received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

21. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing a display, by at least one display device, of one of a plurality of different symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position grids, wherein;

(i) the plurality of different symbols include a plurality of wild symbols,

(ii) each symbol display position grid is associated with a different depth, and

(iii) a plurality of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position grids associated with a first depth correspond to a plurality of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position grids associated with a second, different depth;

(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, causing a display, by the at least one display device, of an award for each displayed winning symbol combination; and

(d) responsive to at least one wild symbol modification condition being satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions;

(i) causing modifying, by the at least one processor, at least one non-wild symbol into a wild symbol, wherein the non-wild symbol was displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols, two of the symbol display positions are related if one of;

(A) said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other, and (B) said symbol display positions are not adjacent to each other, and the one of (A) the adjacent symbol display positions and (B) the non-adjacent symbol display positions are each in the same symbol display position grid, and

(ii) repeating (b) to (d) at least once, wherein each wild symbol modification condition is satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein any displayed award for any displayed winning symbol combination causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular mobile device.

22. A gaming system comprising:

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, causes the at least one processor to;

(a) cause a display, by at least one display device, of one of a plurality of different symbols at each of a plurality of symbol display positions of each of a plurality of symbol display position grids, wherein;

(i) the plurality of different symbols include a plurality of wild symbols,

(ii) each symbol display position grid is associated with a different depth, and

(iii) a plurality of the symbol display positions of a first one of the symbol display position grids associated with a first depth correspond to a plurality of the symbol display positions of a second one of the symbol display position grids associated with a second, different depth;

(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 a display, by the at least one display device, of an award for each displayed winning symbol combination; and

(d) responsive to at least one wild symbol modification condition being satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions;

(i) modify at least one non-wild symbol into a wild symbol, wherein the non-wild symbol was displayed at at least one symbol display position related to at least one of the at least two symbol display positions which display the at least two wild symbols, two of the symbol display positions are related if one of;

(A) said symbol display positions are adjacent to each other, and (B) said symbol display positions are not adjacent to each other, and the one of (A) the adjacent symbol display positions and (B) the non-adjacent symbol display positions are each in the same symbol display position grid, and

(ii) repeat (b) to (d) at least once, wherein each wild symbol modification condition is satisfied based on at least two wild symbols being displayed at at least two of the symbol display positions.

32. The gaming system of claim 22, which comprises an acceptor, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

33. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein the at least one display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.

34. The gaming system of claim 33, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular mobile device.