Gaming device having a plurality of wildcard symbol patterns

• US 8,419,524 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Singer, Anthony M., Marks, Daniel M., Marks, Howard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US13/272,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20120034969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming device which includes a variety of methods to allow the player to select patterns of wildcard symbols, from a plurality of wildcard symbol patterns, and use those patterns during subsequent games. One embodiment allows the player to select a pattern of wildcard symbols and use the selected pattern during a free spin bonus game.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one processor;

at least one display 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 and the at least one input device to;

(a) display a game including a plurality of non-wild symbols and at least one wild symbol, said symbols displayable at a plurality of symbol positions in a symbol matrix;

(b) display a plurality of selections, each of the displayed selections being associated with a different one of a plurality of different patterns of the symbol positions, each of the different patterns of the symbol positions including at least two predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix;

(c) cause a selection of one of the displayed selections; and

(d) for each of a plurality of plays of the game;

(i) display the wild symbol at each of the predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix included in the pattern of the symbol positions associated with the selected displayed selection;

(ii) independent from the selection of said displayed selection, randomly generate a plurality of said non-wild symbols;

(iii) after the wild symbol is displayed at each of the predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix included in the pattern of the symbol positions associated with the selected displayed selection, display the generated plurality of non-wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol positions in the symbol matrix;

(iv) determine any awards associated with any winning combinations of the displayed symbols; and

(v) provide any determined awards to a player.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device, for each of the plurality of plays of the game, to not display any non-wild symbols at the symbol positions in the symbol matrix at which said wild symbols are displayed.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to receive the selection of one of the displayed selections from the player.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein each of the displayed selections is associated with a different wild symbol.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause a selection of a plurality of the displayed selections.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the game is a free spin game.

7. A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display;

(i) a plurality of symbol positions in a symbol matrix; and

(ii) a plurality of selections, each of the displayed selections being associated with a different one of a plurality of different patterns of the symbol positions, each of the different patterns of the symbol positions including at least two predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable a selection of one of the displayed selections; and

(c) after the selection of one of the displayed selections, for each of a plurality of plays of a game;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a wild symbol at each of the predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix included in the pattern of the symbol positions associated with the selected displayed selection;

(ii) independent from the selection of said displayed selection, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly generate a plurality of non-wild symbols;

(iii) after the wild symbol is displayed at each of the predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix included in the pattern of the symbol positions associated with the selected displayed selection, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display the generated plurality of non-wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol positions in the symbol matrix;

(iv) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any awards associated with any winning combinations of the displayed symbols; and

(v) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause any determined awards to be provided to a player.

8. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device, for each of the plurality of plays of the game, to not display any non-wild symbols at the symbol positions in the symbol matrix at which said wild symbols are displayed.

9. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive the selection of one of the displayed selections from the player.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the displayed selections is associated with a different wild symbol.

11. The method of claim 7, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable a selection of a plurality of the displayed selections.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the game is a free spin game.

13. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) cause at least one display device to display a game including a plurality of non-wild symbols and at least one wild symbol, said symbols displayable at a plurality of symbol positions in a symbol matrix;

(b) cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of selections, each of the displayed selections being associated with a different one of a plurality of different patterns of the symbol positions, each of the different patterns of the symbol positions including at least two predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix;

(c) cause a selection of one of the displayed selections; and

(d) for each of a plurality of plays of the game;

(i) cause the at least one display device to display the wild symbol at each of the predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix included in the pattern of the symbol positions associated with the selected displayed selection;

(ii) independent from the selection of said displayed selection, randomly generate a plurality of said non-wild symbols;

(iii) after the wild symbol is displayed at each of the predefined symbol positions in the symbol matrix included in the pattern of the symbol positions associated with the selected displayed selection, cause the at least one display device to display the generated plurality of non-wild symbols at a plurality of the symbol positions in the symbol matrix;

(iv) determine any awards associated with any winning combinations of the displayed symbols; and

(v) cause any determined awards to be provided to a player.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device, for each of the plurality of plays of the game, to not display any non-wild symbols at the symbol positions in the symbol matrix at which said wild symbols are displayed.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to receive the selection of one of the displayed selections from the player.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the displayed selections is associated with a different wild symbol.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause a selection of a plurality of the displayed selections.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the game is a free spin game.