System and method for gaming

• US 9,922,496 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Ashley, Simon Patrick, Roukis, George, Visser, Antoon Christiaan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US15/212,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20160328920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of gaming comprises providing a jackpot game in addition to a main game, the jackpot game being displayed independently of the main game. Play of the jackpot game affects at least one of the awarding of a jackpot prize and value of a jackpot prize pool from which the jackpot prize is awarded.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving, via a credit input mechanism, an item associated with a monetary value;

establishing a credit balance based on the monetary value;

receiving an amount bet, that is funded from the credit balance, to play the gaming machine;

generating a main game outcome in response to play of a main game of the gaming machine;

determining, based on the amount bet, a number of a jackpot symbol presented on one or more reels during a jackpot game of the gaming machine;

generating, in addition to the main game outcome, a jackpot game outcome that is based on spinning the one or more reels that present the determined number of the jackpot symbol;

awarding an accumulated credit value of a jackpot prize associated with the jackpot symbol in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the jackpot symbol; and

adding the awarded accumulated credit value of the jackpot prize to the credit balance,

wherein said generating the main game outcome comprises spinning a plurality of reels for the main game that are distinct from the one or more reels presenting the determined number of the jackpot symbol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating the jackpot game outcome comprises selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating the jackpot game outcome comprises selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a different jackpot symbol associated with a different jackpot prize.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising awarding another accumulated credit value of the different jackpot prize in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the different jackpot symbol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said generating the jackpot game outcome comprises selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a jackpot increment symbol; and

the method further comprises incrementing the accumulated credit value of the jackpot prize in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the jackpot increment symbol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said generating the jackpot game outcome comprises selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a non-jackpot prize symbol; and

the method further comprises awarding a non-jackpot prize associated with the non-jackpot prize symbol in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the non-jackpot prize symbol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said generating the jackpot game outcome comprises selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a no value symbol; and

the method further comprises awarding no value in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the no value symbol.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon, wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, result in a game controller for a gaming machine:

in response to a credit input mechanism receiving an item associated with a monetary value, establishing a credit balance based on the monetary value;

receiving an amount bet funded from the credit balance to play the gaming machine;

generating a main game outcome in response to play of a main game of the gaming machine;

determining, based on the amount bet, a number of a jackpot symbol presented on one or more reels during a jackpot game of the gaming machine;

generating, in addition to the main game outcome, a jackpot game outcome that is based on spinning the one or more reels that present the determined number of the jackpot symbol;

awarding an accumulated credit value of a jackpot prize associated with the jackpot symbol in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the jackpot symbol; and

adding the awarded accumulated credit value of the jackpot prize to the credit balance,

wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller generating the main game outcome by causing a plurality of reels for the main game to spin that are distinct from the one or more reels presenting the determined number of the jackpot symbol.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a different jackpot symbol associated with a different jackpot prize.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller awarding the different jackpot prize in response the jackpot game outcome comprising the different jackpot symbol.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller:

selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a jackpot increment symbol; and

incrementing the accumulated credit value of the jackpot prize in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the jackpot increment symbol.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller:

selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a non-jackpot prize symbol; and

awarding a non-jackpot prize associated with the non-jackpot prize symbol in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the non-jackpot prize symbol.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the game controller:

selecting one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol and a no value symbol; and

awarding no value in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the no value symbol.

15. A gaming machine, comprising:

a credit input mechanism configured to receive an item associated with a monetary value;

one or more displays configured to depict a main game outcome of a main game and a jackpot game outcome of a jackpot game, wherein the one or more displays include a jackpot reel; and

a game controller configured to;

establish a credit balance based on the monetary value;

receive an amount bet funded from the credit balance;

generate the main game outcome in response to play of the main game of the gaming machine;

determine, based on the amount bet, a number of a jackpot symbol presented on the jackpot reel during the jackpot game;

generate, in addition to the main game outcome, the jackpot game outcome based on spinning the jackpot reel that presents the determined number of the jackpot symbol; and

award an accumulated credit value of a jackpot prize associated with the jackpot symbol in response to the jackpot game outcome comprising the jackpot symbol,

wherein the one more displays further comprise a plurality of reels for the main game that are distinct from the jackpot reel, and

wherein the game controller is further configured to cause the plurality of reels to spin to obtain the main game outcome.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the game controller is further configured to select one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol.

17. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the game controller is further configured to select one or more symbols for the jackpot game outcome from a plurality of symbols that include the determined number of the jackpot symbol associated with the jackpot prize and a different jackpot symbol associated with a different jackpot prize.