| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080200237 | GAMING DEVICE HAVING A MULTI-FUNCTION FREE GAME BONUS - An apparatus and method for a free spins game including a plurality of reels, an outcome and a plurality of sections associated with the outcome. The gaming device or player activates the reels to indicate a designated symbol combination including at least two section indicator symbols. When a designated symbol combination including the section indicator symbols is indicated on the reels, the gaming device obtains the corresponding section. The gaming device or player continues to activate the reels until there are no free spins remaining in the game or until all of the sections are obtained. The gaming device then provides the outcome to the player. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20090005155 | GAMING DEVICE HAVING MULTIPLE INTERACTING INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE WHEELS - A gaming device having multiple interacting independently operated symbol generators, such as wheels. In one embodiment, each wheel includes a plurality of sections that are associated with a plurality of different outcomes which are displayed to a player. One or more of the wheels are activated, either sequentially or simultaneously and the results of the wheel activations influence one or more subsequent wheel activations. Upon a terminating event, an outcome based on the results from one or more spins of one or more of the wheels is provided to the player. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090124347 | GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND GAMING METHOD PROVIDING STACKING SYMBOLS AND CONVERTIBLE REELS - The gaming system, gaming device and method provides a reel game that includes stacks of symbols configured on the reels to provide a large number of winning symbol combinations. The gaming device includes a plurality of reels wherein each reel includes a reel-strip and a plurality of symbols. Each of the plurality of reels is configured to include one or more stacks of symbols wherein a stack of symbols is formed by placing a plurality of identical symbols adjacent to each other on a single reel. If two non-adjacent reels each generated a stack of identical symbols and at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels generated symbols different from the symbols used to form the stack of identical symbols, at least one symbol on the at least one reel positioned between the two non-adjacent reels is modified into the symbol that forms the stacks of identical symbols. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20100029363 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A BONUS EVENT TRIGGERED BY A CONTINUOUS COMMUNAL GAME - A communal game is displayed by a gaming system. A plurality of gaming devices each enable a player to wager on plays of a primary game and determine an eligibility status. The communal game repeatedly generates at least one communal game symbol from a plurality of communal game symbols regardless of whether any player is wagering on plays of a primary game. The communal game triggers a bonus event based on the generated symbols. Any eligible gaming devices may participate in the bonus event. For each eligible gaming device, the gaming system applies at least one symbol or gaming element from the communal game to the primary game of the eligible gaming device. Each eligible gaming device provides an award based on any winning symbol combinations generated by application of the communal game symbol or gaming element. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100062827 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING INDICATION OF NOTABLE SYMBOLS - The gaming device and method disclosed herein produces an indication of an appearance of a notable or designated symbol in a symbol display region while at least one reel is spinning. The indication continues while the notable symbol appears in the symbol display region and while the at least one reel is spinning. Different indications are produced for the different notable symbols when appearing in the symbol display region while the at least one reel is spinning. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100120493 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD HAVING A BONUS SEQUENCE WITH AVAILABLE SYMBOLS DETERMINED IN A BASE GAME - In one embodiment, the gaming system includes a plurality of symbols for a play of the primary game, wherein at least one symbol from this set of symbols is a designated symbol. In this embodiment, for a play of the primary game, the gaming system randomly displays a plurality of symbols from the set of symbols. If the plurality of displayed symbols include a designated symbol, the gaming system triggers a bonus sequence, determines a number of bonus symbol generations for the bonus sequence, and determines which symbols are displayed in symbol position locations relative to or having a predetermined relationship to the symbol position location of the displayed designated symbol. The gaming system then determines a sub-set of symbols which includes the symbols that were determined to be displayed in symbol position locations relative to or having a predetermined relationship to the symbol position location of the designated symbol. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100120496 | GAMING SYSTEM ENABLING A SYMBOL DRIVEN WIN EVALUATION METHOD - Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming system and method include determining whether to initiate a win evaluation sequence for determining awards for a play of a wagering game based on the symbols generated in that play of the wagering game. In various such embodiments, the gaming system determines whether to initiate a win evaluation sequence for determining awards for a play of a wagering game based on whether a designated number of evaluation triggering symbols are randomly generated in the play of the wagering game. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100120500 | GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND GAMING METHOD PROVIDING ADDITIONAL AWARD OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN ACTIVATION OF A SYMBOL GENERATOR BASED ON AN OCCURRENCE OF A TRIGGERING EVENT - A gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method including a symbol generator, where a number of awards available to the player in a single activation of the symbol generator and/or which awards are available to a player in a single activation of the symbol generator are based on an occurrence of one or more triggering events. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100120501 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING POINTS OF SYMBOL EXPANSION - Various embodiments of the disclosed gaming system and method include the gaming system randomly generating a plurality of symbols, displaying the generated symbols and prior to determining any awards for a play of a game, determining whether an expanding symbol is displayed at one or more points of symbol expansion. If the expanding symbol is displayed at the point of symbol expansion, the gaming system causes the expanding symbol to “expand,” replacing at least another one of the displayed symbols. After the gaming system causes the symbol expansions, the gaming system evaluates the symbols for winning symbol combinations, determines any awards associated with the winning symbol combinations, and provides the player with any determined awards. In various embodiments, the point of symbol expansion is a symbol position. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100120503 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A COMMUNITY BONUS EVENT - A gaming system and method including providing a community or group bonus event to a plurality of players at a plurality of gaming devices. For each of the players determined as eligible to participate in a triggered group bonus event, the gaming system determines that player's relative probability of winning a group bonus event award in the triggered bonus event. In one such embodiment, each player's relative probability of winning the group bonus event award is based on that player's wagering history, such as any amounts wagered by that player, the frequency of placing such wagers and/or frequency of not placing any wagers. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100120507 | GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A CASCADING SYMBOLS GAME HAVING MAGNETIC SYMBOLS AND TARGET SYMBOLS - A gaming system displays one of a plurality of symbols in each of a plurality of symbol positions, at least one of the plurality of symbols being a target symbol for establishing a direction of shifting and at least one of the plurality of symbols being a magnetic symbol for shifting toward a target symbol. If any generated magnetic symbol is associated with a generated target symbol, the gaming system shifts that magnetic symbol toward the associated target symbol, resulting in an empty symbol position. The gaming system fills the empty symbol position by shifting a displayed symbol or by generating one of the plurality symbols and repeats until no magnetic symbol is associated with a target symbol. The gaming system provides an award for any displayed winning symbol combination. The gaming system removes symbols from each winning combination, fills the empty symbol positions, and repeats as above. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100120524 | GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND GAMING METHOD PROVIDING ADDITIONAL AWARD OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN ACTIVATION OF A SYMBOL GENERATOR BASED ON AN OCCURRENCE OF A TRIGGERING EVENT - A gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method including a symbol generator, where a number of awards available to the player in a single activation of the symbol generator and/or which awards are available to a player in a single activation of the symbol generator are based on an occurrence of one or more triggering events. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100124968 | GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD PROVIDING TRACE SYMBOLS - The gaming device includes a plurality of mechanical reels which have a plurality of symbols including a plurality of trace symbols. The gaming device includes at least one light source configured to illuminate portions of the mechanical reels when the mechanical reels generate the trace symbols so that for at least one subsequent spin of the mechanical reels, the gaming device can indicate that the mechanical reels generated the trace symbols during a previous spin of the mechanical reels. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100124972 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A CASCADING SYMBOL GAME INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENT REELS WHICH PROVIDE A STACKED SYMBOL FUNCTIONALITY - A gaming system displays a plurality of independent reels, wherein each independent reel generates a symbol from a plurality of symbol positions of that independent reel in accordance with a plurality of probabilities. At least two adjacent independent reels generate symbols according to relatively high probabilities of generating a designated symbol. For a play of the game, the gaming system generates and displays a symbol for each independent reel and provides an award for any displayed winning symbol combinations. In one embodiment, for at least one symbol position of at least one winning symbol combination, the gaming system re-generates a symbol for one or more independent, such as by displaying a symbol from an adjacent symbol position of that independent reel. The gaming system provides an award for any winning symbol combinations and repeats until no winning symbol combinations are displayed. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100137056 | GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING ADJUSTABLE ODDS FOR TRIGGERING A GROUP BONUS EVENT - The gaming system and method disclosed herein provides that the probability that a group bonus event will be triggered for a plurality of gaming devices in the gaming system is independent of the number of players that are currently playing such gaming devices. The gaming system and method disclosed herein further provides that different players that are wagering different amounts at different rates are provided different quantities of evaluation points such that if a group bonus event is triggered, different players are provided different group bonus event awards proportional to each individual player's wagering activity. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20110111828 | GAMING SYSTEMS, GAMING DEVICES AND METHODS WITH VOLATILITY CONTROL GAMES - Gaming systems, gaming devices and methods that provide games that control volatility. In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein enables a player to select values, or cells associated with values, that are displayed in a particular arrangement. The player selected values are distributed to other values or cells according to one or more predefined rules. In one embodiment, one or more of the player selectable values are progressive award values. At some point during the game, the gaming system randomly picks one of the remaining values that have not been selected and provides an award to the player based at least in part on the selected value. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110111835 | RECONCILING PAYBACK PERCENTAGE OF A GAMING DEVICE WITH TRANSFERABLE RETURN - An electronic gaming machine (EGM) is configured to run a persistence game having one or more recordable persistence states transferable to another EGM. The EGM includes a logic system, a computer readable memory including instructions executable by the logic system for running on the EGM a persistence game having persistence states leading to a persistence award redeemable when persistence criteria are satisfied, each persistence state having a persistence value representing a portion of the persistence award, a verification interface configured for determining whether to initiate play of the persistence game at a previously recorded persistence state, a coin-in meter, a coin-out meter, and a theoretical coin-out meter storing in the memory unawarded persistence values accumulated by the machine from advancing the persistence game during game play among the one or more persistence states, and calculating a value for theoretical coin-out as a sum of the accumulated coin-out value and a difference between the persistence value of a current persistence state and the persistence value of a previous persistence state. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110111852 | TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAYS WITH PHYSICAL BUTTONS FOR GAMING DEVICES - Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems implementing techniques for providing input for playing a game of chance. A gaming machine includes a touch screen display. The touch screen display is configured to display input selections, auxiliary input selections, and auxiliary data. The touch screen display is further configured to receive game input corresponding to the input selections and auxiliary input corresponding to the auxiliary input selections. The received game input and auxiliary input are transmitted to a controller of the gaming machine. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110117989 | GAMING SYSTEM, GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A PERSISTENCE GAME WITH MULTIPLE SYMBOL EVALUATIONS - In one embodiment, the gaming system and method disclosed herein employs a symbol accumulation sequence and a symbol evaluation sequence. The symbol accumulation sequence includes an accumulation of a designated quantity of symbols in association with a persistence game. The symbol accumulation sequence also includes the maintenance of a persistence game arrangement that displays a designated quantity of currently accumulated symbols (which in certain instances, includes some, but not all of the total number of symbols accumulated). In one embodiment, the symbol evaluation sequence includes the gaming system determining and providing an award based on the accumulated symbols of the persistence game. In another embodiment, the symbol evaluation sequence includes the gaming system determining and providing an award based on at least one of the accumulated symbols of the persistence game and at least one symbol generated for a current play of a wagering game. | 05-19-2011 |
