Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-08
2001-09-18
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C463S013000, C273S14300R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290600
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronic games commonly referred to as slot machines. More particularly it relates to slot machines of the type which have a bonus sequence.
BACKGROUND
Slot machines are well known gaming devices. In the past they have been embodied as first mechanical and later electromechanical devices having three or more reels. Each reel includes about its periphery a plurality of symbols (and blanks). When play is initiated as by inserting a wager and pulling a handle, the reels are spun eventually slowing to present symbols or blanks at a payline. If the combination of symbols is one of a predetermined schedule of winning outcomes, the player receives a reward. If the outcome is a losing outcome, the player loses their wager.
Recently it has been known to provide video displays controlled by a processor which simulates spinning reels and the presentation of winning or losing outcomes. Furthermore it has been known to provide these devices with bonus sequences which are triggered by the player obtaining certain outcomes during play of the primary game. One such game is a game wherein five reels are displayed. The player makes a wager to enable from one to five or more paylines. When play is prompted, the processor simulates the spinning of the reels and the eventual presentation of outcomes for each enabled payline. If the player has a winning outcome on any enabled payline they receive a reward. If the player receives a bonus enabling outcome, the display switches to a bonus display. In one machine the display is of a barnyard where the player is requested to select one of five displayed pigs. Upon making the selection, the display displays a farmer washing the mud off of the pig to reveal a bonus. In another game five fishermen are shown and the player is prompted to select one. The display shows the selected fisherman reeling in a fish to display the bonus.
These bonus game have gained popularity in casinos.
In another type of game, when the player obtains a predetermined outcome during play of the game, a sequence is initiated wherein a wild symbol marches through the display creating different combinations and different payouts. One such game is as described in Australian Patent AU-B43613/97 published Feb. 5, 1998 by Bennett and titled “Slot Machine With Roaming Wild Symbol”.
Bonus games are, as stated above, popular among players. However, one drawback is that, in one type of machine, the player only gets to select symbols as a means for randomly selecting a bonus. The player, by obtaining a bonus enabling outcome knows they are going to obtain a bonus, he just does not know how much. There is no means by which the player might expect to increase his bonus during play or presentation of the bonus sequence. With roaming wild symbols, the prize of the feature depends on combinations created by the roaming wild symbol while moving from position to position.
In Hooker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,683, a slot machine is set forth where the player can hold a reel for the next spin of the remaining reels in an effort to obtain a winning outcome on a payline. This game does not relate to bonuses in relation to the play of a primary game.
There is a need for a slot machine game and method which overcomes the drawbacks noted above, which provides for a bonus sequence and which provides the player during the bonus sequence with a chance to increase the bonus to be awarded.
SUMMARY
There is, therefore, set forth according to the present invention, an improved electronic gaming device of the type including a display, means for accepting a wager, a processor programmed to, when prompted, control the display to display at least three reels each in a spinning mode concluding at a stopped mode whereat a plurality of reel symbols are displayed on said reels selected from the data structure defining a winning or a losing outcome based upon the combination of symbols displayed on the reels and means for issuing a reward to the player when a winning outcome is obtained. One or more paylines are provided with the symbols or blanks aligned there along defining the outcome(s). The arrangement of symbols scattered anywhere on the display can also define additional winning outcomes. The processor is programmed, configured and adapted to sense the occurrence of a predetermined bonus triggering event. While the triggering event may be external to the device such as a signal from another processor, in the preferred embodiment the triggering event is the player obtaining at the display one or a combination of symbols. For example the triggering event may be the display of a feature symbol on one reel and the display of a landing symbol on another, adjacent reel. In response to sensing said triggering event the processor is adapted to initiate a bonus sequence and control the display to display a designated symbol moving from a first position to at least one or more landing positions on the display. Means are provided for issuing a bonus award based upon the number of landing positions moved to by the designated symbol.
The designated or landing symbol may be a game symbol which can be used to form a winning combination during play of the underlying game.
In a preferred embodiment, the processor controls the display to display a designated feature symbol, when selected, at only the left most reel in the display presentation and any selected landing symbols on the other reels. In the most preferred embodiment, the triggering event is when the symbols selected and displayed display the feature symbol at the left most reel and a landing symbol on the adjacent reel. The feature symbol would therefore be shown to move to a landing position associated with the landing symbol. If landing symbols are displayed for all reels the feature symbol moves sequentially from left to right from one landing symbol to the next. Based upon how many reels the feature symbol can progress through the player wins a bonus award. If there is no landing symbol on a reel, the processor senses this condition and in one embodiment controls the display to display a bonus terminating sequence such as the feature symbol frog falling or jumping from the display. According to another embodiment, if the triggering event has occurred and the processor senses that the next adjacent reel does not include a landing symbol, the processor reselects symbols for that reel and displays that reel re-spinning to display the newly selected symbols including a landing symbol, if any. If the re-selection includes a landing symbol, the feature symbol moves to that reel and the foregoing is repeated for the next reel. If not, the termination sequence is initiated.
In the preferred embodiment, if the feature symbol can progress across the display to all reels, the processor initiates a celebration sequence whereupon a celebration image is displayed to interact with the feature symbol as by showing a Princess kissing the frog feature symbol.
Still further the feature symbol and landing symbols can be incorporated into the theme of the game by providing jumping frogs, insects, fish, dogs, athletes or the like.
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patent: 4836546 (1989-06-01), DiRe et al.
patent: 5449173 (1995-09-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5772506 (1998-06-01), Marks et al.
patent: 5778573 (1998-08-01), Baerlocher et al.
patent: 6033307 (2000-03-01), Vancura
patent: 6059289 (2000-05-01), Vancura
patent: 6089977 (2000-07-01), Bennett
patent: 0984407A2 (2000-08-01), None
patent: 9-122315 (1997-09-01), None
Anderson Philip J.
Anderson & Morishita
Ashburn Steven
O'Neill Michael
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