U.S. Pat. No. 9,460,586

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, certain embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although the following discloses example methods, systems, articles of manufacture, and apparatus including, among other components, software executed on hardware, it should be noted that such methods and apparatus are merely illustrative and should not be considered as limiting. For example, it is contemplated that any or all of these hardware and software components could be embodied exclusively in hardware, exclusively in software, exclusively in firmware, or in any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Accordingly, while the following describes example methods, systems, articles of manufacture, and apparatus, the examples provided are not the only way to implement such methods, systems, articles of manufacture, and apparatus.

When any of the appended claims are read to cover a purely software and/or firmware implementation, at least one of the elements in an at least one example is hereby expressly defined to include a tangible medium such as a memory, DVD, CD, Blu-ray, etc. storing the software and/or firmware.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a method and a gaming system for implementing the method. In the embodiment, the method includes displaying columns of symbol display positions, whereby at least some of the columns have differing numbers of symbol display positions. In the embodiment, the method also includes defining winning combinations of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of said columns, and facilitating selection of at least one of the columns by a player for selection of winning combinations to be played in a game. The selected winning combinations to be played include all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of the selected column or columns and a designated symbol display position from each of the columns which the player did not select. In the embodiment, the method further includes selecting symbols for display in the symbol display positions and determining a game outcome based on symbols displayed in the selected winning combinations.

General Construction of Gaming System

The gaming system can take a number of different forms. In a first form, a stand alone gaming machine is provided wherein all or most components to implement the game are present in a player operable gaming machine.

In a second form, a distributed architecture is provided wherein some of the components to implement the game are present in a player operable gaming machine and some of the components to implement the game are located remotely relative to the gaming machine. For example, a “thick client” architecture may be used wherein part of the game is executed on a player operable gaming machine and part of the game is executed remotely, such as by a gaming server; or a “thin client” architecture may be used wherein most of the game is executed remotely such as by a gaming server and a player operable gaming machine is used only to display audible and/or visible gaming information to the player and receive gaming inputs from the player.

However, it will be understood that other arrangements are envisaged. For example, an architecture may be provided wherein a gaming machine is networked to a gaming server and the respective functions of the gaming machine and the gaming server are selectively modifiable. For example, the gaming system may operate in stand alone gaming machine mode, “thick client” mode or “thin client” mode depending on the game being played, operating conditions, and so on. Other variations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Irrespective of the form, the gaming system has several core components. At the broadest level, the core components are a player interface50and a game controller60as illustrated inFIG. 1. The player interface is arranged to enable manual interaction between a player and the gaming system and for this purpose includes the input/output components for the player to enter instructions to play the game and observe the game outcomes.

Components of the player interface may vary from embodiment to embodiment but will typically include a credit mechanism52to enable a player to input credits and receive payouts, one or more displays54, a game play mechanism56including one or more input devices that enable a player to input game play instructions (e.g. to place a wager), and one or more speakers58.

The game controller60is in data communication with the player interface and typically includes a processor62that processes the game play instructions in accordance with game play rules and outputs game play outcomes to the display. Typically, the game play rules are stored as program code in a memory64but can also be hardwired. Herein the term “processor” is used to refer generically to any device that can process game play instructions in accordance with game play rules and may include: a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or other computational device, a general purpose computer (e.g. a PC) or a server.

A gaming system in the form of a stand alone gaming machine10is illustrated inFIG. 2. The gaming machine10includes a console12having a display14on which are displayed representations of a game16that can be played by a player. A mid-trim20of the gaming machine10houses a bank of buttons22for enabling a player to interact with the gaming machine, in particular during game play. The mid-trim20also houses a credit input mechanism24which in this example includes a coin input chute24A and a bill collector24B. Other credit input mechanisms may also be employed, for example, a card reader for reading a smart card, debit card or credit card. Other gaming machines may configure for ticket in such that they have a ticket reader for reading tickets having a value and crediting the player based on the face value of the ticker. A player marketing module (not shown) having a reading device may also be provided for the purpose of reading a player tracking device, for example as part of a loyalty program. The player tracking device may be in the form of a card, flash drive or any other portable storage medium capable of being read by the reading device. In some embodiments, the player marketing module may provide an additional credit mechanism, either by transferring credits to the gaming machine from credits stored on the player tracking device or by transferring credits from a player account in data communication with the player marketing module.

A top box26may carry artwork28, including for example pay tables and details of bonus awards and other information or images relating to the game. Further artwork and/or information may be provided on a front panel29of the console12. A coin tray30is mounted beneath the front panel29for dispensing cash payouts from the gaming machine10.

The display14shown inFIG. 2is in the form of a video display unit, particularly a cathode ray tube screen device. Alternatively, the display14may be a liquid crystal display, plasma screen, any other suitable video display unit, or the visible portion of an electromechanical device. The top box26may also include a display, for example a video display unit, which may be of the same type as the display14, or of a different type.

FIG. 3shows a block diagram of operative components of a typical gaming machine which may be the same as or different to the gaming machine ofFIG. 2.

The gaming machine100includes a game controller101having a processor102mounted on a circuit board. Instructions and data to control operation of the processor102are stored in a memory103, which is in data communication with the processor102. Typically, the gaming machine100will include both volatile and non-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with such memories being collectively represented by the memory103.

The gaming machine has hardware meters104for purposes including ensuring regulatory compliance and monitoring player credit, an input/output (I/O) interface105for communicating with peripheral devices of the gaming machine100. The input/output interface105and/or the peripheral devices may be intelligent devices with their own memory for storing associated instructions and data for use with the input/output interface or the peripheral devices. A random number generator module113generates random numbers for use by the processor102. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the reference to random numbers includes pseudo-random numbers.

In the example shown inFIG. 3, a player interface120includes peripheral devices that communicate with the game controller101including one or more displays106, a touch screen and/or buttons107(which provide a game play mechanism), a card and/or ticket reader108, a printer109, a bill acceptor and/or coin input mechanism110and a coin output mechanism111. Additional hardware may be included as part of the gaming machine100, or hardware may be omitted based on the specific implementation. For example, while buttons or touch screens are typically used in gaming machines to allow a player to place a wager and initiate a play of a game any input device that enables the player to input game play instructions may be used. For example, in some gaming machines a mechanical handle is used to initiate a play of the game.

In addition, the gaming machine100may include a communications interface, for example a network card112. The network card may, for example, send status information, accounting information or other information to a bonus controller, central controller, server or database and receive data or commands from the bonus controller, central controller, server or database. In embodiments employing a player marketing module, communications over a network may be via player marketing module—i.e. the player marketing module may be in data communication with one or more of the above devices and communicate with it on behalf of the gaming machine.

FIG. 4shows a block diagram of the main components of an exemplary memory103. The memory103includes RAM103A, EPROM103B and a mass storage device103C. The RAM103A typically temporarily holds program files for execution by the processor102and related data. The EPROM103B may be a boot ROM device and/or may contain some system or game related code. The mass storage device103C is typically used to store game programs, the integrity of which may be verified and/or authenticated by the processor102using protected code from the EPROM103B or elsewhere.

It is also possible for the operative components of the gaming machine100to be distributed, for example input/output devices106,107,108,109,110,111to be provided remotely from the game controller101.

FIG. 5shows a gaming system200in accordance with an alternative embodiment. The gaming system200includes a network201, which for example may be an Ethernet network. Gaming machines202, shown arranged in three banks203of two gaming machines202inFIG. 5, are connected to the network201. The gaming machines202provide a player operable interface and may be the same as the gaming machines10,100shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, or may have simplified functionality depending on the rules, requirements, guidelines, and/or preferences for implementing game play. While banks203of two gaming machines are illustrated inFIG. 5, banks of one, three or more gaming machines are also envisaged.

One or more displays204may also be connected to the network201. For example, the displays204may be associated with one or more banks203of gaming machines. The displays204may be used to display representations associated with game play on the gaming machines202, and/or used to display other representations, for example promotional or informational material.

In a thick client embodiment, game server205implements part of the game played by a player using a gaming machine202and the gaming machine202implements part of the game. With this embodiment, as both the game server and the gaming device implement part of the game, they collectively provide a game controller. A database management server206may manage storage of game programs and associated data for downloading or access by the gaming devices202in a database206A. Typically, if the gaming system enables players to participate in a Jackpot game, a Jackpot server207will be provided to perform accounting functions for the Jackpot game. A loyalty program server212may also be provided.

In a thin client embodiment, game server205implements most or all of the game played by a player using a gaming machine202and the gaming machine202essentially provides only the player interface. With this embodiment, the game server205provides the game controller. The gaming machine will receive player instructions, pass these to the game server which will process them and return game play outcomes to the gaming machine for display. In a thin client embodiment, the gaming machines could be computer terminals, e.g. PCs running software that provides a player interface operable using standard computer input and output components. Other client/server configurations are possible, and further details of a client/server architecture can be found in WO 2006/052213 and PCT/SE2006/000559, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Servers are also typically provided to assist in the administration of the gaming network200, including for example a gaming floor management server208, and a licensing server209to monitor the use of licenses relating to particular games. An administrator terminal210is provided to allow an administrator to run the network201and the devices connected to the network.

The gaming system200may communicate with other gaming systems, other local networks, for example a corporate network, and/or a wide area network such as the Internet, for example through a firewall211.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that in accordance with known techniques, functionality at the server side of the network may be distributed over a plurality of different computers. For example, elements may be run as a single “engine” on one server or a separate server may be provided. For example, the game server205could run a random generator engine. Alternatively, a separate random number generator server could be provided. Further, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a plurality of game servers could be provided to run different games or a single game server may run a plurality of different games based on the terminals.

Further Detail of Gaming System

In an embodiment, a player operates the game play mechanism56to input instructions (e.g. make selections) for a game. The inputted instructions, and wager, are then used in the game to affect a game outcome.

For example, a player makes a selection of columns, from a display of columns of symbol display positions, for use in selecting winning combinations to be played in the game. The winning combinations are defined as having at least one symbol display position from each of the columns. In an embodiment, the winning combinations include win lines which will be referred to hereafter.

In another embodiment, the columns of symbol display positions correspond to reels of symbols displayed in the symbol display positions. In an example, the player obtains a win entitlement in a game outcome based on a selection of a number of reels to play and an amount to wager per reel. The selection of a reel means that each displayed symbol of the reel can be substituted for another symbol displayed in that reel. In other words, all symbols displayed at symbol display positions corresponding to a selected reel can be used to derive winning combinations including win lines with symbols displayed at designated symbol display positions of the other reels which the player did not select. For example, if there are five reels having 4, 3, 2, 3 and 4 symbol display positions respectively, and only the first reel is selected, four winning combinations of symbol display positions constituting four ways to win (e.g. win lines) can be derived. In this example, each winning combination includes any one of the symbols displayed in the four symbol display positions of the first reel and one displayed symbol in a designated symbol display position in each of the second, third, fourth and fifth reels which were not selected.

The total number of ways to win on win lines to be played in the game is thus determined by multiplying the number of active symbol display positions of each reel, the active symbol display positions being all symbol display positions of each selected reel, with the designated symbol display position of the non-selected reels. Also, in the embodiment, at least some of the columns (e.g. reels) have differing numbers of symbol display positions. Thus, in the above example where there are five reels having 4, 3, 2, 3 and 4 symbol display positions respectively, if all the reels are selected to form win lines, the total number of ways to win is 288 (i.e. 4*3*2*3*4).

It will be appreciated by those persons skilled in the art that the designation of symbol display positions (e.g. number of symbol display positions or size of symbol display positions) in each column (e.g. reel) may be specified in game rules642or may be designated at random. For example, it may be specified that adjacent designated symbol display positions in non-selected reels are aligned horizontally on the display.

As described above, symbols are selected for display in the symbol display positions and a game outcome (e.g. a win entitlement) is determined based on symbols displayed in the selected win lines. InFIG. 6, the processor62of game controller60is shown implementing a number of modules based on program code and data stored in memory64to conduct the game. The modules are adapted to display the symbol display positions in columns, facilitate selection of reels for selection of win lines to be played in the game, select symbols for display in the symbol display positions and determine a game outcome based on the symbols displayed in the played win lines. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that several of the modules could be implemented in some other way, for example by a dedicated circuit, or on a server remote from the game controller60.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 6, the modules of the game controller60include a winning combination module621to define all possible win lines for each variation of display of reels and symbol display positions. For example, in the above five reel 4*3*2*3*4 symbol display position example, the winning combination module621determines that there are 288 possible win lines which can be played if a player selects all reels. In another example, there are four reels of 4, 3, 2 and 3 symbol display positions respectively. In this case, the winning combination module621would determine that there are 72 possible win lines to be played in the game.

The winning combination module621also includes a winning combination selector622, which operates in response to the player's operation of game play mechanism56to select the reels for selection of win lines to be played in the game. For example, the player may select reels 1 to 4 of the five reel 4*3*2*3*4 symbol display position example and thus the winning combination module621determines that there are 72 win lines to be played in the game.

In an example, the game is a spinning reel type game where the player operates the game play mechanism56to input a wager and selects a number of reels to select a number of win lines to be played in each game. In response, a game outcome is generated by the winning combination module621communicating with a symbol selector623which selects symbols from a set of symbols specified by symbol data641using random number generator624. The selected symbols are advised to the display controller626which causes them to be displayed on display54at designated symbol display positions. The symbols641for the game may be displayed in symbol display positions arranged in columns, generally representing reels. In an example, the symbol selector623selects symbols from a plurality of symbol sets stored corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of spinning reels.

The display controller626is advised of the selected symbols and displays them in symbol display positions such that a player selected win line includes one symbol display position and thus one symbol from each column. A game outcome determiner625then determines an outcome of the game based on the symbols selected for display in the played win lines. The result of the determination (e.g. whether the player is entitled to a prize) is then advised to the display controller626for display to the player on the display54.

An example of a game employing the above method is described with reference toFIGS. 8aand 8b. The example800shown inFIG. 8aillustrates a display with the first reel810selected by the player for selection of win lines to be played. In the example800, the winning combination selector622operated in response to the player's operation of the game play mechanism56to select the first reel for selection of win lines to be played in the game. The winning combination module621thus defined the win lines to be played as having at least one symbol display position820822824826from reel810and a designated symbol display position from each of reels812814816818which the player did not select. That is, the winning combination module621defined four win lines to be played in the game out of a possible 288.

Symbol Display PositionsWin line 1: 820 828 830 832 834Win line 2: 822 828 830 832 834Win line 3: 824 828 830 832 834Win line 4: 826 828 830 832 834

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the designated symbol display positions from each of reels812814816818need not be located in a row. In addition, the designation of symbol display positions to form a win line may be specified in game rules642or may be designated at random.

In the example800, the symbol selector623selected symbols which were subsequently advised to the display controller626for display in the corresponding symbol display positions from the symbols specified by symbol data641using the random number generator624. It can be seen from the example800that the game outcome determiner625would not determine that a winning combination of symbols was displayed in any of the played win lines.

SymbolsWin line 1: KQKKKWin line 2: 2QKKKWin line 3: 8QKKKWin line 4: 9QKKK

FIG. 8bshows an example836where both the first reel810and second reel812are selected by the player for the selection of win lines to be played in the game. That is, the winning combination selector622operated in response to the player's operation of the game play mechanism56to select both the first and second reels. In this case, the winning combination module621defined twelve win lines to be played out of a possible 288.

In the example836, the symbol selector623selected symbols which were advised to the display controller626for display in the symbol display positions. In this case, the game outcome determiner625determines that a winning combination of symbols (5 Kings) was displayed in one of the played win lines (Win line 1).

SymbolsWin line 1: KKKKKWin line 2: KQKKKWin line 3: KAKKKWin line 4: 2KKKKWin line 5: 2QKKKWin line 6: 2AKKKWin line 7: 8KKKKWin line 8: 8QKKKWin line 9: 8AKKKWin line 10: 9KKKKWin line 11: 9QKKKWin line 12: 9AKKK

Another example of a game employing the above method is described with reference toFIGS. 9aand 9b. The example842shown inFIG. 9aalso illustrates a display with the five reels810812814816818however the reels and symbol display positions are of non-uniform size. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that either the reels or the symbol display positions could be displayed in non-uniform sizes. It will also be appreciated that the size of the symbol display positions and/or the reels may be specified in game rules642or may be designated at random.

In the example842, the reels810812814816818have symbol display positions in different sizes and the size of the symbol display positions in one reel corresponds to the number of symbol display positions in the reel. In the example842, the central reel814with two symbol display positions displays larger sized symbol display positions than the second and penultimate reels812816who, in turn, displays larger sized symbol display positions than the first and last reels810818. It is envisaged however that a different relationship between the number of symbol display positions in a reel and the symbol display position size may be employed, such as the inverse of the above relationship.

In the example842, all the reels810812814816818are selected by the player for selection of win lines to be played. Thus, the winning combination module621defined 288 win lines to be played and it can be seen from the example842that the game outcome determiner625would determine that a winning combination of symbols (5 Kings) was displayed in one of the played win lines.

The example844shown inFIG. 9aalso illustrates a display with reels and symbol display positions having non-uniform sizes. In this example, there is a sixth reel846and the displayed size of the symbol display positions is such that the top of the first symbol display position and the bottom the last symbol display position of adjacent reels is aligned.

In the example842, all the reels810812814816818846are also selected by the player for selection of win lines to be played. In this example, the reels have 4, 3, 2, 2, 3 and 4 symbol display positions respectively thus the winning combination module621defined 576 win lines to be played. It can also be seen that the game outcome determiner625determined that a winning combination of symbols (6 Kings) was displayed in one of the played win lines.

FIG. 7is a flow diagram representative of example machine readable instructions that can be executed to implement one or more of the example systems shown and described herein and/or portions of one or more of those systems. The example process(es) ofFIG. 7can be performed using a processor, a controller and/or any other suitable processing device, such as the game controller60and/or other component of system10,100. For example, the example process(es) ofFIG. 7can be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer readable instructions) stored on a tangible computer readable medium such as a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), and/or a random-access memory (RAM). As used herein, the term tangible computer readable medium is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable storage and to exclude propagating signals. Additionally or alternatively, the example process(es) ofFIG. 7can be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer readable instructions) stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium such as a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a cache, or any other storage media in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended time periods, permanently, brief instances, for temporarily buffering, and/or for caching of the information). As used herein, the term non-transitory computer readable medium is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable medium and to exclude propagating signals.

Alternatively, some or all of the example process(es) ofFIG. 7can be implemented using any combination(s) of application specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)), field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)), discrete logic, hardware, firmware, etc. Also, some or all of the example process(es) ofFIG. 7can be implemented manually or as any combination(s) of any of the foregoing techniques, for example, any combination of firmware, software, discrete logic and/or hardware. Further, although the example process(es) ofFIG. 7are described with reference to the flow diagram ofFIG. 7, other methods of implementing the process(es) ofFIG. 7can be employed. For example, the order of execution of the blocks can be changed, and/or some of the blocks described can be changed, eliminated, sub-divided, or combined. Additionally, any or all of the example process(es) ofFIG. 7can be performed sequentially and/or in parallel by, for example, separate processing threads, processors, devices, discrete logic, circuits, etc.

Referring back toFIG. 7, a method700of gaming as described above is summarised. The method700includes displaying710columns of symbol display positions, whereby at least some of the columns have differing numbers of symbol display positions. The method700further includes defining720winning combinations (e.g. win lines) of symbol display positions having at least one symbol display position from each of the columns, and facilitating730selection of at least one of the columns by a player for selection of winning combinations (e.g. win lines) to be played in a game, the selected winning combinations to be played including all possible winning combinations derivable from all symbol display positions of the selected at least one column and a designated symbol display position from each of the columns which the player did not select. In addition, the method700further includes selecting740symbols for display in the symbol display positions and determining750a game outcome based on symbols displayed in the selected winning combinations.

Further aspects of the method will be apparent from the above description of the system. It will be appreciated that at least part of the method will be implemented digitally by a processor. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the method could be embodied in program code. The program code could be supplied in a number of ways, for example on a tangible computer readable storage medium, such as a disc or a memory (for example, that could replace part of memory103) or as a data signal (for example, by transmitting it from a server. Persons skilled in the art, will appreciate that program code provides a series of instructions executable by the processor.

It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, in particular it will be apparent that certain features of embodiments of the invention can be employed to form further embodiments.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the prior art forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art in any country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e., to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.