U.S. Pat. No. 9,842,470

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an embodiment of an electronic gaming system having an electronic game controller that has components that enable the implementation of a game wherein a plurality of reels are spun to stop positions at which a plurality of symbols of each reel are displayed at respective ones of a plurality of symbol display positions. The method of an embodiment involves the game controller controlling spinning of the reels prior to the reels reaching their respective stop positions to include a first mode in which all of the reels spin independently of each other, and a second mode in which at least two adjacent reels are synchronized to spin together.

General Construction of Gaming System

The gaming system can take a number of different forms. In a first form, a standalone gaming machine is provided wherein all or most components required for implementing the game are present in a player operable gaming machine.

In a second form, a distributed architecture is provided wherein some of the components required for implementing the game are present in a player operable gaming machine and some of the components required for implementing 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 standalone 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 system1has 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 required 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. That is a processor may be provided by any suitable logic circuitry for receiving inputs, processing them in accordance with instructions stored in memory and generating outputs (for example on the display). Such processors are sometimes also referred to as central processing units (CPUs). Most processors are general purpose units, however, it is also know to provide a specific purpose processor using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

A gaming system in the form of a standalone 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 as required for 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. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that a touch screen can be used to emulate other input devices, for example, a touch screen can display virtual buttons which a player can “press” by touching the screen where they are displayed.

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. 5are 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 requirements 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 as required by the terminals.

Further Detail of Gaming System

In an embodiment of the invention, the player operates the game play mechanism56to specify a wager and hence the win entitlement which will be evaluated for this play of the game and initiates a play of the game. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a player's win entitlement will vary from game to game dependent on player selections. In most spinning reel games, it is typical for the player's entitlement to be affected by the amount they wager and selections they make (i.e. the nature of the wager). For example, a player's win entitlement may be based on how many lines they play in each game—e.g. a minimum of one line up to the maximum number of lines allowed by the game (noting that not all permutations of win lines may be available for selection) and how much they wager per line. Such win lines are typically formed by a combination of symbol display positions, one from each reel, the symbol display positions being located relative to one another such that they form a line.

In many games, the player's win entitlement is not strictly limited to the lines they have selected, for example, “scatter” pays are awarded independently of a player's selection of paylines and are an inherent part of the win entitlement.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that in other embodiments, the player may obtain a win entitlement by selecting a number of reels to play and an amount to wager per reel. Such games are marketed under the trade name “Reel Power” by Aristocrat Leisure Industries Pty Ltd. The selection of the reel means that each displayed symbol of the reel can be substituted for a symbol at one or more designated display positions. In other words, all symbols displayed at symbol display positions corresponding to a selected reel can be used to form symbol combinations with symbols displayed at a designated, symbol display positions of the other reels. For example, if there are five reels and three symbol display positions for each reel such that the symbol display positions comprise three rows of five symbol display positions, the symbols displayed in the centre row are used for non-selected reels. As a result, the total number of ways to win is determined by multiplying the number of active display positions of each reel, the active display positions being all display positions of each selected reel and the designated display position of the non-selected reels. As a result for five reels and fifteen display positions there are 243 ways to win.

InFIG. 6, the processor62of game controller60of gaming system1is shown implementing a number of modules based on game program code641stored in memory64. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that various of the modules could be implemented in some other way, for example by a dedicated circuit.

These modules include the outcome generator622which operates in response to the player's operation of game play mechanism56to place a wager and initiate a play of the game and generates a game outcome which will then be evaluated by outcome evaluator623. The first part of forming the game outcome is for a symbol selector622A to select symbols from a set of symbols specified by symbol data641using random number generator621. The selected symbols are advised to the display controller625which causes them to be displayed as a symbol display on display54at a set of display positions.

In an embodiment, the display positions of the symbol display are arranged in a rectangular matrix comprising a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows. However, other arrangements are known in the gaming industry and could be employed in embodiments of the invention. For example, in some arrangements there are more symbols in some columns than others, such as 3-4-3-4-3 arrangement of seventeen display positions corresponding to respective ones of five reels. In such arrangements, the columns of four symbols can be arranged so that they are off-set or staggered relative to the columns having three symbols so that the middle two symbols in the columns of four symbols share boundaries with two symbols of each neighbouring reel.

In an embodiment, the outcome generator622is arranged to generate a game outcome. All outcomes are displayed on display54under control of display controller625. One example of generating a first game outcome is for the symbol selector622A to select symbols for display from symbol data641in the form of a plurality of symbol sets corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of reels. The symbol sets specify a sequence of symbols for each reel such that the symbol selector622A can select all of the symbols to be displayed for each reel by selecting a stopping position in the sequence based on a value obtained from random number generator621. In one example, three symbols of each of five reels may be displayed such that symbols are displayed at fifteen display positions on display54. It is known to use a probability table stored in memory64to vary the odds of a particular stop position being selected. Other techniques can be used to control the odds of particular outcomes occurring to thereby control the return to player of the game.

In an embodiment of the invention, spinning of the reels is controlled by spin controller624. In one embodiment, the spin controller624initially spins all reels independently in first mode known as a “pre-spin” mode, synchronizes the spin of one or more adjacent reels during a transition mode known as a “locking” mode, and then, in a second mode, spins the unsynchronized and synchronized reels in a “spin” or “locked” mode.

In an embodiment, there is a change between spin modes only when a mode change condition is met644. The mode change condition may be based on a random evaluation, triggered by a symbol combination occurring in the game, scheduled to occur with a designated frequency, be based on a wager etc. In this embodiment, the spin controller has a mode change monitor624A that monitors for the mode change condition644to be met and caused the game controller to change the spin mode in response to the condition being met. When the condition is not met, the reels spin independently.

In some embodiments there may be additional modes, for example, a third mode where at least one additional reel is “locked” so it spins with the at least two reels that spin together in the second mode. This additional locking may occur at the same time that the first two reels or at a later time so that the third reel joins the first and second reels. Depending on the embodiment there may be alternative orderings of the modes. Depending on the embodiment any number of reels may “lock”. For example, embodiments are possible where four or five reels lock together. For example, an embodiment where two pairs of reels lock.

In addition, the method may include additional modes, such as a symbol insertion mode wherein the game controller inserts a symbol or a stack of symbols into each of the locked reels at some time before they stop. For example, a stack of three identical symbols may be added to each reel after they have locked. In another example, symbols may be inserted before the reels lock to indicate that reels are about to lock.

Further, in some embodiments the first, pre-spin mode may not be displayed to the player. For example, the spinning could occur in the background and only be displayed to the player once the transition mode starts or even only once the reels are locked.

In some embodiment, visual changes may be made to the symbols to indicate to the player that the reels have been locked. For example, the symbols at the locked positions could be replaced by larger symbols that occupy the aligned symbols on the two reels. These may be “large” or “unified” images that represent the collection of aligned symbols. For example, if two symbols are the same, an enlarged version of the same symbol may be displayed, with the centre of the enlarged symbol corresponding to the centre of the two reels. This symbol could be a 2×1 symbol (i.e. occupying two adjacent positions but one row) but could also be other sizes depending on the nature of the symbols that are locked. For example, if the same symbol occupies two adjacent positions on the same reel and those symbol positions are locked, a single symbol could be shown in a 2×2 array of symbol display positions. Similarly, the stacked symbols that may be added in some embodiments may be displayed as a single larger symbol. In other embodiments, the display of locked reels could be altered to indicate that the reels are locked, for example, by adding a highlighting colour to the reels or by removing the border between reels.

Once the spinning reels come to a stop to form a symbol display, they are evaluated by the outcome evaluator623to determine whether they include any winning combinations in pay table643to determine whether to make an award. Any award is added to the win meter maintained in memory64as part of meter data648. The meter data648also includes the current value of a credit meter. The current values of the credit and win meters are displayed on display54by the display controller625. Wins are transferred from the win meter to the credit meter at the end of a play of the game. Wagers are deducted from the credit meter when play of a game commences.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the game controller may be configured so that the use of multiple spinning modes may only occur during part of the game, such as during a feature game. In other embodiments, the spinning modes may occur in both the base and the feature games. Game outcomes may be generated in the feature game in the same manner as in a base game or differently. The base game is a part of the game which is carried out each time the player makes a wager, typically irrespective of the wager, whereas typically the feature game the game will only be carried out occasionally for example if a condition is met such as a trigger.

The trigger event for a feature game may be a symbol combination in the game, occurrence of a specific symbol in the game, purchased, be caused by another connected system, based on turnover, based on a random evaluation, etc.

Referring toFIG. 7, there is shown a method700of an embodiment of the invention. In the method700, after game play starts710, the method involves spinning the reels730. If a mode change condition is met, at least two reels are synchronized740. It is then determined75—whether the game outcome is a winning outcome. If the game outcome is a winning outcome, an award is made760from the pay table.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

In a first example, the spin controller controls display of spinning of the reels so that each of the reels spins independently in a first mode, and this is displayed to the player on the display. The spin controller controls display of spinning of the reels so that the reels then lock in a second mode and are displayed as spinning together until reaching a stopping position.

Example 2

In a second example, the spin controller controls display of spinning of the reels so that each of the reels spins independently in a first mode, and this is displayed to the player on the display. There is a transition mode during which the spin controller controls display of spinning of the reels so that the display of spinning changes gradually until the reels lock. The reels then continue to spin together in the second, locked mode.

Example 3

In a third example, each of the reels spins independently under control of the spin controller in a first mode which is not displayed to the player on the display. The first time the reels are displayed is during a transition mode during which the display of spinning changes gradually until the reels lock. The reels then continue to spin together in the second, locked mode.

Example 4

In a fourth example, the spin controller controls display of spinning of the reels so that after the reels are locked in a second mode, a symbol insertion mode results in the insertion of a stack of four symbols into each locked reels. The stack is inserted into the same position on each locked reel so that there are four neighbouring positions on the reels occupied by the same symbol.

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. For example, depending on the embodiment, different numbers of symbols may be removed from the symbol display.

In some embodiments, an eligibility criteria may be applied for the player to access the spinning reel mode change feature, for example that the player has made a certain sized wager, made an ante bet, selected all win lines, played sufficient games, or the player is a member of a loyalty program.

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 electronically, for example, digitally by a processor executing program code such as in the above description of a game controller. In this respect, in the above description certain steps are described as being carried out by a processor of a gaming system, it will be appreciated that such steps will often require a number of sub-steps to be carried out for the steps to be implemented electronically, for example due to hardware or programming limitations. For example, to carry out a step such as evaluating, determining or selecting, a processor may need to compute several values and compare those values.

As indicated above, the method may 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 device, e.g. an EEPROM, (for example, that could replace part of memory103) or as a data signal (for example, by transmitting it from a server). Further different parts of the program code can be executed by different devices, for example in a client server relationship. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that program code provides a series of instructions executable by the processor.

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.