IP Library › Granted Patent US 12664860
Granted Patent B2
US 12664860 · App. 18/499,513 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Independently randomly generated different features associated with different activators in free activation setting

Inventors: Stephen Calvert (Berkhamsted, GB); Robin Hare (Reno, NV); Michael DeBrabander (Reno, NV); Dieter Goriup (Graz, AT)
Assignee: IGT
G07F17/3267G07F17/3213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12664860
App. No.
18/499,513
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Gaming systems and methods that provide free plays of a game including multiple pots, multiple different features associated with the pots, multiple activators that can cause activation of the pots and features associated with the pots, a reduced quantity of symbols for the free plays of the game, and symbol upgrades for the free plays of the game that cause the upgrade of the reduced quantity of symbols, wherein the combination of such functions provide an enhanced display of the free plays of the game.

Claims (63)

1 . A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

cause a display, by a display device, of symbol displays comprising a first quantity of different symbols, wherein the first quantity is greater than five, wherein the first quantity comprises at least three different ranked symbols, wherein each of the different ranked symbols are initially displayable by the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of pots associated with but separate from the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of indications of different features respectively associated with the pots;

cause a display, by the display device, of a first activation of the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of a triggering event associated with the first activation of the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of a second quantity of activations of the symbols displays, wherein the second quantity is greater than one; and

for one of a plurality of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays:

cause a display, by the display device, of an activation of the symbol displays, wherein the symbol displays each comprise a plurality of instances of a first ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols but not any of the other different symbols, an upgrade symbol that is different than all of the different ranked symbols, and activators associated with the pots,

responsive to a display, by the display device, of any one of the activators on the symbol displays and responsive to said activator not resulting in an activation of the pot associated with said activator that has not already been activated, cause a display, by the display device, of a change to an activator occurrence indicator associated with said pot,

responsive to a display, by the display device, of any one of the activators on the symbol displays and responsive to said activator resulting in an activation of the pot associated with said activator, cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of an activated feature associated with said pot,

for each activated feature, cause a display, by the display device of an indication of said activated feature in association with a subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbols displays, and

responsive to a display, by the display device, of the upgrade symbol, cause each instance of the first ranked symbol on the symbol displays to be upgraded to a different second ranked symbol of the different symbols for at least one subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays, and wherein each instance of the second ranked symbol can be further upgraded to a different third ranked symbol for a further subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbols displays responsive to a display, by the display device, of another instance of the upgrade symbol that is also different than the second ranked symbol.

2 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second quantity is one of predetermined and randomly determined.

3 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second ranked symbol of the different symbols is of a higher rank than the first ranked symbol of the different symbols.

4 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first ranked symbol of the different symbols is a lowest ranked symbol, and the second ranked symbol of the different symbols is of a higher rank than the first ranked symbol of the different symbols.

5 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first ranked symbol of the different symbols has a higher rank than a lowest ranked symbol of the plurality of ranked symbols, and the second ranked symbol of the different symbols is of a higher rank than the first ranked symbol of the different symbols.

6 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein one of the features is a spin streak feature, and wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to a display, by the display device, of the activator associated with the spin streak feature, cause a display, by the display device, of each of the displayed symbols of the different symbols in one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays to remain displayed for at least one subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays.

7 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein one of the features is a spin streak feature, and wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, responsive to a display, by the display device, of the activator associated with the spin streak feature, cause a display, by the display device, of each of the displayed symbols of the different symbols in one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays to remain displayed for each subsequent activation of the symbol displays of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays.

8 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the pots are perceived persistent pots.

9 . The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the pots are actual persistent pots.

10 . A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

cause a display, by a display device, of symbol displays comprising a first quantity of different symbols comprising at least three different ranked symbols, wherein each of the different ranked symbols are initially displayable by the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of pots associated with but separate from the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of indications of different features respectively associated with the pots;

cause a display, by the display device, of a first activation of the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of a triggering event associated with the first activation of the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of a second quantity of activations of the symbols displays, wherein the second quantity is greater than one;

for one of a plurality of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays:

cause a display, by the display device, of an activation of the symbol displays, wherein the symbol displays each comprise a plurality of instances of a first ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols but not any of the other symbols of the different symbols on the symbol displays, an upgrade symbol that is different than all of the different ranked symbols, and activators associated with the pots,

responsive to a display, by the display device, of any one of the activators on the symbol displays and responsive to said activator not resulting in an activation of the pot associated with said activator that has not already been activated, cause a display, by the display device, of a change to an activator occurrence indicator associated with said pot,

responsive to a display, by the display device, of any one of the activators on the symbol displays and responsive to said activator resulting in an activation of the pot associated with said activator, cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of an activated feature associated with said pot,

for each activated feature, cause a display, by the display device of an indication of said activated feature in association with at least one of the second quantity of activations of the symbols displays, and

responsive to a first display, by the display device, of the upgrade symbol, cause the first ranked symbol to be upgraded to a second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols for a subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays, wherein the second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a higher rank than the first ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols, and

for a subsequent one of the plurality of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays:

responsive to a second display, by the display device, of the upgrade symbol, cause the second ranked symbol to be upgraded to a third ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols for a further subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays, wherein the third ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a higher rank than the second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols.

11 . The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the second quantity is one of predetermined and randomly determined.

12 . The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a higher rank than the first ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols.

13 . The gaming system of claim 12 , wherein the third ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a higher rank than the second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols.

14 . The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the third ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a highest rank of the different ranked symbols.

15 . The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the pots are perceived persistent pots.

16 . The gaming system of claim 10 , wherein the pots are actual persistent pots.

17 . A gaming system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

cause a display, by a display device, of symbol displays comprising a first quantity of different symbols comprising at least three different ranked symbols, wherein each of the different ranked symbols are initially displayable by the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of a pot associated with but separate from the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of indications of a spin streak feature associated with the pot;

cause a display, by the display device, of a first activation of the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of a triggering event associated with the first activation of the symbol displays;

cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of a second quantity of activations of the symbols displays, wherein the second quantity is greater than one; and

for one of a plurality of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays:

cause a display, by the display device, of an activation of the symbol displays, wherein the symbol displays each comprise a plurality of instances of a first ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols but not any of the other different symbols, an upgrade symbol that is different than all of the ranked symbols, and the activator associated with the pot,

responsive to a display, by the display device, of the upgrade symbol, cause the first ranked symbol to be upgraded to a second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols for a subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays, wherein the second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a higher rank than the first ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols, and wherein each instance of the second ranked symbol can be further upgraded to a third ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols for a further subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbols displays, wherein the third ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols is of a higher rank than the second ranked symbol of the different ranked symbols,

responsive to a display, by the display device, of the activator on one of the symbols displays and responsive to said activator not resulting in an activation of the pot associated with said activator that has not already been activated, cause a display, by the display device, of a change to an activator occurrence indicator associated with said pot, and

responsive to a display, by the display device, of the activator on one of the symbol displays and responsive to said activator resulting in an activation of the pot associated with said activator, cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of the spin streak feature associated with said pot, and cause a display, by the display device, of each of the displayed symbols of the different symbols in one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays remaining displayed for a subsequent one of the second quantity of activations of the symbol displays.

18 . The gaming system of claim 17 , wherein the second quantity is one of predetermined and randomly determined.

19 . The gaming system of claim 17 , wherein the pots are perceived persistent pots.

20 . The gaming system of claim 17 , wherein the pots are actual persistent pots.