Slot machine with synchronized spinning reels
View Patent ↗A slot machine that can spin two or more of the reels in unison. Thus, the machine can spin and stop the reels in a standard fashion. If a special trigger occurs, then two or more reels can further spin with an identical offset. The further spin can generate additional rewards for the player.
1. A method of spinning reels A B and C on a slot machine, A B and C identifying unique reels on the slot machine in any order, comprising the following operations in any order:
executing the following instructions on a computer controlling a slot machine to perform:
determining an initial symbol stop on reel A, an initial symbol stop on reel B, and an initial symbol stop on reel C;
spinning reel A to stop on the initial symbol stop on reel A, spinning reel B to stop on the initial symbol stop on reel B, spinning reel C to stop on the initial symbol stop on reel C;
awarding the player a payout, if earned, based on the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C;
if the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial reel stop on reel B and the initial reel stop on reel C comprise a predetermined combination then performing the following operations:
determining an offset number of stops;
moving reel A the offset number of stops in a direction to stop on a final reel A stop; and
moving reel B the offset number of stops in the direction to stop on a final reel B stop; and
awarding the player a payout, if earned, based on the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop and a final reel C stop,
wherein reel A and reel B are moved synchronously in unison.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein reel C remains stationary during the moving of reel A and the moving of reel B, and a the final reel C stop is identical to the initial symbol stop on reel C.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising moving reel C the offset number of stops in the direction to stop at the final reel C stop, wherein reel C is moved synchronously and in unison with the moving reel A and the moving reel B.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined combination is when the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C are all not blank symbols.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined combination is when an initial reel combination comprising the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C comprises one or more synchronous symbols.
6. A method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the synchronous symbols are wild.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined combination is the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C are all synchronous symbols.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a final combination comprising the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop and the final reel C stop has a higher hit frequency than an initial combination comprising the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a final combination comprising the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop and the final reel C stop has a higher expected value than an initial combination comprising the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C.
10. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein a final combination comprising the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop and the final reel C stop has a higher expected value than an initial combination comprising the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising repeating the determining, moving reel A, and moving reel B.
12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the offset number of stops is random.
13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the offset number of stops is fixed.
14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the offset is determined randomly.
15. An electronic slot machine, comprising:
a computer memory;
a processor reading instructions stored on the computer memory that are configured to perform the following operations on the slot machine:
determining an initial symbol stop on reel A, an initial symbol stop on reel B, and an initial symbol stop on reel C;
spinning reel A to stop on the initial symbol stop on reel A, spinning reel B to stop on the initial symbol stop on reel B, spinning reel C to stop on the initial symbol stop on reel C;
awarding the player a payout, if earned, based on the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial symbol stop on reel B and the initial symbol stop on reel C;
if the initial symbol stop on reel A and the initial reel stop on reel B and the initial reel stop on reel C comprise a predetermined combination then performing the following operations:
determining an offset number of stops;
moving reel A the offset number of stops in a direction to stop on a final reel A stop; and
moving reel B the offset number of stops in the direction to stop on a final reel B stop; and
awarding the player a payout, if earned, based on the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop and a stop on reel C,
wherein reel A and reel B are moved synchronously in unison.
16. The machine as recited in claim 15 , wherein reel C remains stationary during the moving of reel A and the moving of reel B, and a the final reel C stop is identical to the initial symbol stop on reel C.
17. The machine as recited in claim 15 , wherein the instructions stored on the computer memory are configured to further perform moving reel C the offset number of stops in the direction to display the final reel C stop, wherein reel C is moved synchronously and in unison with the moving reel A and the moving reel B.
18. The machine as recited in claim 15 , wherein the offset number of stops is fixed.
19. The machine as recited in claim 15 , wherein the offset number of stops is random.
20. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop are either both blank or both non-blanks.
21. The machine as recited in claim 15 , wherein the offset is determined randomly.
22. The machine as recited in claim 21 , wherein the final reel A stop and the final reel B stop are either both blank or both non-blanks.