IP Library Granted Patent US 8,287,356
Granted Patent B2
US 8,287,356 · App. 12/390,134 · Granted Oct 16, 2012

Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,287,356
App. No.
12/390,134
Granted
Oct 16, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of gaming comprising: selecting a set of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of reels; determining a game round outcome based on the selected symbols; determining that a feature game round should occur; and determining a feature game round outcome by determining an optimal winning combination of symbols from a feature subset of the set of symbols comprising more symbols than the number of reels.

Claims (18)

1. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine having a display for symbols to be displayed in a set of display positions to a player corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of reels;

a symbol selector, including an electronic random number generator, for selecting a set of symbols for display in the set of display positions;

a game round outcome controller for determining a game round outcome during a main game round based on the selected set of symbols;

a feature game round controller configured to:

determine whether a feature game round should occur at the gaming machine independent of the symbols selected for display in the main game round;

determine a feature subset of symbols selected from the set of symbols selected for display in the main game round, the feature subset comprising more symbols than the number of reels displayed on the gaming machine; and

determine a feature game round outcome by automatically rearranging the feature subset of symbols into an optimal winning combination to define at least one predetermined winning combination, wherein the at least one predetermined winning combination is selected from one or more predetermined winning combinations available in the main game round.

2. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the feature game controller is adapted to re-assign the display positions corresponding to each symbol in the optimal winning combination so that the optimal winning combination is displayed in a line extending across the reels in the feature game round.

3. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feature subset is all of the set of symbols in the display positions.

4. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feature subset includes at least one symbol from each reel.

5. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feature subset is adjustable.

6. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optimal winning combination is a combination of symbols from the feature subset that corresponds to the highest prize according to prize data for the game round.

7. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optimal winning combination is a combination of symbols from the feature subset that corresponds to the highest prize according to prize data different from prize data for the game round.

8. A gaming system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the feature game round outcome and the game round outcome are based on identical prize data.

9. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feature game round controllers determines that a feature game round should occur on the basis of a random event.

10. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feature game round controller determines that a feature game round should occur on the basis of player choice.

11. A gaming system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a game play mechanism operable by a player to place a wager, and wherein the feature game round controller determines the game round outcome based on the wager.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE (REEL 060204 / FRAME 0216) Recorded Mar 2, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Reel/Frame 074989/0657 →
NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 060204/0216 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 059368/0799 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SECURITY TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 052828/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 16, 2015
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 034777/0498 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2009
From: ROOD, STEVEN
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 022776/0143 →