Granted Patent B2

US 8,328,622 · App. 12/740,579 · Granted Dec 11, 2012

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A gaming system for conducting a wagering game having a randomly selected outcome represented by reel symbols displayed on a plurality of reels, the gaming system comprising:

at least one input device for receiving a wager;

one or more display devices for displaying wagering game images including the plurality of reels as well as a first and a second play-enhancement icon that are not ones of the reel symbols displayed on the plurality of reels;

one or more processors; and

at least one memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to:

receive the wager from a player to initiate the wagering game;

after receiving the wager, randomly select the game outcome and indicate the selecting by spinning the plurality of reels on the one or more display devices;

display the first and second play-enhancement icons on the one or more display devices;

cause the spinning reels to stop and display the reel symbols on the plurality of reels;

enhance the randomly selected outcome of the wagering game in response to the first play-enhancement icon providing a first bonus feature at any time prior to the reels stopping their spinning; and

enhance the randomly selected outcome of the wagering game in response to the second play-enhancement icon providing a second bonus feature at any time including before spinning the reels, while the reels are spinning, and after the reels stop spinning, wherein the second bonus feature is different from the first bonus feature.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by stopping one or more of the spinning reels, changing one or more reel symbols on the stopped one or more reels, and resuming spinning the stopped one or more reels.

3. The gaming system of claim 2 wherein all of the reel symbols of the stopped one or more reels are changed to a selected reel symbol.

4. The gaming system of claim 2 , wherein all of the spinning reels are stopped, one or reel symbols are changed, and all the reels resume spinning.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by forming an additional pay line on the display device.

6. The gaming system of claim 5 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by moving one or more WILD reel symbols shown on the plurality of reels to the additional pay line.

7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by respinning at least one of the reels a selected number of respins.

8. The gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the reels respins to provide the same outcome for each selected number of respins.

9. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by changing the reel symbols on one or more of the reels to result in a predetermined bonus award.

10. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced after the reels stop spinning on the display device.

11. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced while the reels are spinning on the display device.

12. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is a winning outcome.

13. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is a losing outcome.

14. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is a bonus outcome.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced after the reels stop spinning.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced while the reels are spinning.

17. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is a non-bonus outcome.

18. A computer-implemented method of operating a gaming system that conducts a wagering game displaying a plurality of reels including a plurality of reel symbols as well as a first and a second play-enhancement icon that are not ones of the reel symbols displayed on the plurality of reels, the method comprising:

receiving, via at least one input device, a wager from a player;

after receiving the wager, randomly selecting a game outcome and indicating the selecting by spinning the plurality of reels on one or more display devices;

displaying the first and second play-enhancement icons on the one or more display devices;

stopping the spinning reels and displaying the reel symbols on the plurality of reels;

enhancing the randomly selected outcome of the wagering game in response to the first play-enhancement icon providing a first bonus feature at any time prior to the reels stopping their spinning; and

enhancing the randomly selected outcome of the game in response to the second play-enhancement icon providing a second bonus feature at any time including before spinning the reels, the reels are spinning, and after the reels stop spinning, wherein the second bonus feature is different from the first bonus feature.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by:

stopping one or more of the spinning reels;

changing one or more reel symbols on the stopped one or more reels; and

resuming spinning the stopped one or more reels.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced after stopping all the reels by respinning one or more of the reels for a selected number of respins.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein each respin of the one or more reels for each selected number of respins results in the same outcome as the randomly selected outcome.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is a losing outcome.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is a non-bonus outcome.

24. A machine-readable, non-transitory medium including executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a gaming system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, via at least one input device, a wager from a player;

after receiving the wager, randomly selecting a game outcome and indicating the selecting by spinning the plurality of reels displaying a plurality of reel symbols on one or more display devices;

displaying a first and a second play-enhancement icon on the one or more display devices, wherein the first and second play-enhancement icons are not ones of the reel symbols displayed on the plurality of reels;

stopping the spinning reels and displaying the reel symbols on the plurality of reels;

enhancing the randomly selected outcome of the wagering game in response to the first play-enhancement icon providing a first bonus feature at any time prior to the reels stopping their spinning; and

enhancing the randomly selected outcome of the game in response to the second play-enhancement icon providing a second bonus feature at any time including before spinning the reels, the reels are spinning, and after the reels stop spinning, wherein the second bonus feature is different from the first bonus feature.

25. The medium of claim 24 , wherein the randomly selected outcome is enhanced by stopping one or more of the spinning reels, changing one or more reel symbols on the stopped one or more reels, and resuming spinning the stopped one or more reels.

26. The medium of claim 25 , wherein all of the reel symbols of the stopped one or more reels are changed to a selected reel symbol.

Assignments (12)