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 implementing a slot machine game utilizing reels displaying symbols, the method comprising the following operations:
executing instructions on a computer controlling the slot machine game to perform:
determining that a combination of displayed symbols comprises at least one predetermined combination(s) which triggers a synchronous mode which performs synchronous-mode operations A and B at least once:
(A) moving a first reel only an offset number of stops in a direction, wherein the offset number of stops is greater than zero;
(B) moving a second reel only the offset number of stops in the direction, wherein the first reel and the second reel are moved synchronously in unison; and
awarding a payout, if earned, based on a final combination of displayed symbols.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the predetermined combination(s) comprises at least one synchronous symbol.
3. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the at least one synchronous symbol is wild.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the predetermined combination(s) comprises a synchronous symbol on a third reel.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the predetermined combination(s) comprises a synchronous symbol on the first reel and a synchronous symbol on the second reel.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the slot machine game has at least three reels and one of the predetermined combination(s) comprises at least two synchronous symbols.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the synchronous-mode operations are performed at least twice, wherein after each performance a payout is awarded if earned.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the synchronous-mode operations are performed automatically without receiving input from a player.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the combination of displayed symbols occurred on an immediately prior spin.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the synchronous-mode operations are performed only after receiving input from a player.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the combination of displayed symbols did not occur on an immediately prior spin.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include randomly determining the offset number of stops.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the offset number of stops is predetermined.
14. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the offset number of stops is one.
15. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a third reel moves but does not move only the offset number of stops in the direction nor synchronously in unison with the first reel and the second reel during the synchronous-mode operations.
16. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a third reel is stationary during the synchronous-mode operations.
17. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the synchronous-mode operations further comprise moving a third reel only the offset number of stops in the direction, wherein the first reel and the second reel and the third reel are moved synchronously in unison.
18. An electronic slot machine, comprising:
a display operable to display a plurality of reels displaying symbols;
a computer connected to the display, configured to:
determine if a combination of displayed symbols comprises at least one predetermined combination(s), and if so, trigger a synchronous mode which performs synchronous-mode operations A and B at least once:
(A) move a first reel only an offset number of stops in a direction, wherein the offset number of stops is greater than zero;
(B) move a second reel only the offset number of stops in the direction, wherein the first reel and the second reel are moved synchronously in unison; and
award a payout, if earned, based on a final combination of displayed symbols.
19. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the synchronous-mode operations further comprise: hold a third reel stationary.
20. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the synchronous-mode operations further comprise: move a third reel the offset number of stops in the direction, wherein the first reel, the second reel, and the third reel are moved synchronously in unison.
21. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the synchronous-mode operations further comprise: move a third reel, wherein the third reel does not move only the offset number of stops in the direction nor synchronously in unison with the first reel and the second reel.
22. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the offset number of stops is one.
23. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the combination of displayed symbols is required to have occurred on an immediately prior spin.
24. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the combination of displayed symbols is not required to have occurred on an immediately prior spin.
25. An electronic slot machine as recited in claim 18 , wherein the computer is further configured such that the synchronous-mode operations are performed at least twice, wherein after each performance a payout is awarded if earned.