IP Library Granted Patent US 9,230,397
Granted Patent B2
US 9,230,397 · App. 14/170,998 · Granted Jan 5, 2016

Slot machine game with bonus game having selectable modifier elements

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,230,397
App. No.
14/170,998
Granted
Jan 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A slot game includes a secondary game which upon being triggered displays an initial set of selectable symbols arranged on a touchscreen display at the gaming device, the player being provided ability to make selections from the selectable symbols until all selectable symbols have been selected, each selectable symbol corresponding to an associated benefit which is one of an award, an award enhancer, or one or more additional selectable symbols. If an option is picked revealing additional selectable symbols, the game adds more picks having associated benefit like those of the initial set and the player keeps selecting. The game may also have a “game pick” in which it removes one or more of the remaining unselected choices without awarding an associated benefit.

Claims (30)

1. A gaming method including the steps of:

providing a first game at a gaming device, the first game operable by a game processor and having a plurality of outcomes determined by the game processor, at least one of the outcomes triggering execution of a second game by the game processor;

upon the second game being triggered, the game processor causing the display of an initial set of selectable symbols arranged on a touchscreen display at the gaming device, the player being provided ability to make selections from the selectable symbols until all selectable symbols have been removed, one or more of the selectable symbols corresponding to an associated benefit which is one of an award, an award enhancer, or one or more additional selectable symbols;

upon one of the selectable symbols corresponding to the one or more additional selectable symbols being selected by the player, displaying the one or more additional selectable symbols together with remaining unselected ones of the initial set of selectable symbols, the additional selectable symbols each having an associated benefit like those of the initial set, the additional selectable symbols and the remaining unselected ones of the initial set forming a second set of selectable symbols; and

enabling the player to select one or more of the initial set of selectable symbols or the additional selectable symbols, removing each selected item and providing the associated benefit therefore to the player; and,

following the removal of a selectable symbol selected by the player and prior to a subsequent selection by the player of another one of the selectable symbols, the game processor causing one of the remaining unselected ones of the selectable symbols to be removed without awarding an associated benefit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of selectable symbols is managed such that the player is always allowed to select the final symbol, rather than it being remove without awarding a benefit.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the initial set of selectable symbols without any additional selectable symbols as associated benefits until making a determination that the second game is eligible for additional selectable symbols, and then making such an associated benefit possible.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ending the second game when all of the selectable symbols are removed.

5. The gaming method of claim 1 , wherein the possible associated benefits further include a multiplier or a prize bump.

6. A system for providing a wagering game for a player, the system comprising at least one electronic gaming device interacting with at least one server, the system programmed for:

providing a first game at the gaming device, the first game having a plurality of outcomes, at least one of the outcomes triggering a second game;

upon the second game being triggered, the system displaying an initial set of selectable symbols arranged on a touchscreen display at the gaming device, the player being provided ability to make selections from the selectable symbols until all selectable symbols have been removed, each selectable symbol corresponding to an associated benefit which is one of an award, an award enhancer, or one or more additional selectable symbols;

upon one of the selectable symbols corresponding to the one or more additional selectable symbols being selected by the player, displaying the one or more additional selectable symbols together with remaining unselected ones of the initial set of selectable symbols, the additional selectable symbols each having an associated benefit like those of the initial set, the additional selectable symbols and the remaining unselected ones of the initial set forming a second set of selectable symbols; and

enabling the player to select one or more of the initial set of selectable symbols or the additional selectable symbols, removing each selected item and providing the associated benefit therefore to the player; and

following the removal of a selectable symbol selected by the player and prior to a subsequent selection by the player of another one of the selectable symbols, causing one of the remaining displayed selectable symbols to be removed without awarding an associated benefit.

7. The system of claim 6 , further programmed for managing the number of selectable symbols such that the player is always allowed to select the final symbol, rather than it being removed without awarding a benefit.

8. The system of claim 6 , further programmed for providing the initial set of selectable symbols without any additional selectable symbols as associated benefits until making a determination that the second game is eligible for additional selectable symbols, and then making such an associated benefit possible.

9. The system of claim 6 , further programmed for ending the second game when all of the selectable symbols are removed.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the possible associated benefits further include a multiplier or a prize bump.

11. A program product embodied in one or more tangible computer readable media, the program product including code executable by a gaming machine and at least one gaming server for:

providing a first game at a gaming device, the first game having a plurality of outcomes, at least one of the outcomes triggering a second game;

upon being triggered, the second game displaying an initial set of selectable symbols arranged on a touchscreen display at the gaming device, the player being provided ability to make selections from the selectable symbols until all selectable symbols have been removed, each selectable symbol corresponding to an associated benefit which is one of an award, an award enhancer, or one or more additional selectable symbols;

upon one of the selectable symbols corresponding to the one or more additional selectable symbols, displaying the one or more additional selectable symbols together with remaining unselected ones of the initial set of selectable symbols, the additional selectable symbols each having an associated benefit like those of the initial set, the additional selectable symbols and the remaining unselected ones of the initial set forming a second set of selectable symbols; and

enabling the player to select one or more of the initial set of selectable symbols or the additional selectable symbols, removing each selected item and providing the associated benefit therefore to the player; and,

following the removal of a selectable symbol selected by the player and prior to a subsequent selection by the player of another one of the selectable symbols, the game processor causing one of the remaining displayed selectable symbols to be removed without awarding an associated benefit.

12. The program product of claim 11 , further executable for managing the number of selectable symbols such that the player is always allowed to select the final symbol, rather than it being removed without awarding a benefit.

13. The program product of claim 11 , further executable for providing the initial set of selectable symbols without any additional selectable symbols as associated benefits until making a determination that the second game is eligible for additional selectable symbols, and then making such an associated benefit possible.

14. The program product of claim 11 , further executable for ending the second game when all of the selectable symbols are removed.

15. The program product of claim 11 , wherein the possible associated benefits further include a multiplier or a prize bump.

Assignments (13)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2025
From: EVERI GAMES INC.; EVERI PAYMENTS INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071827/0315 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL 058948, FRAME 0265 Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EVERI HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 071791/0236 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SHORT-FORM) Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: EVERI HOLDINGS INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058948/0265 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR'S NAME AND THE FIRST ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 057111 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 13, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI HOLDINGS INC.; EVERI GAMES HOLDING INC.; GCA MTL, LLC; CENTRAL CREDIT, LLC; EVERI INTERACTIVE LLC; EVERI GAMES INC.
Reel/Frame 057184/0244 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI GAMES INC.; WESTERN MONEY SYSTEMS
Reel/Frame 057112/0843 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FIANANCE LLC
To: EVERY PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI HOLDINGS INC.; EVERI GAMES HOLDING INC.; GCA MTL, LLC; CENTRAL CREDIT, LLC; EVERI INTERACTIVE LLC; EVERI GAMES INC.
Reel/Frame 057111/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: EVERI HOLDINGS INC.; EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; GCA MTL, LLC; CENTRAL CREDIT, LLC; EVERI GAMES INC.; EVERI GAMES HOLDING INC.; EVERI INTERACTIVE LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052494/0463 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 11, 2017
From: EVERI GAMES INC.; EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; GLOBAL PAYMENTS, INC.; JACKPOT DIGITAL INC.; MULTIMEDIA GAMES, INC., N/K/A EVERI GAMES INC.; WESTERN MONEY SYSTEMS
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 042484/0715 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2017
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: EVERI PAYMENTS INC. (F/K/A GLOBAL CASH ACCESS, INC.); EVERI GAMES INC. (F/K/A MULTIMEDIA GAMES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 042322/0565 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2017
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI GAMES INC.
Reel/Frame 042434/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2017
From: EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI GAMES INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 041802/0127 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2017
From: EVERI PAYMENTS INC. (F/K/A GLOBAL CASH ACCESS, INC.); EVERI GAMES INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 041799/0750 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2014
From: WATKINS, BRIAN ALEXANDER; BROWN, WARDELL; POPE, ALLISON
To: MULTIMEDIA GAMES, INC.
Reel/Frame 032119/0179 →