IP Library Granted Patent US 10,373,445
Granted Patent B2
US 10,373,445 · App. 15/272,219 · Granted Aug 6, 2019

Wagering game having improved persistent game mode feature

Inventors: Juan Mariscal (Chicago, IL); Robert Spidale (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: Everi Games, Inc.
G07F17/34G07F17/3209G07F17/3213G07F17/3225G07F17/3244G07F17/3267
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,373,445
App. No.
15/272,219
Granted
Aug 6, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gaming system, apparatus, and method are disclosed providing a wagering games, gaming machines, networked gaming systems that provide a persistent gaming mode including a persistent game mode with multiple rounds in which each round includes a randomization of the matrix of symbol locations, a chance to win an award, and a chance to include a persistent feature event. An adjustable meter may be used to allow players to compete for the same bonuses or jackpots no matter what their bet level. A rolling meter shows special features scheduled to appear in future rounds using a rolling group of status indicators. A persistent game mode control process sets the frequency of scheduled special features and adjusts reel weights to achieve a desired payout.

Claims (50)

1. A method for providing a wagering game including:

controlling a gaming display with one or more electronic processors, the gaming display including a first display area comprising a matrix of symbol locations;

receiving a player game activation and, in response, providing an animated display in the first display area showing motion in the symbol locations which stops to provide a game outcome;

determining if the outcome includes a persistent feature activation, and, in response, beginning persistent game mode including multiple rounds in which each round includes a randomization of the matrix of symbol locations, a chance to win an award, and a chance to include a persistent feature event;

in a second display area, displaying a first adjustable meter of a persistent game feature, the meter showing a number of persistent feature events required to win first and second bonus awards, the meter adjusted based on a player wager level to reduce the number of events required to win the first and second bonus awards if the wager level is raised, and increase the number of persistent feature events required to win the first and second bonus awards if the wager level is lowered, the meter displaying progress toward the first and second bonus awards;

in a third display area, displaying a second rolling meter showing a rolling subset of persistent game round status indicators, and visually indicating on at least one status indicator a game feature scheduled to be activated in a respective specific future game round outcome indicated by a position of the respective status indicator in the second rolling meter; and

providing a number of rounds of the persistent game mode and adjusting the first adjustable and second rolling meters accordingly.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising for a first designated number of rounds in the persistent game mode, increasing the odds of winning, and for a second subsequent set of results, decreasing the odds of winning.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistent game mode rounds include conducting a free spin with an animated display that ends with a free spin result, and for each free spin result, determining if the free spin result qualifies as part of a winning streak, and, if so, counting the size of the win streak and displaying progress on the first adjustable meter and the second rolling meter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistent game round status indicators shown on the second rolling meter to show status of free spins and potential free spins.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second rolling meter is operable to display at least one symbol that will be wild in a respective potential game event.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ending the persistent game mode upon a losing outcome in one of the rounds.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rolling meter is responsive to touchscreen inputs allowing the meter to be scrolled to see a history of the rolling subset of game events.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rolling meter is displayed as a line of symbol locations each representing an outcome of a subset of outcomes, with the symbol location updated to display a status of the respective outcome when a respective potential game round outcome represented by the respective game round status indicator is completed.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a sequence of scheduled features to be shown in the persistent game round status indicators of the second rolling meter; and

displaying the sequence in the persistent game round status indicators in the order in which the features are scheduled to appear in respective future game rounds.

10. A gaming system including:

(a) a display system;

(b) a player input system;

(c) at least one processor operably connected to the display system and player input system; and

(d) at least one memory device operably connected to the processor and storing program code executable by the at least one processor for:

controlling the display system to provide a gaming display, the gaming display including a first display area comprising a matrix of symbol locations;

receiving a player game activation through the player input system and, in response, providing an animated display in the first display area showing motion in the symbol locations which stops to provide a game outcome;

determining if the outcome includes a persistent feature activation, and, in response, beginning persistent game mode including multiple rounds in which each round includes a randomization of the matrix of symbol locations, a chance to win an award, and a chance to include a persistent feature event;

in a second display area, displaying a first adjustable meter of a persistent game feature, the meter showing a number of persistent feature events required to win first and second bonus awards, the meter adjusted based on a player wager level to reduce the number of events required to win the first and second bonus awards if the wager level is raised, and increase the number of persistent feature events required to win the first and second bonus awards if the wager level is lowered, the meter displaying progress toward the first and second bonus awards;

in a third display area, displaying a second rolling meter showing a rolling subset of persistent game round status indicators, and visually indicating on at least one status indicator a game feature scheduled to be activated in a respective specific future game round outcome indicated by a position of the respective status indicator in the second rolling meter; and

providing a number of rounds of the persistent game mode and adjusting the first adjustable and second rolling meters accordingly.

11. The system of claim 10 , in which the program code is further executable to, for a first designated number of rounds in the persistent game mode, increase the odds of winning, and for a second subsequent set of results, decreasing the odds of winning.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the program code is further executable for the persistent game mode to include a free spin with an animated display that ends with a free spin result, and for each free spin result, determine if the free spin result qualifies as part of a winning streak, and, if so, counting the size of the win streak and displaying progress on the first adjustable meter and the second rolling meter.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the program code is further executable for the persistent game round status indicators shown on the second rolling meter to show status of free spins and potential free spins.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the program code is further executable for the second rolling meter to display at least one symbol that will be wild in a respective potential game event.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the program code is further executable for ending the persistent game mode upon a losing outcome in one of the rounds.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the program code is further executable for the second rolling meter to be responsive to touchscreen inputs allowing the meter to be scrolled to see a history of the rolling subset of game events.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the program code is further executable for the second rolling meter to be displayed as a line of symbol locations each representing a game round status indicator for an outcome of a subset of outcomes, with the symbol location updated to display a status of the outcome when a respective potential game round outcome represented by the respective game round status indicator is completed.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the program code is further executable for:

generating a sequence of scheduled features to be shown in the persistent game round status indicators of the second rolling meter; and

displaying the sequence in the persistent game round status indicators in the order in which the features are scheduled to appear in respective future game rounds.

19. A gaming system including:

(a) a display system;

(b) a player input system;

(c) at least one processor operably connected to the display system and player input system; and

(d) at least one memory device operably connected to the processor and storing program code executable by the at least one processor for:

controlling the display system to provide a gaming display, the gaming display including a first display area comprising a matrix of symbol locations;

receiving a player game activation through the player input system and, in response, providing an animated display in the first display area showing motion in the symbol locations which stops to provide a game outcome;

determining if the outcome includes a persistent feature activation, and, in response, beginning persistent game mode including multiple rounds in which each round includes a randomization of the matrix of symbol locations, a chance to win an award, and a chance to include a persistent feature event;

in a second display area, displaying a first adjustable meter of a persistent game feature, the meter showing a number of persistent feature events required to win first and second bonus awards, the meter adjusted based on a player wager level to reduce the number of events required to win the first and second bonus awards if the wager level is raised, and increase the number of persistent feature events required to win the first and second bonus awards if the wager level is lowered, the meter displaying progress toward the first and second bonus awards;

in a third display area, displaying a second rolling meter showing a rolling subset of persistent game round status indicators, and visually indicating on at least one status indicator a game feature scheduled to be present in at least one potential outcome;

providing a number of rounds of the persistent game mode and adjusting the first adjustable and second rolling meters accordingly; and

wherein the program code is further executable for the second rolling meter to be responsive to touchscreen inputs allowing the meter to be scrolled to see a history of the rolling subset of game events.

Assignments (9)
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 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 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2021
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI GAMES INC.
Reel/Frame 057112/0913 →
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 Apr 3, 2018
From: EVERI PAYMENTS INC.; EVERI GAMES INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045832/0857 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2016
From: MARISCAL, JUAN; SPIDALE, ROBERT
To: EVERI GAMES, INC.
Reel/Frame 039837/0904 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180082546A1 · Mar 22, 2018