IP Library Granted Patent US 11,107,326
Granted Patent B2
US 11,107,326 · App. 16/569,498 · Granted Aug 31, 2021

Multi-level wheel with secondary wheels corresponding to outcomes to the primary wheel

Inventors: Bradley Hendricks (Las Vegas, NV); Thomas Tuomey (Las Vegas, NV); Gary Penacho (Henderson, NV); Damien Burczyk (Henderson, NV); Allon Englman (Las Vegas, NV)
Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
G07F17/3267G07F17/3213G07F17/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,107,326
App. No.
16/569,498
Granted
Aug 31, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed technology comprise advancements to electronic gaming machines. In particular embodiments, when a bonus feature is activated and, as part of the bonus feature, a sub-feature is selected from among multiple available sub-features. The bonus feature can include one or more sub-features that trigger a further secondary RNG selection. For example, the one or more sub-features can include one or more of (a) a credit awarding secondary feature in which a secondary RNG is applied to select the amount of credits; (b) a free-spin secondary feature in which one or more free games can be awarded; and/or (c) a reel-spin feature in which an enhanced reward scheme is applied. In further embodiments, the reel-spin feature can further include a random selection of a threshold that ensures the player the threshold amount until it is exceeded by the game mechanics.

Claims (41)

1. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

control logic, implemented using the one or more processors and memory, configured to perform operations to control an electronic gaming machine (“EGM”), the operations comprising:

receiving an indication that a multi-level feature selection mechanism has been triggered at the EGM;

in a first level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism,

selecting, using a random number generator, a second-level sub-feature or award to be awarded to a user from among two or more available second-level sub-features or awards, each of the two or more available second-level sub-features or awards being mapped to a different set of outcomes; and

in a second level of the multi-level feature, and based on the selected second-level sub-feature or award,

selecting, using a random number generator, an outcome from among multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature, the outcome being selected from multiple outcomes, in the set of outcomes mapped to the selected second-level sub-feature or award, that are unique to the selected second-level feature or award and distinct from outcomes for other ones of the two or more second-level sub-features or awards available for selection in the first level.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-level feature selection mechanism is triggered via a symbol-driven combination being achieved in a base game at the EGM.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-level feature selection mechanism is triggered via a random trigger process.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award is performed by a random-selection technique that randomly selects one of a plurality of sub-features and/or awards in accordance with a lookup table.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism is altered each instance a terminating event is not selected in the multi-level feature.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the terminating event is selection of a free spin sub-feature.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award is performed by a random-selection technique that randomly selects one of a plurality of sub-features and/or awards to be awarded to the user.

8. The system of claim 7 , and wherein one or more of the plurality of sub-features and/or awards are weighted to be selected with a higher or lower probability with respect to one or more other ones of the plurality of sub-features and/or awards.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying an outcome from the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award to a user, and wherein the displaying the outcome from the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award is presented to the user as a primary wheel animated to spin and stop at a pointer pointing to the selected second-level sub-feature or award.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying an outcome from the selecting an outcome from among multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism, wherein the displaying the outcome from the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award is presented to the user as a secondary wheel animated to spin and stop at a pointer pointing to the selected outcome of the second level from among multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

control logic, implemented using the one or more processors and memory, configured to perform operations to control a user interface of an electronic gaming device the operations comprising:

as part of a first level of a multi-level feature selection mechanism triggered from a base game,

displaying an animation that selects a second-level sub-feature or award to be awarded to a user from among two or more second-level sub-features or awards, each of the two or more available second-level sub-features or awards being linked to different random outcomes; and

as part of a second level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism,

displaying an animation that selects an outcome from among multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism, the outcome being selected from multiple outcomes, in the random outcomes linked to the selected second-level sub-feature or award, that are unique to the selected second-level feature or award and distinct from outcomes for other ones of the two or more second-level sub-features or awards available for selection in the first level.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the displaying the second-level sub-feature or award is presented to the user as a primary wheel animated to spin and stop at a position indicating the selected second-level sub-feature or award.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the displaying the outcome from among the multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism is presented to the user as a secondary wheel animated to spin and stop at a position indicating the selected outcome from among the multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature selection mechanism.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second-level sub-feature or award is selected by a random-selection technique that randomly selects one of a plurality of sub-features and/or awards to be awarded to the user, and wherein one or more of the plurality of sub-features and/or awards are weighted to be selected with a higher or lower probability with respect to one or more other ones of the plurality of sub-features and/or awards.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the outcome from among the multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature is selected by a random-selection technique that randomly selects an outcome from among the multiple outcomes in the random outcomes linked to the selected second-level sub-feature or award, and/or wherein the selected outcome is weighted to be selected with a higher or lower probability with respect to one or more other ones of the multiple outcomes in the random outcomes linked to the selected second-level sub-feature or award.

16. A method to control a gaming device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a multi-level feature selection feature has been triggered;

in a first level of the multi-level feature,

selecting, using a random number generator, a second-level sub-feature or award to be awarded to a user from among a plurality of available second-level sub-features or awards, each of the plurality of available second-level sub-features or awards being linked to different outcomes; and

in a second level of the multi-level feature, and based on the selected second-level sub-feature or award,

selecting, using a random number generator, an outcome from among multiple outcomes of the second level of the multi-level feature, the outcome being selected from multiple outcomes, in the different outcomes linked to the selected second-level sub-feature or award, that are unique to the selected second-level feature or award and distinct from outcomes for other ones of the plurality of second-level sub-features or awards available for selection in the first level.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the multi-level feature selection is triggered via a symbol-driven combination being achieved in a base game at the gaming device.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award is performed by a random-selection technique that randomly selects one of the plurality of sub-features and/or awards in accordance with a lookup table.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first level of the multi-level feature is altered each instance a terminating event is not selected in the multi-level feature.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the selecting the second-level sub-feature or award is performed by a random-selection technique that randomly selects one of the plurality of sub-features and/or awards to be awarded to the user.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE (REEL 062078 / FRAME 0604) Recorded Mar 2, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; BIG FISH GAMES, INC.; VIDEO GAMING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Reel/Frame 074992/0667 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 2, 2022
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; BIG FISH GAMES, INC.; VIDEO GAMING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A, AS SECURITY TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 062078/0604 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; BIG FISH GAMES, INC.; VIDEO GAMING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059368/0575 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SECURITY TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 052828/0221 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SCHEDULE A HAS BEEN ATTACHED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 51743 FRAME: 447. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 6, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053146/0005 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 051743/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: HENDRICKS, BRADLEY; TUOMEY, THOMAS; PENACHO, GARY; BURCZYK, DAMIEN; ENGLMAN, ALLON
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 051743/0345 →