IP Library Granted Patent US 11,386,753
Granted Patent B2
US 11,386,753 · App. 16/782,615 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Gaming machine and method for providing a feature game

Inventor: Scott Christopher Olive (Narrabeen, AU)
G07F17/3262G07F17/326G07F17/3213G07F17/3225G07F17/3244G07F17/3258G07F17/3267G07F17/34G07F17/3255
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,386,753
App. No.
16/782,615
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A game controller selects and displays first symbols at display positions on a display device, and triggers play of a series of feature games when the first symbols correspond to a trigger event. During the series of feature games, the game controller selects and displays second symbols at the display positions, reveals a value for each reveal symbol in the second symbols while retaining other symbols in the second symbols, and determines a feature game outcome based on the value revealed fro each reveal symbol and other symbols in the second symbols.

Claims (80)

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a display device;

a game controller; and a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the game controller, cause the game controller to, at least:

select and display a first plurality of symbols at a plurality of display positions on the display device, wherein the first plurality of symbols are selected from a base game set of symbols; and

trigger play of a series of feature games when the first plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions correspond to a trigger event;

for the series of feature games:

select and display a second plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions, wherein the second plurality of symbols are selected from a feature game set of symbols that includes a reveal symbol and a plurality of other symbols;

after the second plurality of symbols are displayed at the plurality of display positions, reveal a value for each instance of the reveal symbol in the second plurality of symbols while retaining each instance of the plurality of other symbols in the second plurality of symbols;

determine a feature game outcome based on the value revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol and the plurality of other symbols in the second plurality of symbols;

display, on the display device, a symbol counter that indicates a number of instances of a configurable symbol displayed by the display device; and

award a jackpot in response to the display device displaying a defined number of instances of the configurable symbol.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the game controller to:

display, on the display device, a feature game counter that indicates a number of feature games remaining in the series of feature games; and

award a defined initial number of feature games when play of the series of feature games is triggered.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause game controller to reset the feature game counter to the defined initial number of feature games when the second plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions correspond to a retrigger event.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the game controller to determine a prize value of the feature game outcome by accumulating respective values revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of other symbols include non-configurable symbols and the configurable symbol;

the configurable symbol includes a common component and a variable component; and

the instructions further cause the game controller to determine a prize value of the feature game outcome that is based on the value revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol and the variable component of each instance of the configurable symbol in the second plurality of symbols.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the game controller to:

trigger, during the series of feature games, a second series of games; and

during the second series of games:

hold each configurable symbol at its display position;

select and display another plurality of symbols for non-held symbols in the plurality of display positions;

reduce a quantity of games remaining in the second series of games when selection of the another plurality of symbols fails to add another instance of the configurable symbol to the display device;

reset the quantity of games remaining in the second series of games to an initial quantity when selection of the another plurality of symbols adds another instance of the configurable symbol to the display device; and

repeat the hold, the select, the reduce, and/or the reset until the quantity of games remaining in the second series of games is none or until a threshold number of configurable symbols are held.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising a credit input mechanism, a player interface, and a payout mechanism, wherein the instructions further cause the game controller to:

establish a credit balance in response to the credit input mechanism receiving a physical item representing a monetary value;

fund a wager amount funded by the credit balance and initiate play of a base game in response to input received via the player interface; and

dispense a payout of the credit balance via the payout mechanism.

8. A method, comprising:

during play of a base game on a gaming machine,

displaying, on a display device of the gaming machine, a first plurality of symbols at a plurality of display positions; and

displaying play of a series of feature games when the first plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions correspond to a triggering event;

during the series of feature games,

displaying, on the display device, a second plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions, wherein the second plurality of symbols include symbols from a feature game set of symbols, and wherein the feature game set of symbols includes a reveal symbol and a plurality of other symbols;

after displaying the second plurality of symbols, revealing a value for each instance of the reveal symbol in the second plurality of symbols while retaining each instance of the plurality of other symbols in the second plurality of symbols; and

displaying, on the display device, a feature game outcome based on the value revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol and the plurality of other symbols in the second plurality of symbols; and

displaying a prize value of the feature game outcome that is based on the value revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol and a variable component of each instance of a configurable symbol in the second plurality of symbols;

wherein the plurality of other symbols include non-configurable symbols and the configurable symbol; and

wherein the configurable symbol includes a common component and the variable component.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

displaying, on the display device, a symbol counter that indicates a number of instances of the configurable symbol displayed by the display device; and

displaying a win of a jackpot in response to the display device displaying a defined number of instances of the configurable symbol.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, during the series of feature games, displaying, on the display device, a feature game counter that indicates a number of feature games remaining in the series of feature games and that displays a defined initial number of feature games when the series of feature games is triggered.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising displaying the feature game counter reset to the defined initial number of feature games when the second plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions correspond to a retrigger event.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising displaying a prize value of the feature game outcome that is based on accumulated respective values revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

triggering, during the series of feature games, a second series of games; and

during the second series of games:

holding each configurable symbol at its display position;

displaying another plurality of symbols for non-held symbols in the plurality of display positions;

reducing a quantity of games remaining in the second series of games when displaying the another plurality of symbols fails to add another instance of the configurable symbol to the display device;

resetting the quantity of games remaining in the second series of games to an initial quantity when displaying the another plurality of symbols adds another instance of the configurable symbol to the display device; and

repeating the holding, the displaying, the reducing, and/or the resetting until the quantity of games remaining in the second series of games is none or until a threshold number of configurable symbols are held.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to being executed, cause a gaming machine to:

during play of a base game of the gaming machine,

display, on a display device of the gaming machine, a first plurality of symbols at a plurality of display positions on the display device; and

display play of a series of feature games when the first plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions correspond to a triggering event; and

during the series of feature games,

display, on the display device, a second plurality of symbols at the plurality of display positions, wherein the second plurality of symbols include symbols from a feature game set of symbols, and wherein the feature game set of symbols includes a reveal symbol and a plurality of other symbols;

after the second plurality of symbols are displayed at the plurality of display positions, reveal a value for each instance of the reveal symbol in the second plurality of symbols while retaining each instance of the plurality of other symbols in the second plurality of symbols; and

display, on the display device, a feature game outcome based on the value revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol and the plurality of other symbols in the second plurality of symbols; and

trigger a second series of games; and

during the second series of games:

hold each configurable symbol at its display position;

display another plurality of symbols for non-held symbols in the plurality of display positions;

reduce a quantity of games remaining in the second series of games when displaying the another plurality of symbols fails to add another instance of the configurable symbol to the display device;

reset the quantity of games remaining in the second series of games to an initial quantity when displaying the another plurality of symbols adds another instance of the configurable symbol to the display device; and

repeat the hold, the display, the reduce, and/or the reset until the quantity of games remaining in the seconds series of games is none or until a threshold number of configurable symbols are held.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the gaming machine to:

display, one the display device, a symbol counter that indicates a number of instances of the configurable symbol displayed by the display device; and

display a win of a jackpot in response to the display device displaying a defined number of instances of the configurable symbol.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein execution of the instructions further cause the gaming machine, during the series of feature games, to display, on the display device, a feature game counter that indicates a number of feature games remaining in the series of feature games and that displays a defined initial number of feature games when the series of feature games is triggered.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein:

execution of the instructions further cause the gaming machine to display a prize value of the feature game outcome that is based on the value revealed for each instance of the reveal symbol and a variable component of each instance of the configurable symbol in the second plurality of symbols;

the plurality of other symbols include non-configurable symbols and the configurable symbol; and

the configurable symbol includes a common component and the variable component.

Assignments (5)
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 AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 059368/0799 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SECURITY TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 052828/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2020
From: OLIVE, SCOTT CHRISTOPHER
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 051728/0809 →
Priority Claims (2)
AU 2014903132 · Aug 11, 2014 · national
AU 2016900462 · Feb 11, 2016 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16740774 · Jan 13, 2020
Continuation 15428813 · Feb 9, 2017
Continuation In Part 15149060 · May 6, 2016
Continuation 14823536 · Aug 11, 2015
Related Publication 20200175815A1 · Jun 4, 2020
Cited By (5)
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