Granted Patent B2

US 12,640,011 · App. 18/648,923 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventor: Kenneth Shawn Soong (Henderson, NV)

Assignee: LNW Gaming, Inc.

G07F17/3267G06Q50/34G07F17/3211

Abstract

Claims (60)

1 . A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming cabinet, an electronic display device, and game-logic circuitry secured within a locked box inside the gaming cabinet, the game-logic circuitry including memory storing programming for a random number generator (RNG) and a wagering game that determines game outcomes, the method comprising the operations of:

prior to executing the wagering game, executing an authentication program on the gaming machine to authenticate at least the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming that determines games outcomes, wherein executing the authentication program comprises generating a live authentication code derived from contents of the memory and comparing the live authentication code to a trusted code stored in the memory, and permitting execution of the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming only upon a match;

displaying, on the electronic display device, a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions;

conducting, by the game logic circuitry, a first spin including:

spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels using the RNG to randomly determine an outcome that controls the spinning and stopping of the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and

animating the array on the electronic display device to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and

conducting, by the game-logic circuitry, a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including:

again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels using the RNG to randomly determine an outcome that controls the spinning and stopping of the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, and (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in another one of the tagged symbol positions that is in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions;

animating the array on the electronic display device to display (i) a first value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a second value borne by the third value-bearing symbol in the another one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a third value derived from the first and second values in any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster,

presenting, on the electronic display device, an award based on the first, second, and third values; and

animating the array on the electronic display device to untag the tagged symbol positions in the cluster.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the third value is equal to the sum of the first and second values.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the operations of:

detecting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and

receiving, via at least one of one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising the operation of:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.

7 . A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine including a gaming cabinet, an electronic display device, and game-logic circuitry, the electronic display device configured to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions, the game-logic circuitry secured within a locked box inside the gaming cabinet, the game-logic circuitry including memory storing programming for a random number generator (RNG) and a wagering game that determines game outcomes

the game-logic circuitry configured to perform the operations of:

prior to executing the wagering game, executing an authentication program to authenticate at least the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming that determines game outcomes, wherein executing the authentication program comprises generating a live authentication code derived from contents of the memory and comparing the live authentication code to a trusted code stored in the memory, and permitting execution of the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming only upon a match;

conducting a first spin including:

spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels using the RNG to randomly determine an outcome that controls the spinning and stopping of the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and

animating the array on the electronic display device to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and

conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including:

again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels using the RNG to randomly determine an outcome that controls the spinning and stopping of the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, and (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in another one of the tagged symbol positions that is in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions;

animating the array on the electronic display device to display ( 1 ) a first value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions, (ii) a second value borne by the third value-bearing symbol in the another one of the tagged symbol positions, and (iii) a third value derived from the first and second values in any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster;

presenting on the electronic display device, an award based on the first, second, and third values; and

animating the array on the electronic display device to untag the tagged symbol positions in the cluster.

8 . The gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions.

9 . The gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the third value is equal to the sum of the first and second values.

10 . The gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster.

11 . The gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the gaming machine includes a value input device and one or more electronic input devices, and wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to perform the operations of:

detecting, via the value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

12 . The gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the game-logic circuitry is further configured to perform the operation of:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.

13 . A gaming system comprising:

a gaming machine including a gaming cabinet, an electronic display device, and game-logic circuitry, the electronic display device configured to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels and an array of symbol positions, the game-logic circuitry secured within a locked box inside the gaming cabinet, the game-logic circuitry including memory storing programming for a random number generator (RNG) and a wagering game that determines game outcomes

the game-logic circuitry configured to perform the operations of:

prior to executing the wagering game, executing an authentication program to authenticate at least the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming that determines game outcomes, wherein executing the authentication program comprises generating a live authentication code derived from contents of the memory and comparing the live authentication code to a trusted code stored in the memory, and permitting execution of the RNG programming and the wagering-game programming only upon a match;

conducting a first spin including:

spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels using the RNG to randomly determine an outcome that controls the spinning and stopping of the symbol-bearing reels to land one or more first value-bearing symbols borne by the reels in the array; and

animating the array on the electronic display device to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land; and

conducting a second spin subsequent to the first spin, the second spin including:

again spinning and stopping the symbol-bearing reels using the RNG to randomly determine an outcome that controls the spinning and stopping of the symbol-bearing reels to land (i) a second value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in one of the tagged symbol positions, and (ii) a third value-bearing symbol borne by the reels in a symbol position other than any of the tagged symbol positions;

animating the array on the electronic display device to display a value borne by the second value-bearing symbol in the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in a cluster with the one of the tagged symbol positions;

presenting, on the electronic display device, an award based on the values displayed in the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster;

animating the array on the electronic display device to untag the one of the tagged symbol positions and any other ones of the tagged symbol positions in the cluster; and

animating the array on the electronic display device to tag the symbol position in which the third value-bearing symbol landed.

14 . The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol positions in which the first value-bearing symbols land includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol positions.

15 . The gaming system of claim 14 , wherein the operation of animating the array to tag the symbol position in which the third value-bearing symbol landed includes applying a border, color change, background change, watermark, or other distinguishing characteristic to the symbol position.

16 . The gaming system of claim 13 , wherein the tagged symbol positions in the cluster are adjacent to each other such that each tagged symbol position in the cluster is adjacent to at least one other tagged symbol position in the cluster.

17 . The gaming system of claim 13 , further comprising the operations of:

detecting, via a value input device, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance; and

receiving, via at least one of one or more electronic input devices, a cash out input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.

18 . The gaming system of claim 17 , further comprising the operation of:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a wager input that initiates the first spin.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (157)