Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02325413 2010-09-13
51730-4
SLOT MACHINE WITH SYMBOL SAVE FEATURE
Curtis J. Crawford
James P. Jackson
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to slot machines and, in particular, to an
additional playing feature for a slot machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fig. 1 illustrates the well known basic circuitry of a modern slot
machine 10 which incorporates rotating reels. In such a slot machine 10, each
of
the reels 12, 13, and 14 has a variety of symbols printed on its periphery.
Each of
the reels 12-14 is driven by a separate stepper motor 16 which rotates in
response
to pulses from a CPU 18. When the pulses to a stepper motor 16 are terminated,
the reel stops abruptly.
In modern slot machines, the stopping positions of the reels 12-14
are predetermined using a random number generator consisting of a random
number generator program in the program ROM 20 carried out by the CPU 18.
The required number of pulses to the three stepper motors are then generated
to
display the symbol combination at the predetermined reel positions.
In one common type of slot machine, the number of pulses after the
reel has reached a zero position are counted to determine the final position
of the
reels. In another type of machine, each of the reels has tabs that are sensed
by a
photodetector to determine the angular displacement of the reel and thus the
final
displayed symbol. Other means for detecting the positions of the reels exist
and
are well known.
1
CA 02325413 2010-09-13
51730-4
A money detector 22, which may detect coins or other currency,
issues a command to the CPU 18 that the slot machine 10 is ready to be played.
The player may then pull a handle 24 or press a button to initiate play.
After the reels have stopped, and the CPU 18 determines the final
stop positions, the stop positions are then applied to a pay-table ROM 26,
which
cross-references the final displayed symbols with a monetary payout to the
player.
This payout is then conveyed to a payout mechanism 28 which issues coins or
credits to the player. A display 30 may also be activated, signaling a win to
the
player.
The above general description of a modern slot machine would be
well known in the art, and such a programmable machine offers great
advantages.
Slot machines are varied by simply changing the operating program in the
program ROM 20 and the aware program in the pay-table ROM 26. The front
glass of the slot machine is also changeable to convey particular features of
the
machine.
Additional detail of such conventional slot machines is found in U.S.
Patent No. 4,095,795 to Saxton et al.; 4,448,419 to Telnaes; and 4,573,681 to
Okada.
One well known award criterion for a 3-reel slot machine is the
matching of symbols in a horizontal direction. After each game, the player
again
pulls the handle so that each game is completely independent of all previous
games.
Although the slot machine of Fig. 1 is very successful, even more
player appeal would be created by allowing the player additional possibilities
for
winning.
2
CA 02325413 2010-09-13
.51730-4
SUMMARY
A method for operating a rotating reel type slot machine, or a video
machine which depicts rotating reels, is described herein which allows a
player to
save in memory one or more symbols from one or more previous games and use
those symbols in a current game to obtain a winning combination. Some
embodiments of the invention may be implemented by relatively minor changes in
the software code in the program ROM and the pay-table ROM of a conventional
slot machine.
The display glass of the slot machine contains an area for displaying
the saved symbols. If a video slot machine is used to implement an embodiment
of the invention, the video screen may display the saved symbols.
In another embodiment, special symbols, such as winning symbols,
are saved automatically by the machine. This concept can be extended to a slot
machine having multiple sets of reels, where a winning symbol displayed by a
primary set of reels causes the corresponding reel in one or more secondary
sets
of reels to stop on the same special symbol.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a slot
machine comprising: a display portion displaying a plurality of rotatable
reels, each
reel having a plurality of symbols on its periphery; a controller for rotating
said
reels and stopping said reels such that at least one symbol on each reel is
displayed to a player of the slot machine across at least one payline; a
selector for
allowing said player to store at least one displayed symbol per reel as one or
more
saved symbols in a memory for use in a subsequent game, said selector being
available for use by said player to store said at least one displayed symbol
after
each game, stored symbols being available for use by said player for a
plurality of
subsequent games; the controller further adapted for, after the storage of the
symbols, rotating and stopping said reels again such that a game result
comprising at least one new symbol on each reel is displayed to said player of
the
slot machine across at least one payline; the selector further adapted to,
after the
at least one new symbol is displayed, allow the player to manually select one
or
3
CA 02325413 2010-09-13
51730-4
more new symbols to be replaced by a respective stored symbol, and to replace
the one or more new symbols in the game result with the selected stored symbol
to produce an adjusted game result; a display area associated with each of
said
rotatable reels for displaying said one or more saved symbols of said
respective
reel; and an award table for awarding a payment to said player for winning
combinations of symbols using both said one or more saved symbols and
currently displayed symbols for determining a winning combination of symbols
in
the adjusted game result.
There is also provided a method for operating a slot machine
comprising the steps of: displaying rotating reels in said slot machine, each
reel
having a plurality of symbols around its periphery; stopping said reels to
display at
least one symbol on each reel in a particular symbol combination; selecting
one or
more displayed symbols for at least one of said reels to be saved and stored
in a
memory, said machine allowing a player to perform said step of selecting after
each game, stored symbols being available for use by said player for a
plurality of
subsequent games; displaying said saved symbols in a display area associated
with the respective reel; displaying rotating each of said reels subsequent to
said
step of selecting; stopping said reels to display a game result comprising at
least
one symbol on each reel in another particular symbol combination; after
displaying
the other particular symbol combination, allowing the player to manually
select
which displayed symbols in the game result are to be substituted by said saved
symbols; replacing the displayed symbols selected by the player with said
saved
symbols to produce an adjusted game result; and determining a payment to a
player for the adjusted game result including a winning combination of symbols
using both saved symbols and currently displayed symbols for determining a
winning combination of symbols.
Another aspect of the invention provides a slot machine comprising:
a display portion displaying a plurality of sets of rotatable reels, said
plurality of
sets comprising at least a first set and a second set, each reel in said first
set and
said second set having a plurality of symbols on its periphery; a controller
for
rotating said reels and stopping said reels such that at least one symbol on
each
3a
CA 02325413 2010-09-13
51730-4
reel is displayed to a player of the slot machine across at least one payline;
a
selector for allowing said player to store at least one displayed symbol per
reel in
at least said first set of reels as one or more saved symbols in a memory for
use in
a subsequent game, said selector being available for use by said player to
store
said at least one displayed symbol after a game; the controller further
adapted for,
after storing the symbols, rotating and stopping said reels again such that a
game
result comprising at least one new symbol on each reel is displayed to a
player of
the slot machine across at least one payline; the selector further adapted
for, after
the at least one new symbol is displayed, allowing the player to manually
select
one or more new symbols to be replaced by a respective stored symbol, and for
replacing the one or more new symbols in the game result with the selected
stored
symbol; a display area associated with at least each of said rotatable reels
in said
first set for displaying said one or more saved symbols of said respective
reel; and
an award table for awarding a payment to said player for winning combinations
of
symbols using both said one or more saved symbols and currently displayed
symbols for determining a winning combination of symbols.
Also provided is a method for operating a slot machine comprising
the steps of: displaying a plurality of sets of rotating reels in said slot
machine,
each reel having a plurality of symbols around its periphery, said plurality
of sets
comprising a first set and a second set; stopping said reels to display at
least one
symbol on each reel in a particular symbol combination; selecting one or more
displayed symbols for at least one of said reels in at least said first set to
be saved
and stored in a memory, said machine allowing a player to perform said step of
selecting after each game, stored symbols being available for use by said
player
for a plurality of subsequent games; displaying said saved symbols in a
display
area associated with the respective reel; displaying rotating each of said
reels
subsequent to said step of selecting; stopping said reels to display a game
result
comprising at least one symbol on each reel in another particular symbol
combination; after displaying the game result, allowing the player to manually
select which displayed symbols are to be substituted by said saved symbols
within
the game result; replacing the displayed symbols selected by the player with
said
saved symbols; and determining a payment to a player for a winning combination
3b
CA 02325413 2010-09-13
51730-4
of symbols in the game result using both saved symbols and currently displayed
symbols for determining a winning combination of symbols.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 illustrates well-known circuitry for operating a slot machine.
Fig. 2 illustrates the circuitry of Fig. 1, but augmented to incorporate
an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a front view of a slot machine incorporating an embodiment
of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the basic steps carried out by the
slot machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 illustrates circuitry similar to Fig. 2, but modified for controlling
a video slot machine displaying rotating reels.
Fig. 6 is a front view of a machine incorporating an embodiment of
the invention using three sets of reels.
Fig. 7 is a functional diagram of the machine of Fig. 6.
3c
M-4096-1P US
552860 vi
Fig. 8 is a video version of the machine of Fig. 6 or any other machine
described herein.
Fig. 9 is a flowchart of a method performed by a machine, such as that in Fig.
7, where
special symbols displayed by a primary set of reels cause corresponding reels
in secondary sets
of reels to stop on the same special symbol.
Fig. 10 is a flowchart of an alternate embodiment method using multiple sets
of reels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 2 illustrates the circuitry used in a slot machine in accordance with the
present
invention. Elements identified with the same numerals in the various figures
may be identical
and will not be redundantly described.
The slot machine of Fig. 2 performs the same functions as the conventional
slot machine
of Fig. 1 but has an additional feature. This feature will be referred to as a
symbol save feature,
which allows a player to save any displayed symbol for use in a subsequent
game. Symbols may
be saved manually by pressing a button, or, alternatively, the machine may
automatically save
special symbols for the player's use in later games. A description of the
invention will be
presented with reference to Fig. 2, the front view of a slot machine in Fig.
3, and the flowchart of
the slot machine operation in Fig. 4.
In step 1, a coin is deposited through slot 32 (Fig. 3) and is detected by a
coin detector 22
(Fig. 2). A paper currency slot and reader may also be incorporated in the
slot machine of Fig. 3.
The detection of the coin and the pulling of handle 24, or the pressing of
button 34, initiates a
next game, as indicated in step 2 of Fig. 4.
A CPU 36 (Fig. 2), under control of a program ROM 38, rotates the reels 12-14
by
issuing pulses to stepper motors 16, as indicated by step 3 in Fig. 4. In step
4, a random number
generator in the program ROM 38 selects the final reel positions for reels 12-
14. CPU 36 issues
the required number of pulses to stepper motors 16 in order to cause the reels
12-14 to reach their
final positions. The positions of the reels 12-14 may be determined by either
counting the
number of pulses to each stepper motor 16 or by counting pulses generated by a
photo-optical
element which detects tabs around the periphery of each of reels 12-14. Such
methods of
-4-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-IP US
552860 vi
selecting a final reel position and stopping the reels at the selected reel
positions are well known
and commonly used in the art. In step 5, the reels are stopped at their
selected positions.
The reels are displayed through display windows 40, 41, and 42 in Fig. 3. A
slot machine
incorporating this invention may include more than 3 reels. In the particular
embodiment shown
in Fig. 3, three consecutive symbols on each of reels 12-14 are displayed
through the display
windows 40-42. A symbol maybe any image and may even be a blank. Three
paylines 44, 45
and 46 are printed on the display glass of the slot machine to identify the
paylines which are
applicable for a particular play. Typically, the deposit of one coin will
activate the center payline
45, and additional coins will activate the paylines 44 and 46. A winning
combination of symbols
appearing across any activated payline will result in a win for that player.
In step 6 of Fig. 4, a pay-table ROM 48 (Fig. 2) is addressed with an address
based upon
the number of coins played and the final reel positions. For example, if three
coins were played,
a winning combination across any of the three paylines 44-46 would be
acknowledged by the
pay-table ROM 48 as a win. The pay-table ROM 48 provides a signal to CPU 36 to
control a
payout mechanism 28 to provide the number of coins or credits to the player
corresponding to the
winning symbol combination, as shown in step 7 of Fig. 4.
The operation of the preferred slot machine, thus far, has been that of a
conventional slot
machine. The present invention can also be used in slot machines which have
only a single
payline or which use a CRT or other flat screen display to represent the
rotation of reels rather
than provide actual mechanical reels.
After the reels have stopped, the player may elect to save one or more symbols
displayed
for each reel position. This may be accomplished by pressing one or more
buttons 48, 49, and 50
(Fig. 3) associated with each reel. In one embodiment of a slot machine having
three paylines,
there are three buttons per reel to select a symbol on any one of the
paylines. Hence, up to three
symbols per reel may be saved. In another embodiment, only one symbol per reel
can be saved.
In another embodiment, only special symbols may be designated by the machine
as the
symbols applicable to the symbol save feature. In such an embodiment, the
machine itself may
automatically save these special symbols are they appear in the display
windows 40-42.
-5-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-1 P US
552860 vi
The manual saving of symbols by buttons 48-50 or the automatic saving of
symbols is
indicated by the symbol save controller 52 in Fig. 2 and indicated by step 8
in Fig. 4.
The saved symbols are stored in a symbol save memory 54 (Fig. 2), and the save
symbols
are displayed to the user in display areas 56, 57 and 58 in Fig. 3. In one
embodiment, an image
of the saved symbol(s) is illuminated in areas 56-58 in Fig. 3. Any
arrangement of a display for
displaying the saved symbols to the player may be used, and such a display is
designated as
display 60 in Fig. 2.
In the preferred embodiment, any symbol from a reel which is saved by the
player or the
machine only applies to that same reel position in subsequent games. Thus, the
saved symbol
originally displayed in display window 40 will appear in display area 56 and
can only be later
used in combination with symbols displayed in windows 41 and 42 or with
symbols saved in
display areas 52 and 58. In another embodiment, the origin of the saved symbol
is not relevant,
and the saved symbol(s) can be used with any reel combination.
The player may then deposit more coins and initiate a next game, as shown in
step 9 of
Fig. 4. The step of saving symbols, instead of being conducted before
additional coins or credits
are wagered, may be conducted after additional coins or credits are wagered
but before the
initiation of the next game. Again, the reels are rotated, the final reel
positions are randomly
selected, and the reels are stopped, as shown in steps 10, 11, and 12,
respectively, in Fig. 4.
A winning combination of symbols may now be determined by using the currently
displayed symbols by the reels 12-14 and the saved symbols from one or more
previous games.
The pay-table ROM 48 is then provided an address which may be based upon, for
example, the
number of coins played, the saved symbols, and the symbols displayed by the
reels to determine
whether there is a winning combination of symbols and to determine the award
to be played to
the player, as shown in step 13 of Fig. 4. Other criteria for addressing the
pay-table ROM 48 or
other circuitry for providing an award to the player may also be used.
The output of the pay-table ROM 48 is provided to CPU 36, which then controls
the pay-
out mechanism 28 to provide the corresponding award to the player for the
winning symbol
combination, as shown in step 14 of Fig. 4, and the display of the saved
symbols is extinguished.
-6-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-1P US
552860 vi
If a winning combination used any of the saved symbols, the saved symbols are
canceled,
as shown in step 15 of Fig. 4, and the display of the saved symbols is ceased.
The player may now select additional symbols to save and store in the symbol
save
memory 54, as illustrated by the return path in Fig. 4.
Any method and means of indicating symbols to be saved and applying the saved
symbols to a subsequent game are envisioned by the invention. For example,
separate buttons
may be provided for saving particular symbols and then selecting which symbols
in a subsequent
game to replace with the saved symbols.
Fig. 5 illustrates the circuitry used in a video slot machine which displays
an animated
version of rotating reels on a CRT 62. A video controller 64 controls CRT 62
and receives
commands from CPU 36. One skilled in the art would understand the requirements
for video
controller 64 and CPU 36, since these devices would be generic to a wide
variety of video slot
machines. In a video slot machine, a separate display to identify the saved
symbols is not
required since the saved symbols would be displayed on CRT 62.
One skilled in the art could easily modify conventional slot machine programs
stored in a
program ROM to incorporate the symbol save feature of this invention. One
skilled in the art
could also easily modify the conventional program in a pay-table ROM to take
into account the
symbols saved in memory 54 when determining whether a winning combination
exists. The
symbol save controller 52 may easily be implemented by determining the
displayed symbol
corresponding to buttons 48-50, since the final positions of the reels are
already known by CPU
36. Accordingly, one skilled in the art may implement numerous embodiments of
this invention
without further technical description.
Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 6. Elements labeled
with the
same numbers as in Fig. 3 may be identical. The slot machine 70 incorporates
multiple sets of
reels along with the symbol save feature. Machine 70 uses three sets of reels
72, 73, 74, but the
number of sets of reels may be four, five, six, or more. Also, shown in Fig.
6, each set of reels
has three reels 75, 76, 77; however, there may be four, five, six, or more
reels per set. Also, the
embodiment shown in Fig. 6 uses three paylines per reel; however, other
embodiments of the
-7-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-1P US
552860 v1
invention use a single payline per reel set. As in the embodiment of Fig. 3,
saved symbols are
available for use in subsequent games until used in a symbol combination.
The invention of Fig. 6 allows the player to save any symbol from the primary
set of reels
72 to be subsequently used in either the next game or any subsequent game for
any of the sets of
reels 72, 73, 74. The saved symbols are stored in memory and displayed in
windows 78, 79 and
80. Windows 78, 79 and 80 correspond to reels 75, 76, and 77, respectively.
Buttons 48, 49 and 50, as in Fig. 3, select the particular symbol to be saved
from an
associated reel in the primary set of reels 72, and the saved symbols are
displayed in the windows
78, 79, and 80. In one embodiment, if three coins are inserted in slot 32,
activating all three
paylines 81, 82, 83, then three symbols may be saved from each of the primary
reels and
displayed in the associated windows 78-80. If only one coin is inserted, only
the center payline
82 is activated, and only symbols on the center payline may be saved.
Once the symbols are saved and the handle 24 is pulled to initiate a
subsequent game, the
saved symbols are applied to the respective reels in any of the reel sets to
achieve the highest
paying combination. Not all saved symbols need be used in any one particular
game.
In another embodiment, the player is given the opportunity to decide whether
to apply the
saved symbols to a particular reel by pressing any of the buttons 84, each
identifying a particular
set of reels 72, 73, 74. Buttons 48-50 may then be used to replace a
particular symbol on an
associated reel with a saved symbol.
The game algorithm is similar to that described with respect to Fig. 4 except
that the
saved symbols are obtained from the primary set of reels 72 and may be applied
to either the
secondary sets of reels 73, 74 or, additionally, applied to the primary set of
reels 72. This
provides additional chances to the player to win.
The invention of Fig. 6 can generate a higher revenue than prior art machines
since the
player can be required to insert additional coins to bring into play the
secondary set of reels. For
example, the player may be required to deposit three coins to activate the
three paylines of the
primary set of reels 72 and activate the symbol save feature for only the
primary set of reels 72.
With six coins deposited, the player may additionally activate the three
paylines of one of the
-8-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-1P US
552860 vi
secondary sets of reels 73. Additional coins can be used to activate
additional paylines and
additional reel sets to provide the maximum chance of winning.
In another embodiment, symbols from any of the reel sets 72, 73, and 74 may be
saved,
and additional symbol save windows may be added. In such an embodiment, any
combination of
the saved symbols may be applied to any of the sets of reels to greatly
increase the chances of a
winning combination.
Fig. 7 illustrates the internal circuitry within the machine 70 which, in one
embodiment,
includes stepper motors 86, 87, and 88 (other stepper motors not shown) for
each of the reels 75-
77 and 93-98 in each of the reel sets.
Cable 100 illustrates a plurality of wires connected to the stepper motors to
controllably
start and stop each of the reels to display a particular symbol. The remainder
of the circuitry is
virtually identical to that described with respect to Fig. 2. The program ROM
38 includes
instructions to carry out the program previously described with respect to
Fig. 6, and the pay-
table ROM 48 is programmed to provide suitable awards for the various
possibilities of winning
yet still provide the machine 70 owner with a profit over the long term.
The rotating reels need not be physical reels but may be displayed on a video
screen, such
as on screen 110 in the slot machine 112 shown in Fig. 8. The control panel
114 contains the
various buttons and other controls necessary for initiating the game,
selecting the saved symbols,
and applying the saved symbols to the particular reels. Alternatively, the
control may be by
touching screen 110 in appropriate places. The screen 110 may also display the
saved symbols.
The term rotating reels may also apply to reels whose symbols are flashed on
the screen to
convey rotating reels
Elements labeled with the same numerals in the various drawings may be
identical to one
another. The internal structure of the video slot machine 112 may be similar
to that shown in
Fig. 5.
In an alternate embodiment, symbols saved by a player result in the
corresponding reel
not spinning for the next game or any subsequent game unless the reel (whether
physical or
video) is released by the player by pressing a button or the saved symbol is
used in an award
payout. Subsequent games use the saved symbol. In such embodiments, a separate
display area
-9-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-1 P US
552860 vi
for the saved symbol is not needed. This concept may be used in single or
multiple reel sets
embodiments.
In another embodiment, the symbols on the periphery of the reels, whether
video or
physical reels, include certain special symbols, such as a wild card or a
winning symbol (e.g., a
cherry resulting in an automatic win) that is automatically saved without
player intervention. In
such a case, step 8 in Fig. 4 is performed automatically by the machine by
detecting that the
special symbol is one of the symbols in the final combination of displayed
symbols. The saving
by the machine may either be by storing the saved symbol in a memory and
displaying that
symbol in a separate display area or by preventing the reel (either physical
or video) from
spinning in a subsequent game until used.
In another version of a slot machine with a symbol save feature that does not
require
player intervention to save a symbol, winning symbols or other special symbols
displayed by the
primary set of reels cause the corresponding reel in a second or third set of
reels (see Fig. 7) to
stop on that same winning symbol. This process is described more fully in the
flowchart of
Fig. 9.
In step 1 of Fig. 9, the player makes a wager in a gaming machine having
multiple sets of
reels, such as that illustrated in Fig. 7 or in the video version of Fig. 8.
By depositing additional
wagers, the player activates additional sets of reels. For purposes of this
example, it will be
assumed that there are three sets of reels, although this invention may be
implemented with two
sets of reels or more than three sets of reels.
In step 2 of Fig. 9, the reel sets activated by the wager (assume three reel
sets activated)
are caused to spin by the associated stepper motors.
In step 3, the reels in the primary set of reels 72 (Fig. 7) stop
sequentially, typically from
left to right. For each reel that has stopped, a determination is made in step
4 of Fig. 9 whether
that symbol is a winning symbol, or other predetermined symbol having value.
One example of
such a symbol is a cherry, which is an automatic winner. Assuming the leftmost
reel of the
primary set of reels stops on a cherry, the process proceeds to step 5, which
causes the leftmost
reel in the secondary set of reels 73 to stop on a cherry. As understood by
those skilled in the art,
the symbols displayed by the various reels are controlled by CPU 36 in Fig. 7;
the CPU may
-10-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M4096-1 P US
552860 vi
control the number of pulses provided to the stepper motors after a zero
position to obtain the
desired symbol or detect codes around the periphery of the reels. Thus, a
winning symbol (i.e., a
cherry) is displayed by the leftmost reel in both the primary set of reels 72
and the secondary set
of reels 73. In one embodiment, the leftmost reel in a third set of reels 74
is also stopped on a
cherry.
As the reels of the primary set of reels 72 sequentially stop, any special
symbols
displayed on these reels then cause the corresponding reels in the other sets
of reels to stop at that
symbol, thereby at least duplicating the winning symbols. If the symbols
displayed in the
primary set of reels 72 are not special symbols, such as winning symbols, then
the reels in the
additional sets of reels 73 and 74 are stopped sequentially at random
positions (step 6).
When all the reels have stopped spinning, the player is then paid out the
winnings for the
symbol combinations in the three sets of reels (step 7).
The process of Fig. 9 may be modified in various ways to attract players'
interests. For
example, one variation is illustrated in Fig. 10 which has the same steps 1-6
as Fig. 9 but
includes the additional feature of causing any winning symbols obtained in the
second set of
reels 73 (Fig. 7) to also be displayed in the third set of reels 74. More
specifically, in step 7 of
Fig. 10, a determination is made whether any of the symbols displayed by the
second set of reels
73 is a winning symbol, such as a cherry. If yes, the process proceeds to step
8, which causes the
corresponding reel in the third set of reels 74 to stop on that winning
symbol, thus guaranteeing a
win in both the second and third sets of reels.
Conversely, if no winning symbol is displayed in the second set of reels 73,
the reels in
the third set of reels 74 are sequentially stopped randomly (step 9).
In step 10, all the reels have stopped and the player is paid for the winning
combinations
of symbols in the three sets of reels.
The concepts described with respect to Figs. 9 and 10 apply to any
predetermined
symbols that are believed valuable enough to be duplicated in other sets of
reels. Using these
techniques, the player is motivated to make an additional wager to activate
multiple sets of reels
since the chances of winning are greatly enhanced. Additional wagers may also
be multipliers of
any award, as well as providing the player more chances to win.
-11-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
M-4096-1 P US
552860 vl
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and
described, it
will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may
be made without
departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the
appended claims are to
encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within
the true spirit and
scope of this invention.
-12-
CA 02325413 2000-11-07
