U.S. patent application number 09/935104 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-04 for gaming machine with multi scatter game.
Invention is credited to Bryant, Natalie.
Application Number | 20020039920 09/935104 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3823642 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020039920 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bryant, Natalie |
April 4, 2002 |
Gaming machine with multi scatter game
Abstract
A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller
arranged to control images displayed on the display 14. The game
controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random
event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a
predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. The
display 14 displays a plurality of spinning reels 18, each reel 18
carrying symbols from a set of symbols. One of the symbols of the
set is a scatter symbol and, in respect of at least one of the
reels, the set comprises more than one occurrence of the scatter
symbol. The scatter symbols on the at least one reel are arranged
on the reel so that more than one scatter symbol is able to be
displayed simultaneously when the reels are in a rest condition.
When more than a minimum number of scatter symbols are displayed at
any one time, all the displayed scatter symbols contribute to a
single paying combination of the scatter symbols.
Inventors: |
Bryant, Natalie; (Sydney,
AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Rosenman & Colin LLP
575 Madison Avenue
New York
NY
10022-2585
US
|
Family ID: |
3823642 |
Appl. No.: |
09/935104 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3244 20130101;
G07F 17/3267 20130101; G07F 17/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/20 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 22, 2000 |
AU |
PQ9587 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A gaming machine having a display means and a game control means
arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game
control means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one
random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if
a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, the
gaming machine being characterized in that the display means
displays a plurality of spinning reels, each reel carrying symbols
from a set of symbols, one of the symbols of the set being a
scatter symbol and, in respect of at least one of the reels, the
set comprising more than one occurrence of the scatter symbol, the
scatter symbols on said at least one reel being arranged on the
reel so that more than one scatter symbol is able to be displayed
simultaneously when the reels are in a rest condition and, when
more than a minimum number of scatter symbols are displayed at any
one time, all the displayed scatter symbols contributing to a
single paying combination of the scatter symbols.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the display means is a
video display unit and the display of the reels is constituted by a
video simulation of spinning reels.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the set of symbols on
each of the reels has more than one occurrence of the scatter
symbol.
4. The gaming machine of claim 3 in which the set of symbols of
each reel has at least two scatter symbols.
5. The gaming machine of claim 3 in which the scatter symbols are
positioned on each reel such that up to three scatter symbols are
able to be displayed together at any one time.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a gaming machine. More
particularly, the invention relates to a gaming machine and to an
improvement to a game played on such a gaming machine.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Players who regularly play gaming machines quickly tire of
particular games and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers of
these machines to develop innovative game features which add
interest to the games. In so doing, it is hoped to keep players
amused and therefore willing to continue playing the games as well
as to attract new players.
[0003] Also, with the growth that has occurred in the gaming
machine market, there is intense competition between manufacturers
to supply various existing and new venues. When selecting a
supplier of gaming machines, the operator of a venue will often pay
close attention to the popularity of various games with their
patrons. Therefore, gaming machine manufacturers are keen to devise
games and/or game features which are popular with the players as a
mechanism for improving sales, retaining customers and attracting
new customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to the invention, there is provided a gaming
machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to
control images displayed on the display means, the game control
means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random
event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a
predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, the
gaming machine being characterized in that the display means
displays a plurality of spinning reels, each reel carrying symbols
from a set of symbols, one of the symbols of the set being a
scatter symbol and, in respect of at least one of the reels, the
set comprising more than one occurrence of the scatter symbol, the
scatter symbols on said at least one reel being arranged on the
reel so that more than one scatter symbol is able to be displayed
simultaneously when the reels are in a rest condition and, when
more than a minimum number of scatter symbols are displayed at any
one time, all the displayed scatter symbols contributing to a
single paying combination of the scatter symbols.
[0005] The display means may be a video display unit and the
display of the reels may be constituted by a video simulation of
spinning reels.
[0006] It will be appreciated that, to achieve a winning
combination, a predetermined number of the symbols must be
displayed. Normally, at least three symbols constitute a winning
combination. Hence, the minimum number of the scatter symbols which
must be displayed to constitute a winning combination may be three
scatter symbols.
[0007] The set of symbols on each of the reels may have more than
one occurrence of the scatter symbol. Preferably, the set of
symbols of each reel has at least two scatter symbols. The scatter
symbols may be positioned on each reel such that up to three
scatter symbols are able to be displayed together at any one time.
Hence, for a five reel video simulation, a maximum of fifteen
scatter symbols may be able to be displayed at once to constitute a
fifteen of a kind winning combination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention is now described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gaming machine, in
accordance with the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the
gaming machine;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a table of reel strips for a game to be played
on the gaming machine of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a first example of a screen display the game;
and
[0013] FIG. 5 shows a second example of a screen display of the
game.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a
gaming machine, including a game, in accordance with the invention.
The machine 10 includes a console 12 having a video display unit 14
on which a game 16 is played, in use. The game 16 is a spinning
reel game which simulates the rotation of a number of spinning
reels 18.
[0015] A midtrim 20 of the machine 10 houses a bank 22 of buttons
for enabling a player to play the game 16. The midtrim 20 also
houses a credit input mechanism 24 including a coin input chute
24.1 and a bill collector 24.2.
[0016] The machine 10 includes a top box 26 on which artwork 28 is
carried. The artwork 28 includes paytables, details of bonus
awards, etc.
[0017] A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash
payouts from the machine 10.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a control means or
control circuit 40 is illustrated. A program which implements the
game and user interface is run on a processor 42 of the control
circuit 40. The processor 42 forms part of a controller 44 which
drives the screen of the video display unit 14 and which receives
input signals from sensors 46. The sensors 46 include sensors
associated with the bank 22 of buttons and touch sensors associated
with the screen 16. The controller 44 also receives input pulses
from the mechanism 24 indicating that a player has provided
sufficient credit to commence playing. The mechanism 24 may,
instead of the coin input chute 24.1 or the bill collector 24.2, or
in addition thereto, be a credit card reader (not shown) or any
other type of validation device.
[0019] Finally, the controller 44 drives a payout mechanism 48
which, for example, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the
coin tray 30 to make a pay out to a player when the player wishes
to redeem his or her credit.
[0020] As indicated above, the game 16 is a spinning reel game
which simulates the rotation of a number of spinning reels 18. The
controller 44 contains, in a memory (not shown), data relating to
reel strips. Each position on the reel strip maps to a
corresponding position on the reel 18 to be displayed. The
controller 44 selects random locations of the reel strips which map
to the positions at which the reels 18 will stop.
[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, each reel strip 50
contains two scatter symbols 52 thereon. The scatter symbols 52 are
either arranged adjacent each other on the reel strips 50 or, as
shown in respect of reel strips one and three, the scatter symbols
are separated from each other by, at most, one other symbol which
may be a standard symbol or another special symbol.
[0022] Consequently, it is possible for both scatter symbols 52 on
each reel 18 to be visible simultaneously in a screen display 54
(FIG. 4) if the relevant reel 18 stops in the appropriate
position.
[0023] Insofar as conventional, standard symbols of a set of
symbols of the reels 18 are concerned, normally a minimum number of
symbols, preferably three, is required in order for a winning
combination to result. The symbols must appear in a predetermined
order on an active payline of the game. For example, most gaming
machines pay for left-to-right winning combinations appearing on
any active payline.
[0024] However, with scatter symbols, the appearance of a
predetermined number of the scatter symbols, anywhere on the screen
16, results in a winning combination. In other words, scatter
symbols need not appear on active paylines to be eligible to
contribute to a winning combination.
[0025] The set of symbols associated with reels of spinning reel
type games normally each only have a single scatter symbol or the
symbols are laid out on reel strips of the reels so that it is not
possible to get more than one scatter symbol displayed in respect
of that reel at the same time. Also, for cases where it may be
possible to get more than one scatter symbol displayed on the same
reel at any one time, each of the symbols on the same reel is
regarded separately when determining winning combinations. For
example, two scatter symbols on the same reel will not constitute
two scatters towards a single winning combination but rather two
separate occurrences that may each contribute to separately paying
winning combinations in respect of the scatter symbols. Hence, the
maximum number of scatter symbols that can make up a single paying
scatter combination will be equal to the number of reels of the
spinning reel game.
[0026] The reel strips 50 are set up in such a way so as to allow
for two or more scatter symbols to be displayed simultaneously on
the screen 16 in respect of each reel 18. When this occurs, each
scatter symbol contributes to a single paying winning combination
of scatter symbols.
[0027] In respect of the reel strips 50 illustrated in FIG. 3 of
the drawings it will, accordingly, be possible to obtain a winning
combination of ten scatter symbols. It will, however, also be
appreciated that it is feasible, in respect of a five reel game
with a window of three symbols displayed per reel, to have up to
fifteen of a kind winning combinations.
[0028] In the example of the game shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings,
it is assumed that the reels 18 stop at positions 5, 4, 16, 9 and 5
of the reel strips 50 to generate the screen display shown in FIG.
4 of the drawings. This embodiment will pay a prize for five
scatter symbols.
[0029] Assuming that the reels 18 stop at positions 5, 10, 6, 10, 6
of the reel strips 50, as shown in FIG. 5, the maximum scatter
prize of ten of a kind scatter symbols will be awarded.
[0030] Hence, it is an advantage of the invention that a game is
provided which can pay a prize for more scatter symbols than there
are reels.
[0031] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the
invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing
from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The
present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
* * * * *