Patent Publication Number: US-2009233693-A1

Title: Gaming Machine With Composite Symbols

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Australia Provisional Patent Application No. 2008901190 having a filing date of Mar. 11, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     [Not Applicable] 
     MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE 
     [Not Applicable] 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the increase of gambling at gaming venues has come increased competition between gaming venues to obtain a larger share of the total gambling spend. Gaming venue operators have therefore continuously looked for new variations and types of games in order to attract both new and return customers to their venues. 
     In response to this need, suppliers of gaming devices and systems have attempted to provide the sought after variety, while still developing games that comply with the relevant regulations in the jurisdiction of the gaming venue operator. Suppliers of gaming devices therefore are faced with restrictions on the types of games and gaming machines that are allowable, both in terms of the prevailing regulations and in terms of providing a return on investment to the gaming venue operators. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect, the present invention broadly resides in a gaming machine that provides a game based on a wager, the gaming machine comprising a user interface in communication with a game controller, the game controller adapted to select and display a plurality of game symbols on a display, the plurality of game symbols selected from a set of game symbols, the gaming machine further adapted to award an award if a winning combination of game symbols occurs, wherein 
     the set of game symbols includes a plurality of special symbols, each special symbol associated with a special symbol attribute, and wherein 
     the set of game symbols further includes at least one composite symbol, the or each composite symbol associated with a composite attribute, the composite attribute composed of two or more special symbol attributes. 
     According to a second aspect, the present invention broadly resides in a method for use with a gaming machine, the method comprising: 
     selecting a plurality of game symbols from a set of game symbols, the set of game symbols including a plurality of special symbols, each special symbol associated with a special symbol attribute, the set of game symbols further including at least one composite symbol, the or each composite symbol associated with a composite attribute, the composite attribute composed of two or more special symbol attributes; 
     presenting the selected symbols on a display; and 
     awarding an award if a winning outcome occurs. 
     Each different special symbol may have a distinctive visual appearance, and the visual appearance of the or each composite symbol may be composed of the visual appearances of the two or more special symbols associated with the special symbol attributes from which the composite attribute is composed. 
     If a winning combination of game symbols which includes a composite symbol occurs, the award may be determined by the game controller in accordance with all special symbol attributes from which the composite attribute of the composite symbol is composed. 
     If an activation event occurs, the gaming machine may add one or more special symbols to the set of game symbols. 
     If a deactivation event occurs, the gaming machine may remove one or more special symbols from the set of game symbols. 
     According to a third aspect, the invention broadly resides in instructions executable by a game controller to implement the method as described in the immediately preceding paragraphs and to such instructions when stored in a storage medium readable by the game controller. 
     According to a fourth aspect, the invention broadly relates to a data signal carrying instructions and/or data executable to implement the method as described above. 
     Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1 : shows diagrammatically, a view of a gaming console suitable for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 2 : shows a block diagram of gaming machine suitable for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 3 : shows a block diagram of components of the memory of the gaming machine represented in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4 : shows diagrammatically, a network gaming system suitable for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 5 : provides an example of a partial set of game symbols for use with embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6A to 6D : provide sample screen shots depicting different game outcomes. 
         FIG. 7 : shows a flow diagram of a process performed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings, one example of a gaming console that is suitable to implement the present invention is generally referenced by arrow  114 . 
     The gaming console  114  includes two displays  106 A,  106 B on one or both of which is displayed representations of a game that can be played by a player and a bank of buttons  107 A and/or a touch screen  107 B to enable a player to play the game. The displays  106  may be video display units, such as a cathode ray tube screen device, a liquid crystal display, plasma screen, any other suitable video display unit, or the visible portion of an electromechanical device. The display  106 B may display artwork, including for example, pay tables and details of bonus awards and other information or images relating to the game. In alternative gaming consoles the display  106 B may be omitted, optionally replaced by a static display. 
     A credit input including a coin input  110 A and/or bill collector  110 B allows a player to provide credit for wagering and a coin output  111  is provided for cash payouts from the gaming console  114 . A card and/or ticket reader  108  and a printer  109  may be provided to provide player tracking, cashless game play or other gaming and non-gaming related functions. 
       FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of a gaming machine, generally referenced by arrow  100 , suitable for implementing the present invention. The gaming machine  100  may include the gaming console  114  shown in  FIG. 1  and accordingly like reference numerals have been used to describe like components in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The gaming machine  100  includes a game controller  101 , which in the illustrated example includes a computational device  102 , which may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or other suitable device. Instructions and data to control operation of the computational device  102  are stored in a memory  103 , which is in data communication with, or forms part of, the computational device  102 . Typically, the gaming machine  100  will include both volatile and non-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with such memories being collectively represented by the memory  103 . The instructions to cause the game controller  101  to implement the present invention will be stored in the memory  103 . The instructions and data for controlling operation of the computational device  102  may be stored on a computer readable medium from which they are loaded into the gaming machine memory  103 . The instructions and data may be conveyed to the gaming machine by means of a data signal in a transmission channel. Examples of such transmission channels include network connections, the Internet or an intranet and wireless communication channels. 
     The game controller  101  may include hardware credit meters  104  for the purposes of regulatory compliance and also include an input/output (I/O) interface  105  for communicating with the peripheral devices of the gaming machine  100 . The input/output interface  105  and/or the peripheral devices may be intelligent devices with their own memory for instructions and data. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , the peripheral devices that communicate with the controller are the displays  106 , bank of buttons/touch screen  107 , the card and/or ticket reader  108 , the printer  109 , a bill acceptor and/or coin input  110  and a coin output  111 . Additional devices may be included as part of the gaming machine  100 , or devices omitted as required for the specific implementation. 
     The bank of buttons  107 A and/or touch screen  107 B together with one or both of the displays  106  may provide a user interface  115  through which the gaming machine  100  and player communicate. If a card/ticket reader  108  is provided, this may also form part of the user interface  115 . 
     In addition, the gaming machine  100  may include a communications interface, for example a network card  112 . The network card  112 , may for example, send status information, accounting information or other information to a central controller, server or database and receive data or commands from the central controller, server or database. The network card  112  may also enable communication with a central player account, allowing cashless gaming. One or more of the peripheral devices, for example the card/ticket reader  108  may be able to communicate directly with the network card  112 . The network card  112  and the I/O interface  105  may be suitably implemented as a single machine communications interface. 
     The game controller  101  may also include a random number generator  113 , which generates a series of random numbers that are used by the computational device  102  to determine the outcomes of games played on the gaming machine  100 . 
     The game controller  101  may have distributed hardware and software components that communicate with each other directly or through a network or other communication channel. The game controller  101  may also be located in part or in its entirety remote from the user interface  115 . Also, the computational device  102  may comprise a plurality of devices, which may be local or remote from each other. Instructions and data for controlling the operation of the user interface  115  may be conveyed to the user interface  115  by means of a data signal in a transmission channel. The user interface  115  may be a computational device, for example a personal computer, used by a person to play a game provided from a remote game controller  101 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary block diagram of the main components of the memory  103 . The RAM  103 A typically temporarily holds instructions and data related to the execution of game programs and communication functions performed by the computational controller  102 . The EPROM  103 B may be a boot ROM device and/or may contain system and game related code. The mass storage device  103 C may be used to store game programs, the integrity of which may be verified and/or authenticated by the computational controller  102  using protected code from the EPROM  103 B or elsewhere. 
       FIG. 4  shows a gaming system  200  in the form of a network of devices. The gaming system  200  includes a network infrastructure  201 , which for example may be in the form of an Ethernet network. Alternatively, a wireless network and/or direct communication channels, or a different type of network may be used to link the gaming machines to a server, each other and/or other devices. Gaming consoles  114 , shown arranged in three banks  203  of two gaming consoles  114  in  FIG. 4 , are connected to the network infrastructure  201 . The gaming consoles  114  may form part or all of a gaming machine  100 . Single gaming consoles  114  and banks  203  containing three or more gaming devices  202  may also be connected to the network infrastructure  201 , which may also include bank controllers, hubs, routers, bridges to other networks and other devices (not shown). 
     One or more displays  204  may also be connected to the network  201 . The displays  204  may, for example, be associated with a bank  203  of gaming consoles  114 . The displays  204  may be used to display representations associated with game play on the gaming devices  202 , and/or used to display other representations, for example promotional or informational material. 
     Servers may also be connected to the network  201 . For example, a game server  205  may generate game outcomes for games played on one or more of the gaming consoles  114 , a database management server  206  may manage the storage of game programs and associated data in a database  206 A so that they are available for downloading to, or access by, game controllers  101 , and a jackpot server  207  may control one or more jackpots for the gaming system  200 . 
     Further servers may be provided to assist in the administration of the gaming system  200 , including for example a gaming floor management server  208 , and a licensing server  209  to monitor the use of licenses to particular games. An administrator terminal  210  is provided to allow an administrator to manage the network  201  and the devices connected to the network. The different servers depicted can be distinct physical servers or logically distinct server processes running on a single physical server. 
     The gaming system  200  may communicate with other gaming systems, other local networks, for example a corporate network and/or a wide area network such as the Internet through a firewall  211 . 
     By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will be described in relation to an illustrative partial set of game symbols  500  as depicted in  FIG. 5 . It will of course be appreciated that any number of different symbols may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this embodiment the set of game symbols includes ordinary game symbols  502 , special game symbols  520  and composite game symbols  530 . The symbols may, for example, be used in a spinning reel type game, a card game, a dice game, or other type of game. 
     Ordinary and Special Game Symbols 
     The set of ordinary game symbols  502  and special game symbols  520  may include any number and variety of different symbols, as well as multiple instances of the same symbol. The partial set of game symbols  500  only provides one representation of each type of symbol depicted. Typically, each ordinary symbol  502  and special symbol  520  is distinguishable by its visual appearance. While  FIG. 5  provides an example partial set of game symbols  500 , any other symbols could also be used, such as symbols with visual appearances representing:
         letters;   numbers;   characters;   everyday objects; and/or   any other item or object.       

     The visual appearances may also, of course, be abstract and not relate to any identifiable object or item, the primary requirement simply being that one type of symbol is distinguishable from a different type of symbol. 
     During game play, the game controller  101  determines normal awards based on winning combinations of ordinary symbols. These awards are generally determined with reference to a paytable which sets out the requirements of an award and the value of the award. For example, the occurrence of 3 of the same type of ordinary symbol  502  along a payline may attract an award that results in the wager placed by the player on the game being doubled. 
     In addition to the awards associated with winning combinations of ordinary symbols  502 , each special symbol  520  also has an associated special symbol attribute which may serve to increase the possibility of being awarded an award, change the nature of an award, or provide an additional award. Different types of special symbols  520  and associated special symbol attributes are known in the art, but may (again by way of example only) include special symbols which, when they occur during game play:
         are able to substitute for any ordinary game symbol (i.e. a wild symbol);   multiply the wager placed by the player;   award additional credits;   award one or more free games;   enable access to a bonus game or feature;   enable access to a tournament game;   award of one or more entries into a jackpot draw; and/or   award of a specific prize (e.g. white goods, a trip etc).       

     In describing this particular embodiment of the invention the set of game symbols  500  includes the following symbols and associated award attributes: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Symbol type 
                 Symbol appearance 
                 Special symbol attribute 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Ordinary 
                 Standard playing cards 
                 None. 
               
               
                   
                 (504-518). 
               
               
                 Special 
                 Joker playing card (522) 
                 Provides access to bonus game. 
               
               
                 Special 
                 Crown (524) 
                 Provides entry into a jackpot. 
               
               
                 Special 
                 Cat (526) 
                 Award of 5 free games 
               
               
                   
                   
                 when three or more black 
               
               
                   
                   
                 cat symbols occur anywhere. 
               
               
                 Special 
                 Ribbon (528) 
                 Substitutable for any 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ordinary symbol. Doubles 
               
               
                   
                   
                 any wins to be awarded. 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Composite Symbols 
     In addition to ordinary symbols  502  and special symbols  520 , the set of game symbols  500  also includes composite symbols  530 . As can be seen, the appearance of each of the composite symbols  530  is composed of a combination of the visual appearance of two or more special symbols  520 . 
     In addition to being visually composed of two or more special symbols, the composite symbol attribute associated with each composite symbol is also composed of a combination of the attributes of the special symbols from which the composite symbol is formed. The composite symbols  530  depicted in  FIG. 5  (by way of non-exhaustive example only) include: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Symbol type 
                 Symbol appearance 
                 Special symbol attribute 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Composite 
                 Joker with Crown (532) 
                 Access to bonus game 
               
               
                   
                   
                 AND entry to jackpot 
               
               
                 Composite 
                 Cat with Ribbon (534) 
                 Symbol may be substituted 
               
               
                   
                   
                 for any other symbol and all 
               
               
                   
                   
                 wins are doubled 
               
               
                   
                   
                 AND (provided three cat 
               
               
                   
                   
                 symbols occur) 5 free bonus 
               
               
                   
                   
                 games 
               
               
                 Composite 
                 Joker with Ribbon (536) 
                 Symbol may be substituted 
               
               
                   
                   
                 for any other symbol and all 
               
               
                   
                   
                 wins are doubled 
               
               
                   
                   
                 AND access to bonus game 
               
               
                 Composite 
                 Cat with Crown and Ribbon 
                 Symbol may be substituted 
               
               
                   
                 (538) 
                 for any other symbol and all 
               
               
                   
                   
                 wins are doubled 
               
               
                   
                   
                 AND (provided three cat 
               
               
                   
                   
                 symbols occur) 5 free bonus 
               
               
                   
                   
                 games 
               
               
                   
                   
                 AND entry to jackpot 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The particular number, type, and distribution of the ordinary symbols  502 , special symbols (and associated special symbol attributes)  520 , and composite symbols  530  in the set of game symbols will depend on the particular type of game to be played and the desired statistical return to the player of the game. 
     While the invention has been described in relation to a particular and relatively small set of game symbols it will be appreciated that different and far larger sets of game symbols may be used. Further, the greater the number of “special” symbols included in the set of game symbols the greater the number of combinations and permutations of those symbols into composite symbols. If an embodiment of the invention is implemented which requires a user to buy access to the various composite symbols (as discussed below), by providing a large number of composite symbols the user can, to a degree, customize their game by selecting which of the composite symbols they wish to buy. 
     In one embodiment of the invention the set of game symbols may further be split into active and inactive game symbols. As used herein the term “active” game symbols refers to those symbols from which the game controller  101  makes random selections during game play. If a symbol is not active it is removed from the set of symbols the game controller  101  makes symbol selections from and therefore cannot occur during game play. 
     In one embodiment, the set of active game symbols at the start of a game play session may be limited to the ordinary symbols  502  and special symbols  520  only (i.e. until an activation event occurs composite symbols will not occur during game play). During game play activation and deactivation events may occur which have the effect of moving composite symbols into and out of the set of active symbols. Activation events may, for example, include:
         the occurrence of a particular winning combination of ordinary and/or special symbols;   explicit selection of a composite symbol by a user. This may require the user to “buy” access to one or more composite symbols of choice. Such a purchase by the user may be made to permanently include the composite symbol the set of active symbols, or to include the composite symbol in the set of active symbols for a set number of games only. Further, different composite symbols (with different attributes) may be assigned different prices;   a random activation of a composite symbol by the game controller  101 ;   the reaching of a threshold number of successive game plays;   the reaching of a threshold amount of credits;   the reaching of a threshold amount of winnings;   the placement of a particular wager; and/or   the reaching of a threshold time period of continual game play.       

     Deactivation events may, again by way of example only, include:
         a certain number of games having been played;   a random deactivation of a composite symbol by the game controller  101 ;   user credits falling below a particular threshold; and/or   the lapsing of a certain period of time.       

     While the above embodiments of the invention have been described in relation to a set of game symbols in which special symbols are combined to create composite symbols, alternative embodiments of the invention may be implemented where composite symbols are formed of ordinary symbols. Using the terminology of ordinary, special and composite symbols adopted above, a composite symbol may be a combination of the appearance and attributes of:
         two or more ordinary symbols (for example a combination King and Queen symbol having the visual appearance with one side a King and the other side a Queen, and which may be interpreted by the game controller  101  as both a King and a Queen);   two or more special symbols (as discussed above);   one or more ordinary symbols with one or more special symbols (for example a combination Ten and Crown symbol having the visual appearance of a Ten with a Crown, and which may be interpreted by the game controller  101  as having the attributes of both the Ten symbol and the Crown symbol);       

     Further, composite symbols may themselves be combined to create new composite symbols. In this case, however (and noting that a composite symbol is a combination of ordinary and/or special symbols) the resulting composite symbol will merely be a combination of a greater number of ordinary and/or special symbols. 
     Example Game Play 
     A sample play of a game in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 6A to 6D . For the purposes of this description the sample screen  600  is depicted with a 5×3 matrix of displayed symbols  602  (comprising columns  604  to  612  and rows  614  to  618 ) however it will be appreciated that any display arrangement may be used. Also displayed is a wager indicator  620  showing the amount wagered by the user on the instant game, a winnings indicator  622  showing the amount won by the user, and a message area  624  used by the game controller  101  to display relevant messages to the user. 
     In each of the example game outcomes the wager is 100 credits. Further, and for the purposes of explanation only, it will be presumed that for the game described below the occurrence of three King symbols in a line is a winning combination for which the game controller  101  awards an award of twice the placed wager. 
       FIG. 6A  shows a first example of a game play result. The player wager was 100 credits ( 620 ) and the win awarded to the player on the basis of the symbols randomly selected by the game controller  101  is zero ( 622 ). In this instance no winning combinations have occurred and no award is awarded. 
       FIG. 6B  shows a second example of a game play result. Recalling that the Ribbon symbol (column  608  row  616 ) can substitute as a King symbol and serves to double any win, the symbol arrangement in  FIG. 6B  results in an award of 400 credits (twice the win of the 200 credits that would have been associated with three King symbols in a line). Further, a Joker symbol has also occurred (column  612  row  614 ) which enables the user to access a bonus game. This is conveyed to the user in the message area  624 . 
       FIG. 6C  shows a third example of a game play result and differs from  FIG. 6B  in that the symbol at the intersection of column  608  and row  616  is now a composite Cat and Ribbon symbol (rather than the Ribbon symbol of  FIG. 6B ). The symbol arrangement in  FIG. 6C  results in the same award as described in relation to  FIG. 6B  with the addition that the user is also awarded 5 free games (due to the fact that there are now three Cat symbols). 
       FIG. 6D  provides a fourth example of a game play result and differs from  FIG. 6C  in that that symbol at the intersection of column  608  and row  616  is now a composite Cat and Ribbon and Crown symbol (rather than the composite Cat and Ribbon symbol of  FIG. 6C ). Once again the award is the same as for  FIG. 6C  however with the addition that the occurrence of the Crown symbol provides the user with an entry to a jackpot (this is conveyed to the user in message area  624 ). 
       FIG. 7  shows a process flow diagram of a process performed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The process may be performed by the gaming system  200 , in which the gaming consoles  114  each include game controllers  101  to form gaming machines  100  and the following description assumes this implementation. However, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the process will also be able to be implemented by other gaming systems. 
     In step  1 , the game controller  101  monitors the bill acceptor and/or coin input  110  and/or information received by the card/ticket reader  108  or network card  112  for a deposit of credit and in response causes the hardware meters  104  to increment according to the denomination of the game. The game controller  101  then monitors the user interface  107  for the input of a wager. 
     If there are sufficient credits in the meters  104  to support the wager, a game play is commenced in step  2  by the game controller  101 . A game play involves the game controller  101  making a random selection of game symbols from the set of active game symbols and displaying those game symbols selected on the display  106 . 
     In step  3  the game controller  101  determines any award(s) due as a result of the displayed symbols. Awards are determined with reference to any paytables as well as any special symbols with specific associated award attributes. Further, the game controller  101  is configured to recognize composite symbols (as discussed above) and if required compute multiple awards based on a single symbol which has multiple associated attributes. 
     In step  4  the game controller  101  determines whether an activation event (or events) occurred during game play and, if so, in step  5  updates the set of active symbols. 
     Similarly, in step  6  the game controller  101  determines whether a deactivation event (or events) occurred during game play and, if so, updates the set of active game symbols in step  7 . 
     While the foregoing description has been provided by way of example of the preferred embodiments of the present invention as presently contemplated, which utilize gaming machines of the type found in casinos, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the present invention also may have application to internet gaming and/or have application to gaming over a telecommunications network, where handsets are used to display game outcomes and receive player inputs. 
     Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to integers having known equivalents, then those equivalents are hereby incorporated herein as if individually set forth. 
     Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that modifications and additions to the embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. 
     It will also be understood that the term “comprises” (or its grammatical variants) as used in this specification is equivalent to the term “includes” and should not be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.