Patent Publication Number: US-10777039-B1

Title: Gaming machine and method with adjustable prize table

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a gaming machine and method. The present disclosure has been developed primarily for use as an electronic gaming machine and will be described hereinafter by reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure may also be implemented for any type of gaming machine, including a mechanical or electro-mechanical gaming machine. 
     The following discussion of the prior art is intended to present the present disclosure in an appropriate technical context and allow its advantages to be properly appreciated. Unless clearly indicated to the contrary, however, reference to any prior art in this specification should not be construed as an express or implied admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. 
     Conventional gaming machines typically involve awarding prizes to a player according to predetermined combinations of game symbols that appear on an array of game squares displayed on a screen, typically organised into three rows and five columns (a 5×3 array). Other arrays, such as a 3×3 or 4×3, may be used. Each gaming machine randomly selects the game symbols that appear on the array, each column of the array being a “reel”. 
     One type of gaming machine comprises a mechanical or electro-mechanical device, where a motor rotates a plurality of annular rings or drums that form reels. Each reel has a reel strip that displays game symbols in preset game symbol positions. A frame covers the rings to provide a window through which only a subset of game symbol positions (and hence game symbols) were visible to the player. Thus, for a game using a 5×3 array, the window would only permit three rows of five rings to be visible to create the game array. An internal electronic controller within the gaming machine controls operation of the motor and hence rotation of the reels. Thus, by controlling when each reel starts and stops in its respective rotation, the electronic controller controls the display of the game symbols in the window. Sensors linked to the reels indicate which game symbols are displayed in the window and communicate with the electronic controller so that the electronic controller is able to award prizes based on winning combinations of game symbols displayed on the reels in the window. The electronic controller typically comprises one or more electric circuits for controlling various functions of the gaming machine, such as the above mentioned control of the motor, communicating with the sensors, verifying that the correct amount of a bet has been made via one or more value receiving mechanisms to enable operation of the motors, controlling any visual and/or audio effects associated with operation of the gaming machine and controlling operation of various alarms to alert any tampering with the gaming machine. 
     Another type of gaming machine, known as an electronic gaming machine or EGM, replaces the mechanical reels and motor with a video display screen on which video images of the reels are displayed. The EGM has an internal electronic game controller, typically a computer, that controls the display of images on the video display screen so that the reels are visibly spun on the screen to simulate a physical reel of a traditional gaming machine. EGMs tend to be more versatile in providing game information, varying the probabilities for a player to win a prize and varying the type of game that is played. 
     Bonus or “feature” games may also be provided by a gaming machine in addition to a base or main game. Typically feature games use the same set of reels as the main game and are limited to a set of free games operated under a single set of rules. This means that the feature game is restricted by the same set of rules, and so there is no variation in the play of the feature game. Also, gaming machines can offer one or more bonus prizes to the player during play of the game. The most common type of bonus prize that is awarded by the gaming machine is a jackpot prize, the main example of which is a progressive jackpot prize. 
     This standard structure to game play and bonus prizes limits the operation of the gaming machine, irrespective of whether it is a mechanical, electro-mechanical or electronic gaming machine. Frequently, the player feels disconnected from the award of bonus prizes as it can appear to be entirely random in occurrence and unrelated to game play. Moreover, it can be difficult to find this information on the gaming machine and the player may need to scroll through menus to find this information, interrupting the flow of game play. Consequently, it is difficult to retain player interest because there is no apparent incentive for the player to continue playing the gaming machine or due to the game play experience being interrupted. 
     It is an object of the present disclosure to overcome or substantially ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a gaming machine that has improved operation and performance relative to existing prior art gaming machines by providing a more efficient way of awarding prizes to a player of the gaming machine and/or optimising the use of screen space for the gaming machine compared to presently existing gaming machines. The present disclosure also improves the application of an electronic controller in playing the game on the gaming machine. 
     One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gaming machine comprising: 
     a display; and 
     an electronic controller coupled to a display, the electronic controller being configured to:
         display a first game on the display including one or more configurations of game symbols, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player;       

     the electronic controller being further configured to:
         display a prize table adjacent to the first game on the display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table;   randomly select game symbols for a play of the first game;   display the randomly selected game symbols on the display;   determine whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the display; and   activate the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes;   wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game.       

     A further embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gaming machine comprising: 
     a display; 
     an electronic controller coupled to the display, the electronic controller being configured to display a first game on the display including one or more configurations of game symbols, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player; and 
     a value transfer mechanism for receiving value from the player, wherein the electronic controller communicates with the value transfer mechanism such that when a threshold amount of value has been received from the value transfer mechanism, the electronic controller initiates a play of the first game; 
     the electronic controller being further configured to:
         display a prize table adjacent to the first game on the display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table;   randomly select game symbols for a play of the first game;   display the randomly selected game symbols on the display;   determine whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the display; and   activate the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes;   wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game.       

     Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gaming machine comprising: 
     at least one display; 
     a value input comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor and a ticket reader; and 
     at least one electronic controller coupled to the at least one display and the value input, the at least one controller configured to:
         determine if a wager has been received via the value input;   display a first game on the at least one display including one or more configurations of game symbols if a wager has been received, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player;   display a prize table adjacent to the first game on the at least one display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table;   randomly select game symbols for a play of the first game;   display the randomly selected game symbols on the at least one display;   determine whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the at least one display; and   activate the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes;   wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game.       

     A yet further embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gaming machine comprising: 
     at least one electronic video display; 
     a value input comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor and a ticket reader; and 
     at least one electronic controller coupled to the at least one electronic video display and the value input, the at least one controller configured to:
         determine if a wager has been received via the value input;   display a first game on the at least one electronic video display if a wager has been received;   a play of the first game including a plurality of randomly selected game symbols arranged in a plurality of reels, one or more of the configurations of the randomly selected game symbols arranged along a pay line being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player;   display a prize table adjacent to the first game on the at least one electronic video display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table;   randomly select game symbols for a play of the first game;   display the randomly selected game symbols on the at least one electronic video display;   determine whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on one or more pay lines on the at least one electronic video display; and   activate the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes;   wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game.       

     An additional embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method comprising: 
     displaying a first game on the display including one or more configurations of game symbols, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player; 
     displaying a prize table adjacent to the first game on the display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table; 
     randomly selecting game symbols for a play of the first game; 
     displaying the randomly selected game symbols on the display; 
     determining whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the display; and 
     activating the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes; 
     wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game. 
     A yet further embodiment provides a method comprising: 
     receiving value via a value transfer mechanism; 
     determining whether the received value meets a threshold amount; 
     initiating a play of a game if the received value is equal to or greater than the threshold amount; 
     displaying a first game on the display including one or more configurations of game symbols, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player; 
     displaying a prize table adjacent to the first game on the display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table; 
     randomly selecting game symbols for a play of the first game; 
     displaying the randomly selected game symbols on the display; 
     determining whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the display; and 
     activating the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes; 
     wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game. 
     Yet another embodiment provides a method comprising: 
     determining if a wager has been received via a value input comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor and a ticket reader; 
     displaying a first game including one or more configurations of game symbols if a wager has been received, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a game outcome, the game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player; 
     displaying a prize table adjacent to the first game on the display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table; 
     randomly selecting game symbols for a play of the first game; 
     displaying the randomly selected game symbols on the display; 
     determining whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the display; and 
     activating the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes; 
     wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game. 
     A still further embodiment provides a method comprising: 
     determining if a wager has been received via a value input comprising at least one of a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor and a ticket reader; 
     displaying a first game if a wager has been received; 
     a play of the first game including a plurality of randomly selected game symbols arranged in a plurality of reels, one or more of the configurations of the randomly selected game symbols arranged along a pay line being associated with a game outcome, the game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player; 
     displaying a prize table adjacent to the first game on the display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions, wherein one or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions and a plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols arranged along one or more pay lines activate the prize table to award of one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table; 
     randomly selecting game symbols for a play of the first game; 
     displaying the randomly selected game symbols on the display; 
     determining whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the display; and 
     activating the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes; 
     wherein the bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game. 
     A further embodiment provides a computer system comprising a central processing unit configured for communication with a gaming machine, wherein the computer system is configured to perform the method of any one of the above described embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     A further embodiment provides a computer program configured to perform the method of any one of the above described embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     A further embodiment provides a non-transitory carrier medium carrying computer executable code that, when executed on a central processing unit configured for communication with a gaming machine, causes the central processing unit to perform the method of any one of the above described embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Throughout the specification and unless explicitly stated otherwise, the term “value” means credits, gaming tokens, coins, paper, currency, tickets, vouchers, credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, memory devices capable of storing value and any other object representative of value. 
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”. 
     Furthermore, as used herein and unless otherwise specified, the use of the ordinal adjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be more fully understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Some of the figures may have been simplified by the omission of selected elements for the purpose of more clearly showing other elements. Such omissions of elements in some figures are not necessarily indicative of the presence or absence of particular elements in any of the exemplary embodiments, except as may be explicitly delineated in the corresponding written description. None of the drawings is necessarily to scale. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a gaming machine according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of an electronic controller for the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a simulated screen shot of a base game shown on the display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 4 to 8  are simulated screen shots of another base game shown on the display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a simulated screen shot of a feature game shown on the display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 10 to 12  are simulated screen shots of a further feature game shown on the display of the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  are simulated screen shots of the base game of  FIGS. 4 to 8 . 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an electronic gaming machine according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic drawing of a control panel for the electronic gaming machine of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  is a block diagram of the electronic components of the electronic gaming machine of  FIG. 15 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the following examples which should be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive. In the Figures, corresponding features within the same embodiment or common to different embodiments have been given the same reference numerals. 
     In general terms, a gaming machine according to the embodiments described herein includes at least one display, and an electronic controller coupled to the at least one display. In some embodiments, the gaming machine comprises a value transfer mechanism or a value input that is coupled to the electronic controller. In other embodiments, the electronic controller is configured to display a first game on the at least one display including one or more configurations of game symbols if a wager has been received, one or more of the configurations of game symbols being associated with a winning game outcome, the winning game outcome being associated with a value award payable to a player. 
     The electronic controller is configured to display a prize table adjacent to the first game on the at least one display, the prize table having a plurality of table positions. One or more bonus prizes are displayed in a corresponding one or more of the table positions. A plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols activate the prize table to award one or more of the bonus prizes displayed in the prize table. 
     The electronic controller is configured to randomly select game symbols for a play of the first game; display the randomly selected game symbols on the at least one display; determine whether one or more of the bonus configurations of game symbols have appeared on the at least one display; activate the prize table to award the one or more bonus prizes. The bonus prizes in the prize table depend on the amount of a bet made by the player to initiate the play of the first game. 
     In one embodiment, the electronic game controller adjusts the bonus prizes in the prize table in response to a change in the bet made by the player. 
     In another embodiment, at least one of the table positions does not display a bonus prize. 
     In some embodiments, there is a variable number of table positions in the prize table. In other embodiments, the number of table positions in the prize table depends on the player bet. 
     In some embodiments, the number of table positions in the prize table decreases as the player bet increases. 
     In some embodiments, the number of bonus prizes is less than the number of table positions. 
     In some embodiments, the number of bonus prizes displayed in the prize table depends on the player bet. In other embodiments, the number of bonus prizes displayed in the prize table increases as the player bet increases. 
     In some embodiments, more than one bonus prize is displayed in one or more table positions of the prize table. 
     In some embodiments, more than one bonus configuration of game symbols activates the prize table to award more than one bonus prize. In other embodiments, a bonus prize is awarded for each bonus configuration that appears in one play of the first game. 
     In some embodiments, the selection of the bonus prize is shown on the prize table on the display. 
     In some embodiments, the bonus prize is randomly selected from one of the table positions shown in the prize table. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic controller calculates the probability of awarding a bonus prize in a first play of the first game and the amount of the bonus prize prior to populating the prize table with the calculated bonus prize. In a further embodiment, the electronic controller populates the prize table with the calculated bonus prize according to the calculated probability of winning the calculated bonus prize. 
     In some embodiments, the first game comprises game symbols occupying symbol positions to define reels and the plurality of bonus configurations of game symbols comprises predetermined combinations of game symbols in the symbol positions arranged on a pay line of the first game. 
     In other embodiments, the first game comprises game symbols occupying symbol positions and the bonus configurations of game symbols comprises predetermined combinations of game symbols arranged in combinations of symbol positions in the first game. 
     In some embodiments, the bet comprises a bet option, a bet per pay line, a total number of pay lines, a bet per set of ways or a total bet. The total bet may be any combination of the bet option, the bet per pay line, the total number of pay lines and the bet per set of ways. 
     In some embodiments, the bonus prizes comprise jackpot prizes, fixed bonus prizes or credits. In other embodiments, the jackpot prizes are progressive jackpot prizes. 
     In some embodiments, the gaming machine further comprises a secondary display, wherein the secondary display shows one or more of the bonus prizes that are shown on the prize table on the display. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a gaming machine  1  according to a first embodiment includes a cabinet  2 , a console  3  and an internal electronic controller  4 . The console  3  has various input devices including value inputs, such as vending slots  5  for receiving monetary bets, and a plurality of buttons  6  for actuation by a player. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the vending slots  5  may be replaced with other types of value input/value output devices, such as a coin acceptor, a paper currency acceptor, a ticket reader and/or printer or a card reader and/or writer. 
     The vending slots  5  can be configured to receive value, such as cash in the form of banknotes and coins, or credits representing a monetary amount from a memory device, such as but not limited to a memory card, smart card, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, USB key, magnetic card or other electronic storage device. Typically, the memory device is a credit card, debit card or other card that enables the transfer of monetary credit to the gaming machine  1 . Other forms of value include gaming tokens, paper, tickets, vouchers, and any other object representative of value. 
     The electronic controller  4  is generally in the form of an electronic game controller comprising a central processing unit, such as a computer, and is in electronic communication with a display in the form of a video display screen  7 , as well as various input devices on the console  3 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 . Typically, the electronic game controller  4  also comprises a random access memory (RAM) associated with the central processing unit, the RAM being used to store programme instructions and transient data related to the operation of the electronic game controller and hence the gaming machine  1 . The RAM contains a body of program instructions for implementing a game on the gaming machine  1 , as discussed in more detail below. The central processing unit or processor may also be operatively associated with a further storage device, such as a hard disk drive, which is used for long-term storage of program components and data relating to the electronic game controller  4  and/or the gaming machine  1 , including a database for game performance data, as well as information gathered from users. It is also appreciated that a person skilled in the art would readily understand the location and use of the electronic game controller  4  in the gaming machine  1 . 
     The electronic game controller  4  will transmit and receive signals to and from each of the input devices and the display  7 , usually via wired connections but can include wireless modes of electronic communication, such as WLAN. In the case of the vending slots  5  (or with any other type of value transfer mechanism), there may be an intermediate credit verification device that examines and verifies the cash or credits received by the vending slots. Once the value (such as cash or credits) have been verified by the credit verification device, a signal is sent to the electronic game controller  4 , which then determines whether the minimum bet level has been reached. If so, the electronic game controller  4  will permits play of the game on the gaming machine  1 . If not, the electronic game controller  4  will send a signal to the display  7  to show a message requesting further value to be added to the gaming machine  1 . 
     The electronic game controller  4  is programmed to provide a game in the form of a base game  8  (as best shown in  FIG. 3 ) and a feature game  9  on a lower playing area  7   a  of the display  7  of the gaming machine  1  for play by a player. An upper display area  7   b  is reserved for showing artwork associated with the game(s) that are available for play on the gaming machine and/or other game information. The base game  8  has game symbols  10  arranged into an array  11  in the form of five columns or “reels”  12 . The reels  12  give the visual appearance of rotating, typically by having the game symbols  10  move in a downward linear path along the length of each reel  12 . While the array  11  is arranged with five reels  12  and three rows as per the industry standard, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that other types of arrays could be used, such as 3×3, 4×3, 5×5, 4×4, etc., including arrays having an irregular number of rows and/or columns. For example, the array  11  can have an unequal number of rows and/or columns, where some columns have less or more rows than other columns or where some rows have less or more columns than other rows. A more specific example would be an array having three columns with only two rows and two columns with three rows. The electronic game controller  4  will transmit signals to the display screen  7  to cause the base game  8  and feature game  9  to be played on the lower playing area  7   a , including showing the game symbols  10 , array  11  and other visible elements of the games. 
     The array  11  of the base game  8  defines predetermined game or symbol positions  13 , in which the game symbols  10  appear. The symbol positions  13  are not visually marked by boundary lines and simply provide an area for the game symbols  10  to appear. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the symbol positions  13  are defined by visible boundary lines (to define “squares” or game positions) or other markings to define each respective area of the symbol positions. 
     The array  11  is arranged so that a player can select one or more predetermined “pay lines”  14  defined around the array, which correspond to combinations of the symbol or game positions  13 . The pay lines  14  correspond to the lines selected by the player and generally comprise at least one game position or symbol position  13  from each reel  12 . The number of pay lines  14  that can be selected by the player depends on the amount of the monetary bet for playing a game on the array  11 . In the base game  8 , predetermined winning combinations of randomly selected game symbols  10  result in the award of prizes to the player. 
     The game symbols  10  can include a mixture of picture symbols (such as animal symbols or playing card symbols), word symbols, scatter symbols, substitute or wild card symbols and trigger symbols to trigger the feature game  9 . Those skilled in the art will readily understand that a substitute symbol is able to act as any other game symbol, and hence is also known as a “wild card” symbol. Likewise, those skilled in the art will readily understand that a scatter symbol is a symbol that triggers a game event or confers an award without having to appear on a player-selected pay line  14 . Similarly, a trigger symbol is a symbol that triggers a game event or confers an award, where the trigger symbol may or may not have to appear in combination and may or may not have to appear on the same player-selected pay line  14 . In a typical game shown in  FIG. 3 , the game symbols  10  include playing card symbols  10   a , animal-themed symbols  10   b , item-themed symbols  10   c , scatter symbols in the form of “wolf banner” symbols  10   d  and a substitute or wild card symbol in the form of horse symbols  10   e . In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the game symbols  10  generally involve a money theme so that the game symbols  10  include money-themed picture symbols  10   f , a scatter Vault symbol  10   g  and a “Triple  7 ” substitute symbol  10   h . The electronic game controller  4  randomly determines the appearance of the game symbols  10  on the array  11 . 
     The video screen  7  also displays other standard game information in the lower playing area  7   a , including the number of pay lines available  15 , the number of player-selected pay lines  16 , the amount of player credits  17  (i.e. credit meter), the amount of the current bet wagered by the player  18 , the amount of wins by the player  19  (i.e. win meter), a message area  20 , a current denomination button  21  indicating the currently selected base bet denomination and the name  24  of the base game  8 , Wolf Chief™, as best shown in  FIG. 3 . In other embodiments, the video screen  7  displays a menu button for bringing up a menu screen (typically explaining the game rules and showing the available pay lines  14 ) and/or jackpot information relating to the based game  8  and feature game  9  that are awarded by the electronic gaming machine  1 . This jackpot information is typically displayed in the upper display area and can comprise, in descending order of monetary value, a grand jackpot, major jackpot, minor jackpot and midi jackpot. 
     In the base game  8 , the player initially makes a bet using vending slots  5  to initiate play of the gaming machine  1  by building up credit to play the base game  8  on the gaming machine. For example, the player can bet or wager monetary amounts equivalent to a particular amount of credits, depending on the bet denomination selected for the base game. Also, the player can make any additional side bets or ante-bets during play of the base game  8  once the base game has commenced to access additional features in the base game, such as increasing the number of winning combinations in the base game. 
     Typically, gaming machines offer a number of preset bet options that the player can make, and these bet options can vary depending on the game or games offered on the gaming machine. For example, a game on a gaming machine may provide bet options of 1 credit, 2 credits, 5 credits and 10 credits per player-selected pay line  14 . In another example, the player may bet 1 credit, 2 credits, 5 credits and 10 credits for a preset group or combination of pay lines  14 , such as a group of 5 pay lines, 10 pay lines, 20 pay lines, etc. 
     The gaming machine  1  also has a default bet denomination, which is usually the bet denomination that was previously used in the preceding play of the base game  8 . For example, if a person had played the base game  8  with a bet denomination of 5¢, then this would be the default bet denomination for the player when he or she commences play of the game. Where the gaming machine has not yet been played or has been started up, the default bet denomination is initially selected by the electronic game controller  4 . The default bet denomination can be randomly selected or chosen according to a predetermined order. Usually, the electronic game controller  4  will select the bet denomination with the lowest value that is available for the base game  8 , which would be the  10  bet denomination for this embodiment. The player may change the bet denomination at any time in the base game  8  by touching the denomination button  21  before or after the reels  12  have spun. In this embodiment, touching the denomination button will bring denomination images  28 ,  29  that the player may select to quickly change the bet denomination between plays of the game  8 . 
     Once the player has commenced play of the game  8  by making an appropriate bet via the vending slots  5 , the electronic game controller  4  then commences a play of the base game  8  by sending a signal to the display  7  to cause the reels  12  to appear to visibly rotate or “spin” in a linear path, typically in a downward vertical direction, and randomly display the game symbols  10  in each game position for each play of the array  11  for the base game  8 . After the reels  12  stop spinning (and thus ends the spin or play of the base game  8 ), the electronic game controller  4  determines whether there are any predetermined winning combinations of the game symbols  10  appearing in any player-selected pay lines  14 , such as a two of a kind, three of a kind, four of a kind or five of a kind for all the game symbols  10  and other combinations of a “full house”, “straight” or “flush” for the playing card game symbols  10   a . It will be appreciated that other winning combinations of game symbols  10  can also be provided. If so, the gaming machine  1  enters a winning game state and awards a prize according to the displayed predetermined winning combination. 
     The electronic game controller  4  also determines whether the feature game  9  should be activated, based on a predetermined feature game trigger event, such as the appearance of a number of trigger symbols appearing in a play or spin of the base game  8 . In this embodiment, the feature game trigger event is the appearance of three scatter symbols  10   d . The scatter symbols  10   d  need not appear on the same pay line  14 , but can appear on any of the player-selected pay lines, as best shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The feature game  9  as shown in  FIG. 3  is an enhanced version of the base game  8 . It uses the same game symbols  10  as the base game  8 , as well as the same array  11 , reels  12 , game positions  13  and player-selectable pay lines  14  on the video screen  7 . In the feature game  9 , ten free plays or spins of the feature game are awarded to the player without having to make an additional bet or wager. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a free play or spin involves a play of the game without requiring any bet to be made by the player, and that any number of free spins can be chosen for the feature game  9 . In addition, it will be appreciated that in the art free spins are commonly referred to as “free games”. The number of free games remaining in the feature game  9  is indicated by a counter  31 . Typically, the prizes awarded for the same winning combinations of game symbols in the feature game  9  are of higher value than the prizes awarded in the base game  8 . 
     The feature game  9  operates in a similar manner to the base game  8 , where the reels  12  visibly rotate and display randomly selected game symbols  10  in each game position  13 . Predetermined winning combinations of randomly selected game symbols  10  in the array of the feature game  9  also result in the award of prizes to the player, usually of an enhanced value compared to the prizes awarded in the base game  8 . 
       FIG. 4  shows another embodiment where the base game  80  has the theme “Crazy Jackpots”  82  shown in the upper display area  7   b  and the specific name  84  of “Billion Dollars” in the lower display area  7   a . The base game  80  also includes standard game information like the number of pay lines available  15 , the number of player-selected pay lines  16 , the amount of player credits  17 , the amount of the current bet wagered by the player  18 , message area  20  and current denomination button  21  in the lower display area  7   a . The upper display area  7   b  includes jackpot and bonus prize information comprising a progressive Major jackpot counter  86 , a progressive Grand Jackpot counter  88 , a Maxi bonus prize counter  90 , a Minor prize counter  92  and a Mini prize counter  94 , showing the amount that can be won for each prize. The base game  80  also has the same or similar features of the base game  8  of  FIG. 3 , such as reels  12   a  to  12   e , symbol positions  13  and pay lines  14   a ,  14   c ,  14   d.    
     The base game  80  also has a prize table  100  having a plurality of table positions  102  with a plurality of bonus prizes  104  shown in the table positions. In this instance, there is a lower number of bonus prizes  104  than table positions  102 , leaving “blank” or empty table positions. The prize table  100  has the heading  106  “Crazy Feature” and is highlighted by a visually bright, glowing border  108 . In this embodiment, the border  108  has a skewed or zig-zag configuration to fit the “crazy” theme of the base game  80 . However, in other embodiments, the border  108  may simply demarcate or form a regular outline around the prize table  100 . Predetermined “bonus” combinations of game symbols  10   a ,  10   f ,  10   g , and  10   h  trigger the random selection of a table position  102  in the prize table  100 . If the randomly selected table position  102  is occupied by a bonus prize  104 , then the bonus prize is awarded to the player. 
     The predetermined bonus combination of game symbols in this embodiment comprises five of the same game symbol  10   a ,  10   f ,  10   g , and  10   h  appearing on the same pay line  14 , as indicated by the game message bar  20 . In other embodiments, different combinations of game symbols may be used as the bonus combination, such as five substitute symbols or three or more special bonus symbols appearing on a pay line or other preset combinations of symbol positions  13 , such as “ways”. 
     The number of table positions  102 , the number of bonus prizes  104  and the types of bonus prizes that are available depend on the bet made by the player to play a spin of the base game  80 . For example, in  FIG. 4 , the denomination chosen for the player bet is $1, resulting in six table positions  102  in the prize table  100 , with two occupied by MINI and MINOR bonus prizes  104 . This means that the player has a ⅓ chance of winning a bonus prize upon activation of the prize table  100 . In contrast, in  FIG. 5 , the player has changed the amount of the bet to a lower amount of 1¢, resulting in an increase in the number of table positions  102  from six to ten with the same number and type of bonus prizes  104 . Hence, the player has a lower chance (1 in 5 or 20%) of winning a bonus prize upon activation of the prize table  100  due to the lower bet denomination. In addition, the amounts of the Maxi, Minor and Mini prizes  104  in their respective counters  90 ,  92  and  94  are reduced by the change to the lower bet denomination. Thus, increasing the player bet will increase the probability of winning a bonus prize  104  and the amounts of the available bonus prizes. The Grand and Major jackpot amounts do not change with the change in bet denomination as they are progressive prizes. 
     In  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the player had selected the same number of pay lines  14  and only changed the bet denomination, resulting the same number and types of number of bonus prizes  104  being available. Referring to  FIG. 6 , where the upper display area  7   b  has been omitted for clarity, the same bet denomination as the denomination selected in  FIG. 5 , being 1¢, has been chosen but the maximum number of pay lines  14  has been selected by the player (reflected by the higher bet amount in the counter  18  relative to the same counter in  FIG. 5 ). Consequently, the number and the types of bonus prizes  104  that are available in the prize table  100  has also increased, with every table position  102  now being occupied by a bonus prize  104  and two of the bonus prizes being MINI×3 bonus prizes. This increase means that the player will be guaranteed to win a bonus prize  104  once the prize table  100  is activated and there is a 1 in 5 chance of the bonus prize being triple the amount of the Mini bonus prize (due to the MINI×3 bonus prizes appearing in two of the ten table positions  102 ). Typically, selecting the maximum number of pay lines  14  will generally result in each table position  102  being filled or populated with a bonus prize  104 . 
     The electronic game controller  4  calculates the probability of the player winning one or more of the bonus prizes (Maxi, Minor and Mini) and jackpots (Grand and Major) and then populates the table positions  102  in the prize table  100  corresponding to the calculated probability. For example, if the amount of the player bet means that the prize table  100  has ten table positions  102  there is a 20% chance of winning the Major jackpot, a 50% chance of winning a Maxi bonus prize and 10% chance of winning both the Major jackpot and the Mini Jackpot, then the prize table  100  is populated with one table position  102  having MAJOR and MINI bonus prizes  104 , another table position having a MAJOR bonus prize and five table positions having a MAXI bonus prize. This calculation is performed once a play of the base game  80  is initiated and prior to the reels  12   a  to  12   e  being spun. 
     The base game  80  operates similar to the base game  8  of  FIG. 3 , with the player making an initial bet to initiate a spin of the reels  12   a  to  12   e  and the electronic game controller  4  determines whether there are any winning combinations of game symbols  10   f ,  10   h  displayed on pay lines  14  on the reels to award a prize or three or more Vault scatter symbols  10   g  trigger a feature game  109  as shown in more detail below. The electronic controller  4  also determines whether a bonus combination has appeared on a pay line  14  of the reels  12   a  to  12   e  to activate the prize table  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a spin of the base game  80  has resulted in the appearance of the bonus combination of five of the same game symbols, activating the prize table  100 . The bonus combination constitutes three Jack symbols  10   a  and two substitute symbols  10   h  substituting for the two Jack symbols to form the bonus combination. This bonus combination is highlighted by a bright border  111  with animated chaser lighting around each symbol position having a game symbol  10   f ,  10   h  forming the bonus combination. In this spin of the base game  80 , the player has also selected the maximum number of fifty pay lines  14 , as indicated by message  112 . This means that the prize table  100  has been filled with bonus prizes  104  in each table position  102  and with bonus prizes of higher value, such as MINI×2 and MINI×3. Upon activation, a selection bar  115  that is brightly lit or glowing moves up and down the prize table  100 . As the selection bar  115  moves in each table position  102 , it also lights up the name of the bonus prize  104  in that table position to indicate to the player which possible bonus prize  104  could be won. The selection bar  115  then randomly stops on one of the table positions  102  to select the bonus prize  104  to be won. In this case, the selection bar  115  has stopped on a table position containing a MINI bonus prize  104 , which is then awarded to the player. A winning message  120  is then overlaid on the reels  12   a  to  12   e  to the player, as shown in  FIG. 8 . As noted above, the player&#39;s bet in  FIGS. 7 and 8  is sufficiently high to ensure that a bonus prize would be won once the prize table  100  is activated. 
     In response to the trigger event of three Vault scatter symbols  10   g  appearing anywhere on the reels  12   a  to  12   e  without having to be on the same pay line  14 , the electronic game controller  4  then transmits a signal to the video screen  7  to cause the feature game  109  to appear on the video screen  7   a , as best shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     The feature game  109  uses the same game symbols  10   a ,  10   f ,  10   g ,  10   h  as the base game  8 , as well as the same array  11 , reels  12 , game positions  13  and player-selectable pay lines  14  on the video screen  7   a . However, a new $ symbol  125  appears in the feature game  109  only and acts as a substitute symbol for game symbols  10   f  but not the scatter symbol  10   g  or the other substitute symbol  10   h . The $ symbol  125  is used to activate a “second chance” feature game  129  discussed below. 
     In the feature game  109 , ten free plays or spins of the feature game are awarded to the player without having to make an additional bet or wager. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a free play or spin involves a play of the game without requiring any bet to be made by the player, and that any number of free spins can be chosen for the feature game  109 . In addition, it will be appreciated that in the art free spins are commonly referred to as “free games”. The number of free games remaining in the feature game  109  is indicated by a counter  130 . Typically, the prizes awarded for the same winning combinations of game symbols in the feature game  9  are of higher value than the prizes awarded in the base game  8 . In this embodiment, three Vault scatter symbols also retrigger the award of the feature game  109 , but with only five additional free spins, as indicated by message area  20 . 
     The feature game  9  operates in a similar manner to the base game  8 , where the reels  12  visibly rotate and display randomly selected game symbols  10  in each game position  13 , as best shown in  FIG. 4 . Predetermined winning combinations of randomly selected game symbols  10  in the array of the feature game  109  also result in the award of prizes to the player, usually of an enhanced value compared to the prizes awarded in the base game  8 . The Crazy Feature prize table  100  is also able to be activated during game play of the feature game  109  with the same bonus combinations of game symbols as the base game  80 —five of the same game symbol  10   f , including any substitute symbols  10   g  or new $ symbol  125 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , a bonus combination of game symbols  10   g ,  10   h ,  125  has appeared on the reels  12   a  to  12   e , as indicated by the highlighted border  111  on each symbol position  13 . It should be noted that in the feature game  109 , the bonus prizes  104  that are available in the prize table  100  are enhanced, with more table positions  102  having either bonus prizes of higher value or multiples of one or more bonus prizes, such as MINOR×2 and MINI×6 in the one table position. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate the second chance feature game  129  activated by the appearance of a $ symbol  125  in two or more of the middle reels  12   b ,  12   c  and  12   d , with a label  133  to confirm that the second chance feature game is being played. In the second chance feature game, a single free spin is awarded. In this single spin, the reels that displayed the $ symbol  125  to activate the second chance feature game have their symbol positions  13  only display the $ symbol  125 , thus increasing the probability of the player achieving a winning combination of game symbols to be awarded an enhanced prize based on the prizes available in the feature game  109 . In the free spin shown in  FIG. 10 , the $ symbol  125  appears in all the symbol positions  13  of the reels  12   b ,  12   c , indicating that the $ symbol  125  had appeared in reels  12   b  and  12   c  to activate the second chance feature game  129 . Again, the Crazy Feature prize table  100  is available to be activated in the second chance feature game  129  and has been activated, as shown in  FIG. 10 . As before, the selection bar  115  scrolls up and down the table positions  102  of the prize table  100  until stopping at a randomly selected position. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the selection bar  115  has stopped on the top table position  102  to award the MINOR×4 and MINI×2 bonus prizes  104 . The bonus prize award is associate with a winning message  120  that is also animated at  135  with highlights, such as sparkles  140 . 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate instances of the base game  80  in which the Crazy Feature prize table  100  displays progressive Major and Grand Jackpot prizes  104  in table positions  102  as possible bonus prizes that can be won upon activation of the prize table. In  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the player has selected higher bet denominations of $1 and $2, respectively, to access the higher value bonus prizes. In both instances, the electronic game controller  4  has calculated the probability of the bonus prizes (including the progressive jackpot prizes) and has populated the table positions  102  in the prize table  100  to reflect that probability. In  FIG. 12 , the player has a 1 in 6 chance of winning the progressive Major jackpot and so a MAJOR jackpot prize  104  is located in one table position  102 . Similarly, in  FIG. 13 , the player has a 1 in 6 chance of winning the progressive Grand jackpot and a 1 in 6 chance of winning the progressive Major jackpot, and so two table positions  102  have respective MAJOR and GRAND jackpot prizes  104  in the prize table  100 . Generally, the probability of winning one of the progressive jackpot prizes increases with the bet made by the player. 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  illustrate another play of the base game  80  where the player has a 1 in 10 chance to win the progressive Grand jackpot  104 , as shown in the prize table  100 . In  FIG. 14 , the bonus combination of five diamond symbols  10   f  has appeared and highlighted by bright or glowing borders  111  around each symbol position  13  of the diamond symbols. In  FIG. 15 , the selection bar  115  has stopped on the progressive GRAND jackpot prize  104  in the prize table  100 , awarding the Grand jackpot to the player. 
     In some embodiments, the selection bar  115  can be replaced with any other suitable indicator, such as a frame that has a glowing or bright border, an arrow or a pointer, that moves along the prize table  100  to highlight a table position  102  as it passes along. The background of each table position  102  may also be lit up or highlighted when covered by the selection frame, arrow, pointer or the like as it moves along the prize table  100  to indicate to the player which possible bonus prize  104  could be won. 
     While the embodiments have been described as using bonus combinations of game symbols  10   a ,  10   f ,  10   g ,  10   h  occurring on pay lines  14 , it will be appreciated that bonus combinations can be determined in other ways. For example, the symbol positions  13  can be grouped in different ways other than lines to create “ways” in which a bonus combination of game symbols  10   a ,  10   f ,  10   g , and  10   h  may be obtained on the array  11 . In the case of a standard 5×3 array with fifteen symbols positions  13 , there would be eighty-one ways available. In this alternative embodiment, the player will select a bet option that give the player a predefined number of “ways” (for example, 9, 27 and 81 ways) that are available or active on the array  11 . 
     Similarly, the prize table  100  need not be rectangular in configuration but could take any number of forms, such as a wheel or other shaped array with bonus prizes  104  scattered within, without necessarily requiring table positions  102  or the like. 
     In addition, the embodiments have been described using a particular combination of bet per pay line and total bet to determine the number of bonus prizes  104 , table positions  102  and types of bonus prizes. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, other combinations or only one type of bet can be used to determine the bonus prizes allocated to the prize table  100 . For example, he bet may comprise a bet option, a bet per pay line, a total number of pay lines, a bet per set of ways or a total bet. 
     Thus, it can be observed that by providing a prize table  100  next to the reels  12   a  to  12   e , a player can determine what bonus prizes can be won and the relative probability of winning those prizes once the prize table is activated as he or she playing the base game  80  and feature games  109 ,  129 . Consequently, the player has a direct visual link to the awarding of bonus prizes in the games  80 ,  109 ,  129  played on the gaming machine  1 . Hence, there is no uncertainty as to which of the bonus prizes are available to be awarded. In addition, the player can ascertain this information immediately at any time without scrolling through other menus and interrupting play of the gaming machine, leading to a smoother and more convenient game play experience. 
     It will be appreciated that one skilled in the art will recognise that the term “volatility” refers to the expected frequency of winning game events occurring and the corresponding amount paid for each winning game event in order to maintain the required payout level set for the gaming machine. Thus, the amount paid for each winning combination and the level of return to the player determines the “volatility” of the gaming machine. For example, a gaming machine with low volatility is configured to have a relatively high frequency of “wins”, where each win has a relatively low value. Conversely, high volatility refers to a lower frequency of “wins” of correspondingly higher value. Throughout the specification, “volatility” is a reference to this characteristic of a gaming machine. 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , another embodiment is shown in the form of an electronic gaming machine  200 . The electronic gaming machine  200  may include a housing or cabinet  250  and one or more value transfer mechanisms or devices, which may include a coin slot or acceptor  252 , a paper currency or bill acceptor  254 , a ticket reader/printer  256  and a card reader  258 , which may be used to input value to the electronic gaming machine  200 . A value transfer device may include any device that can accept value from a player. The topper (not shown) may be mounted to the top of the electronic gaming machine  200 . 
     If provided on the electronic gaming machine  200 , the ticket reader/printer  256  may be used to read and/or print or otherwise encode ticket vouchers  260 . The ticket vouchers  260  may be composed of paper or another printable or encodable material and may have one or more of the following informational items printed or encoded thereon: the casino name, the type of ticket voucher, a validation number, a bar code with control and/or security data, the date and time of issuance of the ticket voucher, redemption instructions and restrictions, a description of an award, and any other information that may be necessary or desirable. Different types of ticket vouchers  260  could be used, such as bonus ticket vouchers, cash-redemption ticket vouchers, casino chip ticket vouchers, extra game play ticket vouchers, merchandise ticket vouchers, restaurant ticket vouchers, show ticket vouchers, etc. The ticket vouchers  260  could be printed with an optically readable material such as ink, or data on the ticket vouchers  260  could be magnetically encoded. The ticket reader/printer  256  may be provided with the ability to both read and print ticket vouchers  260 , or it may be provided with the ability to only read or only print or encode ticket vouchers  260 . In the latter case, for example, some of the electronic gaming machines  200  may have ticket printers  256  that may be used to print ticket vouchers  260 , which could then be used by a player in other electronic gaming machines  200  that have ticket readers  256 . 
     If provided, the card reader  258  may include any type of card reading device, such as a magnetic card reader or an optical card reader, and may be used to read data from a card offered by a player, such as a credit card or a player tracking card. If provided for player tracking purposes, the card reader  258  may be used to read data from, and/or write data to, player tracking cards that are capable of storing data representing the identity of a player, the identity of a casino, the player&#39;s gaming habits, etc. 
     The electronic gaming machine  200  may include one or more audio speakers  262 , a coin payout tray  264 , an input control panel  266 , and a colour video display unit  270  for displaying images relating to the game or games provided by the electronic gaming machine  200 . The audio speakers  262  may generate audio representing sounds such as the noise of spinning reels, a dealer&#39;s voice, music, announcements or any other audio related to a game. The input control panel  266  may be provided with a plurality of pushbuttons or touch-sensitive areas that may be pressed by a player to select games, make wagers, make gaming decisions, etc. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates one possible embodiment of the control panel  266 , which may be used where the electronic gaming machine  200  having a plurality of reels. The control panel  266  may include a “See Pays” button  272  that, when activated, causes the display unit  270  to generate one or more display screens showing the odds or payout information for the game or games provided by the electronic gaming machine  200 . As used herein, the term “button” is intended to encompass any device that allows a player to make an input, such as an input device that must be depressed to make an input selection or a display area that a player may simply touch. The control panel  266  may include a “Cash Out” button  274  that may be activated when a player decides to terminate play on the electronic gaming machine  200 , in which case the electronic gaming machine  200  may return value to the player, such as by returning a number of coins to the player via the payout tray  264 . 
     The control panel  266  may be provided with a plurality of selection buttons  276 , each of which allows the player to select a different number of pay lines prior to spinning the reels. For example, five buttons  276  may be provided, each of which may allow a player to select one, three, five, seven or nine pay lines. 
     The control panel  266  may also be provided with a plurality of selection buttons  78  each of which allows a player to specify a wager amount for each pay line selected. For example, the electronic gaming machine  200  may be provided with five selection buttons  78 , each of which may allow a player to select 1¢, 2¢, 5¢, 10¢ and 20¢, to wager for each pay line selected. In that case, if a player were to activate one of the buttons  276  to select five pay lines and then activate one of the buttons  278  to select 5¢ per pay line to be wagered or bet, the total wager would be $0.25. 
     The control panel  266  may include a “Max Bet” button  280  to allow a player to make the maximum wager allowable for a game. In the above example, where up to nine pay lines were provided and up to 20¢ could be wagered for each pay line selected, the maximum wager would be $1.80 The control panel  266  may include a spin button  282  to allow the player to initiate spinning of the reels after a bet has been made. 
     In  FIG. 16 , a rectangle is shown around the buttons  272 ,  274 ,  276 ,  278 ,  280 ,  282 . It should be understood that the rectangle simply designates, for ease of reference, an area in which the buttons  272 ,  274 ,  276 ,  278 ,  280 ,  282  may be located. Consequently, the term “control panel” should not be construed to imply that a panel or plate separate from the housing  250  of the electronic gaming machine  200  is required, and the term “control panel” may encompass a plurality or grouping of player activatable buttons. 
     Although one possible control panel  266  is described above, it should be understood that different buttons could be utilized in the control panel  266 , and that the particular buttons used may depend on the game or games that could be played on the electronic gaming machine  200 . Although the control panel  266  is shown to be separate from the display unit  270 , it should be understood that the control panel  266  could be generated by the display unit  270 . In that case, each of the buttons of the control panel  266  could be a coloured area generated by the display unit  270 , and some type of mechanism may be associated with the display unit  270  to detect when each of the buttons was touched, such as a touch-sensitive screen. 
     As noted above, the electronic gaming machine  200  may include a mechanism by which the electronic gaming machine  200  may determine the identity of the player. In particular, the card reader  258  may be used to read a card that carries an identification code that may be uniquely associated with the player so that the gaming unit can differentiate that player from all other players, or so that the gaming unit can differentiate that player as a member of a group of players from all player not a member of the group of players. The electronic gaming machine  200  may also include equipment, such as a keypad  284 , an input pad  286  (with optional stylus  287 ), a port (or antenna)  288  adapted to communicate via a wired or wireless link (infrared or radio frequency link, for example) to a mobile electronic device  290  (such as a personal digital assistant, smart phone or tablet), a camera  292 , a scanner  294 , a retinal (or iris) scanner  296 , fingerprint scanner  297 , and/or a microphone  298 . The electronic gaming machine  200  may include any one of the devices  258 ,  284 ,  286 ,  288 ,  290 ,  292 ,  294 ,  296 ,  297 ,  298 , or the electronic gaming machine  200  may include a combination of some or all of the devices  258 ,  284 ,  286 ,  287 ,  288 ,  290 ,  292 ,  294 ,  296 ,  297 ,  298 . 
     In operation, a player may identify him or herself to the electronic gaming machine  200  by entering a unique numeric or alpha-numeric code using the key pad  284 , for example. Alternatively, the player may use his or her finger or the stylus  287  to sign his or her signature on the input pad  286 . As a further alternative, the player may sign his or her signature on the mobile electronic device  290 , which signature is then converted to electronic data, and the data is then transferred via the port/antenna  288  to the electronic gaming machine  200 . As yet another alternative, the player may sign his or her signature on a piece of paper that is then photographed using the camera  292  or scanned using the scanner  294  (or the bill acceptor  254 ) to convert the signature into electronic data. As an additional alternative, the player may place one of his or her fingers or his or her hand on the scanner  297 , and the scanner  297  may generate an electronic data representation of the fingerprint on one or more of the player&#39;s fingers or an electronic data representation of the pattern of the entire hand. Alternatively, the camera  292  may be used to take a picture (live or still) of the player, the picture then being converted into electronic data. As a still further alternative, the player may place his or her eye up to the retinal (or iris) scanner  296 , and the retinal (or iris) scanner  296  may generate an electronic data representation corresponding to the pattern of the retina (or iris) of the player. As yet another alternative, the player may speak into the microphone  298 , and characteristics of the spoken words (or voiceprint) may be converted into an electronic data representation. 
       FIG. 17  is a block diagram of a number of components that may be incorporated in the electronic gaming machine  200 . Referring to  FIG. 17 , the electronic gaming machine  200  may include a controller  300  that may comprise a program memory  302 , a microcontroller or microprocessor (MP)  304 , a random-access memory (RAM)  306  and an input/output (I/O) circuit  308 , all of which may be interconnected via an address/data bus  310 . It should be appreciated that although only one microprocessor  304  is shown, the controller  300  may include multiple microprocessors  304 . Similarly, the memory of the controller  300  may include multiple RAMs  306  and multiple program memories  302 . Although the I/O circuit  108  is shown as a single block, it should be appreciated that the I/O circuit  308  may include a number of different types of I/O circuits. The RAM(s)  304  and program memories  302  may be implemented as semiconductor memories, magnetically readable memories, and/or optically readable memories, for example. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates that the coin acceptor  252 , the bill acceptor  254 , the ticket reader/printer  256 , the card reader  258 , the control panel  266 , the display unit  270 , the keypad  284 , the input pad  286  (and optionally the stylus  287 ), the port/antenna  288 , the digital camera  292 , the scanner  294 , the retinal scanner  296 , the fingerprint scanner  297  and the microphone  298  may be operatively coupled to the I/O circuit  308 , each of those components being so coupled by either a unidirectional or bidirectional, single-line or multiple-line data link, which may depend on the design of the component that is used. The speaker(s)  262  may be operatively coupled to a sound circuit  312 , that may comprise a voice- and sound-synthesis circuit or that may comprise a driver circuit. The sound-generating circuit  312  may be coupled to the I/O circuit  308 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 17 , the components  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258 ,  266 ,  270 ,  284 ,  286 ,  287 ,  288 ,  292 ,  294 ,  296 ,  297 ,  298 ,  312  may be connected to the I/O circuit  308  via a respective direct line or conductor. Different connection schemes could be used. For example, one or more of the components shown in  FIG. 16  may be connected to the I/O circuit  308  via a common bus or other data link that is shared by a number of components. Furthermore, some of the components may be directly connected to the microprocessor  304  without passing through the I/O circuit  308 . 
     In some embodiments, at least one of the game symbols comprises a game enhancing symbol that confers a game enhancing element to the player. It is further preferred that the game enhancing element modifies the result of a play of the game, which can be any one or combination of the base game  8 ,  80  and feature games  9 ,  109 ,  129 . The game enhancing elements may provide different types of effects or modifications of the game play result. In one embodiment, the game enhancing element comprises the award of one or more plays of the game that do not require a bet from the player. In other words, the game enhancing element awards a predetermined number of free games. In some embodiments, the game enhancing element comprises at least one or more a win multiplier, wild multipliers, bonus wilds, symbols that cause the award of additional free games, trigger symbols to retrigger the at least two second arrays, held columns, random wild symbols, stacked symbols, bonus symbols, new game symbols, reveal symbols, progressives, bonus credits, jackpot symbols, and one or more symbol replacements. A variety of game enhancing elements can be awarded by the game enhancing symbols, including:
         symbols that award a predetermined number of free plays of the game;   win multiplier symbols that multiply the amount of any win from one of the predetermined winning combinations;   “wild” symbols that cause the display of substitute symbols in randomly selected symbol positions;   bonus symbols that awards a bonus prize, either as a monetary amount or as a bonus credit;   wild multiplier symbols that cause the display of substitute symbols on the array  11  and multiplies the amount of any win from one of the predetermined winning combinations;   bonus wild symbols that cause the display of substitute symbols on the array  11  and awards a bonus prize;   symbols that cause the award of additional free plays of the game;   symbols that cause one or more of the symbol positions to be held static (typically one or more reels  12   a  to  12   e ) and display substitute symbols on the array  11 ;   symbols that cause the same game symbol to be stacked in a group of symbol positions, typically the group being one or more reels  12   a  to  12   e;      symbols that cause the display of new game symbols on the array  11 ;   “reveal” symbols that cause a game symbol to reveal another game symbol; and   “replacement” symbols that cause one or more game symbols to be replaced by other game symbols in the array  11 .       

     These game enhancing symbols do not modify the function or value of the game symbols  10  that appear on the arrays  11 , but instead confer bonus prizes, free games or change existing game symbols for other game symbols (such as replacing picture, royal card or symbols belonging to a reel with wild/substitute symbols). Where the function of game symbols  10  have been changed or the game symbols  10  are replaced, then this modification can take effect with the next play of the game instead of applying to the result of the spun array  11 . In another embodiment, the game enhancing symbols may indicate the duration in which its game enhancing element is applied, such as a predetermined number of spins or a predetermined time period. 
     It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, game enhancing elements can also be awarded as a separate aspect of the games  8 ,  9 ,  80 ,  109 ,  129 . The game enhancing elements may further be awarded in addition or as an alternative to the enhanced prizes awarded based on winning combinations of game symbols  10  in the games  8 ,  9 ,  80 ,  109 ,  129 . In a further embodiment, the award of game enhancing elements can be done by way of a sixth reel or the appearance of game enhancing symbols in the reels  12   a  to  12   e . The sixth reel in this case is simply added as an extension to the array  11  and spins either game enhancing symbols or “blank” symbols. 
     In some embodiments, the game enhancing symbols include “collector”-type game enhancing symbols which award points or tokens. The collection of points or tokens during the base game  8 ,  80  and/or feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  leads to the trigger of additional prizes or game enhancing symbols, depending on the number of points or tokens that are collected. These additional prizes can include stand-alone progressive jackpots, bonus prizes and super games, which are enhanced versions of free spins or games where there are greater pay outs or frequency of wins. 
     In other preferred forms, the game enhancing element can be an enhanced version of the array  11 . The enhanced array may provide additional game enhancing symbols that include the award of points or an additional number of free spins of the array  11  (for example, retriggering 5 more free spins). The collection of points awarded by the enhanced array during free spins or game leads to the trigger of additional prizes or game enhancing symbols, depending on the number of points that are collected. These additional prizes can include standalone progressive jackpots, bonus prizes and super games, which are enhanced versions of free spins or games where there are greater pay outs or frequency of wins. In addition, the enhanced array has a different visual representation to the array  11 . In addition, the enhanced array may provide game enhancing symbols of greater value and/or frequency compared to the array  11 . 
     It should be noted that a jackpot prize can take the form of a standalone progressive jackpot, fixed jackpot, mystery jackpot, symbol driven jackpot and any combination thereof (i.e. a mixture of different types of jackpots). In the described embodiments, progressive jackpots were available across all the games  8 ,  9 ,  80 ,  109 ,  129 . However in some embodiments, the jackpots can be limited to the base game  8 ,  80  or the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129 , and/or may use different jackpots like a fixed jackpot. 
     A progressive jackpot prize takes a portion of each bet (typically a set percentage of each bet) made on the gaming machine and thus the amount of the progressive jackpot incrementally increases as more bets are made on the gaming machine  1 . The progressive jackpot is typically awarded when a winning game combination associated with the jackpot occurs in the game played on the gaming machine. In many cases, progressive jackpots are associated with the least probable winning combination and are commonly the highest paying award of the gaming machine. In other cases, a separate trigger event can be used to award the progressive jackpot prize, such as a special jackpot symbol, a trigger event internally generated by the electronic game controller. Alternatively, or additionally, once a certain threshold is met, either a certain amount that has been bet on the gaming machine or the incremented amount of the progressive jackpot, a trigger event is activated in the electronic gaming machine to pay out the progressive jackpot prize. Progressive jackpot prizes also tend to be shared amongst multiple gaming machines so as to increase the amount of the progressive jackpot prize and hence increase player interest in playing one of the electronic gaming machines. In some gaming machines, more than one jackpot or progressive jackpot are offered by the gaming machine or gaming machines linked together. 
     The jackpot or bonus prizes may also be mystery jackpots rather than symbol driven jackpots. That is, none of the symbols in the game trigger the jackpot; hence the trigger event is a “mystery”. By way of comparison, a standard jackpot is typically symbol driven in that a particular combination of symbols must occur in the game to trigger the standard jackpot. 
     The trigger event for the mystery jackpot can be one randomly generated by the electronic game controller  4  for each play of the games  8  and  9 . One way to implement the random determination of the trigger event is for the electronic game controller  4  to internally generate a random number and check if it is a predetermined number or within a predetermined range of numbers that will initiate the appearance of the trigger symbols. For example, the predetermined range of numbers could be the range of numbers between 1 and 10 and the electronic game controller  4  internally generates a random number between 1 and 100. If the generated number is any one of numbers  1  to  10 , then this results in the electronic game controller  4  causing the trigger event to occur and award the progressive jackpot prize. It will be appreciated that this manner of determining the jackpot trigger event may also be used to determine whether the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  is triggered in the base game  8 ,  80 . 
     Progressive jackpots can be confined to the gaming machine  1  as so called “standalone” progressive jackpots. Alternatively, the jackpot is a wide area or an in-house linked progressive jackpot prize. In other embodiments, one or more the progressive jackpot prizes are configured to be part of a wide area or in-house linked progressive jackpot prize. In other words, the progressive jackpot prizes can be awarded on a group of networked gaming machines in a specified area or a group of specified gaming machines that are linked together for jackpot purposes (usually via a central jackpot controller). The jackpot prizes can also be shared with any other games offered on the same gaming machine  1  (as in multi-game gaming machines). 
     During play of the games  8 ,  9 ,  80 ,  109 ,  129 , the electronic game controller  4  will determine whether the trigger event for the jackpot has occurred. In response to the occurrence of the jackpot trigger event(s), the electronic game controller  4  transmits a signal to the video screen  7  to cause the jackpot(s) associated with the jackpot trigger event(s) to be awarded to the player. After the jackpot(s) are awarded, the amounts for any awarded jackpots are reset. The amounts of the jackpots that have been won can be reset either to a predetermined start amount or simply increment upwardly from zero where the won jackpot is a progressive jackpot. 
     In some embodiments, the in-game trigger event is determined at the end or during the play of the game; i.e. at the end or during a spin of the reels  12 . In some embodiments, the in-game trigger event occurs in a preceding play of the game so that the result of the in-game trigger event takes place in a subsequent play of the game, typically the next play of the game after the preceding play but could include a later successive play of the game. 
     Furthermore, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as providing a standard 5×3 array for the base game  8 ,  80  and the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129 . However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the size and shape of the base game array  11  and feature game array may vary as desired. For example, the arrays  11  could take any number of different shapes, such as triangular, circular, square, hexagonal, hemi-spherical or other polygonal shapes. For example, the base game array  11  could comprise a circular array having three rings (equivalent to rows) like a bullseye target segmented into five columns. The feature game array would then expand into additional rings surrounding the initial rings of the base game array  11 . Alternatively, the arrays  11  could have an unequal number of rows or columns. For example, the reels  12   a ,  12   b  could have three rows, but the reels  12   c  to  12   e  could have four rows. 
     While the preferred embodiment has been described in relation to both a base game  8  and a feature game  9 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of the prize table  100  can readily be applied to the base game alone or a feature game alone. 
     In some embodiments, the frequency of the game symbols  10   a ,  10   f ,  10   g ,  10   h  displayed in the array is controlled by choosing different reel strips to display those symbols  65 , 75 in the base game  8 ,  80  and feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129 . Thus, more advantageous game symbols like the Vault scatter symbol  10   g  or the substitute symbol  10   h  may appear as the bet made by the player increases. This means that the frequency of obtaining wining combinations of game symbols increases. There may also be a combination of frequency of the game symbols and using different reel strips for reels with a higher frequency of higher worth game symbols or substitute symbols. 
     Yet another variation to the embodiment, the bonus or jackpot prize values increase as more game positions  13  displaying a special symbol (such as the $ symbol  125 ) appear on the array  11 , thus increasing the value of the potential prizes to be won. Alternatively, the bonus or jackpot prize values increment with each spin of a free game by the amount of the bet made by the player. 
     In a further variation to the embodiments, each game or symbol position  13  comprises its own individual reel and three of the reels may be grouped into columns of reels. That is, each symbol position  13  has its own individual reel strip of game symbols. 
     In other embodiments, the gaming machine  1  also offers the player the opportunity to play in community games against other players in so-called tournament games, or even in player versus player games. This is typically implemented by electronically linking several gaming machines  1  in a group within a gaming venue. The player versus player or tournament game can be played simultaneously by the players or can be staggered, with some players playing at one time and some players playing at another time in the same game. In this situation, the player versus player or tournament game comprises the award of an additional bonus prize in addition to the jackpot prizes in the selected available jackpot set. 
     While the same game format is essentially used across the base game  8 ,  80  and feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129 , it will be appreciated that the game format may vary across the base and feature games, as well as between base games where more than one game is offered by the same electronic gaming machine  1 . For example, one of the games may be a wheel-type game or a four reel game and another of the games may be a standard five reel game. Similarly, the games  8 ,  9 ,  80 ,  109 ,  129  may each have different game symbols, game rules and pay tables that are unique to each game. 
     While one embodiment has been described in relation to a base game  80  and two feature games  109 ,  129 , it will be appreciated that the present disclosure could include one or more additional feature games that are triggered by specific trigger symbols appearing in the feature game  109 ,  129 . Also, the additional feature games may also have trigger symbols that trigger further feature games in a cascading fashion. These additional and further feature games could have the same game play elements as the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  or be different feature games entirely. 
     In other embodiments, the base game  8 ,  80  and the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  need not be displayed alternately on a single video screen  7 . Instead, they may be displayed on the same video screen  7 , with the base game  8 ,  80  shown in the lower playing area  7   a  and the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  shown in the upper display area of the video screen  7 . Alternatively, the base game  8 ,  80  and the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  are shown on separate video screens, with the base game  8 ,  80  shown in a lower video screen corresponding to the lower playing area  7   a  and the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  shown in an upper video screen corresponding to the upper display area. Also, the order can be reversed, with the lower playing area  7   a  or video screen showing the feature game  9 ,  109 ,  129  and the upper video screen or upper playing area of a single video display screen  7  showing the base game  8 ,  80 . 
     In another embodiment, the video screen  7  is a touch screen for use in addition to the player-actuatable buttons  6  so as to enable the player to select the bet level (such as bet denominations or bet per pay line  14 ) as well as other various features, such as making monetary bets for the game, initiating play of any base and feature games played and responding to any messages or requests issued on the gaming machine  1  by the electronic game controller  4 . In this case, the player may control when the reels  12  start spinning and stop spinning, either individually or collectively, by simply touching the reels  12 . Control over spinning of the reels  12  can also be implemented through the buttons  6  on the console  3 . This increases player interaction and provide the player with an opportunity to guess when a particular game symbol  10  may appear in the reels  12 . 
     In some embodiments, in response to a feature game trigger event in the base game, the electronic controller causes the display to display game symbols for playing the feature game. Alternatively, the electronic controller causes the display of the feature game and the base game during play of the base game, the feature game being inactive until triggered. In this embodiment, the change in the feature game from being inactive to active may be indicated on the display. This indication may be visual, aural or a combination of both. 
     In some embodiments, the gaming machine comprises an input device for receiving commands from the player to play the game, wherein the input device comprises one or more buttons in electronic communication with the electronic controller to transmit the player commands to the electronic controller. 
     In some embodiments, the input device comprises one or more buttons on the housing, the buttons being in electronic communication with the electronic controller. In other embodiments, the buttons are arranged on a console of the housing. Alternatively or additionally, the input device comprises a touch sensitive surface on the display for receiving commands from the player, the touch sensitive surface being in electronic communication with the electronic game controller to transmit the player commands to the electronic controller. 
     In some embodiments, the gaming machine comprises a value transfer mechanism for receiving value from the player to make a bet and initiate a play of the game. In other embodiments, the value transfer mechanism also pays the prizes to the player using value in an amount equal to an awarded prize. It is further preferred that the housing comprises the value transfer mechanism. In one embodiment, the value transfer mechanism comprises one or more vending slots for paying and/or receiving value. In other embodiments, the value transfer mechanism comprises a value input/value output device. In further embodiments, the value transfer mechanism comprises a coin slot or acceptor, a paper currency acceptor, a ticket reader and/or printer or a card reader and/or writer. 
     In some embodiments, the game enhancing element comprises at least one or more of a predetermined number of free games, a win multiplier, wild multipliers, bonus wilds, symbols that cause the award of additional free games, trigger symbols to retrigger the at least two second arrays, held columns, random wild symbols, stacked symbols, bonus symbols, new game symbols, reveal symbols, progressives, bonus credits, jackpot symbols, and one or more symbol replacements. 
     In some embodiments, the base game and the feature game each comprises an array of rows and columns of the predetermined game positions, and the base game array is different in size and/or dimensions to the feature game array. In other embodiments, the feature game array is greater in size than the base game array. In one preferred form, the base array comprises three rows and five columns and the feature game array comprises either more than three rows or more than five columns. In a further preferred form, the feature game array is an extended base game array. 
     In some embodiments, a feature game trigger event occurs in the base game to trigger the feature game. In one embodiment, the feature game trigger event comprises a random event determined by the electronic game controller at the start of play of the feature game. In another embodiment, the feature game trigger event comprises the appearance of at least one trigger symbol in the base game array. In another alternative, the feature game trigger event comprises an in-game event during play of the base game. 
     In some embodiments, the array (including the base game array and/or the feature game array) take any one of a circular, triangular, oval, semi-circular, hexagonal, pentagonal, octagonal, non-rectangular or polygonal shape. In one preferred form, the wheels and the enhanced wheels arrays take the form of partially shown circular wheels. 
     In some embodiments, the player selectively starts and/or stops play of the base game array and/or the feature game array. 
     In some embodiments, the game symbols may be used to play a slots-type game. In other embodiments, the game symbols may be used to play a poker-type game. In further embodiments, the game symbols may be used to play a bingo or keno-type game 
     In some embodiments, the gaming machine comprises a mobile electronic gaming device. In other embodiments, the mobile electronic gaming device comprises a handheld electronic device. In one preferred form, the handheld electronic device comprises a handheld electronic gaming device or a smart phone. Alternatively, the gaming machine comprises a computer. In other embodiments, the computer is connected to a communication network. 
     It will be appreciated that while the preferred embodiments have been described in relation to an industry standard electronic gaming machine, the present disclosure can be readily applied to other types of electronic gaming machines, including a personal computer (standing alone or connected to a communications network, LAN or WAN), mobile electronic devices (such as handheld or portable electronic devices like tablets and smart phones) and other electronic devices capable of displaying a game. In the case of mobile electronic device, in one arrangement it may permit the player to make bets using “virtual” credits that represent a monetary value, but do not require the player to make a monetary transaction. Instead, the present disclosure may provide a tiered access to the various features of the game so that the player can make relatively small payments to access particular features of the game or obtain additional benefits during game play. An alternative arrangement would require the player to purchase virtual credits or tokens via an interface on the mobile electronic device or an online interface accessible by the mobile electronic device. Similarly, either of the above described arrangements can be applied where the present disclosure is implemented on a personal computer (PC) connected to the internet (wirelessly or not). In one example of the implementation, the PC would access an online casino over the internet to play the game of the present disclosure or the game of the present disclosure would be part of a social networking website. It is also contemplated that the player could also make regular payments to subscribe to continue playing the game on the mobile electronic device, PC or other electronic device. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the gaming machine also provides an option for the player to play with either credits based on a monetary amount or virtual credits as discussed above. This can be implemented by way of a selection menu prior to playing the selected game or by providing a suitable menu button on screen during play of the selected game. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure includes a computer programme configured to perform the present disclosure. In this way the present disclosure can be implemented in various ways on a gaming machine. In a further aspect, the present disclosure includes a gaming system configured comprising a central processing unit (such as a computer or computational processor) configured for communication with a gaming machine to perform the present disclosure. In a yet another aspect, the present disclosure includes a non-transitory computer readable or carrier medium carrying computer executable code that, when executed on a central processing unit configured for communication with a gaming machine, causes the central processing unit to perform the present disclosure. In this case, the non-transitory carrier medium includes an external hard drive, a memory device, including a memory card, smart card, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, USB key, magnetic card or other electronic storage device. 
     While the illustrated embodiments include an electronic display on which the array of game positions is displayed, it will be recognized that the disclosed embodiments could instead incorporate mechanical or electro-mechanical reels to define the array of game positions. In fact, to the extent that the game positions, game symbols or operation of the gaming machine described herein would require a modification of such mechanical or electro-mechanical reels, it will be recognized that the embodiment represents a change in the structure or operation of a machine, rather than simply a variation in the rules of playing a game. In addition or in the alternative, the variation in the game positions, game symbols or operation of the gaming machine described herein may be viewed as analogous to a method for utilizing a new game apparatus (like a new deck of cards), rather than simply as a new set of rules in and of themselves. 
     It will further be appreciated that any of the features in the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined together and are not necessarily applied in isolation from each other. For example, the feature of the player being able to selectively starting or stopping spinning of the reels  12  and the feature of providing separate video screens for the lower playing area  7   a  and upper display area can be combined into a single gaming machine  1 . Similar combinations of two or more features from the above described embodiments or embodiments of the present disclosure can be readily made by one skilled in the art. 
     By providing a prize table next to the array of symbol positions displaying game symbols, there is immediate access to game information relating to what bonus prizes are available in the current game being played and the probability of winning those prizes. This avoids interruption of game play as a result of having to access game menus that replace the game being played on the display. Also, this visual correlation between bonus prizes and game play eliminates or reduces any doubt as to the bonus prizes available. Hence, there is a seamless or smoother game play experience more convenient to the player. The embodiments of the present disclosure also add greater value to a player in terms of providing greater variety in game play, especially compared to a conventional gaming machine that only has one set of reels and a single feature game. All these advantages of the present disclosure result in the player being more likely to retain interest in continuing to play the same gaming machine due to the variation in game play on the gaming machine. Furthermore, since the electronic controller controls operation of the gaming machine, the present disclosure can be readily implemented to existing gaming machines, including EGMs, electro-mechanical or purely mechanical gaming machines as well as other gaming systems. In all these respects, the present disclosure represents a practical and commercially significant improvement over the prior art. 
     In conclusion, although the preceding text sets forth a detailed description of different embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the legal scope of the present disclosure is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment of the present disclosure since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the present disclosure. 
     It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘ —————— ’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term be limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).