Patent ID: 7578735

Claim:
A gaming device comprising: at least one display device; and at least one processor programmed to operate with said at least one display device to: (a) display a plurality of symbols, each of the plurality of symbols being displayed at one of a plurality of positions, the plurality of positions including at least one designated triggering position; (b) determine if a triggering symbol has been displayed at the at least one designated triggering position; (c) if the triggering symbol has been displayed at the at least one designated triggering position, automatically rearrange a plurality of the symbols of the displayed plurality of symbols by sequentially moving the plurality of symbols along a predetermined rearrangement path including a plurality of the positions and displaying each of the plurality of symbols moving along the rearrangement path at at least one of the other positions along the rearrangement path, wherein the rearrangement path does not include any of the at least one designated triggering position and the plurality of symbols moving along the rearrangement path do not include the triggering symbol displayed at the at least one designated triggering position; (d) evaluate the displayed symbols to determine an amount of an award associated with any winning combinations of the displayed symbols each time the symbols are rearranged; and (e) provide an award including a sum of said determined amounts.