Patent ID: 7794320

Claim:
A gaming device operated under the control of a processor, said gaming device comprising: at least one input device; and at least one display device including a plurality of reels, wherein the processor is programmed to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device, for a play of a game, to: (a) for each of the plurality of reels: (i) randomly generate and display one of a plurality of symbols of a symbol set associated with said reel, wherein at least one of the symbols in said symbol set is associated with a value, (ii) determine if the generated symbol is part of a symbol subset associated with the reel, said symbol subset including a predetermined number of different symbols, wherein the predetermined number is greater than one, (iii) if the generated symbol is part of the symbol subset associated with the reel, determine any value associated with the generated symbol, (iv) add any determined value to an accumulated value associated with the symbol subset, wherein if one of the symbols of the symbol subset is subsequently generated by said symbol generator, any determined value associated with the subsequently generated symbol which is part of the symbol subset is again added to the accumulated value, and (v) determine if a designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated and: (a) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have not been generated, subsequently randomly generate and display an additional one of the plurality of symbols of the symbol set associated with said reel and repeat (ii) to (v), and (b) if the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with the reel have been generated, determine an award associated with the reel based at least in part on the accumulated value associated with the symbol subset; and (b) after the designated number of the symbols of the symbol subset associated with at least one of the plurality of reels have been generated, provide a total award to a player based, at least in part, on the award associated with at least one of the symbol subsets for which the designated number of the symbols have been generated.