Patent ID: 7575514

Claim:
A gaming device comprising: at least one display device; at least one input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to: (a) cause an element group generator to generate and display one of a plurality of element groups or a multi-group activator, wherein the plurality of element groups each include a plurality of elements, each of said elements is in at least two different element groups and the multi-group activator is associated with each of the elements in a plurality of said element groups; (b) if one of said element groups is generated and displayed, activate each of the elements in the generated element group; (c) if said multi-group activator is generated and displayed, activate each of the elements in said different element groups associated with said multi-group activator, wherein said activation of each of the elements in the plurality of different element groups associated with the multi-group activator occurs regardless of any previous activation of any of said elements; (d) determine if any of the elements are activated a predetermined number of times, wherein said predetermined number of times is at least two; (e) provide a player any awards associated with any elements activated the predetermined number of times; and (f) repeat steps (a) to (e) until at least one element is activated the predetermined number of times, wherein if one of the element groups is generated and displayed a plurality of times, each of the elements in said element group are activated said plurality of times.