Patent ID: 7578737

Claim:
A gaming system comprising: at least one input device; at least one display device; at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing 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 input device and the at least one display device to: (a) generate and display a plurality of symbols, each of said plurality of symbols being displayed at a separate one of a plurality of positions; (b) determine if any winning symbol combinations are displayed at the positions; (c) for each displayed winning symbol combination, display an award associated with said winning symbol combination; (d) determine if a first triggering event has occurred which causes one or more of a first set of the displayed symbols to be rearranged and a second triggering event has occurred which causes one or more or a different second set of the displayed symbols to be rearranged, wherein the first triggering event is a display of a first plurality of swapping indicators in a first predetermined configuration in association with the first set of the displayed symbols and the second triggering event is a display of a second plurality of swapping indicators in a second predetermined configuration in association with the second set of the displayed symbols; (e) if the first set is to be rearranged triggering event has occurred: (i) automatically rearrange each of the symbols of the first set in a manner dictated by the first predetermined configuration of the swapping indicators, wherein the rearrangement includes moving each of the symbols in the first set to a different one of the positions of another of the symbols in the first set, and (ii) after rearranging the symbols of the first set, determine if any winning symbol combinations are displayed at the positions; (f) if the second triggering event has occurred: (i) automatically rearrange each of the symbols of the second set in a manner dictated by the second predetermined configuration of the swapping indicators, wherein the rearrangement includes moving each of the symbols in the second set to a different one of the positions of another of the symbols in the second set, and (ii) after rearranging the symbols of the second set, determine if any winning symbol combinations are displayed at the positions; and (g) display a total award including any awards associated with winning symbol combinations resulting from the rearrangement of the first set and the second set.