US 11,941,946 B2
Determining awards for plays of different games using mechanical reels
Anthony Baerlocher, Henderson, NV (US); Cullen O'day, Reno, NV (US); and Jason R. Mead, Reno, NV (US)
Assigned to IGT, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by IGT, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Sep. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/487,853.
Prior Publication US 2023/0101988 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G07F 17/00 (2006.01); G07F 17/32 (2006.01); G07F 17/34 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/3267 (2013.01) [G07F 17/3213 (2013.01); G07F 17/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a plurality of mechanical reels, each mechanical reel comprising a plurality of symbols displayed at a plurality of reel display positions;
a video transmissive display device comprising a controllable transparent portion arranged relative to the mechanical reels such that a common line of sight passes through a portion of the video transmissive display device to a portion of each of the mechanical reels;
a processor; and
a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
responsive to a play of a first game associated with a first quantity of activated paylines displayed by the video transmissive display device:
select, based on the first quantity of activated paylines, a first paytable,
for each of the mechanical reels, randomly determine, based on the selected first paytable, a symbol of the symbols of that mechanical reel, and
for each of the mechanical reels, cause that mechanical reel to move such that the reel display position associated with the randomly determined symbol of the symbols of that mechanical reel is viewable through the controllable transparent portion of the video transmissive display device, and
responsive to a play of a second game associated with a second, different quantity of activated paylines displayed by the video transmissive display device:
select, based on the second, different quantity of activated paylines, a second, different paytable,
for each of the mechanical reels, randomly determine, based on the selected second, different paytable, a symbol of the symbols of that mechanical reel, wherein for at least one of the mechanical reels, a symbol of the symbols of that mechanical reel is available to be randomly determined based on the selected second, different paytable and that symbol of that mechanical reel is unavailable to be randomly determined based on the selected first paytable, and
for each of the mechanical reels, cause that mechanical reel to move such that the reel display position associated with the randomly determined symbol of the symbols of that mechanical reel is viewable through the controllable transparent portion of the video transmissive display device.