US 11,941,951 B2
Gaming machine, control method for machine, and program for gaming machine
Atsushi Nakamoto, Zama (JP)
Assigned to Konami Gaming, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by Konami Gaming, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/110,044.
Application 18/110,044 is a continuation of application No. 17/024,566, filed on Sep. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,625,983.
Application 17/024,566 is a continuation of application No. 15/132,665, filed on Apr. 19, 2016, granted, now 10,818,139, issued on Oct. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0290221 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G07F 17/32 (2006.01); G07F 17/34 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/3267 (2013.01) [G07F 17/3213 (2013.01); G07F 17/3244 (2013.01); G07F 17/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gaming machine for providing a game, comprising:
a cabinet
an operation unit mounted to the cabinet and configured to receive an operation of a player;
a display unit operably coupled to the operation unit and including:
a first display device mounted to the cabinet and configured to display computer-generated images including a first symbol display area including a plurality of virtual reels displaying a plurality of symbols in a first plurality of cells arranged in a first grid, the first grid having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; and
a second display device mounted to the cabinet and including a plurality of horizontal mechanical bonus symbol reels, each horizontal mechanical bonus symbol reel displaying a plurality of wild symbols and a plurality of null symbols, each horizontal mechanical bonus symbol reel being associated with a corresponding row of the first grid; and,
a control unit operably coupled to the operation unit and the display unit and being configured to initiate a game in response to player operation and to establish an outcome of the game, the control unit including a processor programmed to execute an algorithm including the steps of:
randomly selecting a first plurality of symbols associated with the first symbol display area, each symbol in the first set of symbols being associated with one of the plurality of cells in the first grid, the symbols in the first plurality of symbols being selected from a first set of symbols;
animating the plurality of virtual reels to sequentially spin through the first grid and stop to display the first plurality of symbols within the first grid forming an initial outcome;
spinning and stopping each horizontal mechanical bonus symbol reel to display a bonus pattern of wild symbols; and
animating the bonus pattern of wild symbols to appear on the first grid, the bonus pattern of symbols and any remaining symbols from the first plurality of symbols in the first grid forming a second outcome.