US 11,735,011 B2
Gaming machine and method for displaying an expanded plurality of active symbols on a mechanical reel
Ryan Cuddy, Reno, NV (US); and Lyndsay Nelson Berger, Reno, NV (US)
Assigned to Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited, North Ryde (AU)
Filed by Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited, North Ryde (AU)
Filed on Mar. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/190,211.
Application 17/190,211 is a continuation of application No. 16/415,856, filed on May 17, 2019, granted, now 10,950,096.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/726,823, filed on Sep. 4, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0183209 A1, Jun. 17, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A63F 13/00 (2014.01); G07F 17/34 (2006.01); G07F 17/32 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/34 (2013.01) [G07F 17/326 (2013.01); G07F 17/3244 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:
a plurality of mechanical reels, each mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanical reels including a plurality of symbols, the electronic gaming machine presenting a visible portion of each of the mechanical reels of the plurality of mechanical reels after a spin;
one or more stepper motors configured to spin and stop the plurality of mechanical reels during game play; and
a processor configured to execute instructions stored on a memory, which, when executed, cause the processor to at least:
access a stepper motor stop position table that defines a plurality of stop positions, each stop position of the plurality of stop positions includes (1) at least one random number generator (RNG) value and (2) an associated step position for the one or more stepper motors, each stop position of the plurality of stop positions aligns a symbol with a centerline when a particular stepper motor turns to the associated step position;
determine to activate a reel expansion feature involving a first mechanical reel of the plurality of mechanical reels;
generate a first RNG outcome for the first mechanical reel; and
control the first mechanical reel, during a first spin and in response to the determining to activate the reel expansion feature, to stop at a half step position between a first stop position and a second stop position of the stepper motor stop position table identified based on the first RNG outcome, the half step position causes symbols of the first mechanical reel to be offset by a half position relative to the centerline and causes the presentation of at least one additional complete symbol position to be visible within the visible portion of the first mechanical reel when stopped at the half step position.