US 11,989,998 B2
Gaming machine, control method for machine, and program for gaming machine
Tomoaki Hirai, Las Vegas, NV (US); and Yuji Taniguchi, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Assigned to Konami Gaming, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by Konami Gaming, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Feb. 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/185,702.
Application 17/185,702 is a continuation of application No. 15/261,551, filed on Sep. 9, 2016, granted, now 10,970,958.
Prior Publication US 2022/0012978 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G07F 17/00 (2006.01); G07F 17/32 (2006.01); G07F 17/34 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/3213 (2013.01) [G07F 17/3209 (2013.01); G07F 17/3246 (2013.01); G07F 17/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gaming machine for providing a game, comprising:
a cabinet;
a display device including a touchscreen mounted to the cabinet; and
a control unit operably coupled to the display device, the control unit including a processor programmed to execute an algorithm to display an animated sequence of computer-generated images on the display device including the steps of:
rendering a game screen on the display device including a plurality of virtual reels displayed in a grid;
initiating a primary game by animating the plurality of virtual reels to simulate spinning and stopping the plurality of virtual reels; and
upon detecting a trigger condition in the primary game, animating a sequence of computer-generated images of a skill-based bonus game on the game screen by:
generating a reel strip including a plurality of reel segments, each reel segment including a plurality of segment symbol positions associated with a corresponding symbol, each segment symbol position including an associated selection probability;
rendering a bonus reel including the generated reel strip and a pointer on the game screen, the bonus reel being displayed within a plurality of cells arranged in a grid having a single column, the bonus reel displaying the plurality of reel segments with each reel segment including a corresponding group of symbols;
animating the bonus reel to simulate the bonus reel spinning through the grid;
rendering a stop button on the touchscreen;
receiving player input via the touchscreen indicating the player actuating the stop button while the bonus reel is spinning; and
upon receiving the player input, detecting a timing of the player input touching the stop button via the touchscreen while the bonus reel is spinning and establishing a stop segment of the reel strip by selecting a reel segment from the plurality of reel segments based on the detected timing of the received player input;
determining a selection probability associated with each symbol included in the stop segment and randomly selecting a symbol included in the selected stop segment; and
animating the bonus reel to stop to display the randomly selected symbol adjacent to the pointer.