US 12,333,909 B2
Electronic gaming systems and methods
Aimin Cong, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by Aimin Cong, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Oct. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/963,597.
Application 17/963,597 is a continuation of application No. 17/093,972, filed on Nov. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,468,742, issued on Oct. 11, 2022.
Application 17/093,972 is a continuation of application No. 16/436,950, filed on Jun. 11, 2019, granted, now 10,832,526, issued on Nov. 10, 2020.
Application 16/436,950 is a continuation of application No. 15/883,090, filed on Jan. 29, 2018, granted, now 10,319,194, issued on Jun. 11, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/452,259, filed on Jan. 30, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0177927 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. G07F 17/32 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/3267 (2013.01) [G07F 17/3209 (2013.01); G07F 17/3213 (2013.01); G07F 17/3244 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gaming system, comprising:
a housing;
at least one display device supported by the housing, wherein the at least one display comprises an input device;
a random number generator;
a game server in communication with the random number generator and including at least one processor,
and the game server including at least one non-transitory memory device that stores a plurality of executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to communicate with the at least one display device to:
(a) establish a credit balance based at least in part on a monetary value;
(b) place a wager to initiate play of a wagering game, the credit balance being decreasable by the wager;
(c) randomly display an outcome of an instance of play of the wagering game, wherein the displayed game outcome includes an active display area being determinative of an award outcome, and an inactive display area, the inactive display area being unused in the determination of the award outcome, the inactive display area being distinguishable from the active display area in the displayed game outcome by at least one identifying characteristic;
(d) determine an award associated with the active display area, the credit balance being increasable by any determined award outcome;
(e) responsive to the detection of an occurrence of a triggering event associated with the outcome of the instance of play of the wagering game:
(1) modify the displayed game outcome by discontinuing display of the at least one identifying characteristic in at least a portion of the inactive display area;
(2) determine an enhanced award outcome associated with the active display area of the modified game outcome, the active display area of the modified game outcome including the at least a portion of the inactive display area in which the display of the at least one identifying characteristic is discontinued; and
(3) responsive to the detection of an occurrence of a triggering event in the modified game outcome, repeat (1) and (2), whereby the display of the at least one identifying characteristic is discontinued in one or more additional portions of the inactive display area;
(f) responsive to at least one of (i) the absence of the detection of an occurrence of a triggering event in the modified game outcome and (ii) the discontinuing of the display of the at least one identifying characteristic in all portions of the inactive display area of the modified game outcome, increase the credit balance by the determined enhanced award outcome; and
(g) initiate a payout of the credit balance in response to receipt of a payout request.