US 12,094,305 B2
Gaming method and apparatus using cluster based awards
Ryan Paul Hawkins, Henderson, NV (US); Yanis Tsombanidis, Las Vegas, NV (US); Stephanie Johns, Las Vegas, NV (US); and Robert Honeycutt, Henderson, NV (US)
Assigned to Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited, North Ryde (AU)
Filed by Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited, North Ryde (AU)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/953,781.
Application 17/953,781 is a continuation of application No. 17/201,137, filed on Mar. 15, 2021, granted, now 11,468,746.
Application 17/201,137 is a continuation of application No. 14/869,660, filed on Sep. 29, 2015, granted, now 10,964,173, issued on Mar. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2014903909 (AU), filed on Sep. 29, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0021862 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G07F 17/34 (2006.01); G07F 17/32 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/34 (2013.01) [G07F 17/32 (2013.01); G07F 17/3211 (2013.01); G07F 17/3213 (2013.01); G07F 17/3244 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gaming machine, comprising:
a display; and
a game controller executing instructions stored in a memory, wherein execution of the instructions causes the game controller to at least:
present, via the display, a game outcome comprising a plurality of symbols at a plurality of display positions of the display;
present, via the display, each winning symbol cluster in the plurality of symbols, wherein each winning symbol cluster comprises a respective same symbol at each display position in the respective winning symbol cluster, wherein each display position in the respective winning symbol cluster is adjacent to at least one other display position in the respective winning symbol cluster, and wherein no display position of the plurality of display positions is shared by multiple winning symbol clusters; and
present, for each winning symbol cluster, a respective cluster award that is based on a quantity of the respective same symbol in the respective winning symbol cluster.