US 12,462,652 B2
Gaming machine and method with dynamic game progression
George Bouvier, Henderson, NV (US); Kimberly Cohn, Las Vegas, NV (US); and John Kearns, Henderson, NV (US)
Assigned to LNW Gaming, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by LNW Gaming, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Dec. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/543,718.
Application 18/543,718 is a continuation of application No. 17/574,855, filed on Jan. 13, 2022, granted, now 11,893,862.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/232,802, filed on Aug. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0119802 A1, Apr. 11, 2024
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 17/34 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gaming system comprising:
a gaming machine including an electronic display device configured to display a graphical game interface including an active array of symbol positions; and
game-logic circuitry configured to:
cause the electronic display device to present, via the graphical game interface, a predefined path associated with a plurality of award levels including a first award level and a second award level, each award level of the plurality of award levels having a respective trigger condition associated with a number of trigger symbols and a corresponding array size;
present respective award indicia that visually indicates an award value for each award level of the predefined path, the predefined path defining a sequential order of progression through the plurality of award levels, wherein progression is visually indicated by the predefined path from the first award level to the second award level;
cause the electronic display device to present, via the graphical game interface, an animation sequence to selectively populate the active array of symbol positions with one or more symbols through one or more game cycle outcomes associated with the first award level via the graphical game interface, the active array having the array size associated with the first award level, wherein the one or more symbols selectively include value-bearing symbols with respective award indicia visually indicating respective award value;
cause the electronic display device to animate a collection of trigger symbols within the one or more game cycle outcomes;
cause the electronic display device to visually increase the award indicia of the first award level and the second award level at least partially as a function of the award indicia of value-bearing symbols populating the active array within the one or more game cycle outcomes; and
cause the electronic display device to animate progression from the first award level in a game state including the trigger condition to the second award level by causing, via the graphical game interface, the electronic display device to: (i) animate the active array to visually transition to a modified active array having the array size corresponding to the second award level, (ii) animate the predefined path to transition from the first award level to the second award level, and (iii) repeat the selective population for one or more additional game cycle outcomes with the modified active array, wherein none of the trigger symbols that appear in the active array are carried over to the modified active array.