Patents
US 9098982 B2: Systems, methods, and devices for playing wagering games with symbol clumps and non-uniform weighting of reel positions
- Granted
- 2015-08-04
- Filed
- 2013-03-13 application 13798491
- Type
- Utility · 25 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting wagering games, and computer programs for executing wagering games are disclosed. A gaming system is disclosed which includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the processors, cause the gaming system to: receive a wager to play a wagering game with symbol-bearing reels, each of which has distinct reel positions populated by various symbols, at least one reel bearing a symbol clump; and, display via a display device a randomly determined outcome of the wagering game. Each wagering-game outcome includes predetermined symbols occupying distinct array positions in a displayed array. Each reel position has a weighted probability of occupying an array position in the array. The weighted probabilities are configured such that the symbol clump, when part of a wagering-game outcome, can only land in its entirety in the array.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg150804.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMS GAMING, INC. 623 patents | US company or organization | Waukegan, IL | WMS GAMING INC. State business registration EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael W. Mastropietro | Chicago, IL | 56 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Allon G. Englman | Chicago, IL | 182 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| G07F | Coin-freed or like apparatus | G07F17/3213 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-23 | Security interest Security interest Security agreement | LNW GAMING, INC. signed 2025-05-21 | JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT BROOKLYN, NY | 71340/404 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2023-02-07 | Name change Change of name | SG GAMING, INC. signed 2023-01-03 | LNW GAMING, INC. LAS VEGAS, NV | 62669/341 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2022-04-22 | Security interest Security interest Security agreement | SG GAMING INC. signed 2022-04-14 | JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. BROOKLYN, NY | 59793/1 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2022-04-21 | Release of security interest Release of security interest | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. signed 2022-04-14 | SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC. LAS VEGAS, NV WMS GAMING INC. LAS VEGAS, NV BALLY GAMING, INC. LAS VEGAS, NV DON BEST SPORTS CORPORATION LAS VEGAS, NV | 59756/397 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2020-01-20 | Name change Change of name | BALLY GAMING, INC. signed 2020-01-03 | SG GAMING, INC. LAS VEGAS, NV | 51649/139 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2018-04-11 | Security interest Security interest Security agreement | SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC. signed 2018-04-09 BALLY GAMING, INC. signed 2018-04-09 | DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT NEW YORK, NY | 45909/513 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2017-12-15 | Security interest Security interest Security agreement | SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC. signed 2017-12-14 BALLY GAMING, INC. signed 2017-12-14 | DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT NEW YORK, NY | 44889/662 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2015-07-29 | Merger Merger | WMS GAMING INC. signed 2015-06-29 | BALLY GAMING, INC. LAS VEGAS, NV | 36225/464 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2013-12-18 | Security interest Security interest Security agreement | SCIENTIFIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL, INC. signed 2013-10-18 WMS GAMING INC. signed 2013-10-18 | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT DALLAS, TX | 31847/110 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2013-09-13 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | ENGLMAN, ALLON G. signed 2013-03-22 MASTROPIETRO, MICHAEL W. signed 2013-03-22 | WMG GAMING INC. WAUKEGAN, IL | 31198/891 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.