{
  "patent_number": "US 12738124",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How a Slot Machine Game Links Symbols for Bigger Wins",
  "original_title": "Gaming system and method with a value-bearing symbol feature",
  "summary": "This patent describes a casino slot machine game where special 'value-bearing' symbols can link together and trigger respins, growing a cluster of symbols to award a larger prize.",
  "what_it_does": "This gaming system presents a series of spins on reels that feature 'value-bearing symbols'. When a 'triggering event' occurs, all 'value-bearing symbols' involved in that event, plus any 'value-bearing symbols adjacent to them', are added to a 'list of linked symbols'. These linked symbols are then 'held in their positions', while the remaining reels 'spin again'. If any newly landed 'value-bearing symbols' are 'adjacent to a symbol in the set of linked symbols', they are also added to the linked set, and this process 'repeats for a certain number of spins'. At the end of these respins, an award is paid based on the total values of all symbols in the final set of linked symbols. For example, if three coin symbols trigger a bonus, those coins and any touching coin symbols lock in place. The other reels respin, and if more coins land next to the locked ones, they also lock, potentially growing the prize over several respins.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover games where symbols are not 'held in their positions' during subsequent respins.",
    "Does not cover games where new symbols are linked if they are not 'adjacent' to existing linked symbols.",
    "Does not cover games where the final award is not based on the 'values borne by all symbols in the set of linked symbols'.",
    "Does not cover games without 'value-bearing symbols' that contribute to a triggering event.",
    "Does not cover games that do not utilize spinning 'reels' as the primary game mechanism."
  ],
  "filed": "2022-06-22",
  "granted": "2026-09-15",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": null,
  "holder_url": null,
  "inventors": [],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "gaming",
    "software",
    "consumer_electronics"
  ],
  "abstract": "There is provided a gaming system and methods that utilize a presentation assembly configured to present a series of spins of a plurality of symbol-bearing reels including value-bearing symbols. Upon a triggering event, all value-bearing symbols contributing to the triggering event and any value-bearing symbols adjacent to them are added to a list of linked symbols. All value-bearing symbols are held in their positions in the array and the plurality of reels is spun again to land new symbols in unheld positions of the array. Any newly landed value-bearing symbols adjacent to a symbol in the set of linked symbols is added to the set of linked symbols and the process repeats for a certain number of spins. At the conclusion of the spins, an award based on the values borne by all symbols in the set of linked symbols is paid.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12738124/gaming-system-and-method-with-a-value-bearing-symbol-feature",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12738124/gaming-system-and-method-with-a-value-bearing-symbol-feature/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12738124",
  "relatedPatents": []
}