Image alignment gaming device and method

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates to a gaming device that includes a game display having at least one display section. The gaming device also includes a game controller adapted to display images in the display section. At least a portion of the images comprise fractional images corresponding to at least one composite image. The images appearing in the display section are randomly selected. A prize is awarded when a plurality of fractional images are aligned such that they form a composite image.

1 . A method of playing a game comprising, but not necessarily in the order shown: 
 (A) placing a wager on a gaming device;    (B) starting a game on the gaming device;    (C) generating a game outcome;    (D) displaying fractional images of a composite image on the gaming device on at least a portion of a plurality of changeable display sections formed in a matrix of m rows by n columns; and    (E) awarding a prize when the composite image is formed by alignment of the fractional images.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the prize is dependent on which of the plurality of changeable display sections the fractional images align to form the composite image.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the prize is dependent on which row of the matrix displays the composite image.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the prize is dependent on which column of the matrix displays the composite image.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying fractional images of a plurality of composite images on the gaming device on at least a portion of the plurality of changeable display sections.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composite image is a fractional image of another composite image.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prize has a value, wherein a greater value prize is awarded when multiple composite images simultaneously appear on the matrix of changeable display sections.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the value of the greater value prize is dependent on the position of each multiple composite image appearing on the matrix of changeable display sections.  
     
     
         9 . The method of playing a game according to  claim 1 , wherein the fractional images are carried on a display mechanism, the displaying mechanism comprising a flexible band movably positioned over at least one roller.  
     
     
         10 . The method of playing a game according to  claim 9 , the display mechanism causing the fractional images displayed by the display mechanism to rotate about a vertical axis.  
     
     
         11 . The method of playing a game according to  claim 1 , further comprising awarding a partial prize when less than the composite image is displayed, the partial prize and the prize having a value, the value of the partial prize being less than the value of the prize.  
     
     
         12 . The method of playing a game according to  claim 11 , the value of the partial prize corresponding to the number of fractional images corresponding to the composite image appearing on the matrix of changeable display sections.  
     
     
         13 . The method of playing a game according to  claim 1 , further comprising simultaneously displaying at least a second composite image to the player and awarding a number of prizes to the player corresponding to the composite images that are displayed.  
     
     
         14 . A gaming device comprising: 
 (A) a game display comprising at least one display section;    (B) a game controller adapted to display images in the at least one display section, at least a portion of the images comprising fractional images corresponding to a plurality of composite images, the images appearing in the at least one display section being randomly selected, wherein a prize is awarded when a plurality of the fractional images are aligned such that they form at least one of the plurality of composite images.    
     
     
         15 . The gaming device according to  claim 14 , wherein the game display comprises a set of rotatable reels, each reel corresponding to the at least one display section, each reel configured to display at least one of the fractional images.  
     
     
         16 . The gaming device according to  claim 14 , wherein the game display comprises a flexible band of material disposed on at least one roller, the band bearing at least a portion of the plurality of images.  
     
     
         17 . The gaming device according to  claim 16 , wherein the flexible band comprises a series of slots and the roller comprises teeth adapted to engage the slots.  
     
     
         18 . The gaming device according to  claim 16 , wherein the band rotates about a vertical axis.  
     
     
         19 . The gaming device according to  claim 14 , wherein the game display is a video display.  
     
     
         20 . The gaming device according to  claim 14 , wherein a partial prize is awarded when less than all of the fractional images corresponding to a composite image are displayed, the prize and partial prize having a value, the value of the partial prize being less than the value of the prize.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming device according to  claim 20 , the partial prize corresponding to the number of fractional images corresponding to a composite image that appears on the game display.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one display section may display fractional images corresponding to more than one of the plurality of composite images.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming device according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one display section comprises a plurality of display sections, wherein the plurality of composite images may simultaneously be displayed on the game display.  
     
     
         24 . The gaming device of  claim 14 , wherein the game display comprises a plurality of rotating wheels.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming device of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of rotating wheels are concentric.  
     
     
         26 . A gaming device comprising: 
 (A) a housing;    (B) a game display associated with the housing, the game display adapted to present a plurality of images to a game player;    (C) at least a first display mechanism associated with the game display, the first display mechanism comprising: 
 (a) at least one roller;  
 (b) a flexible band wrapped around at least one roller, the flexible band bearing a plurality of indicia, at least one of the plurality of indicia being a fractional image of a composite image;  
 (c) an actuator connected to the at least one roller and adapted to drive the at least one roller, thereby moving the flexible band;  
   (D) a controller in communication with the first display mechanism, the controller adapted to cause the first display mechanism to display at least one of the plurality of indicia corresponding to a randomly determined game outcome.    
     
     
         27 . The gaming device of  claim 26  wherein the game outcome comprises a first game outcome whereby the controller causes the first display mechanism to display at least one of the fractional images of the composite image, wherein at least one of the fractional images is positioned proximate at least a second fractional image corresponding to the composite image, whereby a player viewing the proximate fractional images will see the composite image, the first game outcome entitling the player to a prize.  
     
     
         28 . The gaming device of  claim 27  wherein the second fractional image does not appear on the first display mechanism.  
     
     
         29 . The gaming device of  claim 27  wherein the prize has a value, the game outcome comprising a second game outcome where less than all of the fractional images corresponding to the composite image are displayed to the player, the second game outcome entitling the player to a partial prize, the partial prize having a value less than that of the prize.  
     
     
         30 . The gaming device of  claim 29 , wherein the value of the partial prize corresponds to a number of the fractional images corresponding to the composite image that is displayed to the player.  
     
     
         31 . The gaming device of  claim 26  wherein the flexible band comprises a series of slots on the periphery of the band, the at least one roller comprises a plurality of teeth, whereby the plurality of teeth engage the series of slots.  
     
     
         32 . The gaming device of  claim 26 , further comprising at least a second display mechanism, wherein the first and second display mechanisms are arranged to form an m by n matrix where m and n are integers.  
     
     
         33 . The gaming device of  claim 32  wherein at least one of m and n is greater than one.  
     
     
         34 . The gaming device of  claim 33  wherein both m and n are greater than one.  
     
     
         35 . The gaming device of  claim 32  wherein the prize has a value, the value of the prize depending on which matrix positions the composite image appears.  
     
     
         36 . The gaming device of  claim 26  wherein a plurality of composite images are simultaneously presented to the player.  
     
     
         37 . The gaming device of  claim 36  wherein a prize is awarded to the player for each of the plurality of composite images displayed.  
     
     
         38 . The gaming device of  claim 37  wherein the player is entitled to a second prize when the plurality of composite images are simultaneously displayed, the prize and second prize having a value, the value of the second prize being greater than the value of the prize.  
     
     
         39 . The gaming device of  claim 37 , wherein the second prize has a value, the value of the second prize depending on the position of the plurality of composite images.  
     
     
         40 . The gaming device of  claim 26  wherein the flexible band is linear.  
     
     
         41 . The gaming device of  claim 26  wherein the flexible band is at least partially circular.  
     
     
         42 . A gaming method comprising, but not necessarily in the order shown: 
 (A) allowing a player to place a wager and play a game of chance;    (B) initiating the game of chance;    (C) determining a game outcome;    (D) moving at least a first flexible band, at least a portion of the first flexible band being viewable by the player, the first flexible band bearing a plurality of indicia, at least one of the plurality of indicia on the first flexible band comprising at least a first fractional image corresponding to a composite image;    (E) if the game outcome comprises a first game outcome: 
 (a) displaying the composite image to the player including the first fractional image corresponding thereto; and  
 (b) awarding the player a first prize.  
   
     
     
         43 . The gaming method of  claim 42 , the composite image comprising a plurality of fractional images, further comprising, if the game outcome comprises a second game outcome: 
 (a) displaying at least the first fractional image but less than the plurality of fractional images corresponding to the composite image; and    (b) awarding the player a second prize.    
     
     
         44 . The gaming method of  claim 43  wherein the first and second prize each has a value and the value of the second prize is less than the value of the first prize.  
     
     
         45 . The gaming method of  claim 42 , further comprising: 
 (A) moving at least a second flexible band, at least a portion of the second flexible band being viewable by the player;    (B) displaying the viewable portions of the first and second flexible bands to the player in a matrix of m rows and n columns, where m an n are integers and at least one of m and n is greater than one.    
     
     
         46 . The gaming method of  claim 45  wherein m and n are greater than one.  
     
     
         47 . The gaming method of  claim 45  wherein the value of the first prize depends on the position in the matrix of the fractional image corresponding to composite image.  
     
     
         48 . The gaming method of  claim 45  further comprising displaying at least two composite images by aligning a plurality of fractional images, including the first fractional image.  
     
     
         49 . The gaming method of  claim 48 , further comprising awarding a second prize when the at least two composite images are formed on the game, the first and second prizes having a value, the value of the second prize being greater than the value of the first prize.  
     
     
         50 . The gaming method of  claim 48 , further comprising awarding second prizes for each of the at least two composite images displayed to the player.  
     
     
         51 . A gaming device comprising: 
 (A) housing means for holding gaming components;    (B) display means for presenting a game to a player;    (C) display mechanism means for displaying a plurality of indicia to the player, the plurality of indicia comprising at least a first fractional image corresponding to a composite image;    (D) controller means for determining a game outcome and causing the display mechanism means to display an image corresponding to the game outcome.    
     
     
         52 . The gaming device of  claim 51  wherein the display mechanism means comprises flexible band means for movably displaying the plurality of indicia to the player.  
     
     
         53 . The gaming device of  claim 51  wherein the display mechanism means comprises a first spinnable wheel means, the plurality of indicia appearing on a face of the spinnable wheel.  
     
     
         54 . The gaming device of  claim 53  further comprising a second spinnable wheel means, the plurality of indicia appearing on the face of the second spinnable wheel means, wherein the first and second spinnable wheel means are in a concentric relationship.  
     
     
         55 . The gaming device of  claim 51  wherein the game controller means is configured to produce a first game outcome wherein the display mechanism means displays the first fractional image proximate to a second fractional image such that the player views the composite image.