Interactive gaming device

Abstract

A gaming device activated by a wager has a vocabulary database and a processor operating a display to simulate spinning of virtual reels each having letters of given point values arranged about the periphery of each virtual reel and independently stopping the reels in a random fashion to display a given number of contiguous letters on each reel in a scrambled fashion. The letters of each reel are displayed side-by-side with the letters of the other virtual reels, forming a matrix of M lines (i.e., rows) and N columns. The player selects the number of lines for the game and the bet per line and presses a PLAY button, to initiate spinning and then random stopping of the reels. The processor then determines if the scrambled letters from only the selected line(s) create a word found in the database. The letters of the created word are highlighted and may also be connected by bands oriented at a variety of angular orientations to highlight the word and distinguish the word from the remaining letters presented on the display. In one embodiment, a win is determined when a word having given number of letters is created. An enhanced payout is calculated based on the total point value of the letters in the created word. Apparatus is shown and described for performing the above method.

1 . A gaming device for use by a player, comprising:
 a given number R of reels each having a plurality M of letters arranged around their peripheries, each letter having a corresponding point value;   a database containing a vocabulary of words;   a processor;   said processor being configured to:
 operate the reels in a random fashion to independently select a given number N of the M letters of each reel, where M>N, and present the independently selected N letters of the reels on a display in side-by-side fashion to form a matrix comprised of N rows and R columns, each row containing one letter from each reel and each column containing the N displayed letters of each reel; 
 determine if a word contained in the database can be created from the letters in at least one of the rows selected by the player; 
 identify the letters of the created word in a manner which distinguishes the letters of the created word from the remaining letters presented on the display; and 
 determine when the letters in the created word meet a given criteria. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1  wherein N is at least equal to 2. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to enhance the payout based on a stored payout table. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to initiate random selection of said N displayed letters of each reel responsive to a wager. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to retrieve from said database a definition corresponding to the word on the display and present the definition on the display. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to create a word which has a highest point value retrieved from said database to enhance a payout. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , said input device being configured as a touch screen for receiving inputs entered by the player. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , said processor being enabled to operate responsive to an input entered into an input device operated by the player and conveyed to the processor. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming device of  claim 8 , said input device being configured to receive the given input in the form of one of a group consisting of a unique code identifying the player, a coin, a token, paper currency, a credit card, or a debit card. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured perform the steps of  claim 1  in accordance with the rules of SCRABBLE®. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor operates the display to electronically simulate rotation and halting of rotation of the reels. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine if a word found in the database can be created from only that line or those lines selected by the player. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the letters of the created word by generating a frame surrounding each letter of the created word. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to create a connecting band to connect each frame with at least one other frame to enable the player to easily identify the created word and distinguish it from the remaining letters on the display. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to orient each connecting band employed to connect a frame with another frame at an angular orientation. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming device of  claim 14 , wherein the angular orientation .is one of:: horizontal, diagonally upward and diagonally downward. 
     
     
         17 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to create connecting bands employing different ones of the aforesaid orientations to identify the created word. 
     
     
         18 . The gaming device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to highlight two letters in adjacent columns and different rows as part of the created word. 
     
     
         19 . The gaming device of  claim 1  wherein the processor is configured to enable selection of up to twenty-five (25) lines of letters scrambled in a random pattern. 
     
     
         20 . The gaming device of  claim 19  wherein the processor is configured to enable selection of a bet per line from one to N units. 
     
     
         21 . The gaming device of  claim 20  wherein the processor, upon operation of a play button, is configured to determine the presence of two (2) or more words during a play of one game and sequentially display the words. 
     
     
         22 . The gaming device of  claim 21  wherein the processor, during sequential display of each word, is configured to calculate the win for each sequentially displayed word. 
     
     
         23 . The gaming device of  claim 22  wherein the processor is configured to display the win for each sequentially displayed word. 
     
     
         24 . A method for providing a game to a remote user through one of a wired and wireless communication, comprising:
 a database containing a vocabulary of words;   a processor, responsive to a request from a remote user (RU) to participate in said game:   sending signals to the RU to generate a display simulating a given number R of virtual reels each having a plurality M of letters arranged around their peripheries, each letter having a corresponding point value and operate the virtual reels to simulate spinning of the reels and independently stop spinning of the reels in a random fashion to independently display a given number N of the M letters of each reel, where M>N, and present the independently selected and contiguous N letters of the virtual reels on the display in side-by-side fashion to form a matrix comprised of N rows and R columns, each row containing one of the N letters from each reel and each column containing the N contiguous displayed letters of each reel;   determine if a word contained in the database accessed by the processor can be created from the letters in at least one of the rows selected by the player;   identify the letters of the created word in a manner which distinguishes the letters of the created word from the remaining letters presented on the display to the RU; and   determine a payout based on the letters in the created word meeting a given criteria and sending signals representing the payout to the RU for display.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the RU is identified and authenticated responsive to a request to participate. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein determining the word further comprises determining a word having a highest point count. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising calculating an enhanced payout based on the highest point count. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising calculating the enhanced payout based on a stored payout table. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising providing signals representing the enhanced payout to the RU responsive to calculation of the payout. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor sending signals to the RU to provide a frame surrounding each letter of the created word being displayed. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor sending signals to the RU to provide a connecting band in the display connecting each frame with at least one other frame to readily identify the created word being displayed and distinguish it from the remaining letters on the display. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor sending signals to the RU to orient each connecting band connecting one displayed frame to an adjacent displayed frame at an angular orientation. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the displayed frames of adjacent letters of the created word are one of: horizontally aligned and diagonally aligned. 
     
     
         34 . The method device of  claim 30 , the processor sending signals to the RU to create connecting bands on the display to connect adjacent letters of the created word. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor sending signals to the RU to highlight two adjacent letters of contiguous columns as part of the created word. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor sending signals to the RU to identify a created word having five (5) letters as a win. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor enabling selection of up to twenty-five (25) lines of letters and sending signals to identify the number of selected lines. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 24 , the processor, responsive to selection of a bet per line from one to X units, sending signals representing the number X of selected units being bet. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 41 , the processor, determining the win for each sequentially displayed word. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , the processor sending signals to display the win for each sequentially displayed word. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , the processor, responsive to a play request, determining the presence of two (2) or more words during a play of one game and sending signals for sequentially displaying the words.