Marc Mierau

7338369, Mar 4, 2008

Jun 2, 2006

11/421963

Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Karen M. Cregan - Reno NV, US
Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

IGT - Reno NV

A63F 13/00

463 20

A gaming device and method which includes a plurality of reels having multiple symbols on the reels. The symbols include at least one activator symbol. In one embodiment, if the player obtains an activator symbol on the reels, the activator symbol activates the symbols that are adjacent to the activator symbol. Activating the adjacent symbols reveals the awards associated with the adjacent symbols. The player receives an award that equals the activator symbol award plus the awards associated with each symbol that is adjacent to the activator symbol.

7722463, May 25, 2010

Feb 24, 2005

11/066701

Darren Maya - Reno NV, US
Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Ryan W. Cuddy - Reno NV, US
Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

IGT - Reno NV

A63F 9/24

463 26

A gaming device having a plurality of start values. The player selects one of the start values, as part of a game sequence. During the game sequence, the gaming device increments the start value to an apparent award. The gaming device in one embodiment enables the player to keep the apparent award or trade it for another apparent award. The other apparent award in one embodiment is derived from one of the other start values. After one or more keep or trade sequences, the player achieves one of the apparent awards. The gaming device then performs a sequence in which the apparent award changes into an actual award. The gaming device provides the actual award to the player.

7744454, Jun 29, 2010

Nov 12, 2004

10/987330

Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Karen M. Cregan - Reno NV, US
Anthony J. Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

IGT - Reno NV

A63F 9/24

463 16, 463 20

A gaming device and method which includes a plurality of reels having multiple symbols on the reels. The symbols include at least one activator symbol. In one embodiment, if the player obtains an activator symbol on the reels, the activator symbol activates the symbols that are adjacent to the activator symbol. Activating the adjacent symbols reveals the awards associated with the adjacent symbols. The player receives an award that equals the activator symbol award plus the awards associated with each symbol that is adjacent to the activator symbol.

7789748, Sep 7, 2010

Sep 4, 2003

10/655416

Kristopher E. Landrum - South Lake Tahoe CA, US
Darren Maya - Reno NV, US
Marc S. Mierau - Reno NV, US

IGT - Reno NV

A63F 9/24

463 20, 463 35, 463 16

A gaming device and a method for operating the gaming device including enabling a player to select music to be played during a game. The music selections include music recordings within general music classifications such as genre and style and music recordings within specific classifications such as artist or group, album or song. The game presents the music classification selections for player selection at any point before, during or after the game. In one embodiment, the music recordings within the music classification selected by the player and played by the gaming device are incorporated into the theme of the game.

20030060259, Mar 27, 2003

May 29, 2002

10/158545

Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Karen Cregan - Reno NV, US
Anthony Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

A63F009/24

463/016000

A gaming device and method which includes a plurality of reels having multiple symbols on the reels. The symbols include at least one activator symbol. In one embodiment, if the player obtains an activator symbol on the reels, the activator symbol activates the symbols that are adjacent to the activator symbol. Activating the adjacent symbols reveals the awards associated with the adjacent symbols. The player receives an award that equals the activator symbol award plus the awards associated with each symbol that is adjacent to the activator symbol.

20040048650, Mar 11, 2004

Sep 10, 2002

10/238236

Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Anthony Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

A63F009/24

463/020000

A processor controlled slot machine having a plurality of reels, each of which display a plurality of symbols on a display device. The slot machine provides a plurality of paylines although the slot machine may be adapted to be a single payline machine. The machines may have blanks or ghost symbols. When the player spins the reels, a plurality of symbols stop on the paystops of the display device. The game pays the player for any wins due to the initial spin. If a nudge activator occurs, and the player has accumulated a nudge or the nudge activator itself causes the nudge sequence, the game performs at least one nudge sequence, which at least moves one reel one paystop position. When the nudge sequence stops, slot machine pays the player again for any winning combinations that exist.

20040072615, Apr 15, 2004

Oct 11, 2002

10/269427

Darren Maya - Reno NV, US
Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Ryan Cuddy - Reno NV, US
Anthony Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

A63F009/24

463/026000

The present invention provides a gaming device having a plurality of start values. The player selects one of the start values, as part of a game sequence. During the game sequence, the gaming device increments the start value to an apparent award. The gaming device in one embodiment enables the player to keep the apparent award or trade it for another apparent award. The other apparent award in one embodiment is derived from one of the other start values. After one or more keep or trade sequences, the player achieves one of the apparent awards. The gaming device then performs a sequence in which the apparent award changes into an actual award. The gaming device provides the actual award to the player.

20050101373, May 12, 2005

Nov 12, 2004

10/987457

Marc Mierau - Reno NV, US
Karen Cregan - Reno NV, US
Anthony Baerlocher - Reno NV, US

A63F013/00

463020000, 463025000

A gaming device and method which includes a plurality of reels having multiple symbols on the reels. The symbols include at least one activator symbol. In one embodiment, if the player obtains an activator symbol on the reels, the activator symbol activates the symbols that are adjacent to the activator symbol. Activating the adjacent symbols reveals the awards associated with the adjacent symbols. The player receives an award that equals the activator symbol award plus the awards associated with each symbol that is adjacent to the activator symbol.