A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materials which are subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present disclosure relates generally to wagering games, as well as wagering game devices and gaming systems. More particularly, aspects of the present disclosure relate to reconfigurable gaming displays and gaming terminals with reconfigurable display devices.
Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have become a cornerstone of the gaming industry. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Thus, gaming manufacturers continuously endeavor to develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play and player loyalty through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “primary” or “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome during play of the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video and/or audio features.
Another concept that has been employed is the use of progressive jackpots. In the gaming industry, a “progressive jackpot” involves collecting coin-in data from participating gaming device(s), such as slot machines, contributing a percentage of that coin-in data to a jackpot amount, and awarding that jackpot amount to a player upon the occurrence of a jackpot-winning event. A jackpot-winning event typically occurs when a “progressive winning position” is achieved at a participating gaming device. If the gaming device is a slot machine, a progressive winning position may, for example, correspond to alignment of progressive jackpot reel symbols along an active payline. The initial progressive jackpot is a predetermined minimum amount. That jackpot amount, however, progressively increases as players continue to play the gaming machine without winning the jackpot.
There are three main types of wagering game machines: mechanical, electromechanical, and electronic. The original slot machine, for example, was entirely mechanical in construction, working on an elaborate configuration of springs, gears, shafts, brakes and levers. Since its introduction in the early 1960's, the electromechanical gaming machine began replacing most, if not all, mechanical slot machines. Electromechanical gaming machines typically use one or more microprocessors to determine a random outcome, and electrical stepper motors to spin and stop a set of mechanical reels to display the game outcome. The electronic gaming machine (EGM), in comparison, subsequently supplanted the mechanical reels of the electromechanical gaming machine with simulated mechanical reels generated by a video-display device. In addition to slot-type wagering games, traditional table games, such as poker, blackjack, keno, and bingo, were adapted for use on EGMs.
The advent of microprocessors has significantly advanced the state of the art of electronic gaming. For instance, microprocessors offer gaming machines much greater latitude in determining random game outcomes. Random game outcomes are typically determined by a random number generator (RNG) that is driven by a central processing unit (CPU). A probability table contains all possible game outcomes, with each game outcome being assigned a distinct number. Once generated, the random number is used to look up the corresponding game outcome in the probability table. In electro-mechanical configurations, the CPU then signals the stepper motors to drive and position the reels to coincide with the randomly determined game outcome. As the complexity and capacity of microcomputer programs continue to grow, the graphics and audio of wagering games have also become more realistic and intense. As a result, different accessories have been provided to enhance the game playing experience. Surround-sound speaker systems and high-definition wide-screen displays are just some of the accessories that are available on modern gaming machines to enhance the graphic and acoustic output of wagering games and, thus, increase player enjoyment.
Many gaming machines include a variety of visual attractions and displays, such as models, signs, high-definition video displays, and other forms of graphical entertainment and information. These items typically include fixed permanently-printed glass, flat-panel video displays, artwork, models, and/or marquees. In many gaming regions, industry regulations in fact require each gaming terminal to include top-box mounted lighting and signage that indicate, for example, the class of machine, when the machine is of out of funds, when the machine is malfunctioning, etc.
Historically, each gaming machine was limited to a single game with a primary game display and an optional top-box mounted sign, flat-screen display panel or marquee assembly. In most configurations, the gaming terminal's various display devices are rigidly mounted to the cabinet in a fixed location, limited to providing a single view in a single orientation. Moreover, traditional electronic graphical display devices, such as cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, plasma display panels, and light emitting diode (LED) displays, are rigid and inflexible, having a fixed size and shape, and therefore cannot expand, contract, or change form. There may therefore be a need for reconfigurable gaming display devices that are not limited to a single view, a single orientation, and/or a single shape.
Disclosed herein are flexible video-display devices, such as a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, for the primary or secondary display of an electromechanical gaming machine or electronic gaming machine (EGM). In accord with some of the disclosed embodiments, the display device includes a rigid support structure with linear mounting brackets placed at the top and bottom of a flexible OLED display screen. This support structure provides the flexible OLED display screen with functional and operational attachment points to the gaming machine cabinet. The support structure allows flexibility—e.g., the selective curving and straightening—of the flexible OLED screen about a horizontal axis. Alternative configurations provide flexibility around vertical and diagonal axes. Beginning with the display screen in a “flat” (standard video) configuration, one or both of the mechanical linear attachment points can then be repositioned to thereby “bend” the display screen, for example, to give the appearance of mechanical reels on the display screen.
According aspects of the present disclosure, a gaming machine for conducting a wagering game is disclosed. The gaming machine includes a cabinet, an input device, a display device and a rigid support assembly. The input device is configured to receive an indication of a wager to play the wagering game. The display device includes a flexible video-display screen, which is operable to display aspects of the wagering game. The rigid support assembly is attached to the flexible video-display screen. The rigid support assembly includes one or more support brackets that movably mount the flexible video-display screen to the cabinet. The one or more support brackets are configured to transition towards the rear of the cabinet and thereby physically change the flexible video-display screen from a generally flat configuration to a generally curved configuration.
According to other aspects of the present disclosure, a gaming system for conducting a wagering game is presented. The gaming system includes at least one input device, at least one processor, at least one memory, at least one cabinet, and at least one display assembly. Each display assembly includes a flexible video-display screen that is attached to a rigid support assembly. The flexible video-display screen is operable to display aspects of the wagering game. The rigid support assembly includes one or more support brackets that movably mount the flexible video-display screen to the cabinet. The one or more support brackets are configured to transition towards the rear of the cabinet and thereby physically change the flexible video-display screen from a generally flat configuration to a generally curved configuration.
In accordance with yet other aspects of the present disclosure, a free-standing gaming terminal is featured. The free-standing gaming terminal includes a cabinet, an input device, and a display assembly. The input device is operable for receiving wagers from players to play a wagering game, which includes a base game and a bonus game. The display assembly includes a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display screen that is operable to display randomly determined outcomes of the wagering game. A rigid support assembly with first and second rigid support brackets movably mounts the flexible OLED display screen to the cabinet. The first and second support brackets are configured to move towards the rear of the cabinet and towards one another to thereby change the flexible OLED display screen from a substantially flat configuration to a curved configuration. The flexible OLED display is operable, in response to a bonus-game-triggering event in a randomly determined outcome of the base game, to automatically change to the curved configuration and display thereon a plurality of symbol-bearing bonus-game reels.
Aspects of the present disclosure are also directed to a method of operating a gaming machine for conducting a wagering game. The gaming machine includes a cabinet and an input device. The method includes: receiving, via the input device, an indication of a wager to play the wagering game; displaying, via a flexible video-display screen of the gaming machine, a randomly determined outcome of the wagering game, the flexible video-display screen being movably mounted to the cabinet of the gaming machine via first and second movable support brackets, the first movable support bracket being attached at a first end of the flexible video-display screen, and the second movable bracket being attached at a second end of the flexible video-display screen on the opposite side of the first end; and, in response to a predetermined event in the randomly determined outcome of wagering game, repositioning the first and second movable support brackets such that the flexible video-display screen changes from a generally flat configuration to a generally curved configuration.
In accordance with additional aspects of this disclosure, one or more physical non-transitory machine-readable storage media are featured that include instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to direct a gaming terminal and/or a gaming system to perform operations disclosed herein.
The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the summary merely provides an exemplification of some of the novel features presented herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
While aspects of this disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. There are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail representative embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. To that extent, elements and limitations that are disclosed, for example, in the Abstract, Summary, and Detailed Description sections, but not explicitly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly or collectively, by implication, inference or otherwise. For purposes of the present detailed description, unless specifically disclaimed: the singular includes the plural and vice versa; the words “and” and “or” shall be both conjunctive and disjunctive; the word “all” means “any and all”; the word “any” means “any and all”; and the words “including” and “comprising” mean “including without limitation.” Moreover, words of approximation, such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and the like, can be used herein in the sense of “at, near, or nearly at,” or “within 3-5% of,” or “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof, for example.
For purposes of the present detailed description, the terms “wagering games,” “gambling,” “slot game,” “casino game,” and the like include games in which a player places at risk a sum of money or other representation of value, whether or not redeemable for cash, on an event with an uncertain outcome, including without limitation those having some element of skill. In some embodiments, the wagering game may involve wagers of real money, as found with typical land-based or on-line casino games. In other embodiments, the wagering game may additionally, or alternatively, involve wagers of non-cash values, such as virtual currency, and therefore may be considered a social or casual game, such as would be typically available on a social networking web site, other web sites, across computer networks, or applications on mobile devices (e.g., phones, tablets, etc.). When provided in a social or casual game format, the wagering game may closely resemble a traditional casino game, or it may take another form that more closely resembles other types of social/casual games. It should also be noted that the recitation of a gaming terminal, machine, device or system may be used interchangeably in the specification and claims, unless explicitly delimited.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like features throughout the several views, there is shown in
The gaming terminal 10 illustrated in
Video images in the primary display area 14 and/or the secondary display area 16 can be rendered in two-dimensional (e.g., using Flash Macromedia™) or three-dimensional graphics (e.g., using Renderware™). In various aspects, the video images are played back (e.g., from a recording stored on the gaming terminal 10), streamed (e.g., from a gaming network), or received as a TV signal (e.g., either broadcast or via cable). Such images can take different forms, such as animated images, computer-generated images, or “real-life” images, either prerecorded (e.g., in the case of marketing/promotional material) or as live footage. The format of the video images can include any format including, but not limited to, an analog format, a standard digital format, or a high-definition (HD) digital format.
Input devices, such as the touch screen 18, buttons 20, a mouse, a joystick, a gesture-sensing device, a voice-recognition device, and a virtual input device, accept player input(s) and transform the player input(s) to electronic data signals indicative of the player input(s), which correspond to an enabled feature for such input(s) at a time of activation (e.g., pressing a “Max Bet” button or soft key to indicate a player's desire to place a maximum wager to play the wagering game). The input(s), once transformed into electronic data signals, are output to a CPU for processing. The electronic data signals can be selected from a group consisting essentially of an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical charge, an optical signal, an optical element, a magnetic signal, and a magnetic element.
Turning now to
The CPU 30 is also connected to an input/output (I/O) bus 36, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. The I/O bus 36 is connected to various input devices 38, output devices 40, and input/output devices 42 such as those discussed above in connection with
The external system 48 includes, in various aspects, a gaming network, other gaming terminals, a gaming server, a remote controller, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components, in any combination. In yet other aspects, the external system 48 may comprise a player's portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone, electronic wallet, etc.) and the external system interface 46 is configured to facilitate wireless communication and data transfer between the portable electronic device and the CPU 30, such as by a near-field communication path operating via magnetic-field induction or a frequency-hopping spread spectrum RF signals (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.).
The gaming terminal 10 optionally communicates with the external system 48 such that the terminal operates as a thin, thick, or intermediate client. In general, a wagering game includes a random number generator (RNG) for generating a random number, game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number, and game assets (e.g., art, sound, etc.) for presenting the determined outcome to a player in an audio-visual manner. The RNG, game logic, and game assets are contained within the gaming terminal 10 (“thick client” gaming terminal), the external system 48 (“thin client” gaming terminal), or are distributed therebetween in any suitable manner (“intermediate client” gaming terminal).
The gaming terminal 10 may include additional peripheral devices or more than one of each component shown in
Referring now to
In response to receiving a wager, the reels 52 are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with paylines such as paylines 58. The wagering game evaluates the displayed array of symbols on the stopped reels and provides immediate awards and bonus features in accordance with a pay table. The pay table may, for example, include “line pays” or “scatter pays.” Line pays occur when a predetermined type and number of symbols appear along an activated payline, typically in a particular order such as left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, etc. Scatter pays occur when a predetermined type and number of symbols appear anywhere in the displayed array without regard to position or paylines. Similarly, the wagering game may trigger bonus features based on one or more bonus triggering symbols appearing along an activated payline (i.e., “line trigger”) or anywhere in the displayed array (i.e., “scatter trigger”). The wagering game may also provide mystery awards and features independent of the symbols appearing in the displayed array.
In accord with various methods of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system in accord with the present concepts, the wagering game includes a game sequence in which a player makes a wager and a wagering game outcome is provided or displayed in response to the wager being received or detected. The wagering game outcome is then revealed to the player in due course following initiation of the wagering game. The method comprises the acts of conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus, such as the gaming terminal 10 depicted in
In the aforementioned method, for each data signal, the CPU (e.g., CPU 30) is configured to process the electronic data signal, to interpret the data signal (e.g., data signals corresponding to a wager input), and to cause further actions associated with the interpretation of the signal in accord with computer instructions relating to such further actions executed by the controller. As one example, the CPU causes the recording of a digital representation of the wager in one or more storage media (e.g., storage unit 44), the CPU, in accord with associated computer instructions, causing the changing of a state of the storage media from a first state to a second state. This change in state is, for example, effected by changing a magnetization pattern on a magnetically coated surface of a magnetic storage media or changing a magnetic state of a ferromagnetic surface of a magneto-optical disc storage media, a change in state of transistors or capacitors in a volatile or a non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., DRAM), etc. The noted second state of the data storage media comprises storage in the storage media of data representing the electronic data signal from the CPU (e.g., the wager in the present example). As another example, the CPU further, in accord with the execution of the instructions relating to the wagering game, causes the primary display 12, other display device, or other output device (e.g., speakers, lights, communication device, etc.) to change from a first state to at least a second state, wherein the second state of the primary display comprises a visual representation of the physical player input (e.g., an acknowledgement to a player), information relating to the physical player input (e.g., an indication of the wager amount), a game sequence, an outcome of the game sequence, or any combination thereof, wherein the game sequence in accord with the present concepts comprises acts described herein. The aforementioned executing of computer instructions relating to the wagering game is further conducted in accord with a random outcome (e.g., determined by an RNG) that is used by the CPU to determine the outcome of the game sequence, using a game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number. In at least some aspects, the CPU is configured to determine an outcome of the game sequence at least partially in response to the random parameter.
The illustrated gaming terminal 510, which is shown as an upright free-standing gaming terminal, comprises a cabinet 512 for housing and/or supporting a variety of operational componentry (e.g., CPU 30, memory 32, external systems interface 46, etc.). For output devices, the gaming terminal 510 includes, among other things, a primary display area (or “first display device”) 514, and a secondary display area (or “second display device”) 516. Optional configurations can include more or fewer display devices than the two shown in
The display device 514 displays or otherwise visually depicts a wagering game 530, which in this example is the slot game shown in
Within the scope of this disclosure, the wagering game 530 can include greater or fewer than five symbol-bearing reels (simulated, mechanical, or otherwise), each of which may include greater or fewer reel positions than those shown in
A local controller (e.g., CPU 30 of
One or more of the display areas 514, 516 may be configured as a “flexible” display device. By way of non-limiting example, the primary display device 514 of
The rigid support assembly 534 includes one or more rigid support brackets that movably mount the flexible video-display screen 532 to the inside of the cabinet 512 of the gaming terminal 510. In the embodiment illustrated in
The flexible video-display screen 532 is designed to physically change shape during operation of the gaming terminal 510. The flexible video-display screen 532 can be changed, for example, from a generally flat shape, as shown in
In the illustrated embodiments, the movable support brackets 536A, 536B are configured to transition towards the rear of the cabinet 512 to thereby physically change the flexible video-display screen 532 from the flat configuration of
As the first and second movable brackets 536A, 536B transition along their arcuate paths 538A, 538B, the brackets 536A, 536B can shift from a forward-most position (e.g.,
As indicated above, the flexible video-display screen 532 is mounted via the rigid support assembly 534 inside the cabinet 512 behind the front glass panel 546. A central region 533 of the flexible video-display screen 532 is a predetermined distance (e.g., distance D′ in
In some configurations, the flexible video-display screen 532 is operable to automatically change shape in response to events in the wagering game, other game-related and non-game-related events, user-input preferences, operator-input preferences, or any combination thereof. By way of non-limiting example, the driving mechanism 540 can be operated (e.g., via CPU 30) to selectively reconfigure the display screen 532, or selected portions thereof, in response to random events occurring in or during the wagering game 530. In one instance, the wagering game 530 includes a base game portion, which is depicted in
One potentially desirable intent of bending the flexible video-display screen 532 is so the base-game and/or bonus-game symbol-bearing reels displayed thereon appear to players to more closely resemble mechanical reels. In this regard, the radius of curvature R of the flexible video-display screen 532, when in the curved state of
Also disclosed herein are methods of operating a gaming machine for conducting a wagering game. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, via an input device of the gaming machine, an indication of a wager to play a wagering game, such as the various wagering games disclosed hereinabove. The method also includes displaying, via a flexible video-display screen of the gaming machine, a randomly determined outcome of the wagering game. This step may include an arrangement of symbol-bearing slot reels that are varied (e.g., spun and stopped) to reveal combinations of symbols, which represent randomly selected outcomes of the wagering game, that are evaluated for winning combinations.
As described above, the flexible video-display screen is movably mounted to the cabinet of the gaming machine via one or more rigid but movable support brackets. A first movable support bracket can be attached at a first end of the flexible video-display screen, while a second movable bracket can be attached at a second end of the flexible video-display screen on the opposite side of the first end. The method may then include, in response to a predetermined event in the randomly determined outcome of wagering game, repositioning the movable support brackets such that the flexible video-display screen changes from a generally flat configuration to a generally curved configuration.
In some embodiments, the method includes at least those steps enumerated above. It is also within the scope and spirit of the present invention to omit steps, include additional steps, and/or modify the order presented above. It should be further noted that the foregoing method can be representative of a single sequence for playing a wagering game. However, it is expected that the method will be practiced in a systematic and repetitive manner.
While many embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention have been described in detail above, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/830,926, which was filed on Jun. 4, 2013, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61830926 | Jun 2013 | US |