Patent Application
20050056996
The present invention relates to gaming devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to wagering gaming device displays.
Gaming devices, such as slot machines and video poker machines, provide fun and excitement to the player. Gaming, in general, provides an escape from the everyday rigors of life. Gaming devices use bright lights and exciting sounds to set the gaming device apart from other gaming devices. Gaming devices, in particular, use one or more displays that enable the player to see and play the game. The displays typically portray the action of the game and ultimately indicate whether or not the player wins.
Slot machine and other gaming device displays have gone through a number of transitions since their inception. Originally, slot machines displayed purely mechanical reels. While these machines gained enormous popularity, the mechanical nature of the reels limited the number of paystops, which limited the number of different symbols and the number of different winning symbol combinations.
The advent of the computer and the video monitor expanded the possibilities for gaming devices. There are now video poker, video blackjack and other types of video gaming machines. Video displays have also been implemented in slot machines. The video slot machines use computers to randomly generate symbol combinations from an expanded number of different symbols. Video reel strips can include a virtually unlimited number of symbols, which enables a wide variety of different symbol combinations to be employed, including combinations that appear very infrequently and yield high payouts.
With slot machines, the video monitors have also been used to provide bonus or secondary games. Bonus games in gaming machines have become much more prevalent and elaborate in recent years. For example, players play the base game of slot until becoming eligible for a bonus game. The base game temporarily pauses, while the player plays the bonus game. When the player completes the bonus game, the gaming device returns the player to the bonus game.
It should therefore be appreciated that a single video monitor is often sufficient to provide both the base game of slot and one or more bonus games that become triggered by the slot game. As illustrated in
Video monitors and in particular video-based slot machines are likely going to continue growing in popularity. As the video monitor has been used more and more, however, there has been a growing sentiment that some of the mystique of the old time mechanical gaming devices is lost when mechanical reels and mechanical displays are replaced by a video monitor.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a gaming device that may use a video monitor, which provides increased flexibility to the gaming device to add more symbols and more elaborate bonus games, while providing some aspect of the gaming device that is mechanical and provides a fun and exciting mechanical display.
The present invention provides a display device for a gaming device and in one embodiment a mechanical display device for a slot machine. The display device includes a symbol display or member operable to simultaneously display a sub-set of plurality of symbols from a set or group of a plurality of symbols. In one embodiment, the symbol display includes an electromechanical rotating reel, however, the symbol display is alternatively a video display or other suitable display. The display device also includes a symbol indicator positioned adjacent to the symbol display. The symbol indicator is operable to move or translate in a substantially parallel manner to the symbol display. The symbol indicator includes a plurality of pointers or arrows and is operable to spin about an axis. In operation of one embodiment, the symbol display generates and simultaneously displays a plurality of symbols from the larger group of symbols, the symbol indicator simultaneously spins and translates and eventually points to one of the symbols, yielding an outcome that is based on the indicated symbol.
The symbols can represent various types of awards that the player can win such as game credits, game credit multipliers, a number of free spins, a number of free games, a number of picks from a prize pool, an entry into a bonus game and/or any combination thereof. The outcome is therefore in one embodiment an award for the player.
In one embodiment, the outcome or award is based on the symbol indicated by the rotating and translating symbol indicator as well as a second symbol that is associated with the particular pointer of the indicator that indicates the symbol on the symbol display. For example, the symbol display or reel can display a credit value and the pointer of the indicator can display a multiplier. The player's outcome or award is then the credit value, which is indicated by the indicator, multiplied by the multiplier value associated with the particular pointer of the indicator that ultimately indicates the indicated symbol on the symbol display.
In one embodiment, the display device of the present invention is used in combination with a primary game, such as slot, poker, keno, blackjack, craps, bingo, lotto as well as other base or primary games. In combination with slot, for example, a particular symbol or a combination of symbols generated on slot machine reels can trigger a bonus event or an activation of the display device of the present invention. The display device can execute a display sequence or wait for an input from the player to execute the display sequence.
The display device of the present invention is fun and exciting for a player in part because it provides multiple simultaneously or sequentially moving parts that each provide a component of the player's overall outcome or award. The sequential movement or stopping of the members can be controlled to build excitement for the player as one or more of the components are sequentially indicated. In operation, the symbol display such as the mechanical reel or video display of symbols moves or generates symbols. At the same or different time, the rotating and translating symbol indicator translates and rotates. In one embodiment, the translation and rotation occur at the same time. Alternatively, the translation and rotation occurs at different times. Eventually, the symbol display displays a subset of symbols from the overall possible set of symbols. The indicator translates to a particular position relative to the symbol display and the symbol indicator rotates and eventually stops with one of its pointers pointing towards and thereby indicating one of the symbols of the symbol display. The gaming device then provides an outcome or award to the player based on the symbol of the symbol display and the symbol of the selected pointer to the player. It should be appreciated that the present invention may be employed and suitably adapted for a primary game or a secondary game.
The gaming device includes internally a plurality of motion producing devices or stepper motors that create the motion of the mechanical reel and the rotating translating indicator. The stepper motors are programmable to run a multitude of different motion control profiles that provide fun and excitement for the player to watch. In one embodiment, the gaming device randomly generates an award or outcome for the player and the motion profile is selected to carry out and eventually produce the randomly generated outcome.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide a fun and exciting gaming device display.
It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a display device having multiple rotating and translating parts.
Moreover, it is an advantage of the present invention to add a mechanical element to a video based gaming machine.
Still further, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a bonus game or bonus display device that is operable with a multitude of different primary games.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the figures.
The present invention provides a display and display indicators that operate with a multitude of primary or base wagering games, including but not limited to the games of slot, poker, keno, blackjack, bunco and checkers. In an embodiment, the display and indicators operate in conjunction with secondary or bonus games, which in turn operate in conjunction with the above listed primary games. Besides such base and bonus games, the present invention can operate with any of the bonus triggering events, as well as any progressive game coordinating with these base games. The symbols and indicia used for any of the primary or base games, bonus or secondary games or progressive games include any suitable symbols, images or indicia.
One primary embodiment for the display and display indicators is with a slot game. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
Gaming device 10 includes monetary input devices.
As shown in
Gaming device 10 also includes one or more display devices. The embodiments shown in
The display devices 60 and 100 of the present invention are provided, in one embodiment, in the upper display area 32 on the cabinets of gaming devices 10a and 10b of
The slot machine embodiment of gaming device 10 includes a plurality of reels 34, for example three to five reels 34. Each reel 34 includes a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which correspond to a theme associated with the gaming device 10. If the reels 34 are in video form, the display device displaying the video reels 34 is, in one embodiment, a video monitor. Gaming device 10 includes speakers 36 for making sounds or playing music.
With reference to the slot machine base game of
In addition to winning base game credits, the gaming device 10, including any of the base games disclosed above, also includes bonus games that give players the opportunity to win credits. The gaming device 10 employs a video-based display device 30 for the bonus games. The bonus games include a program that automatically begins when the player achieves a qualifying condition in the base game.
Referring now to
As illustrated in
The processor 38 also controls the output of one of more motion controllers 56 that control one or more motion producing devices 58. The motion producing devices 58 can be any combination of motors, stepper motors, linear stepper motors or other types of linear actuators. The motion controllers 56 typically include printed circuit boards or stand alone enclosures that receive high level commands from the processor 38. The motion controller 56 converts the high level commands, for example, into a number of step pulses, which in turn are converted into motor currents. The stepper motor or other type of motion producing device 58 receives the currents, wherein the currents cause, for example, a rotor to turn within a stator a precise and desired amount.
As described more fully below, the rotational motion of a motor 58 can be used to create translational motion for the symbol indicator 80. Otherwise, a linear motion producing device 58 can be used to directly cause a portion of the symbol indicator 80 to translate. Motors 58 are also used to rotate the symbol indicator 80 and the reel 70 of the respective display device.
The motion control scheme facilitates complex movements of multiple parts to be programmed into the memory device 40 and carried out by the processor 38 at the appropriate time in the sequence of the game, be it a base, bonus, bonus triggering or progressive sequence of gaming device 10. The motion sequences are alternatively stored in the motion controllers 56. Moreover, multiple programs can be implemented in the memory device 40, wherein the processor runs the appropriate program at the appropriate time, and wherein the members and indicators described below can perform or move differently, e.g., faster, slower or in different directions at different times, at different points in the game and in different sequences.
The motion control programs, in an embodiment, interface with one or more random generation devices, typically software based items, to produce randomly displayed outcomes on the displays and indicators of the present invention. For example, the processor runs a random selection sequence to receive a result and then commands that a particular motion control program be run to achieve the result. The result is therefore determined, in one embodiment, before or during the actual movement of the symbol display and indicator(s).
Referring now to
Symbols 72 of reel 70 are displayed on reel strip 74. Reel strip 74 includes symbols that are not visible from the outside of gaming device 10. Thus, at any given rotation of reel 70, the five symbols 72 displayed can collectively be a valuable set of five symbols or a lesser valued set of five symbols. The rotation of reel 70 therefore provides one variable component of the outcome or award adopted to be displayed by display device 60.
Likewise, video symbols 72 displayed on video monitor 110 of display device 100 are generated from a larger set of symbols. In display device 100, video monitor 110 can sequentially flash different values or show the symbols 72 scrolling up and down in a similar manner to an electromechanical reel to show that the gaming device 10 is “thinking” about or deciding which symbols to ultimately display to the player.
Each of the display devices 60 and 100 includes a rotating and translating symbol indicator 80. Symbol indicator 80 rotates about an axis 82. Additionally, indicator 80 translates along a line or slot 84 defined by the panel of upper display area 32. This movement is in one embodiment parallel or substantially parallel to the movement of the symbols of the symbol display.
Indicator 80 includes a plurality of pointers 86, 88, 90 and 92. Pointers 86, 88, 90 and 92 sequentially point towards member 70 or 110 as the symbol indicator 80 spins about axis 82. Additionally, as the different pointers 86, 88, 90 and 92 point sequentially towards the reel 70 or video monitor 110, symbol indicator 80 as a whole translates up and down so that different positions on reel 70 or video monitor 110 are sequentially indicated. Those positions in turn display different symbols 72 at different times.
In the illustrated embodiment, each of the pointers 86, 88, 90 and 92 is associated with an individual symbol 76. In the illustrated embodiment, symbols 76 are multipliers. The symbol 76 or multiplier associated with each of the pointers 86, 88, 90 and 92 operable to point towards reel 70 or video monitor 110 is provided as an additional component to the player's outcome or award. In the embodiment illustrated by display device 60 of
Referring now to
The view of
Stepper motor 58b is controlled by motion controller 56b, which receives pulse signals from processor 38 or a separate motion control processor (not illustrated). In any case, stepper motor 58b, as is the case with each of the motion producing devices (collectively referred to as motion producing devices 58), is controlled by a suitable computer program. The program can cause the rotation of indicator 80 in a multitude of directions at a multitude of different times, at a multitude of different angular accelerations and angular velocities. In short, stepper motor 58b has the flexibility to produce any suitable type of desired rotational motion within the limits and capabilities of the speed-torque curve of motor 58b.
In the illustrated embodiment motion producing device 58b is mounted to mount 108. Mount 108 includes a collar 112 which is journaled about a lead screw 114. A gusset 116 supports the mounting surface of mount 108 with respect to the load placed on such surface via the cantilever caused by motor 58b and indicator 80. Mount 108 also includes a threaded portion or welded nut 118, which threadingly receives the shaft or lead screw 114. Shaft 114 is mounted at one end to a fixed bearing 120 and is coupled at the other end via a flex coupler 122 to output shaft 124 of motion producing device or stepper motor 58a.
Stepper motor 58a turns lead screw 114 within the threads of threaded device 118 to cause mount 108 to move up or down accordingly. A guide, not illustrated, is provided so that mount 108 does not wiggle about shaft 114 as the shaft turns and as mount 108 moves vertically. The lead screw arrangement in combination with stepper motor 58a provides a highly accurate and versatile mode of converting the rotational output of output shaft 124 of stepper motor 58a to the translational motion ultimately of indicator 80.
It should be appreciated that along with indicator 80, the stepper motor 58a moves stepper motor 58b as well as mount 108 up and down. Accordingly, stepper motor 58a is sized appropriately for such task. As above with stepper motor 58b, stepper motor 58a is controlled by a suitable computer program, which can store complex motion profile programs that set the acceleration, velocity and ultimate distance that indicator 80 translates within slot 84. Although not illustrated, display device 60 includes in one embodiment safety limit switches so that if the stepper motor 58a loses its ability to accurately know where mount 108 is with respect to the top and bottom of slot 84, the hard limit switches are triggered if shaft 102 of indicator 80 moves too close to either the top or bottom of slot 84.
In the embodiment illustrated in
Referring now to
Reel 70 as illustrated in
Belt 74 displays a plurality of symbols 72, such as the fifty, two hundred, twenty-five symbols, etc., shown in
It should be appreciated that other suitable mechanical and/or video apparatus and mechanism may be employed to provide the display device of the present invention.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
