Gaming machine with iridescent or fluorescent indicia

• US 20030195045A1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kaminkow, Joseph E., Falconer, Neil D., Goins, Jamie J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,323,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/47
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A gaming machine has a display panel with permanent indicia and optionally also adapted for display of transient indicia which act with the permanent indicia as part of the gaming played on the machine. At least a portion of the permanent indicia may comprise an ink or other iridescent coating that glows in the presence of activating light, typically ultraviolet radiation. A source of the activating light is positioned to irradiate the permanent indicia portions. A controller is typically present for activating the activating light source in a predetermined manner which correlates with one or more events taking place in the particular game being played on the machine.

Claims

1. A gaming machine which comprises a housing and a display panel carried in said housing;

said display panel carrying indicia, said indicia comprising an ink or other iridescent coating that glows in the presence of activating light, and a source of said activating light positioned to irradiate said indicia.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a controller for activating said activating light source in a predetermined manner correlating with one or more events taking place in the particular game being played on said machine.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2 in which said gaming machine is equipped to play a game having a bonus round, said controller activating the light source upon occurrence of the bonus round as the game is playing.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the display panel comprises a glass partition.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which the source of activating light is within said housing.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5 in which said source of activating light comprises a plurality of activating lights spaced from each other within said housing.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which said display panel is a liquid crystal display screen or a video screen.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which said activating light is ultraviolet light.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1 which is adapted for display of transient indicia plus permanent indicia as a part of the gaming played on said machine,

10. The gaming machine of claim 1 which also carries a visible light source to illuminate said display panel.

11. A gaming machine which comprises a housing and a display panel carried in said housing;

said display panel carrying permanent indicia and adapted for display of transient indicia as a part of the gaming played on said machine, said permanent indicia comprising an ink or other iridescent coating that glows in the presence of activating light, and a source of said activating light positioned to irradiate said permanent indicia, said gaming machine further comprising a controller for said activating light source in a predetermined manner correlating with one or more events taking place in the particular game being played on said machine, said source of activating light being located within said housing.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11 in which the display panel comprises a glass partition.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12 which is equipped to play a game having a bonus round, said controller activating the activating light source upon occurrence of the bonus round as the game is playing.

14. The gaming machine of claim 12 in which said display panel is a liquid crystal display screen or a video screen.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14 in which said source of activating light comprises a plurality of activating lights spaced from each other within said housing.

16. The gaming machine of claim 11 in which said activating light is ultraviolet light.

17. The gaming machine of claim 11 which also carries a visible light source to illuminate said display panel.

18. The method of operating a gaming machine which comprises a housing and a display panel carried in said housing, said display panel carrying indicia, said indicia comprising an ink or other iridescent coating that glows in the presence of activating light, which method comprises:

irradiating said display panel with activating light to cause at least portions of said indicia to glow in the presence of said activating light.

19. The method of claim 18 including the step of illuminating said display panel with visible light, and then shutting off said visible light when irradiating with said activating light.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of thereafter shutting off said activating light and turning on again said visible light.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising the irradiation of said indicia with two different sources of activating light, with one portion of said indicia being sensitive to light at the one frequency and another portion of the indicia being sensitive to light of the other frequency to provide two different areas of irradiation.

22. The method of claim 18 in which the indicia are made of a different materials to glow upon irradiation with different colors.

23. The method of claim 18 comprising the step of displaying both permanent and transient indicia on said display panel while illuminating the indicia of said display panel with visible light;

24. The method of claim 21 in which said different sources of activating light are sequentially turned on and off, whereby different portions of the permanent indicia glow at different times.