Player insert for a gaming machine, a gaming system and a method of operating a gaming system

• US 20040209692A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gtech Austria GmbH (GTECH German Holdings Corp. GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Grips Elektronik GmbH
• Inventors: Zechner, Robert, Hoedl, Peter, Schober, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 7,374,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A player insert for a gaming machine, the player insert comprising: an electronically controllable screen, a controller for said electronically controllable screen, an interface adapted to communicate between said controller and a host system associated with said player insert and with further player inserts, said controller being adapted to receive signals from a said host system via said interface and to thereby effect a display on said electronically controllable screen synchronized with at least one further display on at least one further player insert. The electronically controllable screen can be controlled to operate in a first state in which it is transparent and permits a separate display provided behind the screen to be viewed by the player and in a second state in which it is adapted to effect the display as stated above. The description and claims also relate to a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines each having a respective player insert and to a method of operating such a gaming system.

Claims

1. A player insert for a gaming machine, said player insert comprising:

an electronically controllable screen operable in a first state in which it is transparent and in a second state in which it is adapted to function as a display and

a separate display provided behind said electronically controllable screen and visible to a player essentially only when said electronically controllable screen is in said first state.

2. A player insert in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a controller for said screen.

3. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

said electronically controllable screen being an OLED foil screen.

4. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

said electronically controllable screen being a liquid crystal screen.

5. A player insert in accordance with claim 4,

said electronically controllable screen comprising at least one row of electronically controllable LEDs and a translucent plate member adapted to appear opaque when said LEDs are energized and transparent when said LEDs are not energized.

6. A player insert in accordance with claim 5,

said translucent plate member comprising a darkened glass plate.

7. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a biometric sensor disposed behind said screen and adapted to read biometric data of a player through said screen.

8. A player insert in accordance with claim 7,

said biometric sensor comprising a camera adapted to record physical features of a player comprising at least one of physical features of his face, of his eyes, of his eyes and nose, of at least one of his hands, of at least one of his fingers and of four of his finger tips.

9. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a loudspeaker positioned behind said screen.

10. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a card slot provided in said screen and associated with a card reader disposed behind said screen.

11. A player insert in accordance with claim 10,

said card reader being adapted to read a card adapted to store at least one of identification information relating to said player, information relating to past use of said card, financial information and prepaid credit information.

12. A player insert in accordance with claim 10,

said card being at least one of a card having a magnetic stripe, a smart card, a card adapted for use in a cashless gaming system and a card adapted for use in Grips'"'"' “

Crystal Web”

cashless gaming system.

13. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a touch screen integrated into said electronically controllable screen.

14. A player insert in accordance with claim 13,

said touch screen being adapted to permit communication between a player and said separate display.

15. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a keypad integrated into said electronically controllable screen, said keypad being adapted to permit communication between a player and said separate display.

16. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising at least one menu button provided at said electronically controllable screen and adapted to permit communication between a player and said separate display.

17. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a RFID receiver.

18. A player insert in accordance with claim 1

and further comprising a transducer.

19. A player insert in accordance with claim 4,

said player insert having a width at a side facing a player and said electronically controllable screen extending over at least a major portion of said width.

20. A player insert in accordance with claim 19,

said electronically controllable screen extending over substantially the whole of said width.

21. A player insert in accordance with claim 19,

said player insert having a height at said side facing a player and said electronically controllable screen extending over at least a major portion of said height.

22. A player insert in accordance with claim 21,

said electronically controllable screen extending over substantially the whole of said height.

23. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display at least one of casino information, decorative images, payout information, information concerning other gaming possibilities, limits for jackpots, videos, music videos, sporting programs, news programs, news items, messages and any other information of interest to players.

24. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

said electronically controllable screen being adapted to present directional information in the form of at least one of a running light, one or more moving arrows, one or more moving chevrons and a variable illumination drawing attention to at least one of the said player insert, a player insert associated with another gaming machine and a display associated with one or more gaming machines.

25. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

one of said display and said electronically controllable screen being adapted to fulfill at least one of the following functions:

inform a player about different events in an associated casino,

inform a player about jackpot values,

inform a player that he has won a jackpot award,

inform a player of the size of a jackpot award he has won,

inform a player of a win other than a jackpot award,

inform a player of a state of an account (credit) held by a casino on his behalf,

inform a player of bonus points allotted to him,

inform a player of any gratuity allotted to him.

inform a player about activities elsewhere in a casino.

26. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display special effects.

27. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

and further comprising a mechanism for releasably securing said player insert in an associated gaming machine.

28. A player insert in accordance with claim 1,

said electronically controllable screen including a region adapted in use to be positioned at a front of a top box of a gaming machine.

29. A player insert in accordance with claim 28,

said region being adapted to display a pay-out table.

30. A player insert in accordance with claim 28,

said region of said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display at least one of casino information, decorative images, payout information, information concerning other gaming possibilities, limits for jackpots, videos, music videos, sporting programs, news programs, news items, messages and any other information of interest to players.

31. A player insert in accordance with claim 28,

said region of said electronically controllable screen being adapted to present directional information in the form of at least one of a running light, one or more moving arrows, one or more moving chevrons and a variable illumination drawing attention to at least one of the said player insert, a player insert associated with another gaming machine and a display associated with one or more gaming machines.

32. A player insert in accordance with claim 28,

one of said display and said region of said electronically controllable screen being adapted to fulfill at least one of the following functions:

inform a player about different events in an associated casino,

inform a player about jackpot values,

inform a player that he has won a jackpot award,

inform a player of the size of a jackpot award he has won,

inform a player of a win other than a jackpot award,

inform a player of a state of an account (credit) held by a casino on his behalf,

inform a player of bonus points allotted to him,

inform a player of any gratuity allotted to him.

inform a player about activities elsewhere in a casino.

33. A player insert in accordance with claim 28,

said region of said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display special effects.

34. A player insert for a gaming machine, the player insert comprising:

an electronically controllable screen,

a controller for said electronically controllable screen,

an interface adapted to communicate between said controller and a host system associated with said player insert and with further player inserts, said controller being adapted to receive signals from a said host system via said interface and to thereby effect a display on said electronically controllable screen synchronized with at least one further display on at least one further player insert.

35. A player insert in accordance with claim 34,

said electronically controllable screen being operable in a first state in which it is transparent and in a second state in which it is adapted to function as a display

36. A gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and a host system associated with said gaming machines, there being a respective player insert associated with each gaming machine and each said player insert comprising:

an electronically controllable screen,

a controller for said electronically controllable screen, said controller having an interface adapted to communicate between said controller and said host system,

said host system being adapted to transmit signals to said controller via said interface and said controller being adapted to thereby effect a display on said electronically controllable screen, said display being synchronized with at least one further display on at least one further player insert.

37. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36, said electronically controllable screen of each player insert being operable in a first state in which it is transparent and in a second state in which it is adapted to display information, there being a separate display provided behind said electronically controllable screen and visible to a player essentially only when said electronically controllable screen is in said first state.

38. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said player insert further comprising a biometric sensor disposed behind the associated electronically controllable screen and adapted to read biometric data of a player through said screen.

39. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said player insert having a width at a side facing a player and the associated electronically controllable screen extending over at least a major portion of said width.

40. A gaming system in accordance with claim 39,

the said electronically controllable screen extending over substantially the whole of said width.

41. A gaming system in accordance with claim 39,

each said player insert having a height at said side facing a player and the associated electronically controllable screen extending over at least a major portion of said height.

42. A gaming system in accordance with claim 41,

the said electronically controllable screen extending over substantially the whole of said height.

43. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display prize information.

44. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said electronically controllable screen being adapted to present directional information in the form of at least one of a running light, one or more moving arrows, one or more moving chevrons and a variable illumination drawing attention to at least one of the said player insert, a player insert associated with another gaming machine and a display associated with one or more gaming machines.

45. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

one of said display and said electronically controllable screen associated with each player insert being adapted to fulfill at least one of the following functions:

inform a player about different events in an associated casino,

inform a player about jackpot values,

inform a player that he has won a jackpot award,

inform a player of the size of a jackpot award he has won,

inform a player of a win other than a jackpot award,

inform a player of a state of an account (credit) held by a casino on his behalf,

inform a player of bonus points allotted to him,

inform a player of any gratuity allotted to him.

inform a player about activities elsewhere in a casino.

46. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display special effects.

47. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said electronically controllable screen including a region adapted in use to be positioned at a front of a top box of a gaming machine.

48. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said region being adapted to display a pay-out table associated with the associated gaming machine.

49. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36,

each said region of said electronically controllable screen being adapted to display at least one of casino information, decorative images, payout information, information concerning other gaming possibilities, limits for jackpots, videos, music videos, sporting programs, news programs, news items, messages and any other information of interest to players.

50. A gaming system in accordance with claim 36, said host system comprising at least one computer communicating with each controller of each player insert via a network.

51. A gaming system in accordance with claim 50, said network comprising a LAN.

52. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and a host system associated with said gaming machines, there being a respective player insert associated with each gaming machine and each said player insert comprising:

an electronically controllable screen,

a controller for said electronically controllable screen, said controller having an interface adapted to communicate between it and said host system,

said host system being adapted to transmit signals to said controller via said interface and said controller being adapted to thereby effect a display on said electronically controllable screen, said display being synchronized with at least one further display on at least one further player insert, the method comprising the steps of;

a) making a determination via the host system of when a jackpot associated with a gaming machine has been won and

b) operating said host system to instruct said controllers of said electronically controllable screens of said player inserts of said gaming machines to display synchronized signals drawing attention of players at said gaming machines and others patrons of a casino to a gaming machine where said jackpot has been won.

53. A method in accordance with claim 52,

and further comprising the step of displaying the jackpot which has been won on the electronically controllable screen of the gaming machine at which it has been won.

54. A method in accordance with claim 52,

and further comprising the step of displaying the jackpot which has been won on at least one display separate from the gaming machine at which it has been won, said at least one display being connected to said host system via a network.

55. A method in accordance with claim 52 adapted for use in a casino including gaming tables as well as gaming machines, said tables being connected to said host system via a network and said method including the step of displaying synchronized signals on said electronically controllable screens when a jackpot has been won at a gaming table.

56. A method in accordance with claim 52,

the method comprising the further steps of identifying players at each said gaming machine by an identification system at each said gaming machine, said identification system comprising at least one of a card reader adapted to read identity information on an ID card associated with a player, a biometric sensor adapted to read physiological data associated with each player at a gaming machine and an RFID, transmitting identification information relating to each player to said host system at the start of play at each machine and at the end of play at each machine together with an assessment of at least one of an amount bet by each player, an amount won by each player and an amount lost by each player, processing this information to generate player bonuses and displaying information relating to a player bonus at a gaming machine operated by a player benefiting from a bonus.

57. A method in accordance with claim 56,

the method including the further step of using the electronically controllable screens of said gaming machines to draw attention to such bonus awards.