Gaming machine

• US 20050049046A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Masatsugu
• Granted Patent: US 7,510,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

In the slot machine, the lower liquid crystal display 4 on the cabinet 2 arranged in front of the reels 220 in the cabinet 2 is controlled, and if it is determined that the shift effect is executed, the effect display by controlling light transmittance of the lower liquid crystal display 4 (that is, in order that the player can recognize the reels 220 in the cabinet 2, the demonstration effect that the big tree near the house is struck by lightning and the demonstration effect that lightning goes away from the big tree, and the lower liquid crystal display 4 is made transparent or opaque according to blink of lightning) is done while the base game is conducted by utilizing the lower liquid crystal display 4. On the other hand, the reels 220 in the cabinet 2 are concealed except a case that it is determined that the shift effect is executed and a case that the free game is executed by utilizing the reels 220 in the cabinet 2.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

an effect display device for displaying an effect thereon;

a variable display device arranged behind the effect display device;

a game controller for executing a first game utilizing the effect display device and a second game utilizing the variable display device;

a display controller for controlling light transmittance of the effect display device so that the variable display device is seen and recognized through the effect display device;

wherein the display controller executes the effect while the first game is executed by controlling the light transmittance of the effect display device when the game controller determines to conduct the effect by utilizing the display controller and conceals the variable display device except for a case that the game controller determines to conduct the effect by utilizing the display controller and a case that the second game is executed.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the display controller controls the light transmittance of the effect display device and conducts the effect when the game controller changes display contents of the effect display device in the first game.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the effect display device is constructed from a liquid crystal display arranged in front of a cabinet, and

wherein the variable display device is constructed from a plurality of reels rotatably supported behind the liquid crystal display in the cabinet.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of variable display portions, each of which corresponds to each reel, are formed in the liquid crystal display.

5. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the effect is a demonstration effect conducted on the liquid crystal display.

6. The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein the display controller controls the liquid crystal display so as to become a transparent state and an opaque state when the demonstration effect is conducted.

7. The gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein when the liquid crystal display becomes the transparent state, each of the reels is seen and recognized and when the liquid crystal display becomes the opaque state, each of the reels is not seen and recognized.

8. The gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein the transparent state and the opaque state are repeated with a predetermined period.

9. The gaming machine according to claim 4, each of the variable display portions is made transparent by the display controller so that each of the reels is seen and recognized while the second game is executed.

10. The gaming machine according to claim 5, further comprising a memory for storing a plurality of effect patterns corresponding to the demonstration effect;

wherein the display controller selects one effect pattern among the effect patterns stored in the memory and controls the liquid crystal display so as to conduct the demonstration effect.