GAMING DEVICE WITH ACTION UNIT DISPLAY AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20070026948A1
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company Incorporated (Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service)
• Inventors: Henshaw, Lawrence, Seelig, Jerald
• Granted Patent: US 7,563,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming device having a reservoir for holding a plurality of display objects, an emptying mechanism for causing the display objects to fall out of the reservoir, an actuator for activating the emptying mechanism, and a controller configured to activate the actuator, is disclosed. The gaming device may further include a display area and a display object transport device to move the display objects from the display area to the reservoir. The reservoir of the gaming device may simulate a bank vault where the display objects further simulate coins as they fall out of the bank vault. A gaming method involving the aforementioned device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

(A) a plurality of display objects;

(B) a reservoir configured to hold at least one display object;

(C) a reservoir emptying mechanism associated with the reservoir, the emptying mechanism being configured to cause the display objects to fall out of the reservoir;

(D) an actuator mechanism coupled to the reservoir emptying mechanism the actuator mechanism being configured to activate the reservoir emptying mechanism to cause the display objects to fall out of the reservoir; and

(E) a controller in communication with the actuator mechanism, the controller being configured to activate the actuator mechanism.

2. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the reservoir emptying mechanism comprises a gate, wherein when the gate is in a closed position, the display objects may be held in the reservoir, and when the gate is in an open position, display objects held in the reservoir may fall out of the reservoir into a display area.

3. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises at least an enclosed container.

4. The gaming device of claim 3 wherein the enclosed container is selected from the group consisting of a bank vault, a storage chest, a coffer, a trunk and a strongbox.

5. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises at least an open-top container.

6. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the reservoir is rotatable about a horizontal axis and the reservoir emptying mechanism comprises a lever arm and actuator configured to tilt the reservoir about the horizontal axis to cause display objects held in the reservoir to fall out of the reservoir.

7. The gaming device of claim 1 further comprising a display area and a display object transport device configured to move the display objects from the display area to the reservoir.

8. The gaming device of claim 7 further comprising a sensor associated with the reservoir and in communication with the controller, the sensor being configured to detect when a predetermined amount of display objects are in the reservoir.

9. The gaming device of claim 7 further comprising the controller in communication with the display object transport device, the controller being configured to terminate movement of the display objects from the display area to the reservoir after a predetermined time.

10. The gaming device of claim 7 wherein the display object transport device is selected from the group consisting of conveyor belts, discs, rollers, wheels, lifts, claws and augers.

11. The gaming device of claim 10 wherein the display object transport device comprises a conveyor belt and is configured to transport the display objects in a substantially vertical direction.

12. The gaming device of claim 10 wherein the transport device comprises a display object feed chute and a display object drive roller.

13. The gaming device of claim 10 wherein the transport device further comprises at least one transport component configured to receive the display objects and wherein the at least one transport component is selected from the group consisting of cups, bowls, scoops, buckets, ledges, shovels and blades.

14. The gaming device of claim 13 wherein the transport device comprises an auger and the at least one transport component is a helical blade.

15. The gaming device of claim 1 further comprising:

(A) a plurality of prize objects;

(B) a prize object holder configured to hold the prize objects in an individually controlled manner; and

(C) a display mechanism associated with the prize object holder and configured to selectively display at least one prize object to a player.

16. The gaming device of claim 15 wherein the display objects and the prize objects are separate and distinct from each other

17. A method comprising, but not all necessarily in order shown:

(A) storing a plurality of display objects in a reservoir;

(B) activating a reservoir emptying mechanism associated with the reservoir; and

(C) allowing the display objects to fall out of the reservoir into a display area, the display area being visible to the player.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising allowing a display object transport device to move display objects from the display area to the reservoir for a predetermined time after activating the reservoir emptying mechanism to provide a continuous flow of display objects falling out of the reservoir for the predetermined time.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising deactivating the reservoir emptying mechanism after the predetermined time, transporting the display objects from the display area to the reservoir, and refilling the reservoir with display objects.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising deactivating the reservoir emptying mechanism, transporting the display objects from the display area to the reservoir, and refilling the reservoir with display objects.

21. A gaming device comprising:

(A) a plurality of display object means for entertaining a player;

(B) reservoir means for storing the plurality of display object means;

(C) reservoir emptying means for causing the display objects to fall out of the reservoir means; and

(D) transport means for moving the display object means to the reservoir means.

22. The gaming device of claim 21 further comprising controller means for activating the reservoir emptying means and the transport means.

23. A gaming device comprising:

(A) at least one game apparatus configured to allow a player to play a game; and

(B) at least one controller in communication with a display device, the controller being configured to determine a random game outcome, and wherein the display device comprises a reservoir configured to simulate a bank vault.

24. The gaming device of claim 23 further comprising a plurality of display objects configured to simulate coins.

25. The gaming device of claim 23 wherein the controller is configured to detect a bonus qualifying event and activate a bonus game cycle.

26. A gaming device comprising:

(A) a first display area comprising;

(i) a plurality of display objects;

(ii) a reservoir configured to hold at least one display object;

(iii) a reservoir emptying mechanism associated with the reservoir, the emptying mechanism being configured to cause the display objects to fall out of the reservoir; and

(iv) a display object transport device configured to move the display objects from a collection area to the reservoir; and

(B) a second display area comprising;

(i) plurality of prize objects;

(ii) a prize object holder configured to hold the prize objects in an individually controlled manner;

(iii) a display mechanism for selectively displaying at least one prize object; and

(iv) a controller in communication with the display mechanism, the controller being configured to select a prize object and cause the display mechanism to display the selected prize object to a player.

27. The display device of claim 26 wherein the display objects and the prize objects are located separately from each other.

28. The display device of claim 26 wherein the prize objects held in the prize object holder are hidden from view of the player.