Video and mechanical spinning bonus wheel

• US 20070054723A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gadda, Chris, Wilder, Richard, Mattice, Harold, Griswold, Chan, Lew, Ricky
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a combination inner video display and rotatable object. The inner video display and the rotatable object may be correlated together to form a reconfigurable object. Both the inner video display and the rotatable object can have segments wherein each segment may have an indicia associated with the segment, wherein the indicia can be a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss of spin character, a blank space or a null character. The player will be rewarded with the corresponding prize(s) based upon the outcome of the combination inner video display and rotatable object.

Claims

1. A gaming machine adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a payout based on the result of the game, the gaming machine comprising:

an inner video display including a viewing surface; and

a rotatable object that is disposed above or around the viewing surface with an axis of rotation through the viewing surface.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein a portion of the rotatable object is transparent for allowing viewing of images of the viewing surface.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the transparent portion of the rotatable object can be electronically configured to switch to a non-transparent portion of the rotatable object.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the rotatable object is an indicator that identifies a location on the viewing surface of the inner video display.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the indicator is a pointer.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the pointer indicates a position where an indicia is located on the inner video display, wherein the indicia is a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss spin character, a null character or an animated sequence.

7. The gaming machine of claim 6, further comprising a tile that masks the indicia;

wherein the indicia is revealed based upon the position of the pointer.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the rotatable object is a wheel.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the inner video displays an electronic image;

wherein the electronic image is one or more virtual pointers.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the wheel has indicia located around the wheel and the indicia are prizes, bonus multipliers, progressive jackpot, negative values, bonus spin characters, loss of spin characters, null characters or an animated sequence.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the indicia are generated by an organic light emitting display, an electro-luminescent display, or a digital display.

12. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the wheel has segments located around the wheel and each segment may have an indicia associated with the segment, wherein the indicia can be a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss of spin character, a blank space or a null character.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the indicia are generated by an organic light emitting display, an electro-luminescent display, or a digital display.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the inner video display includes a touch screen sensor for identifying positions on the viewing surface.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the touchscreen sensor is adapted to detect one or more inputs that allow a player to effect a rate of rotation for the rotatable object.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the input may or may not effect the final position of the rotatable object.

17. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the touchscreen sensor allows a player to select an object on the touchscreen monitor.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the object located on the touchscreen monitor is a pointer, a wheel or a player selectable entity.

19. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the inner video display has player selectable entities.

20. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a bonus game being triggered by an event in the primary game, wherein the bonus game initiates at least one of the inner video display and the rotatable object.

21. The gaming machine of claim 20, wherein the primary game is a mechanical reel slot, a virtual slot, poker, keno or bingo game.

22. The gaming machine of claim 20, wherein the event is a predetermined, random or pseudo-random event.

23. The gaming machine of claim 20, wherein the primary game is displayed on the inner video display.

24. The gaming machine of claim 1 further comprising a stepper motor to rotate the rotatable object.

25. The gaming machine of claim 1 further comprising a light panel that correlates to the rotatable object.

26. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a mechanically generated noise device.

27. A gaming method comprising:

accepting a wager at a gaming machine;

displaying an electronic image on a viewing surface of an inner video display; and

rotating a rotatable object, wherein the rotatable object is disposed above or around the viewing surface with an axis of rotation through the viewing surface.

28. The gaming method of claim 27, further comprising correlating the rotatable object to the displaying of the electronic image on the inner video display.

29. The gaming method of claim 28, further comprising setting the rotatable object in motion and displaying one or more electronic images that rotate in sync with the rotatable object.

30. The gaming method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining the initial position of the one or more electronic images;

determining the rotational velocity of the one or more electronic image;

calculating the final position of the one or more electronic images based on the time and the initial position and the rotational velocity of the one or more electronic images;

receiving an input from a touchscreen sensor that allow direct interaction with the one or more electronic images

determining an outcome based on the received input from the touchscreen sensor and the calculated final position of the one or more electronic images.

31. The gaming method of claim 27, further comprising receiving an input from a touchscreen sensor that allows direct interaction with the electronic image on the inner video display.

32. The gaming method of claim 31, further comprising determining a position of the rotatable object relative to the inner video display

33. The gaming method of claim 31, further comprising receiving an input via the touchscreen sensor or via an input member coupled to the rotatable object that affects a movement of the rotatable object.

34. The gaming method of claim 27, further comprising providing a light display that correlates to the rotatable object.

35. A gaming method for a gaming machine, the gaming machine is adapted for accepting a wager, playing a primary game based on the wager, granting a payout based on the result of the game, and initiating a bonus device, the bonus device is adapted for initiating a bonus game, playing the bonus game and granting a bonus outcome based on the result of the bonus game, the method comprising:

accepting a wager at the primary game;

initiating the primary game;

triggering an event at the primary game that initiates the bonus game, wherein the bonus game includes;

displaying an electronic image on a viewing surface of an inner video display; and

rotating an object, wherein the object is disposed above or around the viewing surface with an axis of rotation through the viewing surface.

36. The gaming method of claim 35, further comprising correlating the rotatable object to the displaying of the electronic image on the inner video display.

37. The gaming method of claim 36, further comprising setting the rotatable object in motion and displaying one or more electronic images that rotate in sync with the rotatable object.

38. The gaming method of claim 35, further comprising receiving an input from a touchscreen sensor that allows direct interaction with the electronic image on the inner video display.

39. The gaming method of claim 38, further comprising determining a position of the rotatable object relative to the inner video display

40. The gaming method of claim 38, further comprising receiving an input via the touchscreen sensor or via an input member coupled to the rotatable object that affects a movement of the rotatable object.

41. The gaming method of claim 35, further comprising providing a light display that correlates to the rotatable object.

42. A gaming system comprising:

a server configured for sending and receiving data;

one or more gaming machines that communicate with the server, wherein at least one gaming machine comprises;

displaying an electronic image on a viewing surface of an inner video display; and

rotating an object, wherein the object is disposed above or around the viewing surface with an axis of rotation through the viewing surface.

43. The gaming system of claim 42, wherein the gaming machine receives data from the server, wherein the data is related to reconfiguring the inner video display.

44. The gaming system of claim 43, wherein the data is a prize or one or more electronic images.

45. The gaming system of claim 42, wherein the server or the gaming machine triggers a bonus game based on an event within the primary game at the gaming machine.

46. The gaming system of claim 45, wherein the bonus game involves a plurality of gaming machines, wherein a player at the gaming machine competes against other players for a bonus award.

47. The gaming system of claim 45, wherein the bonus game involves at least one of the inner video display and the rotatable object.

48. The gaming system of claim 45, where the bonus game involves a progressive jackpot.

49. A gaming method that includes a gaming machine having an inner video display and a rotatable object that rotates around the inner video display, the method comprising:

accepting a wager at the gaming machine;

displaying an electronic image on a viewing surface of an inner video display;

determining whether to rotate a rotatable object, wherein the rotatable object is disposed above or around the viewing surface with an axis of rotation through the viewing surface; and

rotating the rotatable object based upon the determining.

50. A bonus device comprising:

an inner video display including a viewing surface; and

a rotatable object that is disposed above or around the viewing surface with an axis of rotation through the viewing surface.