THREE-DIMENSIONAL GAMES OF CHANCE HAVING MULTIPLE REEL STOPS

• US 20090061983A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kaufman, Asher A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,690,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A gaming machine may have at least one display device capable of displaying 3-D images of a game of chance, and at least one processor to execute instructions to display the 3-D images on the display device, the at least one processor having display video data to display the 3-D images for: at least one first object having a first reel stop associated with a first payout value, the at least one first object moving about a central axis, each of the at least one first object having an individual center point, and at least one second object having a second reel stop, the at least one second object moving about the individual center point, the second reel stop associated with a second payout value, wherein the first payout value and the second payout value determine a total payout associated with an outcome of the game of chance.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior region of the gaming machine, the cabinet adapted to house a plurality of gaming machine components within or about the interior region;

at least one display device coupled to the cabinet capable of displaying three-dimensional (3-D) images of a game of chance; and

at least one processor to execute instructions to display the 3-D images on the display device, the at least one processor having display video data to display the 3-D images for;

at least one first object having a first reel stop associated with a first payout value, the at least one first object moving about a central axis, each of the at least one first object having an first individual center point; and

at least one second object having a second reel stop, the at least one second object moving about the first individual center point, the second reel stop associated with a second payout value,

wherein the first payout value and the second payout value determine a total payout associated with an outcome of the game of chance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one display device further comprises a display screen having a plurality of display pixels and a lenticular screen coupled with the display screen.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive image data relating to a combination of a plurality of perspective views of an image, the plurality of perspective views being interlaced to from the image when displayed simultaneously.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one display device further comprises:

a first display device configured to output a visual image in response to a control signal and including one or more controllable transparent portions; and

a second display device, arranged relative to the first display device such that a common line of sight passes through a portion of the first display device to a portion of the second display device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one second object is positioned substantially within the at least one first object.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first object comprises:

a plurality of surfaces, each plurality of surface having a second individual center point and an image disposed thereon, each image having a third reel stop,

wherein the image rotates about the second individual center point, and wherein the second payout value is determined by the image that is substantially displayed to the player at the third reel stop.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to move the first object and the second object at:

a first orientation speed; and

a second orientation speed being slower than the first orientation speed,

wherein the second orientation speed allows the player to view an animation of the second object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first payout value is associated with a first orientation of the at least one first object and the second payout value is associated with a second orientation of the at least one second object.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first object moves about the first individual center point.

10. A three-dimensional (3-D) game reel, comprising:

at least one first object having a first reel stop associated with a first payout value, the at least one first object moving about a central axis, each of the at least one first object having an first individual center point; and

at least one second object having a second reel stop associated with a second payout value, the at least one second object moving about the first individual center point,

wherein the first payout value and the second payout value determine a total payout associated with an outcome of the game of chance.

11. The gaming reel of claim 10, further comprising at least one processor to execute instructions to display the 3-D gaming reel on at least one display device.

12. The gaming reel of claim 11, wherein the at least one display device further comprises a display screen having a plurality of display pixels and a lenticular screen coupled with the display screen.

13. The gaming reel of claim 11, wherein the at least one display device further comprises:

a first display device configured to output a visual image in response to a control signal and including one or more controllable transparent portions; and

a second display device, arranged relative to the first display device such that a common line of sight passes through a portion of the first display device to a portion of the second display device.

14. The gaming reel of claim 10, wherein the at least one second object is positioned substantially within the at least one first object.

15. The gaming reel of claim 10, wherein the at least one first object comprises:

a plurality of surfaces, each plurality of surface having a second individual center point and an image disposed thereon, each image having a third reel stop,

wherein the image moves about the second individual center point, and wherein the second payout value is determined by the image that is substantially displayed to the player at the third reel stop.

16. The gaming reel of claim 10, wherein the first payout value is associated with a first orientation of the at least one first object and the second payout value is associated with a second orientation of the at least one second object.

17. The gaming reel of claim 10, further comprising a third object, wherein the at least one first object and the at least second object rotate around the third object.

18. The gaming reel of claim 10, wherein the at least one first object moves about the first individual center point.

19. A method for displaying a game of chance on a gaming machine, comprising:

moving at least one first object along a virtual reel path about a central axis, each of the at least one first object having an first individual center point;

moving at least one second object about the first individual center point;

stopping the at least one first object at a first reel stop along the virtual reel path, the first reel stop associated with a first payout value;

stopping the at least one second object at a second reel stop, the second reel stop associated with a second payout value; and

determining a total payout associated with an outcome of the game of chance based upon the first payout value and the second payout value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one second object is positioned substantially within the at least one second object.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one first object further comprises:

displaying an image on each of a plurality of surfaces of the at least one first object, each of the plurality of surfaces having a second individual center point;

moving the at least one first object about the first individual center point;

moving the image about the second individual center point;

stopping the at least one first object at a third reel stop about the first individual center point;

stopping the image at a fourth reel stop about the second individual center point; and

determining the second payout value based upon the image that is substantially displayed to the player.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the displaying further comprises:

outputting a visual image in response to a control signal on a first display device, the visual image including one or more controllable transparent portions; and

arranging a second display device relative to the first display device such that a common line of sight passes through a portion of the first display device to a portion of the second display device.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the rotating the at least one first object and the at least one second object further comprises:

spinning the at least one first object and the at least one second object at a first speed;

spinning the at least one first object and the at least one second object at a second speed slower than the first speed,

wherein the second speed allows a user to view an animation of the at least one second object.

24. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for displaying a game of chance on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

moving at least one first object along a virtual reel path about a central axis, each of the at least one first object having an first individual center point;

moving at least one second object about the first individual center point;

stopping the at least one first object at a first reel stop along the virtual reel path, the first reel stop associated with a first payout value;

stopping the at least one second object at a second reel stop, the second reel stop associated with a second payout value; and

determining a total payout associated with an outcome of the game of chance based upon the first payout value and the second payout value.

25. A gaming apparatus, comprising:

means for moving at least one first object along a virtual reel path about a central axis, each of the at least one first object having an first individual center point;

means for moving at least one second object about the first individual center point;

means for stopping the at least one first object at a first reel stop along the virtual reel path, the first reel stop associated with a first payout value;

means for stopping the at least one second object at a second reel stop, the second reel stop associated with a second payout value; and

means for determining a total payout associated with an outcome of the game of chance based upon the first payout value and the second payout value.