Wagering Game With Simulated Mechanical Reels

• US 20090312095A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Caterbury, Stephen A., Fitzsimons, Matthew R., Gagner, Mark B., Thomas, Alfred, Rasmussen, James M., Mercado, Victor, Durham, Timothy J., Arezina, Vladimir I., Ralston, Samuel D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,251,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region, a curved transparent layer located in the display region, and a video display. The video display is located behind the transparent layer for projecting moving images onto the transparent layer. The images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. The curved transparent layer can be moving as well. Environmental mapping may be used to sense the location of the player and/or the ambient lighting surrounding the gaming machine and alter the images based on the sensing. The altering may include spectral highlights, shading, and the parallax effect. The video images may further include imperfections normally found in mechanical reel strips. The gaming machine provides video images that more closely simulate the look of traditional mechanical reels.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a housing having a display region;

a curved surface located in said display region, said curved surface approximating a radius of curvature of a mechanical reel; and

a video display located behind said curved surface for projecting moving images onto said curved surface, said images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of said wagering game.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein said curved surface is a transparent reel that rotates.

7. The machine of claim 1, further including a lens to transmit said images from said video display toward said curved surface.

10. The machine of claim 1, wherein said video display includes a plurality of discrete displays for producing a plurality of distinct video regions having images at adjacent locations on said curved surface.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein said images move between said plurality of distinct video regions.

14. The machine of claim 1, wherein said images include a simulated mechanical reel, said plurality of symbols being located on said simulated reel, wherein said video display is located below a light-pipe lens system that includes a segment corresponding to said simulated mechanical reel.

17. The machine of claim 1, further including a location sensor for sensing a location of a player, wherein said video images are altered in response to said location of said player.

19. The machine of claim 17 further comprising an audio output, the audio output changing in response to said location of said player.

20. The machine of claim 17, wherein said video images are rendered by a real-time 3-D engine.

21. The machine of claim 1, wherein said video images include one or more imperfections associated with mechanical reels.

23. The machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for conducting the wagering game;

an input device for allowing a player to interact with said gaming machine; and

a monitoring device coupled to said input device and to said controller,

wherein said monitoring device monitors at least one of force and speed with which said player interacts with said input device, said at least one of force and speed used to modify said moving images projected onto said curved surface to simulate at least one of a cocking and an unloading associated with mechanical reels on a mechanical slot game.

24. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a controller for conducting said wagering game, wherein said controller is coupled to said video display with said moving images projected onto said curved surface and simulating harmonic motion associated with mechanical reels on a mechanical slot game, said harmonic motion implemented using a physics simulator operating at least partially on said controller.

26. The machine of claim 1, wherein said projecting of moving images onto said curved surface is capable of fading said images at least one of in and out.

28. The machine of claim 26, wherein said fading occurs while said projected images are moving.

42. The machine of claim 1, wherein said curved surface is mechanically coupled with a vibration device capable of inducing mechanical imperfections into said curved surface.

43. The machine of claim 20, wherein said images are rendered using a virtual camera.

44. The machine of claim 1, wherein a floating screen assembly is connected to said housing, said floating screen assembly including said curved surface.

45. The machine of claim 44, wherein said floating screen assembly is coupled with at least one motor capable of imparting eccentric movement into said floating screen assembly.

3-6. -6. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

12-13. -13. (canceled)

15-16. -16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager to play a wagering game; and

moving a plurality of symbols across a curved surface by projecting images onto said curved surface from a video display, said plurality of symbols indicating a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game.

31. The method of claim 30, further including moving said curved surface as said images are moving across said curved surface.

35. The method of claim 30, further including sensing a location of a player and altering said video images in response to said location of said player.

37. The method of claim 35 further including providing an audio signal and altering said signal in response to said location of said player.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein said images include one or more imperfections associated with mechanical reels.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein said moving including transmitting said moving images through a lens system toward said curved surface.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein said images are rendered by a real-time 3-D engine.

32-34. -34. (canceled)

39. (canceled)