Wagering Game Having Display Arrangement Formed By An Image Conduit

• US 20100197378A1
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 9,460,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 system for conducting a wagering game comprises a display device and an image conduit. The display device develops or includes images of symbols associated with the wagering game. The image conduit is located in front of the display device and has a first end and a second end. The image conduit transmits the images from the second end to the first end of the image conduit. The images of the symbols appear at the first end such that a player perceives the symbols to be located at the first end of the image conduit. The display device can be a physical object with symbol indicia or a video display for displaying video images.

Claims

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

a video display developing a video image of symbols for indicating a randomly selected outcome of said wagering game; and

an image conduit having a first end and a second end opposing said first end, said second end being adjacent to said video display, said video image of said symbols appearing at said first end such that a player perceives said symbols to be located at said first end of said image conduit.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein said first end includes a curved section.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein a radius of curvature of said curved section is about 4 to 7 inches to approximate a mechanical reel.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein said video display is an LCD.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein said first end has first and second surfaces that are at different distances from said video display, said video image of said symbols being on said first surface, additional game indicia for said wagering game being located on said second surface.

6. The machine of claim 1, further including a touch screen overlying at least a portion of said first end, said video display further developing a second video image of player-input information, said player providing inputs related to said player-input information via said touch screen.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein said video image of said symbols and said second video image are displayed simultaneously by said video display.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein said first end has first and second surfaces that are at different distances from said video display, said video image of said symbols being displayed at said first surface and said second video image being displayed at said second surface.

9. The machine of claim 1, further including a controller coupled to said video display, said controller controlling said video image to produce a desired form of said symbols at said first end.

10. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system, the method comprising:

developing a video image of symbols for indicating a randomly selected outcome of said wagering game;

transmitting said video image into an image conduit having a first end and a second end opposing said first end, said video image being transmitted into said second end of said image conduit; and

displaying said video image from said first end of said image conduit such that a player perceives said video image to be located at said first end of said image conduit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said displaying of symbols include moving said symbols across said first end such that said symbols simulate a symbol-bearing mechanical reel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first end has a curved section with a radius of curvature of about 4 to 7 inches to approximate a symbol-bearing mechanical reel.

13. The method of claim 10, further including displaying other video images on said first end of said image conduit, said other video images being symbols used for player-input for said wager game.

14. The method of claim 13, further including receiving player inputs from a touch screen overlying at least a portion of said first end of said image conduit.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said image conduit is configured to magnify said video image such that said symbols that are displayed at said first end are larger than said symbols transmitted from said second end.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said image conduit is directly attached to a video display device that develops said video image.

17. The method of claim 10, further including providing light to a side surface of said image conduit to enhance the display of said symbols.

18. A gaming system for conducting a wagering game, comprising:

a display device having images of symbols associated with said wagering game; and

an image conduit located in front of said display device and having a first end and a second end, said image conduit transmitting said images from said second end to said first end, said images of said symbols appearing at said first end such that a player perceives said symbols to be located at said first end of said image conduit.

19. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said first end has first and second surfaces that are at different distances from said display device.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein said symbols includes outcome-indicating symbols for indicating an outcome of said wagering game, said outcome-indicating symbols being on said first surface.

21. The gaming system of claim 20, wherein said symbols include informational symbols that are used for providing said player with information about said wagering game, said informational symbols being on said second surface.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein said informational symbols include at least one selected from the group consisting of a credit meter, a total-bet meter, a payline indication element, and a win meter.

23. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said video display and said image conduit are located within a game cabinet of a gaming machine.

24. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said symbols includes outcome-indicating symbols for indicating an outcome of said wagering game and informational symbols that are used for providing said player with information about said wagering game.

25. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said display device is a video display device for producing said images.

26. The gaming system of claim 18, wherein said display device is a physical object with symbol indicia on a surface thereof.

27. The gaming system of claim 26, wherein said physical object is a reel strip that moves relative to said image conduit.

28. The gaming system of claim 26, further including a lighting device for producing light transmitted to a side surface of said image conduit to illuminate said physical object