GAMING SYSTEM HAVING MOVABLE DISPLAY DIVIDERS

• US 20100210354A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Burak, Gilbert J. Q., Rodriguez, Frank E., Loose, Timothy C., Pacey, Larry J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,323,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system comprises a wager input device, a display for displaying at least a portion of a wagering game, and a divider overlying the display and dividing the display into at least a first display region and a second display region. An actuator is coupled to the divider, the actuator for moving the divider relative to the display. The system includes a controller operative, in response to a triggering event, to cause the actuator to move the divider from a first position to a second position and thereby alter the size of at least the first display region.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a wager input device;

a display for displaying at least a portion of a wagering game;

a divider overlying the display and dividing the display into at least a first display region and a second display region;

an actuator coupled to the divider, the actuator for moving the divider relative to the display; and

a controller operative, in response to a triggering event, to cause the actuator to move the divider from a first position to a second position and thereby alter the size of at least the first display region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein as the divider moves from the first position to the second position, the relative sizes of the first and second display regions are altered such that the size of one of the first and second display regions increases and the size of the other of the first and second display regions decreases.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein an axis of the divider is generally perpendicular to a length of the display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator moves the divider in a linear fashion from the first position to the second position.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator moves the divider in an angular fashion from the first position to the second position.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for detecting a location of the divider as it moves between the first and second positions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operative to move the divider based upon the location detected by the at least one sensor.

8. A method of operating a wagering game comprising:

receiving a wager;

displaying a wagering game on a display;

dividing the display into a first display region and a second display region with a divider overlying the display; and

moving the divider from a first position to a second position to alter the size of at least the first display region.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein moving the divider from the first position to the second position causes the relative sizes of the first and second display regions to be altered such that the size of one of the first and second display regions increases and the size of the other of the first and second display regions decreases.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising sensing a location of the divider as it moves from the first position to the second position.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in response to the sensing, evaluating the location of the divider relative to the second position.

12. A gaming system comprising:

a wager input device;

a display for displaying at least a portion of a wagering game; and

a divider overlying the display and dividing the display into at least a first display region and a second display region, the divider being movable relative to the display from a first position to a second position to alter the size of at least the first display region.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an actuator, coupled to the divider, for moving the divider relative to the display from a first position to a second position.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a divider support, the divider support supporting the divider, wherein the actuator is coupled to the divider support.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises a drive motor and a drive shaft.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises one or more of an electric linear actuator, a linear motor, a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, an electric motor, an electric cylinder, and a magnetic actuator.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the driveshaft is coupled to at least one gear, the at least one gear engaging at least one drive track.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one drive track comprises a rack gear.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the drive shaft is connected to a divider support, the divider support supporting the divider.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the divider includes a viewing window therein, the viewing window comprising an area in the divider through which the primary display is visible.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the divider moves from the first position to the second position through one or more of rotation, translation, angular movement, linear movement, and curvilinear movement.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the divider includes a secondary display mounted thereon.

23. A method of operating a wagering game, comprising:

receiving a wager;

displaying a wagering game on a display, the wagering game comprising a plurality of display elements;

assigning a visual priority to each of the plurality of display elements;

detecting movement from a first position to a second position of a divider overlying the display; and

in response to the movement of the divider, altering the graphical display of at least one of the plurality of display elements based at least in part on the visual priorities assigned to each of the plurality of display elements.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein altering the graphical display comprises at least one of resizing, repositioning, rotating, and relocating the at least one of the plurality of display elements.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the movement of the divider is imparted by a player of the wagering game.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the divider comprises at least one electro-mechanical button.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the divider is transparent and wherein a portion of the display underlying the divider displays a label associated with a function of the at least one electro-mechanical button.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein in response to the movement of the divider, the label is relocated on the display to be in visual association with the at least one electro-mechanical button.