Curved surface display for a gaming machine

• US 7,166,029 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Enzminger, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/985,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 result presentation arrangement for a slot machine includes a display having a display surface forming generally at least a portion of a curved shape. A processor is coupled to communicate with the display to cause the display to produce or display one or more indicia and to control movement or animation of the indicia. One or more curved displays may be mounted on a spinnable reel, or one or more curved displays may be supported in a stationary position and controlled to simulate one or more spinning reels.

Claims

1. A graphic presentation arrangement for a gaming machine, the graphic presentation arrangement including:

(a) a display device forming a portion of a substantially cylindrical shape, the display device being supported by a support structure that is mounted for rotation on the gaming machine; and

(b) a communication link for carrying signals in a wireless fashion between the support structure and a stationary device located off of the support structure, the signals being associated with causing the display device to produce a graphic image.

2. The graphic presentation arrangement of claim 1 further including a graphics processor mounted on the support structure, the graphics processor for producing an output causing the display device to produce the graphic image.

3. The graphic presentation arrangement of claim 1 further including a graphics processor mounted on the gaming machine separate from the support structure, the graphics processor for producing an output causing the display device to produce the graphic image.

4. The graphic presentation arrangement of claim 1 wherein the display device includes a flexible liquid crystal display.

5. An apparatus including:

(a) a display device forming at least a portion of a graphic presentation arrangement for presenting a gaming result to a player, the display device forming a portion of a substantially cylindrical shape and being mounted on a support structure that is rotatable with respect to a separate portion of the apparatus; and

(b) a communication link for carrying signals in a wireless fashion between the support structure and the separate portion of the apparatus, the signals being associated with causing the display device to produce a graphic image.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further including at least one additional display device forming another portion of the graphic presentation arrangement for presenting the gaming result to the player, the display device and the at least one additional display device being located on the same support structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further including at least one additional display device forming another portion of the graphic presentation arrangement for presenting the gaming result to the player, the at least one additional display device being located on an additional support structure that is rotatable with respect to the separate portion of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the display device encompasses multiple indicia locations on the support structure.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the display device encompasses an entire peripheral surface of the support structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the display device includes a flexible liquid crystal display.

11. A method including:

(a) rotating a first structure with respect to a gaming machine cabinet, the first structure having a first display device mounted thereon;

(b) carrying signals in a wireless fashion between the first structure and a stationary device located off of the first structure; and

(c) driving the first display device with a first display device input to display at least one indicia, the first display device input being based on the signals carried in the wireless fashion between the first structure and the stationary device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein driving the first display device further includes displaying moving indicia with the first display device.

13. The method of claim 11 further including driving the first display device to display two or more separate indicia, each separate indicia being located at a different respective indicia location on the first structure.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first structure includes a number of different indicia locations about the periphery of the first structure and further including driving the first display device to display a respective indicia at each indicia location.

15. The method of claim 11 further including:

(a) rotating a second structure with respect to the gaming machine cabinet, the second structure having a second display device mounted thereon;

(b) carrying signals in a wireless fashion between the second structure and the stationary device; and

(c) driving the second display device with a second display device input to display at least one indicia, the second display device input being based on the signals carried in the wireless fashion between the second structure and the stationary device.

16. The method of claim 11 further including:

(a) rotating a third structure with respect to the gaming machine cabinet, the third structure having a third display device mourned thereon;

(b) carrying signals in a wireless fashion between the third

structure and the stationary device; and

(c) driving the third display device with a third display device input to display at least one indicia, the third display device input being based on the signals carried in the wireless fashion between the third structure and the stationary device.