Gaming machine with action unit container

• US 7,300,350 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service Company Incorporated (Atlantic City Coin & Slot Service)
• Inventors: Seelig, Jerald C., Henshaw, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US10/663,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20050037830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 273/144.R, 273/145.R, 273/145.C, 273/145.CA, 273/144.A, 273/144.B, 273/269, 273/143.R, 273/138.2, 273/138.1, 463 17- 20, 463/22, 463/46
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

A gaming device is provided that may include a gaming device housing having a rotatable container coupled thereto. At least one moveable object is configured to move within the container. The moveable object comprises at least one moveable object symbol. A controller is provided that is in communication with at least one controller selectable object. The controller selectable object comprises at least one controller selectable object symbol that is substantially similar in appearance to the moveable object. The controller selectable object may be displayed to the player and provide an illusion to the player that the controller selectable object is the moveable object. A game display is also provided and may be in communication with the controller. The game display is configured to display a display symbol in at least one display position. A game outcome at least partially depends on the display position of the display symbol.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

(a) a gaming device housing;

(b) a moveable mechanical display device said movable mechanical display comprising a plurality of game symbols representing potential prizes coupled to the gaming device housing; and

(c) at least one controller in communication with the moveable mechanical display device, wherein the moveable mechanical display device is mechanically moveable in response to a signal from the controller when no active game is being played on the gaming device and wherein the moveable mechanical display device and the plurality of games symbols at all times do not indicate any particular prize.

2. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the moveable mechanical display device comprises a rotatable cage-type display container.

3. The gaming device of claim 2 wherein the rotatable cage-type display container is rotatable about a horizontal rotational axis.

4. The gaming device of claim 2 wherein the rotatable cage-type display container is substantially in shape of a cylinder.

5. The gaming device of claim 2 further comprising:

(a) at least one moveable object configured to be moved within the rotatable cage-type display container; and

(b) an actuating device in communication with the rotatable cage-type display container, the actuating device being configured to move the rotatable cage-type display container and cause the moveable object to be moved within the rotatable cage-type display container.

6. The gaming device of claim 5 wherein the rotatable cage-type display container further comprises at least one agitator configured to agitate the at least one moveable object.

7. The gaming device of claim 5 wherein the actuating device comprises a mechanical actuator in communication with the rotatable cage-type display container, the mechanical actuator configured to direct the actuating device to rotate the rotatable cage-type display container.

8. The gaming device of claim 7 wherein the mechanical actuator further comprises a clutch mechanism.

9. The gaming device of claim 7 wherein the rotatable cage-type display container comprises a flange, further comprising a belt in communication with the actuating device and the flange, wherein the actuating device will drive the belt, and the belt will drive the flange, causing the rotatable cage-type display container to rotate.

10. The gaming device of claim 1 wherein the moveable mechanical display device is configured to hold at least one moveable object wherein a person may view the moveable object in the moveable mechanical display device, further comprising at least one moveable object configured to be moved within the moveable mechanical display device and wherein the moveable object comprises at least one moveable object symbol.

11. The gaming device of claim 10 further comprising:

(a) an actuating device in communication with the moveable mechanical display device, the actuating device being configured to move the moveable mechanical display device and cause the moveable object to be moved within the moveable mechanical display device;

(b) at least one controller selectable object in communication with the controller, the controller selectable object being displayed to a player, the controller selectable object being substantially similar in appearance to the moveable object, whereby the controller selectable object being displayed to the player provides an illusion that the controller selectable object is the moveable object; and

(c) a game display in communication with the controller, the game display comprising a plurality of display positions, the game display being configured to display a display symbol in at least one display position, wherein a game outcome at least partially depends on the display position of the display symbol.

12. The gaming device of claim 11 wherein the game display comprises a representation of a bingo card.

13. The gaming device of claim 11 wherein the game display comprises a matrix of at least one cell formed in one or more rows and columns, each cell correlated to a display position, he controller being configured to select a controller selectable object and display a display symbol on the game display until either a row, a column, or a diagonal of the matrix is filled with display symbols.

14. The gaming device of claim 13 wherein a game winning event occurs when either a row, a column, or a diagonal of the matrix is filled with display symbols.

15. The gaming device of claim 11 wherein the moveable mechanical display device is manually moveable by the player.

16. The gaming device of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to select a plurality of controller selectable objects and display a plurality of display symbols on the game display, the arrangement of the display symbols on the game display determining the game outcome.

17. The gaming device of claim 11 further comprising controller recognizable indicia appearing on the controller selectable object.

18. The gaming device of claim 17 wherein the controller recognizable indicia comprise a symbol.

19. The gaming device of claim 18 wherein the symbol of the controller selectable object at least partially determines a bonus game outcome.

20. The gaming device of claim 18 wherein identity of the symbol determines in which display position the symbol is displayed.

21. The gaming device of claim 11 further comprising at least one controller selectable object holder configured to hold at least one controller selectable object in an individually controlled manner wherein the at least one controller selectable object held in the controller selectable object holder is hidden from view of the player.

22. The giming device of claim 21 wherein the at least one controller is configured to select a controller selectable object from the controller selectable object holder and display the controller selectable object to the player.

23. The gaming device of claim 10 wherein at least the moveable mechanical display device and the moveable object appear as video images.

24. The gaming device of claim 10 wherein the moveable mechanical display device is mounted in the gaming device housing such that at least of portion of the bottom of the moveable mechanical display device is hidden from the person'"'"'s view.

25. A gaming method comprising, but not necessarily in order shown:

(a) moving a moveable object within a moveable mechanical display where a person may view the moveable object; and

(b) moving the moveable mechanical display when no active game is being conducted on a gaming device wherein movement of the moveable mechanical display does not indicate a particular prize, and at all times said movable mechanical display and said movable object do not associate in any way with any particular prize.

26. The gaming method of claim 25 further comprising providing the moveable mechanical display in form of a rotatable cage-type display container.

27. The gaming method of claim 25 further comprising:

(a) producing a random game outcome;

(b) associating the random game outcome with at least one game outcome determining object by configuring the game outcome determining object to at least partially convey a game outcome to a player;

(c) providing an illusion to the player that the moveable object at least partially determines the game outcome by configuring the game outcome determining object to be substantially similar in appearance to the moveable object;

(d) selecting the game outcome determining object that conveys the random game outcome;

(e) displaying a display symbol on a game display having a plurality of display positions; and

(f) defining the game outcome according to the position of the display symbol displayed on the game display.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing the game display as a representation of a bingo card.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing the game display as a matrix of one or more cells formed in one or more rows and columns, and further comprising allowing a controller to select a game outcome determining object and displaying a corresponding symbol on the game display until either a row, a column, or a diagonal of the matrix is filled with display symbols.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising generating a game winning event when the game outcome comprises either a row, a column, or a diagonal of the matrix being filled with display symbols.

31. The method of claim 27 comprising selecting the display symbol from a group consisting of letters and numbers.

32. The method of claim 27 comprising providing the moveable mechanical display and the moveable object as video images.

33. The method of claim 27 further comprising allowing the player to manually move the moveable mechanical display.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising mechanically moving the moveable mechanical display in response to a signal from a controller.

35. The method of claim 27 further comprising rotating the moveable mechanical display about a horizontal rotational axis when a bonus game is played.

36. The method of claim 27 comprising providing the game outcome determining object as a symbol.

37. The method of claim 27 further comprising holding the game outcome determining object in an individually controlled manner in a game outcome determining object holder.

38. The gaming method of claim 37 further comprising selecting the game outcome determining object from the game outcome determining object holder and displaying the game outcome determining object to the player.

39. A gaming device comprising:

(a) a gaming device housing;

(b) at least one moveable object comprising at least one moveable object symbol;

(c) a moveable mechanical display device coupled to the gaming device housing wherein the moveable mechanical display device is configured to hold the at least one moveable object and wherein a person may view the moveable object in the moveable mechanical display device;

(d) at least one controller in communication with the moveable mechanical display device, wherein the moveable mechanical display device is mechanically moveable in response to a signal from the controller when no active game is being played on the gaming device;

(e) an actuating device in communication with the moveable mechanical display device, the actuating device being configured to move the moveable mechanical display device and cause the moveable object to be moved within the moveable mechanical display device and at all times said movable, mechanical display and said movable object do not associate in any way with any particular prize;

(f) at least one controller selectable object in communication with the controller, the controller selectable object being displayed to a player, the controller selectable object being substantially similar in appearance to the moveable object, whereby the controller selectable object being displayed to the player provides an illusion that the controller selectable object is the moveable object; and

(g) a game display in communication with the controller, the game display comprising a plurality of display positions, the game display being configured to display a display symbol in at least one display position, wherein a game outcome at least partially depends on the display position of the display symbol.

40. The gaming device of claim 39 wherein the game display means comprises a representation of a bingo card.

41. The gaming device of claim 39 wherein the game display means comprises a matrix of at least one cell formed in one or more rows and columns, each cell correlated to a display position, the selection means being configured to select a game outcome indicating means and a display symbol means on the game display means until either a row, a column or a diagonal of the matrix is filled with display symbol means.

42. The gaming device of claim 41 wherein a game winning event occurs when either a row, a column, or a diagonal of the matrix is filled with display symbol means.

43. The gaming device of claim 39 wherein the visual means and the outcome indicating means appear as video images.

44. The gaming device of claim 39 further comprising a means for providing a primary game whereby the gaming device is configured to provide a bonus game to a player.

45. The gaming device of claim 39 wherein the visual means comprise moveable object means within the cage-type containment means, wherein the moveable object means further comprise at least one symbol, the symbol configured to at least partially convey the game outcome.

46. The gaming device of claim 39 further comprising game outcome indicator holding means for holding at least one game outcome indicating means in an individually controlled manner wherein the game outcome indicating means held in the game outcome indicator holding means is hidden from view of the player.

47. The gaming device of claim 46 wherein the selection means selects the plurality of game outcome indicating means from the game outcome indicating means held in the game outcome indicator holding means.

48. A gaming method comprising, but not necessarily in order shown:

(a) moving a moveable object within a moveable mechanical display where a person may view the moveable object;

(b) moving the moveable mechanical display when no active game is being conducted on a gaming device wherein movement of the moveable mechanical display does not indicate a particular prize; and

at all times said movable mechanical display and said movable object do not associate in any way with any particular prize.

(c) producing a random game outcome;

(d) associating the random game outcome with at least one game outcome determining object by configuring the game outcome determining object to at least partially convey the game outcome to a player;

(e) providing an illusion to the player that the moveable object at least partially determines the game outcome by configuring the game outcome determining object to be substantially similar in appearance to the moveable object;

(f) selecting the game outcome determining object that conveys the random game outcome;

(g) displaying a display symbol on a game display having a plurality of display positions; and

(h) defining the game outcome according to the position of the display symbol displayed on the game display.

49. A gaming device comprising:

(a) visual means for providing visual stimulation to a person;

(b) cage-type containment means for holding the visual means where the person may view the visual means and wherein the cage-type containment means is rotatable;

(c) actuating means for rotating the cage-type containment means when no active game is being played on the gaming device; and

at all times said rotating cage-type containment means and said visual means do not associate in any way with any particular prize

(d) a plurality of game outcome indicating means configured to at least partially convey a game outcome, wherein the visual means is substantially similar in appearance to the game outcome indicating means providing an illusion that the visual means at least partially determines the game outcome;

(e) a selection means for randomly selecting a plurality of game outcome indicating means; and

(f) a game display means for displaying a plurality of display symbol means, the display symbol means displayed depending on identity of the selected game outcome indicating means, the game display means being in communication with the selection means, the game display means having a plurality of display positions, wherein the game outcome depends on alignment of the display symbol means displayed on the game display means.