Programmable computer controlled external visual candle and bezel indicators for a gaming machine

• US 7,442,125 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Paulsen, Craig A., Crozier, Paul M., Harkins, Lisa G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pierce; Damon
• Application Number:
  US10/435,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20040053663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 37, 463/20, 404/52, 404/53, 362/800
• 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 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

An improved external visual indicator, such as a candle or a visual display panel provided for a gaming machine having lights such as LEDs which are programmable via a processor of the gaming machine. The reprogrammability of the illumination sequence and colors of the candle or visual display panel may provide for the promotion of bonusing and to aid in the servicing of gaming machines. Any assortment of colors of LEDs and combinations thereof may be provided and programmed via the processor of the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a user input panel;

a processor coupled to the input panel and adapted to be programmed in response to an input operation by a user;

a candle mounted to the gaming machine configured to emit a plurality of different colors of light according to instructions from the processor;

a player tracking panel having an illuminated bezel, the bezel configured to emit a plurality of different colors of light according to instructions from the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to cause the candle and the bezel to simultaneously emit the same plurality of different colors of light.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein:

the candle comprises a cylindrically shaped electronic candle mounted on a top surface of the gaming machine and the player tracking panel includes a display panel having a bezel located on a front face of the gaming machine.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the candle includes multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected to the processor.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3 wherein the processor is a gaming machine processor.

5. The gaming machine of claim 3 wherein the processor is a player tracking television panel processor.

6. The gaming machine of claim 3 wherein the processor is a processor of the gaming machine and the player tracking television panel.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the input panel provides a method of programming the colors of light emitted by the candle and the bezel using existing input switches or devices on the front of the game machine.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1 further comprising a pulse width modulator connected to the processor and a current driver connected to the pulse width modulator and connected to said candle having multiple light emitting diodes.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the candle and the bezel includes at least two stages and each stage having at least one of the multiple light emitting diodes mounted therein.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9 wherein the processor provides for the ability to provide a strobing effect of the light emitting diodes.

11. The gaming machine of claim 9 wherein the light emitting diodes provide for the colors red, green and blue.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11 wherein the processor provides for the ability to produce colors other than the primary colors by mixing the colors of the light emitting diodes.

13. The gaming machine of claim 11 wherein at least one of the light emitting diodes is a multiple color light emitting diode.

14. The gaming machine of claim 8 further comprising an input/output interface connected to the processor.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14 further comprising a coding and buffer system connected to the input/output interface.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15 further comprising a direct current power supply connected to the current driver.

17. The gaming machine of claim 16 wherein a user may access the user input panel to choose a combination of lights and colors to be displayed so that an electrical signal is sent to the processor which signals the input/output interface which signals the coding and buffer system which signals the pulse width modulator in order to control the current driver in order to control the light emitting diodes according to the combination chosen by the user.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17 wherein the processor includes all other components and functions in order to operate the gaming machine and provides for a main processor.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the pulse width modulator is connected to the main processor via a secondary stand-alone board.

20. The gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the processor is a secondary processor which is separate from the main processor that operates the primary functions of the gaming machine.

21. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the player tracking panel includes a player tracking television panel having an illuminated bezel.

22. A method of promoting the use of gaming machines via the use of computer programmed external visual indicators, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a gaming machine having a programmable external visual indicator and a player tracking panel having a display panel each connected to a processor of the gaming machine;

coordinating the external visual indicator and the display panel with a first special event of the gaming machine, the external visual indicator including at least one light source mounted in the visual indicator and adapted to emit a plurality of colors of light;

programming the processor so that a first customized illumination pattern, including at least one of the colors of light, is provided by the external visual indicator and the display panel in order to designate the first special event; and

automatically triggering the first customized illumination pattern of the external visual indicator and the display panel simultaneously upon the occurrence of the first special event.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the external visual indicator is an electronic candle and the display panel is a bezel.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the first special event is a bonus round.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the first special event is a jackpot.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the first special event is the requirement to service the gaming machine.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a strobing effect.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of lights to provide a yellow illumination.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide a purple illumination.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide a green illumination.

31. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide an orange illumination.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide an indigo illumination.

33. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern provides any selected color of light by combining red, green and blue colored light emitting diodes.

34. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide a violet illumination.

35. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide a first stage of a candle having a first color of light and a second stage of the candle having a second color of light and a first stage of a bezel having a first color of light and a second stage of the bezel having a second color of light.

36. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide a first stage of a candle or a bezel having a first color of light, a second stage of the candle or the bezel having a second color of light and a third stage of the candle having a third color of light.

37. The method of claim 22 wherein the first customized illumination pattern includes a combination of the colors of light to provide a first stage of a candle or a bezel having a first color of light, a second stage of the candle or the bezel having a second color of light, a third stage of the candle or the bezel having a third color of light and a fourth stage of the candle or the bezel having a fourth color of light.

38. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of programming the processor so that a second customized illumination pattern including at least one of the colors of light is provided.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising the steps of programming the processor so that a second special event triggers the second customized illumination pattern.

40. The method of claim 22 wherein light source of the programmable external visual indicator comprises multiple light emitting diodes mounted within a cylindrically shaped electronic candle and within a bezel mounted on a front face of the gaming machine.

41. The method of claim 22 wherein the programmable external visual indicator comprises a cylindrically shaped electronic candle and a bezel, each having at least two stages and each stage having a light source including multiple light emitting diodes mounted therein consisting of arrays of a red, green or blue light emitting diode.

42. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of programming the processor further includes the steps of providing a user input panel, choosing a combination of the colors of light to be displayed, sending an electrical signal to the processor, signaling an input/output interface, signaling a coding and buffer system, signaling a pulse width modulator in order to control a current driver in order to control the light emitting diodes according to the combination chosen by the user.

43. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of automatically triggering the first customized illumination pattern occurs via sending an electrical signal to the processor, signaling an input/output interface, signaling a coding and buffer system, signaling a pulse width modulator in order to control a current driver in order to control the light emitting diodes according to the combination chosen by the user.

44. The method of claim 22 wherein the display panel is a colored bezel.

45. An improved electronic candle mounted on a gaming machine is provided comprising:

a gaming machine having a signal processor coupled to a modulator,

a current driver coupled to the modulator and the candle, the candle including a light source adapted to emit a plurality of colors of light;

a player tracking panel having a display panel coupled to the modulator, the display panel configured to illuminate a plurality of colors of light; and

a user input panel provided by the gaming machine connected to the processor by which a first illumination pattern, including at least one of the plurality of colors of light, may be selected,

wherein the user may indicate a first special event to trigger the first illumination pattern to simultaneously appear on the display panel and the candle.

46. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the user input panel provides for the selection of a second illumination pattern including at least one of the colors of light and a second special event.

47. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the candle and the display panel each include three stages having multiple light emitting diodes per stage.

48. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the candle and the display panel is controlled via a network or computer system that controls the candle and the display panel in a bonusing or a progressive jackpot situations.

49. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the candle includes a conical parabolic reflector mounted to a printed circuit board having light emitting diodes mounted thereon that reflect light off of said reflector and out of the candle.

50. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the candle includes multiple translucent rods mounted within the candle corresponding to light emitting diodes mounted therein in order to illuminate the rods.

51. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the candle includes translucent disks mounted within the candle adjacent to corresponding light emitting diodes in order to illuminate the disks.

52. The gaming machine of claim 45 wherein the display panel is a colored bezel mounted to a player tracking television panel.