Gaming machine having a persistence-of-vision display

• US 7,708,640 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fiden, Daniel P., Burak, Gilbert J. Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/401,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20030176214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,595 Days
• Field of Search: 273/460, 463/20, 463/30, 463/31, 463/32, 463/47, 463/16, 463/33, 345/82, 345/31, 345/39, 345/108, 345/56, 446/242, 446/175, 404/44, 404/73, 404/31, 404/32, 385/116, 348/51, 348/36, 310/21, 250/234, 362/284, 362/184
• 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 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Abstract

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a controller for selecting a game outcome from a plurality of game outcomes and a persistence-of-vision display for displaying the game outcome. The wagering game may, for example, be slots, poker, keno, bingo, blackjack, or roulette, and may be a basic game or a bonus game. The POV display may, for example, be a 360 degree display or a display employing a rapidly moving structure such as a wand, a hoop, a fan, or a disc. A 360 degree display is shaped generally like a cylinder and displays the game outcome with 2D imagery that is generated by selectively illuminating LEDs spinning in a circular direction about a surface of the cylinder. A display employing a rapidly moving structure has disposed about the periphery of the structure a plurality of LEDs that are selectively illuminated as the structure is moved in a direction that is cyclical, orbital, horizontal, vertical, arced, circular, or rotational.

Claims

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

a controller for selecting a game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes responsive to said gaming machine receiving a wager on said wagering game; and

a cylindrical video display for generating 2D imagery that displays said game outcome, said video display being shaped generally like a cylinder and generating said 2D imagery by selectively illuminating a plurality of light sources spinning in a circular direction about a curved surface formed by points at a fixed distance from a central axis of said cylinder, said cylinder including opposing ends coupled to corresponding fixed supports in the gaming machine, the movement of said cylindrical video display and selective illumination of said light sources being controlled by said controller, said video display being positioned in said gaming machine such that said central axis of the cylinder is generally parallel to the ground surface on which said gaming machine is disposed, said 2D imagery including an array of reel symbols arranged relative to a plurality of reels that extend about said curved surface and are parallel to said opposing ends;

wherein while said light sources are spinning, the controller is programmed to cause said reels to appear to spin about said curved surface of said video display and to cause said reels to appear to stop and to represent said game outcome, creating a perception that said reels are physically spinning with said video display.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light sources include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said video display that permits said video display to be viewed from at least a front thereof and a back thereof.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, further comprising

a first set of inputs for a first player on a front side of said gaming machine at a first player station;

a second set of inputs for a second player on a back side of said gaming machine at a second player station, said video display being positioned such that said first player and said second player can view simultaneously imagery displayed on said front said and said back side, respectively;

a first secondary display positioned so as to be viewable by said first player, said first secondary display displaying help or game information, a basic game, or a bonus game; and

a second secondary display positioned so as to be viewable by said second player, said secondary display displaying help or game information, a basic game, or a bonus game.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein said first player station and said second player station are networked together to enable a two-player wagering game.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein said first player station and said second player station are operable independently of one another.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said video display has a resolution of at least 360 pixels by 300 pixels.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said wagering game includes slots.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said 2D imagery includes at least one payline.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, further comprising a secondary display for displaying help or game information, a basic game, or a bonus game, wherein said wagering game includes slots.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said gaming machine includes a first set of inputs for a first player and a second set of inputs for a second player, said imagery on said video display being divided into sections, a first section viewable by said first player and a second section viewable by said second player.

12. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving a wager on said wagering game;

selecting a game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes;

displaying said wagering game with 2D imagery generated by a cylindrical video display that is generally shaped like a cylinder by selectively illuminating a plurality of light sources spinning in a circular direction about a curved surface formed by points at a fixed distance from a central axis of said video display, said video display including opposing ends coupled to corresponding supports fixed in said gaming machine, said 2D imagery including an array of reel symbols arranged relative to a plurality of reels that are parallel to said opposing ends, wherein the spinning motion of said light sources creates the perception that the reel symbols are also spinning, wherein said displaying said wagering game includes displaying said game outcome by causing said reels to appear to stop while said video display continues to spin, creating a perception that said reels are physically spinning with said video display; and

positioning said video display relative to said gaming machine between said supports such that a central axis of the cylinder is generally parallel to the ground surface on which said gaming machine is disposed.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying said wagering game on a display;

coupling said display and said video display to a controller;

providing a first set of inputs for a first player on said front side of said gaming machine and a second set of inputs for a second player on said back side of said gaming machine, said video display being positioned such that said first player and said second player can view simultaneously imagery displayed on said front side and said back side, respectively.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said video display is viewable from at least a front thereof and a back thereof.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said video display has a resolution of at least 360 pixels by 300 pixels.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said wagering game includes slots.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein further comprising modifying the number of the plurality of reels and displaying the modified number of the plurality of reels on the video display.

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

a controller;

a persistence-of-vision (POV) display including a cylindrical body and a plurality of light sources spinning about a curved surface formed by points at a fixed distance from a central axis of said cylindrical body, said cylindrical body having opposing ends coupled to fixed supports in said gaming machine, said central axis being generally parallel to a ground surface on which said gaming machine is disposed; and

a secondary video display for displaying help or gaming information, a basic game, or a bonus game, wherein the controller is programmed to;

randomly select a game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes responsive to said gaming machine receiving a wager from a player to play said slots wagering game,

cause said light sources to spin about said central axis,

display on said POV display 2D imagery by selectively illuminating said plurality of light sources spinning about said curved surface, said 2D imagery including a plurality of reels that are parallel to said opposing ends, each of said reels including a plurality of reel symbols,

cause said reels to appear to spin about said curved surface, and

cause said reels to appear to stop and to display said game outcome, creating a perception that said reels are physically spinning with said POV display.

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

a controller for randomly selecting a game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes responsive to said gaming machine receiving a wager on said slots wagering game;

a cylindrical display having a central axis positioned in said gaming machine generally parallel to the ground surface on which said gaming machine is disposed, said cylindrical display having a pair of opposing ends and a curved surface;

a pair of supports between which said ends of said cylindrical display are coupled, said supports being fixed to said gaming machine; and

a plurality of light sources arranged about said curved surface of the cylindrical display, wherein the controller is programmed to;

cause said plurality of light sources to rotate about said central axis,

selectively illuminate said plurality of light sources as said plurality of light sources are rotating about said central axis to generate 2D imagery that includes a payline and an array of reel symbols arranged relative to a plurality of reels that are parallel to said opposing ends,

cause said reels to appear to spin about said curved surface of said cylindrical display as said cylindrical display is rotating by said selective illumination of said plurality of light sources, creating a visual perception that said reels are physically spinning with said rotating cylindrical display, and

cause said reels to appear to stop and to display said game outcome.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19, wherein said plurality of light sources include a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

21. The gaming machine of claim 20, further comprising a secondary display for displaying help or game information, a basic game, or a bonus game, said secondary display being positioned below said cylindrical display.

22. A method of conducting a slots wagering game on a gaming machine, comprising:

randomly selecting a game outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes responsive to said gaming machine receiving a wager on said slots wagering game;

rotating a plurality of light sources about a central axis of a cylindrical display, said cylindrical display being positioned in said gaming machine generally parallel to a ground surface on which said gaming machine is disposed, said cylindrical display having a pair of opposing ends and a curved surface about which said plurality of light sources are rotated, said opposing ends being coupled to corresponding ones of a pair of supports fixed to said gaming machine;

responsive to said rotating, selectively illuminating said plurality of light sources to generate 2D imagery that includes a payline and an array of reel symbols arranged relative to a plurality of reels that are parallel to said opposing ends;

causing said reels to appear to spin about said curved surface of said cylindrical display as said plurality of light sources is spinning by said selective illumination of said plurality of light sources, creating a visual perception that said reels are physically spinning with said rotating cylindrical display; and

causing said reels to appear to stop and to display said game outcome.