Gaming machine with superimposed display image

• US 7,971,879 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Loose, Timothy C., Rothschild, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendiratta; Vishu K.
• Application Number:
  US12/405,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138.1, 273/275, 273/143, 463/20, 463/30, 463/34, 463/43
• US Class Current: 273/138.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A spinning reel slot machine comprises a plurality of mechanical rotatable reels and a video display. In response to a wager, the reels are rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area. The video display provides a video image superimposed upon the reels. The video image may be interactive with the reels and include such graphics as payout values, a pay table, pay lines, bonus game features, special effects, thematic scenery, and instructional information.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, the wagering game having a pay table that includes winning symbol combinations and awards associated with the winning symbol combinations, the gaming machine comprising:

a first image associated with the wagering game, the first image including an array of symbols;

a second image overlaying the first image during the wagering game, the second image being a video image, the video image being spatially separated from the first image, the first image being at least partially visible through the video image, the video image being adapted to interact with the first image; and

wherein in response to a winning symbol combination being aligned along a winning pay line, the video image including both (i) highlighted indicia along a winning pay line along which the winning symbol combination is aligned, and (ii) pay-table indicia related to a portion of the pay table to inform the player of the award amount associated with the winning symbol combination, the pay-table indicia being adjacent to the winning pay line.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the video image further includes special effects for highlighting the symbols within the winning symbol combination.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the special effects include a block image appearing around each symbol of the winning symbol combination.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the block images are flashing.

5. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the special effects include animated explosions.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the pay-table indicia is flashing.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the pay-table portion is the award value.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image is defined by a plurality of rotatable mechanical reels.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the video image is produced by a transmissive video display.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the transmissive video display displays a plurality of pay lines, the winning pay line being one of the plurality of pay lines.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the video image is a virtual image.

12. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, the wagering game having a pay table that includes winning symbol combinations and awards associated with the winning symbol combinations, the gaming machine comprising:

a first image associated with the wagering game, the first image including an array of symbols for indicating a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

a second image overlaying the first image during the wagering game, the second image being a video image, the video image being spatially separated from the first image, the first image being at least partially visible through the video image, the video image being adapted to interact with the first image; and

wherein in response to the randomly selected outcome including a winning symbol combination aligned along a winning pay line, the video image indicating the winning pay line along which the winning symbol combination is aligned and displaying a portion of the pay table, the displayed portion of the pay table including the symbols of the winning symbol combination and the award associated with the winning symbol combination.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, further including a touchscreen enabling a player to select player-selectable indicia.

14. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the video image further includes special effects for highlighting the symbols within the winning symbol combination.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the special effects include a block image appearing around each symbol of the winning symbol combination.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein the block images are flashing.

17. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the special effects include animated explosions.

18. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the displayed award on the video image is flashing.

19. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the second image is provided by a transmissive video display.

20. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the first image is defined by a plurality of mechanical rotatable reels that are rotated and stopped to provide the array of symbols.

21. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, the wagering game having a pay table that includes winning symbol combinations and awards associated with the winning symbol combinations, the gaming machine comprising:

a first image associated with the wagering game, the first image including an array of symbols for indicating a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

a second image overlaying the first image during the wagering game, the second image being a video image, the video image being spatially separated from the first image, the first image being at least partially visible through the video image, the video image being adapted to interact with the first image; and

wherein in response to the randomly selected outcome including a winning symbol combination aligned along a winning pay line, the video image emphasizing the winning symbol combination along the winning pay line and including award-amount indicia associated with the winning symbol combination, the award-amount indicia being adjacent to the winning pay line.

22. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein the video image further includes special effects for emphasizing the symbols within the winning symbol combination.

23. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the special effects include a block image appearing around each symbol of the winning symbol combination.

24. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the block images are flashing.

25. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the special effects include animated explosions.

26. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein the award-amount indicia on the video image is flashing.

27. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein the second image is provided by a transmissive video display.

28. The gaming machine of claim 27, further including a touchscreen adjacent to and overlying the transmissive video display, the touchscreen enabling a player to select player-selectable indicia.

29. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein the first image is defined by a plurality of mechanical rotatable reels that are rotated and stopped to provide the array of symbols.