Separable game graphics on a gaming machine

• US 8,210,922 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Williams, David C., Hedrick, Joseph R., Larsen, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rustemeyer, Malina K
• Application Number:
  US11/858,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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

Abstract

Described herein is a gaming machine with layered displays and separable graphics that leverage the layered displays to enhance game play on a gaming machine. The separable graphics include separate but related content on each of the display panels for a game. The layered displays include a proximate screen and distal video display device that provide actual physical separation between graphics items output by proximate and distal video display devices. This distance provides parallax, which improves three-dimensional perception of video graphics and games by the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A method of providing a game on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

displaying the game using a proximate video display device and a distal video display device arranged along a common line of sight, wherein the proximate video display device and the distal video display device are arranged to include a set distance between a display panel in the distal video display device and a display panel in the proximate video display device, the set distance being less than about 10 centimeters, an interstitial element disposed between the proximate and distal video display devices, the interstitial element partially obscuring one or more pixels, the interstitial element reducing the appearance of interference patterns associated with video data displayed on the proximate video display device and the distal video display device;

displaying first video data, on the proximate video display device, that includes a first video graphic for the game;

displaying second video data, on the distal video display device, that includes a second video graphic for the game;

displaying the game, which changes the first video graphic on the proximate video display device and changes the second video graphic on the distal video display device during the game;

displaying, in addition to the first video graphic and the second video graphic, a game play symbol for use in determining an outcome of the game on at least one of the distal video display device and the proximate video display device and causing the game play symbol to move from the distal video display device to the proximate video display device or from the proximate video display to the distal video display;

changing the size of the game play symbol as it transitions between the distal video display device and the proximate video display device; and

providing an outcome for the game wherein the position of the game play symbol on either the distal video display device or the proximate video display device at the end of the game can affect the outcome of the game.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting a planar portion of the distal video display device, which overlaps a planar position of the first video graphic on the proximate video display device, to transparent.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting a planar portion of the proximate video display device, which overlaps a planar position of the second video graphic on the distal video display device, to transparent.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the game includes a reel game that displays multiple video reels, where each video reel includes multiple video symbols on a video reel strip, and the method further comprises displaying video data that simulates the movement of the multiple video symbols on each video reel during game play.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second video graphic includes a video reel and the first video graphic includes a symbol for the video reel.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first video graphic includes a first video reel and the second video graphic includes a second video reel.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first video graphic remains on the proximate video display device during the duration of the game and the second video graphic remains on the distal video display device during the duration of the game.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first video graphic and the second video graphic provide parallax for a viewer near the gaming machine.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the second video graphic from the distal video display device to the proximate video display device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising moving the second video graphic in the proximate video display device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising returning the second video graphic back to the distal video display device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising animating the second video graphic.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first video graphic is displayed on the proximate video display device during a winning event for the game.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first video graphic is displayed during a bonus game.

15. The method of claim 1, further including moving the game play symbol laterally on either the distal video display device or the proximate video display device.

16. The method of claim 1, further including displaying the game play symbol simultaneously on the distal video display device and the proximate video display device.

23. The method of claim 9, further comprising moving the first video graphic from the proximate video display device to the distal video display device.

17. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and, when executed, operable to provide a game on a gaming machine, the logic including:

instructions for displaying the game using a proximate video display device and a distal video display device arranged along a common line of sight, wherein the proximate video display device and the distal video display device are arranged to include a set distance between a display panel in the distal video display device and a display panel in the proximate video display device, the set distance being less than about 10 centimeters, an interstitial element disposed between the proximate and distal video display devices, the interstitial element partially obscuring one or more pixels, the interstitial element reducing the appearance of interference patterns associated with video data displayed on the proximate video display device and the distal video display device;

instructions for displaying first video data, on the proximate video display device, that includes a first video graphic for the game;

instructions for displaying second video data, on the distal video display device, that includes a second video graphic for the game;

instructions for displaying the game, which changes the first video graphic on the proximate video display device and changes the second video graphic on the distal video display device during the game;

instructions for displaying, in addition to the first video graphic and the second video graphic, a game play symbol for use in determining an outcome of the game on at least one of the distal video display device and the proximate video display device and causing the game play symbol to move from the distal video display device to the proximate video display device or from the proximate video display to the distal video display;

instructions for changing the size of the game play symbol as it transitions between the distal video display device and the proximate video display device; and

instructions for providing an outcome for the game wherein the position of the game play symbol on either the distal video display device or the proximate video display device at the end of the game can affect the outcome of the game.

24. The logic of claim 17, further comprising instructions for moving the second video graphic from the distal video display device to the proximate video display device or for moving the first video graphic from the proximate video display device to the distal video display device.

18. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior region of the gaming machine, the cabinet adapted to house a plurality of gaming machine components within or about the interior region;

a proximate video display device, disposed within or about the interior region, configured to output a visual image in response to a control signal;

a distal video display device arranged inside the interior region relative to the proximate video display device, where a common line of sight passes through the proximate video display device to the distal video display device, wherein the proximate video display device and the distal video display device are arranged to include a set distance between a display panel in the distal video display device and a display panel in the proximate video display device, the set distance being less than about 10 centimeters;

an interstitial element disposed between the proximate and distal video display devices, the interstitial element partially obscuring one or more pixels, the interstitial element reducing the appearance of interference patterns associated with video data displayed on the proximate video display device and the distal video display device; and

at least one processor configured to execute instructions, from memory, that

a) display first video data, on the proximate video display device, that includes a first video graphic for a game,

b) display second video data, on the distal video display device, that includes a second video graphic for the game,

c) display the game, which changes the first video graphic on the proximate video display device and changes the second video graphic on the distal video display device during the game,

d) display, in addition to the first video graphic and the second video graphic, a game play symbol for use in determining an outcome of the game on at least one of the distal video display device and the proximate video display device and cause the game play symbol to move from the distal video display device to the proximate video display device or from the proximate video display to the distal video display wherein the position of the game play symbol on either the distal video display device or the proximate video display device at the end of the game can affect the outcome of the game, and

e) cause the game play symbol to change in size as it transitions between the distal video display device and the proximate video display device.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the display panel for the proximate video display device and the display panel for the distal video display device are about parallel.

20. The gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the first video graphic remains on the proximate video display device during the duration of the game and the second video graphic remains on the distal video display device during the duration of the game.

21. The gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the second video graphic begins on the distal video display device and moves to the proximate video display device.

22. The gaming machine of claim 18 wherein the first video graphic and the second video graphic provide parallax for a viewer near the gaming machine.

25. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein the first video graphic begins on the proximate video display device and moves to the distal video display device.

26. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the game play symbol to move laterally on either the distal video display device or the proximate video display device.

27. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the game play symbol to be displayed simultaneously on the distal video display device and the proximate video display device.