Gaming machine having interchangeable display content and methods

• US 8,517,829 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Reddy, Mettu R., Larsen, Joshua D., Patel, Pravinkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US12/103,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 31
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 13/00 Bagatelles or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• 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 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

Various embodiments disclosed herein are directed to methods, gaming machines, and gaming systems with multiple displays having interchangeable display content. According to one embodiment, a gaming machine includes a first display for presenting a primary game, a second display for presenting secondary display content to a player, and a player input device for receiving player input to configure content displayed on the first display and the second display such that the first display presents the secondary display content and the second display presents the primary game.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a first display that is reconfigurable to present a primary game content;

a second display that is reconfigurable to present a secondary display content to a player, wherein the first display and the second display are physically separate devices, and wherein the first and second displays are reconfigurable to swap the primary game content and the secondary display content at the same time in a single step; and

a player input device for receiving player input to swap the content displayed on the first display and the second display such that the first display presents the secondary display content and the second display presents the primary game content;

wherein an option is provided to the player subsequent to initiation of game play to save content as swapped or return to a default mode where the first display presents the primary game content and the second display presents the secondary display content.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the second display is positioned above the first display.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the player input device is a mechanical button, electromechanical button, momentary contact button, toggle switch, rocker switch, rotary dial switch, or a virtual button.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the virtual button is a touch-screen or touch-glass button that is located on the first display or the second display.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the secondary display content is a secondary game, game options, non-gaming information, hospitality services, promotional information, concierge services, tournament game information, tournament game, progressive information, or a progressive game.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a player tracking interface in communication with the game processor, wherein the player tracking interface is configured to save player preferences for configuring the first display and the second display onto a player tracking card.

7. A gaming machine, comprising:

a first display that is reconfigurable to present a primary game;

a second display that is reconfigurable to present a secondary game, wherein the first display and the second display are physically separate devices;

a game processor in communication with the first display and the second display, wherein the game processor causes the first display to present the secondary game and the second display to present the primary game in response to a trigger event based on player performance, a game outcome, a non-gaming transaction, or a game-generated response; and

a wireless receiver associated with the gaming machine for receiving data transmitted from a wireless peripheral device having a display for presenting content, wherein display content of the first or second display of one of the gaming machines is swappable with the display content of the wireless peripheral device at the same time in a single step, enabling the first or second display of the gaming machine to present the display content of the wireless peripheral device and the display of the wireless peripheral device to present the display content of the first or second display of the gaming machine;

wherein an option is provided to the player subsequent to initiation of game play to save content as swapped or return to a default mode where the first display presents the primary game content and the second display presents the secondary display content.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, further comprising a player tracking interface in communication with the game processor, wherein the player tracking interface is configured to save player preferences for configuring the first display and the second display to a player tracking card.

9. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the second display is positioned above the first display.

10. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the player input device is a mechanical button, electromechanical button, momentary contact button, toggle switch, rocker switch, rotary dial switch, or a virtual button.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the virtual button is a touch-screen or touch-glass button that is located on the first display or the second display.

12. A method for altering display content on a gaming machine, the method comprising:

providing a first display on the gaming machine that is reconfigurable to present a primary game;

providing a second display on the gaming machine that is reconfigurable to present a secondary game, wherein the first display and the second display are physically separate devices;

initiating a game on the first display of the gaming machine; and

automatically swapping display content on the first display with display content on the second display at the same time in a single step in response to a trigger event based on a game outcome of a game of chance, or a game-initiated response;

wherein an option is provided to the player subsequent to initiation of game play to save content as swapped or return to a default mode where the first display presents the primary game content and the second display presents the secondary display content.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the trigger event is a winning outcome of the game, tournament-triggering event, bonus-triggering event, system-generated message, or player input.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the trigger event is based on time of play, frequency of play, number of maximum wagers, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the display content on the second display is a secondary game, game options, non-gaming information, hospitality services, promotional information, concierge services, tournament game information, tournament game, progressive information, or a progressive game.

16. A method for altering display content on a gaming machine having a first display and a second display, the method comprising:

initiating a game on the first display of the gaming machine;

initiating secondary display content on the second display of the gaming machine, wherein the first display and the second display are physically separate devices;

presenting a player with an option to swap first display content on the first display with secondary display content on the second display at the same time;

receiving player input to swap first display content on the first display with secondary display content on the second display; and

swapping secondary display content on the first display and first display content on the second display at the same time in a single step; and

receiving data transmitted from a wireless peripheral device having a display for presenting content, wherein display content of the first or second display of the gaming machine is swappable with the display content of the wireless peripheral device;

wherein an option is provided to the player subsequent to initiation of game play to save content as swapped or return to a default mode where the first display presents the primary game content and the second display presents the secondary display content.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger event is a winning outcome of the game, tournament-triggering event, bonus-triggering event, system-generated message, or player input.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger event is based on time of play, frequency of play, number of maximum wagers, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the display content on the second display is a secondary game, game options, non-gaming information, hospitality services, promotional information, concierge services, tournament game information, tournament game, progressive information, or a progressive game.