Gaming machine having a display and speaker system with light piping material

• US 9,039,529 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanning, Brian K., Wudtke, Karl E., Bernard, Vernon H. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/019,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20140038693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 31- 34, 345/82
• US Class Current: 463/34
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Gaming machines having video depictions of one or more mechanical reels displayed onto a curved display are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the gaming machine includes a curved transparent material having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a radius of curvature similar to a mechanical reel. The gaming machine also includes a display system for displaying video images of one or more reels onto the inner surface of the curved transparent material. The gaming machine also includes a light piping material positioned in front of the curved transparent material for illumination of the display. The gaming machine may further include light piping material placed in front of speakers associated with the gaming machine for illumination of the speakers. The illumination of the display or speakers may be synchronized with sound.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a curved transparent material having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a radius of curvature similar to a mechanical reel;

one or more processors that execute a game and generate displayable game information;

a flat transparent material positioned around the perimeter of the curved transparent material, the flat transparent material presenting, via at least one of the one or more processors, game information;

a display system for displaying, via at least one of the one or more processors, a game through the curved transparent material, and wherein the display system also displays, via at least one of the one or more processors, game information onto the flat transparent material; and

a light piping material positioned in front of the curved transparent material, wherein the light piping material has one or more grooves that glow when illuminated.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen positioned in front of the curved transparent material, the touch screen producing touch data when activated.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the touch screen is in communication with a touch screen system including a touch panel controller for controlling and interpreting touch data and touch panel software for controlling and interpreting touch data.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen directly coupled to the outer surface of the curved transparent material and the flat transparent material.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the touch screen is in communication with a touch screen system including a touch panel controller for controlling and interpreting touch data and touch panel software for controlling and interpreting touch data.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a secondary display positioned above the curved display, wherein the display system displays one or more images onto the secondary display.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a speaker assembly having one or more speakers that are illuminated.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the one or more speakers are illuminated via light refracted through light piping material positioned in front of the one or more speakers.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein one or more light sources are illuminated according to one or more lighting schemes.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the one or more lighting schemes are based on player input, game outcome, audio associated with the gaming device, a color associated with a tray or a belly door of the gaming machine, game denomination, credits available, a countdown sequence, game information, a primary game, a secondary game, a triggering event, volatility, or any combination thereof.

11. A self-contained display system for a gaming machine, the self-contained display system comprising:

one or more processors that execute a game and generate displayable game information;

a piece of curved material approximating a radius of curvature similar to a mechanical reel, the curved material being transparent and having an outer surface and an inner surface;

a display system for displaying, via at least one of the one or more processors, images of one or more reels on the curved material;

one or more mirrors positioned between the piece of curved material and the display system, the mirrors reflecting the image of the one or more reels on the curved material; and

a light piping material having one or more segments positioned in front of the curved transparent material, wherein the light piping material has one or more grooves that glow when illuminated.

12. The display system of claim 11, further comprising a video display screen having an opening, wherein the curved material extends through the opening of the video display screen.

13. The display system of claim 11, further comprising a touch screen associated with the curved transparent material, the touch screen producing touch data when activated.

14. The display system of claim 13, wherein the touch screen is in communication with a touch screen system including a touch panel controller for controlling and interpreting touch data, and touch panel software for controlling and interpreting touch data.

15. The display system of claim 11, further comprising a speaker assembly having one or more speakers that are illuminated.

16. The display system of claim 15, wherein the one or more speakers are illuminated via light refracted through light piping material positioned in front of the one or more speakers.

17. The display system of claim 11, wherein one or more light sources are illuminated according to one or more light schemes.

18. The display system of claim 17, wherein the one or more lighting schemes are based on player input, game outcome, audio associated with the gaming device, a color associated with a tray or a belly door of the gaming machine, game denomination, credits available, a countdown sequence, game information, a primary game, a secondary game, a triggering event, volatility, or any combination thereof.

19. A display system for a gaming machine, the display system comprising:

a transparent material having an outer surface and an inner surface;

a light piping material having an outer surface, an inner surface, one or more grooves that glow when illuminated, and one or more windows, wherein the light piping material is positioned behind the transparent material;

a reflective material permanently or removably fixed to one or more surfaces or edges of the light piping material;

one or more processors that execute a game and generate displayable game information;

one or more displays positioned adjacent to the light piping material; and

a game of chance or skill displayed, via at least one of the one or more processors, through the transparent material and the light piping material.

20. The display system of claim 19, further comprising a touch screen positioned in front of the transparent material, the touch screen producing touch data when activated.

21. The display system of claim 20, wherein the touch screen is in communication with a touch screen system including a touch panel controller for controlling and interpreting touch data, and touch panel software for controlling and interpreting touch data.

22. The display system of claim 19, further comprising a touch screen directly coupled to the outer surface of the transparent material.

23. The display system of claim 22, wherein the touch screen is in communication with a touch screen system including a touch panel controller for controlling and interpreting touch data, and touch panel software for controlling and interpreting touch data.

24. The display system of claim 19, wherein the reflective material is reflective tape.

25. The display system of claim 19, wherein the light piping material has a first segment associated with at least one light source that emits a different color than a second light source and a second segment associated with the second light source, wherein the reflective material is permanently or removably fixed to one or more edges of the first or second segment to prevent light from bleeding over from the first segment to the second segment or from the second segment to the first segment.

26. The display system of claim 19, wherein the one or more windows are void space.

27. The display system of claim 19, further comprising a speaker assembly having one or more speakers that are illuminated.

28. The display system of claim 27, wherein the one or more speakers are illuminated via light refracted through light piping material positioned in front of the one or more speakers.

29. The display system of claim 19, wherein one or more light sources are illuminated according to one or more light schemes.

30. The display system of claim 29, wherein the one or more lighting schemes are based on player input, game outcome, audio associated with the gaming device, a color associated with a tray or a belly door of the gaming machine, game denomination, credits available, a countdown sequence, game information, a primary game, a secondary game, a triggering event, volatility, or any combination thereof.

31. A speaker system for a gaming machine that presents a game of skill or chance, the speaker system comprising:

a housing;

one or more speakers disposed within the housing;

a light piping material positioned in front of the one or more speakers, wherein the light piping material has one or more grooves that glow when illuminated;

a reflective material permanently or removably fixed to one or more surfaces or edges of the light piping material;

a circuit for controlling the one or more displays, the circuit including one or more processors that execute a game and generate displayable game information; and

one or more displays positioned adjacent to the light piping material or in one or more grooves of the light piping material such that light emitted from the one or more displays during game play, via at least one of the one or more processors, is refracted through the light piping material onto the one or more speakers.

32. The speaker system of claim 31, wherein the circuit is positioned in front of the light piping material.

33. The speaker system of claim 31, wherein the circuit is a flexible circuit.

34. The speaker system of claim 31, wherein the circuit includes an audio synchronized driver for synchronizing the one or more displays with audio associated with the gaming machine.

35. The speaker system of claim 31, wherein the one or more displays are illuminated according to one or more light schemes.