Wagering game with simulated mechanical reels having an overlying image display

• US 9,064,372 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, James M., Durham, Timothy J., Gagner, Mark B., Thomas, Alfred, Arezina, Vladimir I., Canterbury, Stephen A., Mercado, Victor, Ralston, Samuel D., Fitzsimons, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Kang
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, THOMAS HAYNES
• Application Number:
  US11/937,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,783 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 353/30, 353/79, 353/74, 353/82, 353/89, 353/121, 353441-461, 345/1.1, 345173-178, 345/905, 345/32, 345/40, 348/744, 348/750, 348756-761, 348/766, 349/5, 349/8, 349/15
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a housing having a display region. A first image display device for simulating mechanical reels of a slot machine in the display region includes a curved surface that approximates the radius of curvature of a mechanical reel. The curved surface displays first video images that include a plurality of symbols indicating a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game. A second image display device displays second video images spatially separated from and overlaying the first video images within the display region. The second video images include indicia related to the wagering game.

Claims

1. A gaming terminal for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a housing having a display region;

a curved display surface located in the display region and approximating a radius of curvature of a mechanical reel;

a flat display surface located in the display region, the flat display surface spatially offset from and overlaying at least a portion of the curved display surface; and

a video projection device spatially separated from the curved display surface and the flat display surface, the video projection device configured to project through air first video images of a simulated reel onto the curved display surface, the video projection device further configured to project through air second video images onto the flat display surface, the first video images including a plurality of symbols indicating at least a portion of a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game and the second video images including indicia related to the wagering game,

wherein the video projection device is configured to project the first video images and the second video images along a projection path, the curved display surface and the flat display surface being located along the projection path.

2. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the second video images are superimposed on the curved display surface.

3. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first video images and the second video images is selectively controlled by a controller coupled to a server-based gaming network.

4. The gaming terminal of claim 3, wherein executable code for producing the at least one of the first video images and the second video images is downloadable from the server-based gaming network.

5. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the first video images are at least partially visible through the second video images when the second video images are being projected onto the flat display surface.

6. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the second video images include player-selectable elements.

7. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the flat display surface includes a front glass of the display region.

8. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the flat display surface comprises a semi-transparent display surface.

9. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the curved display surface is fixed.

10. The gaming terminal of claim 1, wherein the curved display surface is a reel that rotates.

11. A gaming machine for playing a slots game, comprising:

a housing having a display region;

a curved surface located within the display region, the curved surface configured to portray a first set of moving video images including a plurality of symbols that indicate a randomly selected outcome of the slots game, the curved surface and the first set of moving video images simulating a mechanical reel within the display region;

a flat surface located within the display region, the flat surface spatially offset from and at least partially overlaying the curved surface, the flat surface configured to portray a second set of video indicia related to the slots game; and

a video display device for projecting through air the first set of moving video images onto the curved surface and the second set of video images onto the flat surface, the video display device being spatially separated from the curved surface and the flat surface,

wherein the video display device is configured to project the first set of moving video images and the second set of video images along a projection path, the curved surface and the flat surface being located along the projection path.

12. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the second set of video images are superimposed on the curved surface.

13. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the curved surface is part of a rotatable reel that portrays the first set of moving video images.

14. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the first set of moving video images are at least partially visible through the second set of video images when the second set of video images are being projected onto the flat surface.

15. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the second set of video images include player-selectable elements.

16. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the flat surface comprises a semi-transparent display surface.

17. The gaming machine of claim 11, wherein the curved surface is fixed.

18. A method of operating a wagering game having simulated mechanical reels, comprising:

receiving a wager to play the wagering game;

projecting a first set of video images onto a curved display surface, the first set of video images simulating the movement of symbols on a mechanical reel; and

projecting a second set of video images on a flat display surface that is spatially offset from and at least partially overlaying the curved display surface,

wherein the first set of video images and the second set of video images are projected through air via a common video display device spatially separated from the curved display surface and the flat display surface, and wherein the first set of video images and the second set of video images are projected along a projection path, the curved display surface and the flat display surface being located along the projection path.

19. A gaming system comprising:

a credit detector configured to detect a wager to play a wagering game;

one or more display areas configured to display a randomly selected outcome for the wagering game, at least one of the one or more display areas including both a curved display surface and a flat display surface, the flat display surface being spatially offset from and at least partially covering the curved display surface;

a video display device spatially separated from the curved display surface and the flat display surface; and

a controller operative to implement the following acts, including;

projecting through air, via the video display device, a first set of moving video images onto the curved display surface, the first set of moving video images simulating the movement of symbols on a mechanical reel; and

projecting through air, via the video display device, a second set of video images onto the flat display surface, the second set of video images including indicia related to the wagering game,

wherein the video display device is configured to project the first set of moving video images and the second set of video images along a projection path, the curved display surface and the flat display surface being located along the projection path.