Multiple video display gaming machine and gaming system

• US 20040229693A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Lind, Jefferson C., Lind, Clifton
• Application Number:
  US10/624,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20040229693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a cabinet having a game video display mounted on a front side of the cabinet. The gaming machine also includes at least one more additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet either above or below the game video display. A player control device is also mounted on the front side of the cabinet. This player control device may be separate from the video displays or may be integrated with one or more of the video displays in the form of a touch screen portion of one or more of the video displays. The player control device may include a separate touch screen display mounted on a ledge projecting forwardly from the front side of the gaming machine cabinet.

Claims

1. A gaming machine including:

(a) a cabinet;

(b) a game video display mounted on a front side of the cabinet;

(c) a first additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet above the game video display, the first additional video display making up substantially the entire area of the front side of the gaming machine above the game video display;

(d) a player control device mounted on the front side of the cabinet, the player control device being separate from the game video display or first additional video display or being or integrated with the game video display; and

(e) a second additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet below the game video display and player control device, the second additional video display extending substantially the entire width of the front side of the gaming machine in an area immediately below the game video display or player control device.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the player control device includes a player control touch screen display.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein the player control touch screen forms at least a portion of a forwardly projecting ledge located below the game video display, the forwardly projecting ledge extending transversely to a plane of the game video display.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3 further including a mechanical player input device or player interface device mounted on the forwardly projecting ledge.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 further including at least one player interface device mounted on the lower front surface of the gaming machine adjacent to the second additional video display.

6. A gaming system including:

(a) a number of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a respective single-player game presentation arrangement having two or more video displays and also including at least one processor for controlling the video displays; and

(b) a game modification controller in communication with each respective gaming machine, the game modification controller for selectively communicating presentation switching instructions to each respective gaming machine, the presentation switching instructions being executable at the gaming machine to cause the respective gaming machine to switch the content of each video display in the operation of the respective gaming machine from content for a first game presentation to content for a second game presentation.

7. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein each gaming machine includes a game video display mounted on a front face of the cabinet and an additional video display mounted on the front side of the gaming cabinet above or below the game video display.

8. The gaming system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the gaming machines includes a player control touch screen mounted on the front side so as to form an outwardly extending ledge below the game video display.

9. The gaming system of claim 7 further including a game presentation server with a presentation storage arrangement for storing multiple sets of presentation instructions, each set of presentation instructions being executable at a respective one of the gaming machines to define at least a portion of the video content of at least two different video displays on the respective gaming machine during the operation of the respective gaming machine.

10. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the game modification controller is also for directing the transfer of a new set of presentation instructions from the presentation server to a respective one of the gaming machines in connection with presentation switching instructions communicated to the respective gaming machine.

11. The gaming system of claim 6 further including a gaming machine usage monitoring arrangement for monitoring the usage of at least a portion of the gaming machines and providing control inputs to the game modification controller based on the usage of at least a portion of the gaming machines.

12. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein the game modification controller communicates presentation switching instructions to a respective gaming machine in response to a player input at the gaming machine.

13. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the gaming machines includes a storage device storing a number of sets of presentation instructions, each set of presentation instructions being executable at the gaming machine to define at least a portion of the video content of at least two different video displays on the respective gaming machine during the operation of the respective gaming machine.

14. A method of making a game presentation at a gaming machine, the method including steps of:

(a) displaying a first game presentation component on a first video display mounted on a front side of the gaming machine, the first game presentation component comprising a portion of a first game presentation;

(b) simultaneously with displaying the first game presentation component, displaying a second game presentation component on a second video display mounted on the front side of the gaming machine, the second game presentation component comprising a portion of the first game presentation; and

(c) simultaneously with displaying the first game presentation component, displaying a third game presentation component on a third video display mounted on the front side of the gaming machine, the third game presentation component comprising a portion of the first game presentation.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of, simultaneously with displaying the first game presentation component, displaying a fourth game presentation component on a fourth video display mounted on the front side of the gaming machine, the fourth game presentation component comprising a portion of the first game presentation.

16. A method of controlling a gaming machine, the method including steps of:

(a) displaying a first game presentation through a number of video displays mounted on a front side of the gaming machine, each respective video display showing a respective portion of the first game presentation;

(b) producing a presentation switching instruction at least partially based on conditions of a gaming system in which the gaming machine is included; and

(c) in response to the presentation switching instruction, displaying a second game presentation through the video displays mounted on the front side of the gaming machine, each respective video display showing a respective portion of the second game presentation.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of monitoring usage of the gaming machine or additional gaming machines in the gaming system to produce usage information and wherein the presentation switching instruction is issued in response to the usage information.

18. The method of claim 16 further including the step of simultaneously storing a first game presentation instruction set and a second game presentation instruction set at the gaming machine, the first game presentation instruction set being executable to display the first game presentation and the second game presentation instruction set being executable to display the second game presentation.

19. The method of claim 16 further including the steps of:

(a) storing a second game presentation instruction set at a game presentation server remote from the gaming machine; and

(b) communicating the second game presentation instruction set to the gaming machine to facilitate the display of the second game presentation at the gaming machine.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of producing the presentation switching instruction at least partially based on conditions of the gaming system is performed based on conditions of the gaming system monitored by the gaming machine.

21. A gaming machine including:

(a) a cabinet;

(b) a game video display mounted on a front side of the cabinet; and

(c) player control touch screen forming at least a portion of a forwardly projecting ledge located below the game video display, the forwardly projecting ledge extending transversely to a plane of the game video display.

22. The gaming machine of claim 21 further including a first additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet above the game video display, the first additional video display making up substantially the entire area of the front side of the gaming machine above the game video display.

23. The gaming machine of claim 22 further including a second additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet below the player control touch screen.

24. The gaming machine of claim 21 further including a player input device or player interface device separate from the player control touch screen and mounted on the forwardly projecting ledge.