Gaming machine with superimposed display image

• US 7,585,220 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Loose, Timothy C., Rothschild, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendiratta; Vishu K.
• Application Number:
  US11/607,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20070077986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138.1, 273/275, 273/143
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A spinning reel slot machine comprises a plurality of mechanical rotatable reels and a video display. In response to a wager, the reels are rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area. The video display provides a video image superimposed upon the reels. The video image may be interactive with the reels and include such graphics as payout values, a pay table, pay lines, bonus game features, special effects, thematic scenery, and instructional information.

Claims

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

a first image associated with the wagering game; and

a second image overlaying the first image during a special event of the wagering game, the second image being a video image, the video image being spatially separated from the first image, the first image being at least partially visible through the video image, the video image being adapted to interact with the first image, the video image including player-selectable indicia that, upon player selection, affect an outcome of the special event.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image is a physical image.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image is a graphical image.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image is a video image.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image is a mechanical member.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the video image modifies the first image visually without altering the first image.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the video image is produced by a transmissive video display.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the video image is a virtual image.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the second image, the touchscreen enabling a player to select the player-selectable indicia.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the second image, the touchscreen enabling a player to progress play of the wagering game.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay at least one of the reels.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay none of the reels.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first image includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay at least one of the reels and one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay none of the reels.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the player-selectable indicia include a plurality of discrete icons.

15. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the wagering game includes a basic game and the special event, the special event being triggered by a start-bonus outcome in the basic game, the player-selectable indicia being associated with the special event.

16. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

displaying a first image associated with a wagering game;

overlaying a second image over the first image during a special event of the wagering game, the second image being a video image and including player-selectable indicia;

spatially separating the video image from the first image, the first image being at least partially visible through the video image;

adapting the video image to interact with the first image; and

receiving, via player input, selections of the player-selectable indicia during the special event of the wagering game and upon selection affecting outcome of the special event.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the video image modifies the first image visually without altering the first image.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the video image is produced by a transmissive video display.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the video image is a virtual image.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first image includes a physical member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the physical member is a mechanical device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the physical member displays at least a portion of an outcome of the wagering game operable on the gaming machine.

23. The method of claim 16, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the second image, wherein the receiving includes receiving the selections via the touchscreen.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the first image includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein the overlaying includes overlaying one or more of the player- selectable indicia over at least one of the reels.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the first image includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein the overlaying includes overlaying one or more of the player- selectable indicia over none of the reels.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the first image includes a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein the overlaying includes overlaying one or more of the player- selectable indicia over at least one of the reels and overlaying one or more of the player- selectable indicia over none of the reels.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the player-selectable indicia include a plurality of discrete icons.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the wagering game includes a basic game and the special event, the special event being triggered by a start-bonus outcome in the basic game, the player-selectable indicia being associated with the special event.

29. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a physical member located within the gaming machine; and

a video display for displaying a video image, the video image being spatially separated from the physical member, the video display being adapted to interact with the physical member, the video image overlaying the physical member, the physical member being at least partially visible through the video image displayed by the video display, the video display further displaying player-selectable indicia that are displayed during a special event associated with the wagering game and upon selection affecting outcome of the special event.

30. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the video display interacts with the physical member to visually modify the physical member.

31. The gaming machine of claim 30, wherein the video display does not change the physical member when visually modifying the physical member.

32. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member is a physical image.

33. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member is a physical structure.

34. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member is a physical representation of a symbol.

35. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member is a mechanical device.

36. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member displays at least a portion of an outcome of a wagering game operable on the gaming machine.

37. The gaming machine of claim 36, wherein the outcome of the wagering game is visually displayed by the physical member and the video display, the video display displaying at least a portion of the outcome of the wagering game.

38. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the video display is a transmissive video display.

39. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the video display displays a virtual image.

40. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the video display is spatially separated from the physical member.

41. The gaming machine of claim 29, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the video display, the touchscreen enabling a player to select the player-selectable indicia.

42. The gaming machine of claim 29, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the video display, the touchscreen enabling a player to progress play of the wagering game.

43. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member includes a plurality of symbol-bearing, rotatable mechanical reels, and wherein one or more of the player- selectable indicia overlay at least one of the reels.

44. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member includes a plurality of symbol-bearing, rotatable mechanical reels, and wherein one or more of the player- selectable indicia overlay none of the reels.

45. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the physical member includes a plurality of symbol-bearing, rotatable mechanical reels, and wherein one or more of the player- selectable indicia overlay at least one of the reels and one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay none of the reels.

46. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the player-selectable indicia include a plurality of discrete icons.

47. The gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the wagering game includes a basic game and the special event, the special event being triggered by a start-bonus outcome in the basic game, the player-selectable indicia being associated with the special event.

48. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a first display for visually portraying first indicia associated with a wagering game; and

a second display for displaying a video image including second indicia associated with the wagering game, the video image overlaying the first indicia and being spatially separated from the first indicia, the first indicia being partially visible through the second indicia, the second indicia being adapted to interact with the first indicia, and during a special event associated with the wagering game, the second display further displaying player-selectable indicia that, upon selection, affect the outcome of the special event.

49. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the second display is a transmissive video display.

50. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the video image of the second display is a virtual image.

51. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein at least a portion of the first indicia of the first display is visible through the video image of the second display.

52. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the second display is spatially separated from the first display.

53. The gaming machine of claim 48, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the second display, the touchscreen enabling a player to select the player-selectable indicia.

54. The gaming machine of claim 48, further including a touchscreen adjacent to the second display, the touchscreen enabling a player to progress play of the wagering game.

55. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the first indicia include a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay at least one of the reels.

56. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the first indicia include a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay none of the reels.

57. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the first indicia include a plurality of symbol-bearing reels, and wherein one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay at least one of the reels and one or more of the player-selectable indicia overlay none of the reels.

58. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein the player-selectable indicia include a plurality of discrete icons.

59. The gaming machine of claim 48, wherein wagering game includes a basic game and the special event, the special event being triggered by a start-bonus outcome in the basic game.