System and method for flexible banking of wagering game machines

• US 9,005,021 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Massing, Scott A., Gagner, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowland, Steve
• Application Number:
  US13/772,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20140057716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/31, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A method of altering a wagering game theme for a flexible bank of wagering game machines, the flexible bank including a first sub-portion, a second sub-portion, and one or more display elements disposed between the first and second sub-portions, includes the acts of displaying graphical content relating to a first wagering game theme on the first and second sub-portions and on the one or more display elements and using a controller, responsive to a trigger, to switch the second sub-portion to display a second wagering game theme different than the first wagering game theme and to cause the one or more display elements to display a blank display or graphical content different than the first and second wagering game themes.

Claims

1. A flexible display system associated with a bank of casino wagering game machines, the display system comprising:

one or more first electronic display elements positioned above one or more first wagering game machines;

one or more second electronic display elements positioned above one or more second wagering game machines;

one or more linking display elements separating the one or more first electronic display elements from the one or more second electronic display elements;

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the flexible display system to;

display a first theme on the one or more first electronic display elements and a second theme on the one or more second electronic display elements, and display, on the one or more linking display elements, one of a blank display or graphical content that is visually distinct from at least one of the first theme and the second theme; and

responsive to a triggering event, switch at least the one or more linking display elements to function with the one or more first electronic display elements and the one or more second electronic display elements as a single display displaying a single continuous theme.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the first and second themes are the same theme.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the single theme is related to at least one of the first and second themes.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes a predetermined occupancy level of the bank, an area around the bank, or a casino containing the bank.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes a player input.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes a predetermined day, a time of day, or level of coin-in.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event includes triggering a community event in which at least one of the one or more first wagering game machines and at least one of the one or more second wagering game machines participate, and wherein the single theme is a community event theme.

8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first wagering game machines and the one or more second wagering game machines are configured to play different wagering games having different respective game themes.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the display system to, in response to a subsequent trigger event, re-display the first theme on the one or more first electronic display elements and the second theme on the one or more second electronic display elements, and display, on the one or more linking display elements, one of the blank display or graphical content that is visually distinct from at least one of the first theme and the second theme.

10. A method of controlling a flexible display system associated with a bank of casino wagering game machines, the display system including one or more first electronic display elements positioned above one or more first wagering game machines, one or more second electronic display elements positioned above one or more second wagering game machines, one or more linking display elements separating the one or more first and second electronic display elements, and one or more processors, the method comprising:

displaying a first theme on the one or more first electronic display elements and a second theme on the one or more second electronic display elements;

displaying, on the one or more linking display elements, one of a blank display or graphical content that is visually distinct from at least one of the first theme and the second theme; and

responsive to a triggering event, switch, by at least one of the one or more processors, at least the one or more linking display elements to function with the one or more first electronic display elements and the one or more second electronic display elements as a single display displaying a single continuous theme.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the triggering event includes an occupancy level of the bank, an area around the bank, or a casino containing the bank.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the display elements are physically distinct display devices.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the display elements are separately partitioned sections of a single display device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the triggering event is an event occurring during a casino wagering game being played on one of the first or second wagering game machines.

15. A gaming system primarily dedicated to playing a casino wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

a first wagering game machine and a second wagering game machine, the first wagering game machine being positioned proximal to a first electronic display element and the second wagering game machine being positioned proximal to a second electronic display element, each wagering game machine being configured to play at least one casino wagering game;

one or more linking display elements separating the first electronic display element from the second electronic display element; and

one or more processors configured to;

direct the first electronic display element and the electronic display element to display a first theme and a second theme, respectively, and direct the one or more linking display elements to display one of a blank display or graphical content that is visually distinct from at least one of the first theme and the second theme; and

responsive to a triggering event, switch at least the one or more linking display elements to function with the first electronic display element and the second electronic display element as a single display displaying a single continuous theme.

16. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the first wagering game machine is configured to play a first casino wagering game and the second wagering game machine is configured to play a second, different casino wagering game.

17. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, responsive to the triggering event, switch the first wagering game machine to play the same casino wagering game as the second wagering game machine.

18. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein at least some of the display elements are separately partitioned sections of a single display device.

19. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the triggering event is an event occurring during a casino wagering game being played on one of the first or second wagering game machines.

20. The gaming system of claim 15, wherein the triggering event includes one of triggering a community event or triggering a progressive bonus event.

21. A flexible display system associated with a bank of casino wagering game machines including first and second wagering game machines, the display system comprising:

a first electronic display element positioned above the first wagering game machine;

a second electronic display element positioned above the second wagering game machine;

a linking display element separating the first electronic display element from the second electronic display element; and

a controller configured to cause the flexible display system to;

display a first theme on the first electronic display element and a second theme on the second electronic display element, and display, on the linking display element, one of a blank display or graphical content that is visually distinct from at least one of the first theme and the second theme; and

responsive to a triggering event, switch at least the linking display element to function with the first electronic display element and the second electronic display element as a single display displaying a single continuous theme.

22. The display system of claim 21, wherein the triggering event is selected from a group consisting of an occupancy level of the bank, an occupancy level of an area around the bank, an occupancy level of a casino containing the bank, a predetermined day, a predetermined time of day, a predetermined level of coin-in, player selection, and an event occurring during a casino wagering game played on the first or second wagering game machine.