Patent ID: 6605000
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: A63F,G07F

Abstract:
A slot machine, comprising:a housing having a front portion and two side portions; a value-input device; a first slot machine reel having a plurality of first reel symbols disposed thereon; a second slot machine reel having a plurality of second reel symbols disposed thereon; a third slot machine reel having a plurality of third reel symbols disposed thereon; one of said first, second and third slot machine reels being rotatable about an axis that passes through said side portions of said housing; a movable mechanical bonus indicator comprising a rotatable wheel bonus indicator having a face, said rotatable wheel bonus indicator being rotatable about an axis that passes through a central point of said rotatable wheel bonus indicator, said axis about which said rotatable wheel bonus indicator is rotatable not being parallel to said axis about which said one slot machine reel is rotatable; a plurality of circumferentially arranged bonus areas comprising a first bonus area, a second bonus area, and a third bonus area, said bonus areas being circumferentially disposed on said face of said rotatable wheel bonus indicator around said central point; a plurality of bonus symbols disposed on said rotatable wheel bonus indicator in said bonus areas, said bonus symbols including a first bonus symbol comprising a numeral disposed in said first bonus area, a second bonus symbol comprising a numeral disposed in said second bonus area, and a third bonus symbol comprising a numeral disposed in said third bonus area, each of said bonus symbols indicating a respective one of a plurality of bonus amounts, all bonus symbols disposed on said rotatable wheel bonus indicator being simultaneously visible to a player; said rotatable wheel bonus indicator being rotated after display of at least one of said first, second and third reel symbols; a random generator that selects one of said bonus amounts in order to cause said rotatable wheel bonus indicator to stop at a stop position at which said rotatable wheel bonus indicator visually indicates to a player said one bonus amount selected by said random generator; and a control unit operatively coupled to said random generator, said control unit comprising a motor and being operatively coupled to control movement of said rotatable wheel bonus indicator, said control unit causing said rotatable wheel bonus indicator to stop moving at said stop position.