Abstract:
The present invention consists of a method of displaying games related to slot machine games. The method consists of: 1) using a three-dimensional structure as the basis of the display of The method with the primary plane of the three-dimensional structure as the center attraction of the screen of the electronic gaming device and the secondary planes around, 2) displaying the basic playing structure of The method on the primary plane, 3) allowing gamers to place bets on the primary plane and on other secondary planes, 4) starting The method with the display of moving symbols on all the different planes of the three dimensional structure until they are stopped, and 5) awarding prizes to The methods in regard to the bets placed in The method on the planes of the three-dimensional structure, therefore in regard to the different represented planes.

Description:
This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/201,677 filed May 3, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a casino-style game apparatus and method for playing a game having a plurality of game segments played substantially together and displayed using a three-dimensional representation. The invention relates further to casino-type games best known as slot machines games. Furthermore, these games are played on electronic gaming devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Slot machines games are not new in the business. They were created many years ago and have been subject to many developments since. 
     The first kind of slot machine game on the market were one with mechanic reels. These machines became very popular when the technology of using step motors were used to drive the outcomes of the mechanical reels. Therefore, the outcome of the games stopped depending of the mechanical portion of the machine, but only on a random number generator determining previous to the final position of the reels the final outcome of the game. Since then, mechanical slot machines have been very popular. 
     However, the mechanical slot machines have an important limitation: the configuration of the reels. Hence forth, new configurations of games have been developed such as the 8 line slot games. For this game, game developers needed nine (9) reels disposed in a matrix manner. The best way to do that was on electronic gaming devices; gaming cabinets offering an electronic display allowing to display virtual reels without having the problem of physical configuration. 
     Nevertheless, independent of the type of display used, mechanic or electronic, the outcome of the games are determined by a random number generator. 
     To obtain interesting displays offering new possibilities to game developers, the industry needed more powerful game platforms with more powerful processors and more memory, etc. During the last decade while the electronic gaming devices started to become popular, technology offered new developments. It is now possible to offer games demanding a lot from the platform. Therefore, technology is ready for new demands. 
     The taste of the customer also has changed during the last decade. At this moment in the history of the electronic gaming business, gamers want games offering more winning possibilities, more action, games with fewer losing streaks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the objective of the invention to present a game offering new interest to gamers by offering a new, innovative and interesting display. 
     Another objective is to provide more possibilities of winnings within a single play. 
     Another objective is to provide gamers new possibilities of winnings that were not possible before the present invention. 
     According to the objectives above, the invention consists of a new innovative method of displaying a game on the screen of an electronic gaming device. Furthermore, it is a method of displaying a slightly changed game as relates to slot games, with more possible wins, more action, therefore more bets from gamers. Consequently, the new display should allow gamers to clearly view the outcome in regard to each of these bets. 
     The method consists of: 1) using a three-dimensional structured layout in the game display with the primary plane or facet of the three-dimensional structured layout having central importance while leaving the secondary planes or facets with less importance, 2) displaying the basic playing structure of the game on the central plane, 3) allowing gamers to place bets on the central playing plane and on other numerous secondary planes, 4) starting the game with a display of moving symbols on all the different planes of the three dimensional structure until they are stopped, and 5) awarding prizes to the gamers in regard to the bets placed in the game on all planes of the three-dimensional structure, therefore in regards to the different playing displays of the game. 
     To allow gamers to view their wins and losses, the display allows gamers to clearly see all the different playing displays, therefore all planes of the three-dimensional structure where bets were placed. Furthermore, to accomplish it, there are two basic possibilities. First, to display one at a time each planes centrally in the center of the screen of the electronic gaming device. Two, to unfold the three-dimensional structure to simultaneously show all the different planes of the structure where bets were placed. 
     However, the second option allows gamers to see all the planes simultaneously, but does not display the planes as clearly as the first option. 
     New and innovative criteria of winning can be developed for this method of display, such as for a cubic structure to give winnings to gamers with an outcome comprising three identical symbols on adjacent corners of different playing planes. 
     Furthermore, the three-dimensional structure applied in this method of display can be in cube, tetrahedron, or even pyramidal structure, Many possibilities exists. The only limitation according to the method of display is to allow gamers to clearly view all information concerning the end outcome of the game. 
     The invention also provide a computer program comprising code means adapted to play a game with the execution of all steps of the method described above, embodied on a computer readable medium or embodied in an electrical or electromagnetic signal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a play screen according to the first embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial display of the play screen in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the display that in FIG. 2 further in progress of play; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an alternative display that in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the display that in FIG. 3 further in progress of play; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an alternative display that in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the display that in FIG. 6 further in the progress of play; 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an alternative display that in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 9 is layouts of alternative three-dimensional structures; 
     FIG. 10 is a block diagram according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 11 is a flow chart according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiment of this invention consists of an electronic gaming device or a gaming apparatus comprised of an electronic display showing the outcome of a game, with the different elements of the outcome being randomly determined by a random number generator. The different elements of outcomes can be described as game segments allowing players to obtain a prize result in regard to the bet placed for each of the game segment. The electronic gaming device is comprised of a means to receive credit value, means allowing gamers to place bets such as touch screen controls, means to start the play and therefore the random determination of the outcome, and a means to award prizes to gamers such as a ticket printer. 
     FIG. 1 shows what is displayed on the playing screen of the electronic gaming device: a three-dimensional structure  101  with one plane  102  being clearly displayed without any angular deformation. The three-dimensional structure can be for example one of an oblique view of a cube, a perspective view of a cube, and a warped view of a cube. An example of a warped view of a cube is FIG.  8 . Furthermore, a table of the winning combination symbols  103  is displayed with the associated prizes  104 . A set of arrows  105  shows all the lines or potential dispositions where gamers can place bets and the amount  106  bet on each of these dispositions. A betting control allows gamers to place bets on the desired number of planes in the three-dimensional structure with the information displayed  107  on the screen of the electronic gaming device. Additionally, a display presents the total amount of the bets  108 . With this embodiment, the means to place bets consists of pressing buttons controls, touch screen controls, or an association of both. 
     A closer look of the three-dimensional structure  101 , FIG. 2, shows a presentation of only one plane  102  at a time to limit the information accessible to gamers, resulting in increased clarity and to avoid boredom or excessive stress to gamers with this embodiment using a game related to an 8line game. The plane  102  is comprised of a number of symbols  110  disposed as a matrix display. Furthermore, and areas corresponding to dispositions of symbols  110  (lines) where it is possible to place bets such as represented in FIG.  1 . The whole constituting a geometric shape, i.e. a square. Gamers can wager bets on lines indicated by arrows  105 . Furthermore, as represented in FIG. 1, eight (8) different lines of symbols  110  per plane are available to wager on using this three-dimensional structure  101 . 
     When all the wagers are made, the gamer activates the control for selection of new symbols  110 , which determine the final outcome and consequently whether prizes are won or not. At this time, see FIG. 3, symbols change on the visible plane of the three-dimensional structure  101  by displaying a sequence of moving symbols  112  simulating symbols processing on the periphery of a true reel. Simultaneously, symbols  110  are randomly selected according to the result of the random number generator of the electronic gaming device. Afterwards, the moving symbols  112  slow down to stop on a display showing the randomly determined symbols  110 . 
     To increase confidence of gamers on the slot machine, FIG. 4, a process displaying indefinite moving shades  113  or symbols showing angular deformations can also be applied on planes  114  displayed near the limits between the non-visible or hardly visible planes and the central plane  102  of the three-dimensional structure  101 . It gives confidence to gamers that all the symbols  110  on all the planes of the three-dimensional structure  101  are changing, therefore randomly determined during each play. 
     When all the symbols  110  are selected and stopped, the step of evaluating winning outcomes begins. During this step, gamers want to be able to see and verify by themselves all the planes; the central plane  102  and the different adjacent and hidden planes  114  and  115  of the three-dimensional structure  101 , or at least see their winnings. One method used for this is to show all the planes  102 ,  114  and  115  simultaneously, see FIG. 5, by unfolding the planes of the three-dimensional structure  101  onto one flat surface. With this method, verification of all the planes  102 ,  114  and  115  is fast and easy for most of the possible winning disposition. 
     Another method to verify planes  102 ,  114  and  115  is to show them sequentially, one at a time. This method of displaying the three-dimensional structure  101  consists at rotating around a point or an axis the three-dimensional structure  101 . With smooth virtual movement of the three-dimensional structure  101 , it is easy and appealing for gamers to verify their bets. FIG. 6 shows a mid-state view of rotation of the three-dimensional structure  101  during the verification of the winnings. FIG. 7 shows a clear display of the plane  102   d.  Winnings are displayed and then awarded to the gamer. 
     After the verification of the winnings, a new game can be played including placing new bets, a new random selection of symbols and awarding the prizes won by the gamer. 
     Additionally, another option to display the different planes of a three-dimensional structure is to place a virtual camera inside the structure, therefore displaying the inside of the three-dimensional structure. Consequently, besides of displaying only some of the planes  114  touching the central plane  102  with them appearing further, as the symbols  110  are further from the central plane  102 , they look closer. FIG. 8 illustrates this option with exactly the same information than that in FIG.  5 . Furthermore, with using a virtual camera disposed inside the three-dimensional structure, it is appropriate and even suggested to remove plane  115  or planes of the three-dimensional structure disposed at the opposite side of the viewing direction of the camera, therefore at the back of the camera. Consequently, a cube would have a maximum of five (5) active planes  102  and  114 . Moreover, gamers would always see all the active planes  102  and  114  with the central plane  102  showing no angular distortion. 
     FIG. 9 shows alternative three-dimensional structures  120  and  121  that can be used with this method, furthermore to avoid any problem of viewing the structure, the figures are also shown in unfolded presentations  122  and  123  of the structures. More precisely, the first structure in FIG. 9 shows a tetrahedron  120  and  121  composed of four (4) triangular planes  125  with a possibility of six (6) symbols per planes. The second structure of FIG. 9 shows a pyramidal structure  121  and  122  composed of five (5) planes, one (1) square  126  and four (4) triangles  127 . With a three-dimensional structure composed of more than one basic geometrical shape such as the pyramidal structure  121  and  122 , the steps of placing bets should include showing all the different basic geometrical shapes where wagering is possible. 
     FIG. 10 shows as a block diagram of all the controls needed in the process of playing the game of the present invention. First, a credit controller  130  records and computes all the credits introduced in the electronic gaming device and available for betting. Then, a bet controller  131  distributes the bets as the gamer desires using the bet controls. If more money is needed to place additional bets, it is always possible to add more. When all the bets are placed, a random symbol selector  132  selects, using random process, new symbols for all the planes of the three-dimensional structure. An animation controller  133  displays a sequence of moving symbols slowing and stopping on selected symbols. After, the 3D-display controller  134  and prize controller  135  perform the verification of the bet to award prizes regarding the bet. Depending on the preferred display for the evaluation, the 3D-display controller  134  performs an internal viewing, unfold viewing or an external viewing with rotation display. After winnings are successfully evaluated, the prize controller  135  refers to a table of prizes  136  to award the corresponding prizes. 
     The steps to playing a play using the game of the present invention represented in FIG. 11 begin  140  by placing credits  141  in the electronic gaming device. After, the gamer wagers bets  142  on lines and dispositions of symbols they want to bet on using bet controls such as touch screen controls. If the amount of credits placed in the electronic gaming device is not enough  143  for all these bets, the gamer can further add credits  141  in the device. When all bets are placed, a new selection of symbols  144  replaces the old ones on the three-dimensional structure with a transitory sequence of animation. When all the symbols are stopped, the steps of sequentially verifying  146  all the planes and awarding prizes  147  begin. For each plane of the three-dimensional structure presenting bets, the electronic gaming device sequentially displays each plane  149  to the gamer, verifies if any winnings  146  are present on the displayed plane and award prizes  147  corresponding to these winnings. Turn the three-dimensional structure to the next unverified plane. When all the planes are verified  148  and all the prizes are awarded  147 , the play is over  150 . 
     The descriptions of the above embodiments of the present invention have been presented for the purpose of illustration and do not intend to limit the invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by appended claims. Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in appending claims.