Abstract:
A gaming machine display ( 14 ) includes a game playing arrangement ( 16 ) mountable in a cabinet ( 62 ) of a gaming machine ( 10 ). An electronically controlled display element ( 50 ) overlies the game playing arrangement ( 16 ) so that, depending on a state of the display element ( 50 ), the game playing arrangement ( 16 ) is visible through the display element ( 50 ).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Divisional of prior application Ser. No. 10/712,436, filed Apr. 28, 2005, entitled “Gaming Machine Display,” currently pending, which is a national phase of PCT/AUO2/01462 with an international filing date of Oct. 29, 2002, herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a gaming machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a gaming machine display, to a display means for a gaming machine display and to a method of displaying images on a gaming machine. 
         [0004]    2. General Background 
         [0005]    Players who regularly play gaming machines are, increasingly, demanding more features on the gaming machines. Venues which make use of gaming machines as a source of revenue also desire enhanced gaming machines to attract players to improve their source of revenue. 
         [0006]    Various ways of enhancing gaming machines by means of the games played thereon have been proposed by the applicant. 
         [0007]    However, in general, few changes have been made to the gaming machines themselves, apart from changes to cabinet design, or the like, in an attempt to modernise the appearance of the gaming machine and to enhance images displayed on a primary display of the gaming machine. 
         [0008]    In addition, it is becoming increasingly popular to provide bonus events in the form of second screen features. Such second screen features may occur on a secondary display of the gaming machine. Where the secondary display is vertically spaced with respect to the primary display of the gaming machine, it requires a player to adopt a different vertical, viewing orientation. This can become taxing to a player leading to fatigue and, potentially, muscle pain. As a result the player&#39;s enjoyment of the gaming activity is reduced leading to the player&#39;s activity being curtailed. This defeats the purpose of adding the additional features to attract and retain players. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine display which includes: 
         [0010]    a game playing arrangement mountable in a cabinet of a gaming machine; and 
         [0011]    an electronically controlled display means overlying the game playing arrangement, in use, so that, depending on a state of the display means, the game playing arrangement is visible through the display means. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the game playing arrangement comprises an electro-mechanical, symbol carrying arrangement. The symbol carrying arrangement may comprise a set of rotatable mechanical reels, a plurality of symbols being arranged on an outer periphery of each reel. 
         [0013]    The display means may comprise a display screen overlying the game playing arrangement. Preferably, the display screen is a multi-layered structure. 
         [0014]    The structure may include a monitor on which images are to be displayed. In this specification, the term “monitor” is to be understood in a broad sense as any device on which varying images are displayed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the monitor is a flat panel, liquid crystal display (LCD). 
         [0015]    The monitor may overlie a shutter mechanism. The shutter mechanism may be an electronically controlled device that is controllable to vary between a transparent state, in which the game playing arrangement is visible through the device, and an at least partially opaque state, in which the game playing arrangement is at least partially occluded. The shutter mechanism may be formed of electrically responsive crystals which change phase depending on a control signal applied to them. Thus, for example, the shutter mechanism may be formed of nematic curvilinear aligned phase (NCAP) liquid crystals. 
         [0016]    The display may include a monitor housing defining a plurality of openings, one opening being associated with each reel, a part of the outer periphery of each reel being visible through its associated opening. 
         [0017]    The electronically controlled device may therefore define a plurality of zones, each zone, in use, overlying one of the openings of the monitor housing and, hence, one of the reels, and each zone being controllable to vary between the transparent state, in which the associated reel is visible through that zone, and an at least partially opaque state, in which said reel is at least partially occluded. 
         [0018]    A user interface layer may overlie the monitor. The user-interface layer may be implemented as a touchscreen. The touchscreen may employ surface acoustic wave technology. 
         [0019]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the multi-layered structure may include an illuminating layer for illuminating the monitor. The illuminating layer may comprise a light transferring panel and an illuminating means arranged adjacent at least one edge of the panel. The panel may be a panel of a synthetic plastics material that is interposed between the monitor and the shutter mechanism. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment of the invention, the game playing arrangement may be illuminated to render it visible through the monitor. The intensity of the illumination may be adjustable for adjusting the degree of visibility of the game playing arrangement through the monitor. In other words, by adjusting the illumination, the effect is created of adjusting the transparency of the monitor. 
         [0021]    The monitor may be arranged in spaced relationship relative to the game playing arrangement such that, when an image appears on the monitor, it imparts a three-dimensional effect to a scene comprising the game playing arrangement and the image on the monitor. For example, win lines may be indicated on the monitor after a win occurs. The win lines may be animated over the top of those symbols of the game playing arrangement which make up the winning combination or winning combinations to highlight the win or wins, as the case may be. 
         [0022]    In another embodiment of the invention, instead of the multi-layered structure, the display means may be a flat panel display, more particularly, a flat panel, liquid crystal display, alone. 
         [0023]    According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a display means for a gaming machine display, the display means including: 
         [0024]    a monitor on which images are to be displayed; and 
         [0025]    a shutter mechanism underlying the monitor, the shutter mechanism being controllable to vary between a transparent state, in which other images underlying the shutter mechanism, in use, are visible through the monitor, and an at least partially transparent state in which the other images are at least partially occluded when viewed through the monitor. 
         [0026]    The display means may be a multi-layered structure having a user-interface layer overlying the monitor. The multi-layered structure may include an illuminating layer operatively arranged relative to the monitor to illuminate the monitor. 
         [0027]    According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of displaying images on a gaming machine, the method including the steps of: 
         [0028]    displaying a first set of images on a game playing arrangement mounted in a cabinet of the gaming machine; and 
         [0029]    displaying at least one further image on a display means overlying the game playing arrangement. 
         [0030]    Preferably, the method includes controlling a state of the display means to control its transparency to regulate a degree of visibility, if any, of the game playing arrangement through the display means. 
         [0031]    In addition, the method may include displaying at least one further image overlying an image of the game playing arrangement, said at least one further image being taken into account in determining an outcome of a game played on the gaming machine. 
         [0032]    To enhance the appearance of the images, the method may include illuminating the display means to enhance the display of said at least one further image on the display means. 
         [0033]    The method may include displaying the at least one further image on the display means as a moving animation. In addition, the method may include controlling the display of the at least one further image on the display means to provide an effective change in camera angle or a zooming in or out effect. 
         [0034]    The invention extends also to a gaming machine which includes a gaming machine display, as described above. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0035]    The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: 
           [0036]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a gaming machine, in accordance with the invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the gaming machine; 
           [0038]      FIGS. 3 to 5  show three-dimensional views of part of the gaming machine with an animated image on a display means of a display of the gaming machine; 
           [0039]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic representation of a first example of a screen display of the gaming machine; 
           [0040]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic representation of a second example of a screen display of the gaming machine; 
           [0041]      FIG. 8  shows a three dimensional, exploded view of a gaming machine display in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0042]      FIG. 9  shows a flow chart of a game played on the gaming machine of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0043]    In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  10  generally designates a gaming machine including a display  14 , in accordance with the invention. The machine  10  includes a cabinet  12  housing the display  14 . 
         [0044]    The display  14  includes a game playing arrangement, or symbol carrying arrangement,  16  in the form of a plurality of mechanical reels  18  with each reel  18  carrying a plurality of symbols on an outer periphery of the reel  18 . The reels  18  are used to play a spinning reel game. 
         [0045]    A midtrim  20  of the machine  10  houses a bank  22  of buttons for enabling a player to play the game. The midtrim  20  also houses a credit input mechanism  24  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0046]    The machine  10  includes a top box  26  on which artwork  28  is carried. The artwork  28  includes paytables, details of bonus awards, etc. 
         [0047]    A coin tray  30  is mounted beneath the cabinet  12  for cash payouts from the machine  10 . 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, a control means or control circuit  40  is illustrated. A program which implements the game and user interface is run on a processor  42  of the control circuit  40 . The processor  42  forms part of a controller  44  which drives the reels  18  of the symbol carrying arrangement  16  and which receives input signals from sensors  46  associated with the bank  22  of buttons and sensors  46  associated with a touchscreen of the display  14 . 
         [0049]    The controller  36  also receives input pulses from the credit input mechanism  24  to determine whether or not a player has provided sufficient credit to commence playing. 
         [0050]    Finally, the controller  42  drives a payout mechanism  48  which, for example, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the coin tray  30  to make a pay out to a player when the player wishes to redeem his or her credit. 
         [0051]    The display  14  includes a second display means in the form of a flat panel, liquid crystal display (LCD)  50  mounted operatively in front of the symbol carrying arrangement  16  so that the symbol carrying arrangement  16  is visible through the LCD  50 . 
         [0052]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5  of the drawings, the LCD  50  is an at least partially transparent display and carries at least one image  52  under certain circumstances thereon. In particular, the image  52  is related to the underlying spinning reel game played on the symbol carrying arrangement  16 . 
         [0053]    As indicated above, the LCD  50  is at least partially transparent so that images or symbols carried on the reels  18  of the symbol carrying arrangement  16  are visible through the LCD  50 . 
         [0054]    In use, when a predetermined trigger condition occurs, at least one image  52  is displayed on the LCD  50 . The image  52  may be related to the underlying base game which uses the symbol carrying arrangement  16 . For example, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  of the drawings, when a particular trigger condition occurs in the base game, a “wild card” symbol  54  is displayed on the LCD  50 , overlying one of the symbol positions on one of the reels  18 . When the reels  18  stop spinning, the symbol  54  substitutes for the underlying symbol on the relevant reel  18 . In the example shown in  FIG. 6  of the drawings, the symbol  54  is transparent so that the underlying reel symbol is visible through the symbol  54 . In the example shown in  FIG. 7  of the drawings, the symbol  54  is opaque so that the underlying reel symbol position is covered and is hidden by the symbol  54  on the LCD  50 . It will be appreciated that the above-described example could apply to a base game and/or to a special feature game. 
         [0055]    In addition, the LCD  50  can be used for displaying messages as an attracting unit for attracting patrons to the machine  10 . Further, the LCD  50  can be used for a second screen feature which is triggered when a trigger condition is spun up on the reels  18  of the symbol carrying arrangement  16 . Still further, the LCD  50  could be used to carry advertising material which may be displayed when a game is not being played or could also be displayed while a game is being played. 
         [0056]    If desired, the image  52  carried on the LCD  50  could overlie one of the symbol positions on one of the reels  18  to create a three-dimensional effect. Then, the controller  44  may be operable to vary “camera angles” and to provide a “zooming in or out effect” to enhance the three-dimensional effect. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 8  of the drawings, a display  14 , in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated. With reference to the previous drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts, unless otherwise specified. 
         [0058]    The LCD  50  is a multi-layered structure overlying the symbol carrying arrangement  16 . 
         [0059]    For this purpose, the display  14  includes a monitor housing  60  which, in use, is secured to a door  62  ( FIG. 1 ) of the gaming machine  10 . The monitor housing  60  defines a plurality of apertures or openings  64 . Each opening  64  of the monitor housing  60  is associated with one of the reels  18  of the symbol carrying arrangement  16 . 
         [0060]    The monitor housing further defines a recessed region  66  within which the LCD  50  is received. 
         [0061]    The LCD  50  is a multi-layered structure and includes a glass panel LCD monitor  68 . A user interface in the form of a touchscreen  70  is superimposed on the monitor  68 . 
         [0062]    The monitor  68  and the touchscreen  70  are connected via connectors  72 ,  74 , respectively, to the controller  42  of the gaming machine  10 . 
         [0063]    The touchscreen  70  employs surface acoustic wave technology. Frets bound the touchscreen  70  and discern energy field disturbances. These disturbances are interpreted by the frets as decisions made coincident with touching the touchscreen  70  and the position at which the touchscreen  70  was touched. 
         [0064]    The LCD  50  include a shutter mechanism  76  interposed between the monitor  68  and the monitor housing  60 . The shutter mechanism  76  has zones or regions  78  which, in use, lie in register with the openings  64  in the monitor housing  60  and, accordingly, in register with those parts of the peripheries of the reels  18  visible through the openings  64 . 
         [0065]    At least the zones  78  of the shutter mechanism  76  are formed from a material responsive to varying energy levels. In particular, the zones  78  are formed from nematic curvilinear aligned phase (NCAP) liquid crystals. 
         [0066]    Upon the application of appropriate energy levels, these NCAP crystals either render the zones  78  optically transparent allowing visual access to the parts of the reels  18  visible through the openings  64  in the monitor housing  60  or can be rendered opaque to form a background shutter for the LCD monitor  68  allowing the LCD monitor  68  to carry images with the reels  18  being hidden. In addition, the varying of the energy levels applied to the zones  78  of the shutter mechanism  76  allows varying degrees of transparency of those zones  78  to be achieved. The zones  78  of the shutter mechanism  76  are controlled by the controller  42  of the gaming machine  10  via a connector  80 . 
         [0067]    While it is envisaged that all of the zones  78  will operate in concert, it is also contemplated that the zones  78  could be independently addressable such as when a bonus round uses one or more of the reels  18  in the bonus event. 
         [0068]    As a consequence, a gaming machine  10  is provided which includes a first display, being the symbol carrying arrangement  16 , which can be selectively occluded by the second display being the LCD  50 . The net effect is that a plurality of displays are stacked along a single visual path which reduces a visual footprint required to provide such plurality of displays. This also frees other areas of the cabinet  12  of the gaming machine  10  for other devices, artwork, or the like. 
         [0069]    The visual impact imparted by the LCD  50  is enhanced by an illuminating layer in the form of a backlighting arrangement  82 . The backlighting arrangement  82  includes a transparent panel  84  of a synthetic plastics material which, conveniently, is interposed between the monitor  68  and the shutter mechanism  76 . The panel  84  supports a pair of opposed illuminating elements  86 . The elements  86  can, for example, be in the form of fluorescent lamps. Additionally, illuminating elements (not shown) can be incorporated in the reels  18  for further visual enhancement. 
         [0070]    With the provision of the display  14 , it is possible for game play to be effected using the LCD  50  alone, the symbol carrying arrangement  16  on its own or both the LCD  50  and the symbol carrying arrangement  16 . It is also contemplated that more than one LCD  50  could be incorporated in the display  14  with second and subsequent LCD&#39;s overlying the first LCD  50  of the display  14  in the same visual footprint. 
         [0071]    Accordingly, it is an advantage of the invention that a gaming machine  10  is provided which has an enhanced display  14  in comparison with other gaming machines, in particular, those using mechanical reels  18  or other mechanical game playing arrangements such as pachinko machines, or the like. 
         [0072]    Moreover, the display  14  is at the position of the primary display of a conventional gaming machine. It will be appreciated that, in general, there is only one optimal position at which to locate a display of a gaming machine. Most gaming machines are ergonomically designed so that the display of the gaming machine is at that optimal position for a person of average height. Thus, the enhanced display  14  of the present invention can be arranged at that optimal height with the added benefit that a feature game can be played on the LCD screen  50  at that height. 
         [0073]    It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.