Patent Publication Number: US-2004053699-A1

Title: Conversion of gaming machine between reel slots and video game

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates generally to gaming machines and, more particularly, to a method of converting a gaming machine between a machine for conducting a physical reel slot game and a machine for conducting a video game.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] A gaming machine is operable to conduct a wagering game such as physical reel slots, video slots, poker, keno, bingo, or blackjack. In response to a wager for purchasing a play of the game, the machine generates a random (or pseudo-random) event and displays an outcome of the random event on a primary display device in a form that can be understood by a player. The machine provides an award to the player if the outcome is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table. Occasionally, the random event may trigger a bonus game involving lively animations, display illuminations, special effects, and/or player interaction. Depending upon the type of wagering game conducted with the gaming machine, the primary display device for displaying the game outcome may include a physical slot reel assembly or a video display.  
       [0003] On the one hand, if the type of wagering game is a physical reel slot game, the primary display device is a physical slot reel assembly including a plurality of rotatable symbol-bearing reels. The reels are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display panel mounted in front of the reels. The displayed symbols represent the game outcome. The display panel includes windows for viewing the individual physical reels of the slot reel assembly.  
       [0004] On the other hand, if the type of wagering game is a video game such as video slots, poker, keno, bingo, or blackjack, the primary display device is a video display. The video display portrays game elements associated with the video game. The game elements may, for example, include graphical representations of slot reels (i.e., simulated slot reels), playing cards, keno boards, and bingo boards. The displayed game elements represent the game outcome.  
       [0005] Heretofore, some gaming machines have been designed to accept only one type of primary display device (i.e., a slot reel assembly or a video display) and therefore conduct only one type of wagering game (i.e., a physical reel slot game or a video game). It has not be practical or cost-effective to convert such a gaming machine from one used to conduct a physical reel slot game to one used to conduct a video game. Similarly, it has not been practical or cost-effective to convert such a gaming machine from one used to conduct a video game to one used to conduct a physical reel slot game.  
       [0006] Although other gaming machines have been designed to accept different types of primary display devices (i.e., a slot reel assembly or a video display), such machines generally must be outfitted with different mounting mechanisms for mounting the different types of display devices. For example, a first mounting mechanism is used to mount a slot reel assembly, and a second mounting mechanism is used to mount a video display. The utilized mounting mechanism depends upon which of the display devices is mounted inside the machine. The provision of different mounting mechanisms adds to the cost and complexity of manufacture or conversion of such gaming machines.  
       [0007] The above shortcomings limit the manner in which gaming machines in casinos and other gaming establishments may be upgraded to conduct new games. A gaming machine currently used to conduct a physical reel slot game is generally upgraded to another physical reel slot game. Similarly, a gaming machine used to conduct a video game is generally upgraded to another video game. Because wagering games generally have a short life cycle and therefore must be upgraded often, it would be desirable to offer greater flexibility in the manner in which gaming machines may be upgraded and, at the same time, minimize the cost and complexity of the conversion process.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] A method of converting a gaming machine between a machine for conducting a physical reel slot game and a machine for conducting a video game is disclosed. The gaming machine initially contains one of a physical slot reel assembly and a video display mounted to a mounting mechanism inside the machine. The slot reel assembly includes a plurality of rotatable symbol-bearing reels for displaying an outcome of a physical reel slot game. The video display may, for example, be used to display an outcome of a variety of wagering games, such as video slots, poker, keno, bingo, and blackjack. In the conversion method, the one of the physical slot reel assembly and the video display is removed from the gaming machine, and the other of the slot reel assembly and the video display is mounted to the mounting mechanism in its place. The mounting mechanism may, for example, be a display shelf.  
       [0009] Other components, such as game software, a user interface (e.g., button panel), and one or more display components of a front door of the gaming machine, may be modified according to which of the slot reel assembly and the video display is installed in the gaming machine. The user interface may, for example, require a first button panel with first button configuration when the slot reel assembly is installed in the gaming machine, and a second button panel with second button configuration when the video display is installed in the gaming machine. The display components may, for example, require a display panel with windows for viewing individual physical reels of the slot reel assembly when the slot reel assembly is installed in the gaming machine, and a bezel for encompassing a screen of the video display when the video display is installed in the gaming machine. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010] The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a gaming machine for conducting a physical reel slot game.  
     [0012]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the gaming machine in FIG. 1 without its front doors to reveal an interior of the machine.  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a physical slot reel assembly.  
     [0014]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a gaming machine for conducting a video game.  
     [0015]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the gaming machine in FIG. 4 without its front doors to reveal an interior of the machine.  
     [0016]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a video display.  
     [0017]FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the gaming machine in FIGS. 1 and 4 without its front doors and after the primary display device (e.g., slot reel assembly or video display) has been removed from an interior of the machine.  
     [0018]FIGS. 8 and 9 are unexploded and exploded isometric views of an upper door adapted for use with the gaming machine in FIG. 1.  
     [0019]FIGS. 10 and 11 are unexploded and exploded isometric views of an upper door adapted for use with the gaming machine in FIG. 4.  
     [0020]FIGS. 12 and 13 are unexploded and exploded isometric views of a lower door adapted for use with the gaming machine in FIG. 1.  
     [0021]FIGS. 14 and 15 are unexploded and exploded isometric views of a lower door adapted for use with the gaming machine in FIG. 4. 
    
    
     [0022] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS  
     [0023] Turning now to the drawings, where like reference numerals are used to identify the same parts, FIG. 1 depicts a gaming machine  10  operable to conduct a physical reel slot game. The machine includes a cabinet  12  and a pair of front doors  14  and  16  hinged to the cabinet  12  along a generally vertical corner  18 . In response to a wager for purchasing a play of the reel slot game, the machine generates a random (or pseudo-random) event using a random number generator (RNG) and displays an outcome of the random event on a primary display device. The machine provides an award to the player if the outcome is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table. In the case of a physical reel slot game, the primary display device for displaying the game outcome includes a physical slot reel assembly  20 . In addition to the primary display device, the machine may include one or more secondary display devices for displaying other game features.  
     [0024]FIG. 2 depicts the gaming machine in FIG. 1 without its front doors to reveal an interior of the machine and, more specifically, the slot reel assembly  20 . A display shelf  22  supports the slot reel assembly  20 . To prevent the assembly  20  from sliding during normal operation of the machine, the slot reel assembly  20  is detachably engaged to the shelf  22  by screws, bolts, clips, or other fastening mechanisms.  
     [0025]FIG. 3 depicts the slot reel assembly  20 . The illustrated slot reel assembly  20  includes a plurality of rotatable symbol-bearing reels  24  mounted to a common frame or tray  26  which, in turn, is mounted to the shelf  22  in FIG. 2. Alternatively, each reel  24  may be mounted to a separate frame which, in turn, is separately mounted to the shelf  22 . Although the number of illustrated reels  24  is three, the number of reels  24  may be varied to be more or less than the number illustrated. Symbol-bearing reel strips (not shown) encompass the respective reels  24 . The symbols may, for example, include thematic symbols, fruit symbols, or other traditional symbols like 7&#39;s, single bar, double bar, triple bar, and bell. The slot reel assembly  20  includes one or more interface boards  28  for controlling movement of the reels  24  based on instructions from a main control unit housed elsewhere in the gaming machine. The interface boards  28  are linked to the main control unit by appropriate electrical wiring.  
     [0026] Referring back to FIG. 1, a player utilizes a user interface  30  (e.g., button panel) to operate the gaming machine. The user interface  30  may include a customized button configuration suitable for playing only a reel slot game, or may alternatively include a generic button configuration suitable for playing either a reel slot game or a video game. The illustrated user interface  30  includes a customized button configuration with five buttons: bet one, max bet, spin reels, collect, and change/call attendant. In response to a wager, the reels of the slot reel assembly  20  are rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on the reels in visual association with a glass display panel  32  positioned in front of the reels. The display panel  32  includes windows or portals for viewing the individual physical reels of the slot reel assembly  20 . The symbols on the stopped reels may be displayed relative to one or more pay lines printed on the display panel  32 . The machine provides an award to the player if a combination of symbols along any active pay line is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table. Examples of physical reel slot games that may be conducted on the gaming machine  10  are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,429 to Demar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,255 to Thomas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,098 to Slomiany et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,207 to Wilson, Jr. et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.  
     [0027] The game machine  10 , which is used to conduct a physical reel slot game, may be converted to a gaming machine for conducting a video game such as video slots, poker, bingo, keno, or blackjack. FIG. 4 depicts a converted gaming machine  50  for conducting a video game. The machine  50  includes a cabinet  12  and a pair of front doors  54  and  56  hinged to the cabinet  12  along a generally vertical corner  18 . The cabinet  12  and certain portions of the front doors  54  and  56  in FIG. 4 are the same as the cabinet  12  and certain portions of the front doors  14  and  16  in FIG. 1. The portions of the front doors that are modified when converting the gaming machine will be described below. In response to a wager for purchasing a play of the video game, the machine generates a random (or pseudo-random) event using a random number generator (RNG) and displays an outcome of the random event on a primary display device. The machine provides an award to the player if the outcome is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table. In the case of a video game, the primary display device for displaying the game outcome includes a video display  60 . The video display  60  may, for example, be a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display, plasma display, or other type of video display known in the art. In addition to the primary display device, the machine may include one or more secondary display devices for displaying other game features.  
     [0028]FIG. 5 depicts the gaming machine in FIG. 4 without its front doors to reveal an interior of the machine and, more specifically, the video display  60 . The display shelf  22  supports the video display  60 . To prevent the video display  60  from sliding during normal operation of the machine, the video display  60  is detachably engaged to the shelf  22  by screws, bolts, clips, or other fastening mechanisms.  
     [0029]FIG. 6 depicts the video display  60 . The video display  60  includes at least one interface board for controlling images on the display  60  based on instructions from the main control unit housed elsewhere in the gaming machine. The interface board is linked to the main control unit by appropriate electrical wiring. The video display  60  portrays game elements associated with the video game. The game elements may, for example, include graphical representations of slot reels (i.e., simulated slot reels), playing cards, keno boards, and bingo boards.  
     [0030] Referring back to FIG. 4, a player utilizes a user interface  70  (e.g., button panel) to operate the gaming machine. The user interface  70  may include a customized button configuration suitable for playing only a video game, or may alternatively include a generic button configuration suitable for playing either a reel slot game or a video game. The illustrated user interface  70  includes a customized button configuration different from the user interface  30  of the machine  10  in FIG. 1 and having twelve buttons: one line, three lines, five lines, seven lines, nine lines, bet one, bet two, bet three, bet four, bet five, collect, and change/call attendant. In response to a wager, the video display  60  portrays the game elements associated with the video game. The displayed game elements represent the game outcome. The machine provides an award to the player if the outcome is one of the winning outcomes defined by a pay table. Examples of video wagering games that may be conducted on the gaming machine  50  are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,766 to Anderson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,147 to Jaffe et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,996 to Gilmore et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,411 to Gura et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.  
     [0031] As the popularity of a wagering game wanes, a gaming establishment may wish to “refresh” the gaming machine used to conduct the wagering game so that it can conduct a new game. Also, manufacturers and suppliers may acquire used machines from gaming establishments and wish to convert a used machine so that it can conduct a new game. In either case, the present invention provides a method of converting between the gaming machine  10  in FIG. 1 (which conducts a physical reel slot game) and the gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4 (which conducts a video game). Because the present invention allows a gaming machine to be upgraded to different types of wagering games (i.e., physical reel slot games and video games), the present invention offers gaming establishments, manufacturers, and suppliers with greater flexibility in the manner in which gaming machines may be upgraded.  
     [0032] The preferred steps involved in converting the gaming machine  10  in FIG. 1 to the gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4 are described below.  
     [0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the upper and lower front doors  14  and  16  are unlocked and opened, and the gaming machine  10  is disconnected from power. The slot reel assembly  20  is unplugged from electrical wiring, detached from the shelf  22 , and removed from the open cabinet  12 . The slot arm handle  44  may be removed and replaced with a cover.  
     [0034] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the upper front door  14  is disassembled. The upper front door  14  includes a U-shaped frame  34 , a rectangular display panel bezel  36 , the display panel  32 , a display panel support frame  38 , a speaker bar  40 , and various mounting brackets  42  and fastening mechanisms for holding the foregoing components together. The support frame  38  may, in turn, include various display elements such as lamps, LEDs, vacuum-fluorescent displays, etc.  
     [0035] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the disassembled upper front door is reassembled with modifications to become the front door  54  suitable for the gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4. The front door  54  includes the U-shaped frame  34 , a rectangular video display bezel  62 , the speaker bar  40 , and various mounting brackets  64  and fastening mechanisms for holding the foregoing components together.  
     [0036] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the lower front door  16  is disassembled. The lower front door  16  includes a frame  40 , the user interface  30 , and a glass frame assembly  42  that assists in retaining the user interface  30  in the frame  40 . The glass frame assembly  42  is disconnected and removed from the frame  40 , and then the user interface is unplugged from electrical wiring and slid out of the frame  40 . Further information concerning assembly of the lower front door  16  may be obtained from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/201,833 entitled “Button Panel Assembly for a Gaming Machine,” filed Jul. 24, 2002, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
     [0037] Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, the disassembled lower front door is reassembled with modifications to become the front door  56  suitable for the gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4. The front door  56  includes the frame  40 , the user interface  70 , and a glass frame assembly  72 . If the button configuration of the user interface  30  in FIGS. 12 and 13 was generic, i.e., suitable for both a reel slot game and a video game, the user interface  70  may be the same component as the user interface  30  in FIGS. 12 and 13. If, however, the button configuration of the user interface  30  in FIGS. 12 and 13 was customized, i.e., suitable for only a reel slot game, the user interface  70  is a new component replacing the user interface  30  in FIGS. 12 and 13. To assemble the front door  56 , the user interface  70  is slid into the frame  40  and connected to electrical wiring, and then the glass frame assembly  72  is connected to the frame  40 . The glass frame assembly  72  may include a different artwork panel than the glass frame assembly  42  in FIGS. 12 and 13, consistent with the theme of the new wagering game to be conducted on the converted gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4.  
     [0038] The upper and lower front doors may be disassembled and reassembled as described above while the frames  34  and  40  are still hinged to the cabinet  12 . Alternatively, the front doors may first be detached (unhinged) from the cabinet  12 , disassembled and reassembled as described above, and then re-attached to the cabinet  12 .  
     [0039] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, the video display  60  is inserted into the cabinet, attached to the shelf  22 , and linked to the main control unit housed elsewhere in the gaming machine  50 . The main control unit is modified to include new game software for conducting a video wagering game that displays game outcomes on the video display  60 . Depending upon whether the main control unit is programmed with multiple software drivers capable of controlling different types of display devices (e.g., the slot reel assembly  20  and the video display  60 ), the conversion method may require modifications to the main control unit so that it can control the video display  60 . Similarly, depending upon whether the gaming machine is wired with universal cabling capable of connecting to different types of display devices (e.g., the slot reel assembly  20  and the video display  60 ), the conversion method may require modifications to the cabling so that the main control unit can connect to the video display  60 . Furthermore, depending upon whether any other artwork (e.g., printed on glass, painted, decals, etc.) on the gaming machine is capable of supporting different types of wagering games, the conversion method may require modifications to the artwork so that the artwork is consistent with the wagering game to be conducted on the machine.  
     [0040] After applying power to the gaming machine  50  and testing the machine for proper operation, the conversion method is complete.  
     [0041] The method of converting the gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4 to the gaming machine  10  in FIG. 1 involves a reversal of the steps involved in converting the gaming machine  10  in FIG. 1 to the gaming machine  50  in FIG. 4.  
     [0042] While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims: