Patent Publication Number: US-2004048645-A1

Title: Gaming device having mechanical wheel and reel displays

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to gaming devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to wagering gaming device displays.  
       [0002] Gaming devices provide fun and excitement to the player. Gaming, in general, provides an escape from the everyday rigors of life. Gaming devices and gaming establishments use bright lights and exciting sounds to set the gaming establishments such as casinos apart from the rest of the world. Gaming devices, in particular, use one or more displays that enable the player to see and play the game. The displays typically portray the action of the game and ultimately indicate whether or not the player wins.  
       [0003] Slot machine displays have gone through a number of transitions since their inception in the late 1800&#39;s. Originally, slot machines displayed purely mechanical reels. While these machines gained enormous popularity, the mechanical nature of the reels limited the number of paystops, which limited the number of different symbols and the number of different winning symbol combinations.  
       [0004] The advent of the computer and the video monitor expanded the possibilities for gaming devices. There are now video poker, video blackjack and other types of video gaming machines. Video displays have also been implemented in slot machines. The video slot machines use computers to randomly generate symbol combinations from an expanded number of different symbols. Video reel strips can include a virtually unlimited number of symbols, which enables a wide variety of different symbol combinations to be employed, including combinations that appear very infrequently and yield high payouts.  
       [0005] With slot machines, the video monitors have also been used to provide bonus or secondary games. Bonus games have become much more prevalent and elaborate in recent years. Players play the base game of slot until becoming eligible for a bonus game. The base game temporarily pauses, while the player plays the bonus game. When the player completes the bonus game, the gaming device returns the player to the bonus game.  
       [0006] It should therefore be appreciated that a single video monitor is often sufficient to provide both the base game of slot and one or more bonus games that become triggered by the slot game. As seen in FIG. 1B, there is usually room on the gaming device  10   b  for an upper display area  32 . This area, however, is often not used for gaming purposes and may simply provide a graphic and/or lettering that pertains to a theme of the gaming device.  
       [0007] Video monitors and in particular video-based slot machines are likely going to continue growing in popularity. As the video monitor has been used more and more, however, there has been a growing sentiment that some of the mystique of the old time mechanical gaming devices is lost when mechanical reels and mechanical displays are replaced by a video monitor.  
       [0008] One known gaming device, the WHEEL OF FORTUNE® gaming device, includes a mechanical wheel which spins to indicate a bonus award to the player. This gaming device has been very successful.  
       [0009] Accordingly, a need exists to provide a gaming device that may use a video monitor, which provides increased flexibility to the gaming device to add more symbols and more elaborate bonus games, while providing some aspect of the gaming device that is mechanical and provides a fun and exciting mechanical display.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010] The present invention includes various configurations of a cabinet of a gaming device and the components thereof. The cabinets have in combination a video monitor, a rotatable wheel and rotatable reel. In one embodiment, one or both of the rotatable wheel and reel are electromechanical. Each of the rotatable wheel and reel include an indicator for indicating one of a plurality of symbols or values that are displayed by the reel and wheel, respectively. The reel and wheel can also include one or more lights or other suitable indicators that highlight the displays at various times. One or both the reel and wheel can be tilted or angled to aid the visibility of same.  
       [0011] In one primary embodiment, the cabinet is made for a player standing or sitting and includes a rotatable reel that is positioned in the cabinet above the rotatable wheel, both of which are placed in the cabinet above the video monitor. The video monitor in one embodiment plays a base or primary game, while the rotatable wheel and the rotatable reel play a portion of the primary game or a portion or all of a bonus game thereof. In this embodiment, the rotatable wheel can alternatively be placed on top of the rotatable reel. In either case, whichever display is positioned on top of the cabinet is tilted or angled to provide a better viewing angle by a player.  
       [0012] In another primary embodiment, an alternative cabinet is provided in which the player plays standing or sitting. Here, an upper portion of the cabinet is tilted or angled, wherein either one or both of the rotatable reel and rotatable wheel is mounted on the upper angled or tilted portion of the cabinet and is likewise angled or tilted. Here again, either one of the rotatable wheel or rotatable reel may be placed on top of the other, both of which reside above the video monitor.  
       [0013] In a further alternative primary embodiment, the cabinet includes a lower tilted area, to which the video monitor is mounted. It should be appreciated that in one alternative embodiment, the gaming device includes a set of mechanical reels instead of a video monitor. This cabinet is intended for the player to play while sitting. The cabinet includes a vertical upper display area that has the rotatable wheel and the rotatable reel, either one of which may be provided on top of the other. The display that is provided on top is in one embodiment, angled or tilted to provide a better viewing angle to the player who is sitting in front of the machine.  
       [0014] In any of the above described embodiments, either one or both of the displays can be tilted, however, both of the displays can alternatively be untitled. In one embodiment, the reel rotates in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction of the rotation of the slot machine reels. The displays of the present invention can operate with any type of primary or base game, such as slot, poker, keno, blackjack, craps, bingo and any combination thereof.  
       [0015] Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the figures. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
     [0016]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a cabinet with a reel provided above a wheel, which are provided above a video monitor.  
     [0017]FIG. 1B is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a cabinet with a tilted top and a display provided thereon.  
     [0018]FIG. 1C is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a lower tilted portion having a video monitor displaying a primary game and a plurality of electromechanical displays placed above the video monitor in a vertical upper display area of the gaming device.  
     [0019]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration of one embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention.  
     [0020]FIG. 3 illustrates an elevation view of the upper display area shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C.  
     [0021]FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the upper display area shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, which illustrate the tilted rotatable reel of the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 6 is an elevation view of one embodiment of the rotatable reel of the present invention having multiple ways of indicating one of the symbols on the rotatable reel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0023] The present invention provides a cabinet having multiple displays that operate with wagering the games such as slot, poker, keno and blackjack. In an embodiment, the display and indicators operate in conjunction with bonus games, which in turn operate in conjunction with the base games such as slot, poker, keno and blackjack. Besides the base and bonus games of slot, poker, blackjack or keno, the present invention can operate with any of the bonus triggering events, as well as any progressive game coordinating with these base games. The symbols and indicia used for any of the base, bonus and progressive games include mechanical, electrical or video symbols and indicia.  
     [0024] One primary embodiment for the display and display indicators is with the game of slot. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1A to  1 C, one slot machine embodiment is illustrated. Gaming devices  10   a  to  10   c  illustrate three possible cabinet styles and display arrangements and are collectively referred to herein as gaming device  10 . Gaming device  10   a  and  10   b  are illustrated as having the controls, displays and features of a conventional slot machine, wherein the player operates the gaming device while standing or sitting. Gaming device  10  may be a pub-style or table-top game (see FIG. 1C), which a player operates while sitting.  
     [0025] Gaming device  10  includes monetary input devices. FIGS. 1A to  1 C illustrate a coin slot  12  for coins or tokens and/or a payment acceptor  14  for cash money. The payment acceptor  14  also includes other devices for accepting payment, such as readers or validators for credit cards, debit cards or smart cards, tickets, notes, etc. When a player inserts money in gaming device  10 , a number of credits corresponding to the amount deposited is shown in a credit display  16 . After depositing the appropriate amount of money, a player can begin the game by pulling arm  18  or pushing play button  20 . Play button  20  can be any play activator used by the player which starts any game or sequence of events in the gaming device.  
     [0026] As shown in FIGS. 1A to  1 C, gaming device  10  also includes a bet display  22  and a bet one button  24 . The player places a bet by pushing the bet one button  24 . The player can increase the bet by one credit each time the player pushes the bet one button  24 . When the player pushes the bet one button  24 , the number of credits shown in the credit display  16  decreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the bet display  22  increases by one. A player may cash out by pushing a cash out button  26  to receive coins or tokens in the coin payout tray  28  or other forms of payment, such as an amount printed on a ticket or credited to a credit card, debit card or smart card. Well known ticket printing and card reading machines (not illustrated) are commercially available.  
     [0027] Gaming device  10  also includes one or more display devices. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A to  1 C include a display device  30  and an upper display area  32 . The display device includes any viewing surface such as glass, a video monitor or screen, a liquid crystal display or any other static or dynamic display mechanism. In a video poker, blackjack or other card gaming machine embodiment, the display device includes displaying one or more cards. In a keno embodiment, the display device includes displaying numbers.  
     [0028] The slot machine embodiment of gaming device  10  includes a plurality of reels  34 , for example three to five reels  34 . Each reel  34  includes a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which correspond to a theme associated with the gaming device  10 . If the reels  34  are in video form, the display device displaying the video reels  34  is, in one embodiment, a video monitor. Gaming device  10  includes speakers  36  for making sounds or playing music.  
     [0029] With reference to the slot machine base game of FIGS. 1A to  1 C, to operate the gaming device  10 , the player inserts the appropriate amount of tokens or money in the coin slot  12  or the payment acceptor  14  and then pulls the arm  18  or pushes the play button  20 . The reels  34  then begin to spin. Eventually, the reels  34  come to a stop. As long as the player has credits remaining, the player can spin the reels  34  again. Depending upon where the reels  34  stop, the player may or may not win additional credits.  
     [0030] In addition to winning base game credits, the gaming device  10 , including any of the base games disclosed above, also includes bonus games that give players the opportunity to win credits. The gaming device  10  employs a video-based display device  30  or  32  for the bonus games. The bonus games include a program that automatically begins when the player achieves a qualifying condition in the base game.  
     [0031]FIGS. 1A, 1B and  1 C each illustrate a different embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A illustrates gaming device  10   a  which the player can play standing or sitting. Gaming device  10   a  includes a cabinet  100   a  having a display device, i.e., a video monitor  30 . Above the video monitor  30 , cabinet  100   a  includes a rotatable wheel  60 . Above the rotatable wheel  60 , cabinet  100   a  includes a substantially horizontally disposed rotatable reel  80 . As discussed below, rotatable reel  80  in an embodiment is tilted or angled so that the symbols  84  displayed on the reel are more visible to the player. The rotatable reel  80  includes an indicator  82 , a plurality of symbols  84  and a number of lights  86 .  
     [0032] The rotatable wheel  60  positioned between the video monitor  30  and the rotatable reel  80  on the upper display area  32  operates with an indicator  62 , a plurality of symbols  64  and a number of lights  66 . In one embodiment, video monitor  30  is a simulated display as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the rotatable wheel  60  and the rotatable reel  80  are electromechanical. The operation of the electromechanical devices is described in further detail below in connection with FIG. 2 and includes one or more motion producing devices, such as a stepper motor. The lights  86  and  66  are also electromechanical lights in one embodiment. In an alternative embodiment, one or both of the rotatable wheel  60  and the rotatable reel  80  and the lights associated therewith are alternatively simulated areas of a video monitor such as video monitor  30 .  
     [0033]FIG. 1B illustrates an alternative gaming device  10   b  having an alternative cabinet  100   b . Alternative cabinet  100   b  includes the video monitor  30  as described above. Cabinet  100   b  also includes an upper tilted or angled area  88 , which is part of the upper display area  32 . The tilted upper area  88  enables either the reel and wheel to be positioned towards the player for better viewing. The upper tilted area  88  includes a tilted rotatable wheel  60 . Another part of the upper display area  32  includes the rotatable reel  80 . The cabinet  100   b  of gaming device  10   b  reverses the order of the rotatable wheel  60  and the rotatable reel  80  with respect to cabinet  100   a  of gaming device  10   a  in FIG. 1A.  
     [0034] In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, the cabinet of the gaming device  10  has an upper tilted or angled area that consumes most all of the upper display area  32 , wherein both the rotatable wheel  60  and rotatable reel  80  are angled or tilted due to the angle or tilt of the upper tilted area. Further alternatively, the rotatable wheel  80  illustrated on the cabinet  100   b  of gaming device  10   b  of FIG. 1B can be tilted or angled even though the rotatable reel  80  is mounted to a vertical portion of cabinet  100   b . This angled or tilted reel mounted to a vertical panel is illustrated in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5.  
     [0035] The player playing gaming device  10   b  can play standing or sitting. As with the gaming device  10   a , the rotatable wheel  60 , which is now located on the upper tilted area  88 , includes one or more indicators  62 , a plurality of symbols  64 , and a number of lights  66 . The rotatable reel  80  includes one or more indicators  82 , a plurality of symbols  84  and a number of lights  86 .  
     [0036] The video monitor  30  of gaming device  10   b  provides a simulated form of a primary or base game as is the case with video monitor  30  in each of FIGS. 1A to  1 C. The rotatable wheel  60  and the rotatable reel  80  in one embodiment are electromechanical and display parts of the primary game or some or all of a bonus game based on the primary game.  
     [0037]FIG. 1C illustrates a further alternative cabinet  100   c  of gaming device  10   c . Cabinet  100   c  includes a lower angled or tilted area  78 . Lower tilted area  78  in a slot embodiment includes the video monitor  30  having a plurality of reels  34  and a plurality of paylines  76 . The video monitor  30  is angled or tilted along with the lower tilted area  78  and is therefore most conveniently played while the player is sitting down. The lower angled or tilted area  78  includes each of the input devices and displays described above, such as the play button  20 , the cash out button  26 , bet one button  24 , the credit display  16  and a number of other input devices  44 , such as a bet per line button, a select paylines button, a max bet button, a see pays button and other input features common to slot machines and other types of primary or base games.  
     [0038] Cabinet  100   c  of gaming device  10   c  illustrates the slanted video monitor  30  in combination with a vertical upper display area  32 , such as that of FIG. 1A. It should be appreciated however that the lower tilted area  78  and its associated tilted video monitor  30  could be combined with the upper tilted area  88  of cabinet  100   b  of gaming device  10   b  and any of the variations discussed above in connection with FIG. 1B. The upper display area  32  of cabinet  100   c  is substantially vertical as illustrated.  
     [0039] The cabinet  100   c  includes the rotatable wheel  60  having at least one indicator  62 , a plurality of symbols  64  and at least one light  66 . The cabinet  100   c  also includes the rotatable reel  80  located above the rotatable wheel  60 . Rotatable reel  80  operates with at least one indicator  82 , a plurality of symbols  84  and a number of lights  86 . In an embodiment, the rotatable reel  80  is tilted with respect to the vertical display area  32  as discussed in more detail below.  
     [0040] Referring now to FIG. 2, one embodiment of an electronic configuration for gaming device  10  includes: a processor  38 ; a memory device  40  for storing program code or other data; a display device  30 ; a sound card  42 ; a plurality of speakers  36 ; and one or more input devices  44 . The processor  38  is a microprocessor based platform that is capable of displaying images, symbols and other indicia such as images of people, characters, places, things and faces of cards. The memory device  40  includes random access memory (RAM)  46  for storing event data or other data generated or used during a particular game. The memory device  40  also includes read only memory (ROM)  48  for storing program code, which controls the gaming device  10  so that it plays a particular game in accordance with applicable game rules and pay tables.  
     [0041] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the player uses the input devices  44  to input signals into gaming device  10 . In the slot machine base game, the input devices  44  include the pull arm  18 , play button  20 , the bet one button  24 , the cash out button  26  and other player inputs. A touch screen  50  and touch screen controller  52  are connected to a video controller  54  and processor  38 . The touch screen enables a player to input decisions into the gaming device  10  by sending a discrete signal based on the area of the touch screen  50  that the player touches or presses. As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the processor  38  connects to the coin slot  12  or payment acceptor  14 , whereby the processor  38  requires a player to deposit a certain amount of money to start the game.  
     [0042] The processor  38  also controls the output of one of more motion controllers  56  that control one or more motion producing devices  58 . The motion producing devices  58  can be any combination of motors, stepper motors, linear stepper motors or other types of linear actuators. The motion controllers  56  typically include printed circuit boards or stand alone enclosures that receive high level commands from the processor  38 . The motion controller  56  converts the high level commands, for example, into a number of step pulses, which in turn are converted into motor currents. The stepper motor or other type of motion producing device  58  receives the currents, wherein the currents cause, for example, a rotor to turn within a stator a precise and desired amount.  
     [0043] The motion producing device  58  can be used to drive either or both the electromechanical wheel and reel. The rotational motion of a motor  58  can be used to rotate a portion of the reel or wheel of the present invention. The rotational motion can alternatively be converted to cause an indicator operating with the reel or wheel to translate. Otherwise, a linear motion producing device  58  can be used to directly cause the indicator to translate.  
     [0044] The motion control scheme allows complex and precise movements of the wheel and reel to be programmed into the memory device  40  and carried out by the processor  38  at the appropriate time in the sequence of the game, be it a base, bonus, bonus triggering or progressive sequence of gaming device  10 . Moreover, multiple programs can be implemented in the memory device  40 , wherein the processor runs the appropriate program at the appropriate time, and wherein the reel and wheel can perform or move differently, e.g., rotate slower or in different directions at different times or points in the game. The motion control programs, in an embodiment, interface with one or more random generation devices, typically software based items, to produce randomly displayed outcomes on the reel and wheel of the present invention.  
     [0045] Referring now to FIG. 3, the upper display area  32  of the cabinets  100   a  and  100   c  of gaming devices  10   a  and  10   c  is illustrated. The upper display area  32  is substantially vertical and includes rotatable wheel  60  and rotatable reel  80 , which in one embodiment is tilted to enable the player to more easily view the rotatable reel  80 . Rotatable wheel  60  includes an indicator  62 , which in an embodiment is a fixed mechanical arrow located at the top most portion of the wheel  60 . The indicator  62  can be located anywhere along the circumference of the wheel  60 . Indicator  62  indicates one of the symbols  64 . In the illustrated embodiments, indicator  62  indicates the symbol of twenty-five. The wheel  60  also includes a series of lights  66  positioned around the circumference of the wheel  60 . Processor  38  controls lights  66  to flash at designated times.  
     [0046] Symbols  64  and  84  represent a game outcome. Symbols  64  in one embodiment are gaming device credits that are provided as a result of a random outcome of the primary game or a random outcome of a bonus or secondary game based on the primary game. In one embodiment the symbols represent a number of gaming device credits or a multiplier of gaming device credits. As also illustrated, the symbols  64  and  84  can include other outcomes such as the entry into a bonus game indicated by the word bonus in the illustrated embodiment. Alternatively, symbols  64  and  84  include a number of free games, a number of free spins, a progressive game increment, a number of picks from a prize pool and any combination thereof.  
     [0047] Symbols  64  and  66  can also be symbols of one of the primary games discussed above. For example, in one embodiment the symbols are symbols that are also contained on the reels  34 , wherein the reels generate a portion of the game and one or more of the wheel  60  and the reel  80  generate the remainder of the slot game outcome. In another embodiment, symbols  64  and  84  include faces of a playing cards and are used in combination with a card game such as blackjack or poker. Further, rotatable wheel  60  in an embodiment is a roulette wheel. The symbols  84  in an embodiment are the symbols of a bingo game or a keno game.  
     [0048] The rotatable reel  80  illustrated in FIG. 3 includes an indicator  82  having two opposing mechanical arrows that each point toward a single symbol  84 . In the illustrated embodiment, the indicators  82  point towards the symbol of fifty. The rotatable reel  80  also employs lights  86  as a secondary or alternative form of indication. That is, the lights  86  surround and therefore highlight the indicated value of fifty. Rotatable reel  80  also includes a number of lights  86  placed on either side of the rotatable reel  80 . Rotatable reel  80  includes a glass or plexiglas clear cover which provides a reflection of the lights  86 . Either one or both of the wheels  60  and the rotatable reel  80  can also include a number of borders, such as a reflective bezzle or other suitable type of reflective surface.  
     [0049] Referring now FIGS. 4 and 5, various views of the tilted rotatable reel  80  are illustrated. FIGS. 4 and 5 each display the upper display area  32  of the cabinets  100   a  and  100   c  of gaming devices  10   a  and  10   c  discussed above. The upper display area  32  of these cabinets is substantially vertical and includes, below the rotatable reel  80 , the rotatable wheel  60  having one or more indicators  62 , values  64  and lights  66 .  
     [0050] Although FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate that the reel  80  is tilted, in an embodiment where the upper display area  32  is substantially vertical as illustrated, the rotatable wheel  60  could also alternatively be tilted. Further, rotatable wheel  60  could be placed above the rotatable reel  80  as opposed the configuration illustrated. One or both of the wheels  60  and the reel  80  could be located on an upper tilted portion of the cabinet as illustrated by cabinet  100   b  of gaming device  10   b . Here again, either the rotatable wheel  60  or the rotatable reel  80  could be placed on top of the other.  
     [0051] Each of the cabinets  100   a  to  100   c  is illustrated showing reel  80 , whether or not tilted, as being in a substantially horizontal configuration. That is, the reel  80  rotates in a direction perpendicular to the vertical reels  34  of the video monitor  30 . In an alternative embodiment, the reel  80  is vertical and rotates in the same direction as reels  34 . In such a case, it may be less desirable to tilt the rotatable reel  80 . It should be appreciated however that the present invention does not require reel  80  to be angled or tilted, wherein the present invention includes independently the combination of a video monitor and a non-angled or non-tilted simulated or electromechanical rotatable wheel  60  and rotatable reel  80 . In this same manner, the present invention includes the combination of one or more rotatable wheels  60  and one or more rotatable reels  80 .  
     [0052] Tilted rotatable reel  80  includes a shaft that is also tilted slightly from vertical position. In an embodiment, the reel  80  is tilted at approximately ten to approximately forty-five degrees and preferably at approximately twenty degrees. The reel  80  can be angled at any position desired by the game implementer, which is chosen to provide a proper viewing angle for the player. The angled shaft of the rotatable reel  80  couples to one of the motion producing devices  58  described above in connection with FIG. 2. The motion producing device  58  is coupled to a motion controller  56 , which receives high level commands from the processor  38  and converts the high level commands to motor currents, which motion controller  56  sends to the motion producing device  58 . The rotatable reel  80  can therefore perform any sequence of motion, start, stop, start again, etc., that is capable with a non-tilted rotatable reel.  
     [0053] The processor  38  keeps track of the position of wheel  60  and reel  80  using an open loop system in an embodiment, wherein the processor relies on the reel to spin to its commanded location. In another embodiment, processor  38  uses a closed loop system having feedback, such as encoder feedback or one or more signals from a position sensing sensor, such as an inductive or capacitive proximity sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a light emitting and receiving sensor.  
     [0054] Referring now to FIG. 6, a close up view of the rotatable reel  80  is illustrated, which in an embodiment is tilted. The rotatable reel  80  is also illustrated as being above the rotatable wheel  60 . The indicator  62  of the rotatable wheel  60  is also illustrated showing that the indicator  62  in an embodiment is a shiny metal arrow. FIG. 6 illustrates that the rotatable reel  80  includes the dual indicator  82  having two arrows pointing inwardly towards a single one of the symbols  84 . Various lights  86  are also positioned around the indicated value  84 , which in the illustrated embodiment is fifty. A number of lights are also placed on the outside of the rotatable reel  80  and the wheel  60 .  
     [0055] It should be appreciated that the independently operated wheel  60  and the independently operated reel  80  can be operated simultaneously or sequentially.  
     [0056] In one embodiment, in relation to the gaming device of FIG. 1A, when a triggering event occurs in a primary game displayed by the video monitor  30 , the secondary game of the wheel  60  is activated or initiated.  
     [0057] In one embodiment, the wheel automatically begins to spin. In another embodiment, the player must activate an input device (not shown) to cause the wheel to spin. If a value on the wheel is selected, the value is provided to the player and the secondary game ends. In one embodiment, the wheel includes at least one trigger symbol. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1A, the wheel includes four trigger symbols labeled “BONUS.” If a trigger symbol is indicated, the reel is activated. Similar to the wheel, the reel  80  may automatically begin to spin or may be activated by an input from the player. The award indicated on the reel is provided to the player.  
     [0058] It should be appreciated that the above describes only one alternative of the combination of the primary game, first secondary game (i.e., the wheel) and the second secondary game. Any suitable alternative may be employed with the wheel and reel. For instance, (i) both may be independently activated by different triggering events in the primary game, (ii) both may be triggered by the same triggering event in the primary game, or (iii) upon a triggering event in the primary game, one of the wheel or the reel could be randomly selected for activation.  
     [0059] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.