Patent Publication Number: US-7594852-B2

Title: Gaming machine with interchangeable reel display arrangement

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/677,527, filed May 4, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to gaming machines, and methods for playing wagering games, and more particularly, to a gaming machine having an interchangeable reel display system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     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. 
     If the type of wagering game is a physical reel slot game played on a mechanical slot machine, 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 arrangement in the form of a display panel mounted in front of the reels. The displayed symbols represent the game outcome. A conventional display panel includes windows for viewing the individual physical reels of the slot reel assembly and such credit meters as a “bet” meter, “credit” meter, and a “win” meter. 
     Instead of a conventional display panel, the slot machine may include a display arrangement in the form of a light-guiding panel of the type disclosed in International Publication WO 2006/015046 and International Publication WO 2006/036486, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The light-guiding panel includes an outer edge to receive light from a peripheral light source and transmit the light through a panel interior defined by opposing front and rear surfaces. The rear surface may include an etched portion with fine recesses for reflecting the light. The light-guiding panel includes windows for viewing the physical reels and the credit meters. The light is substantially uniformly reflected through all but the window of the surface. 
     Alternatively, the slot machine may include a display arrangement in the form of a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD) of the type disclosed in U.S. Publication 2004/0198485, U.S. Publication 2003/0087690, U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433, and International Publication WO 2006/036948, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The transmissive LCD provides a video image that may selectively be made to have levels of transmissivity varying from transparent to opaque, thus allowing the display of images on the transmissive LCD while allowing selective portions of the physical reels to be seen through the transmissive LCD. The transmissive LCD may be outfitted with a touch screen for operating the gaming machine and is preferably illuminated with a backlight assembly positioned between the LCD and the physical reels. The backlight assembly may be integrated with the transmissive LCD in a single unit, or may be separate from the transmissive LCD and mounted adjacent thereto. The backlight assembly includes windows or cutouts aligned with the physical reels so that a player may view the reels. 
     For ease of manufacture, repair, maintenance, and reconfiguration of slot machines, it would be desirable to be able to easily interchange which reel display arrangement is used in front of the physical reels. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a slot machine comprises a housing, a plurality of physical symbol-bearing reels mounted in the housing, and a display arrangement positioned in front of the reels and interchangeable in the same housing between at least two of the following: (i) a display panel without an interior cavity, (ii) a light-guiding panel having an illuminated interior, and (iii) a transmissive video display. 
     Additional aspects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a gaming machine embodying the present invention, with a door thereof in a closed position and a reel display arrangement through which symbol-bearing reels of the machine are viewed; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a control system suitable for operating the gaming machine; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the gaming machine with the door thereof in an open position and without the reel display arrangement mounted to the door; 
         FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are isometric front views and rear views, respectively, of a plurality of possible reel display arrangements that may be interchangeably mounted in the housing of the gaming machine and serve as the reel display arrangement for viewing the reels; and 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the gaming machine with the door thereof in the open position and with one of the reel display arrangements mounted to the door. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a gaming machine  10  is used in gaming establishments such as casinos. With regard to the present invention, the gaming machine  10  is preferably an electromechanical slot machine configured to play mechanical slots. 
     The gaming machine  10  comprises a housing  12  and includes input devices, including a value input device  18  and a player input device  24 . For output the gaming machine  10  includes a primary display  14  for displaying information about the basic wagering game. The primary display  14  can also display information about a bonus wagering game and a progressive wagering game. The gaming machine  10  may also include a secondary display  16  for displaying game events, game outcomes, and/or signage information. While these typical components found in the gaming machine  10  are described below, it should be understood that numerous other elements may exist and may be used in any number of combinations to create various forms of a gaming machine  10 . 
     The value input device  18  may be provided in many forms, individually or in combination, and is preferably located on the front of the housing  12 . The value input device  18  receives currency and/or credits that are inserted by a player. The value input device  18  may include a coin acceptor  20  for receiving coin currency (see  FIG. 1 ). Alternatively, or in addition, the value input device  18  may include a bill acceptor  22  for receiving paper currency. Furthermore, the value input device  18  may include a ticket reader, or barcode scanner, for reading information stored on a credit ticket, a card, or other tangible portable credit storage device. The credit ticket or card may also authorize access to a central account, which can transfer money to the gaming machine  10 . 
     The player input device  24  comprises a plurality of push buttons  26  on a button panel for operating the gaming machine  10 . In addition, or alternatively, the player input device  24  may comprise a touch screen  28  mounted by adhesive, tape, or the like over the primary display  14  and/or secondary display  16 . The touch screen  28  contains soft touch keys  30  denoted by graphics on the underlying primary display  14  and used to operate the gaming machine  10 . The touch screen  28  provides players with an alternative method of input. A player enables a desired function either by touching the touch screen  28  at an appropriate touch key  30  or by pressing an appropriate push button  26  on the button panel. The touch keys  30  may be used to implement the same functions as push buttons  26 . Alternatively, the push buttons  26  may provide inputs for one aspect of the operating the game, while the touch keys  30  may allow for input needed for another aspect of the game. 
     The various components of the gaming machine  10  may be connected directly to, or contained within, the housing  12 , as seen in  FIG. 1 , or may be located outboard of the housing  12  and connected to the housing  12  via a variety of different wired or wireless connection methods. Thus, the gaming machine  10  comprises these components whether housed in the housing  12 , or outboard of the housing  12  and connected remotely. 
     The operation of the basic wagering game is displayed to the player on the primary display  14 . The primary display  14  preferably includes a plurality of physical symbol-bearing reels  60  that, in response to a wager, are rotated about a common axis and stopped to display symbols in visual association with at least one payline  32 . The number of reels  60  may vary but typically range from three to five reels. The primary display  14  also includes a reel display arrangement  62  positioned in front of the reels and interchangeable in the same housing  12  between at least two of the following: (i) a display panel without an interior cavity, (ii) a light-guiding panel having an illuminated interior, and (iii) a transmissive video display. In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming machine  10  is an “upright” version in which the primary display  14  is oriented vertically relative to the player. Alternatively, the gaming machine may be a “slant-top” version in which the primary display  14  is slanted at about a thirty-degree angle toward the player of the gaming machine  10 . 
     A player begins play of the basic wagering game by making a wager via the value input device  18  of the gaming machine  10 . A player can select play by using the player input device  24 , via the buttons  26  or the touch screen keys  30 . The basic game consists of a plurality of symbols arranged in an array, and includes at least one payline  32  that indicates one or more outcomes of the basic game. Such outcomes are randomly selected in response to the wagering input by the player. At least one of the plurality of randomly-selected outcomes may be a start-bonus outcome, which can include any variations of symbols or symbol combinations triggering a bonus game. 
     In some embodiments, the gaming machine  10  may also include a player information reader  52  that allows for identification of a player by reading a card with information indicating his or her true identity. The player information reader  52  is shown in  FIG. 1  as a card reader, but may take on many forms including a ticket reader, bar code scanner, RFID transceiver or computer readable storage medium interface. Currently, identification is generally used by casinos for rewarding certain players with complimentary services or special offers. For example, a player may be enrolled in the gaming establishment&#39;s loyalty club and may be awarded certain complimentary services as that player collects points in his or her player-tracking account. The player inserts his or her card into the player information reader  52 , which allows the casino&#39;s computers to register that player&#39;s wagering at the gaming machine  10 . The gaming machine  10  may use the secondary display  16  or other dedicated player-tracking display for providing the player with information about his or her account or other player-specific information. Also, in some embodiments, the information reader  52  may be used to restore game assets that the player achieved and saved during a previous game session. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the various components of the gaming machine  10  are controlled by a central processing unit (CPU)  34 , also referred to herein as a controller or processor (such as a microcontroller or microprocessor). To provide gaming functions, the controller  34  executes one or more game programs stored in a computer readable storage medium, in the form of memory  36 . The controller  34  performs the random selection (using a random number generator (RNG)) of an outcome from the plurality of possible outcomes of the wagering game. Alternatively, the random event may be determined at a remote controller. The remote controller may use either an RNG or pooling scheme for its central determination of a game outcome. It should be appreciated that the controller  34  may include one or more microprocessors, including but not limited to a master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or parallel processor. 
     The controller  34  is also coupled to the system memory  36  and a money/credit detector  38 . The system memory  36  may comprise a volatile memory (e.g., a random-access memory (RAM)) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., an EEPROM). The system memory  36  may include multiple RAM and multiple program memories. The money/credit detector  38  signals the processor that money and/or credits have been input via the value input device  18 . Preferably, these components are located within the housing  12  of the gaming machine  10 . However, as explained above, these components may be located outboard of the housing  12  and connected to the remainder of the components of the gaming machine  10  via a variety of different wired or wireless connection methods. 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the controller  34  is also connected to, and controls, the primary display  14 , the player input device  24 , and a payoff mechanism  40 . The payoff mechanism  40  is operable in response to instructions from the controller  34  to award a payoff to the player in response to certain winning outcomes that might occur in the basic game or the bonus game(s). The payoff may be provided in the form of points, bills, tickets, coupons, cards, etc. For example, in  FIG. 1 , the payoff mechanism  40  includes both a ticket printer  42  and a coin outlet  44 . However, any of a variety of payoff mechanisms  40  well known in the art may be implemented, including cards, coins, tickets, smartcards, cash, etc. The payoff amounts distributed by the payoff mechanism  40  are determined by one or more pay tables stored in the system memory  36 . 
     Communications between the controller  34  and both the peripheral components of the gaming machine  10  and external systems  50  occur through input/output (I/O) circuits  46 ,  48 . More specifically, the controller  34  controls and receives inputs from the peripheral components of the gaming machine  10  through the input/output circuits  46 . Further, the controller  34  communicates with the external systems  50  via the I/O circuits  48  and a communication path (e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10bT, etc.). The external systems  50  may include a gaming network, other gaming machines, a gaming server, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components. Although the I/O circuits  46 ,  48  may be shown as a single block, it should be appreciated that each of the I/O circuits  46 ,  48  may include a number of different types of I/O circuits. 
     Controller  34 , as used herein, comprises any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware that may be disposed or resident inside and/or outside of the gaming machine  10  that may communicate with and/or control the transfer of data between the gaming machine  10  and a bus, another computer, processor, or device and/or a service and/or a network. The controller  34  may comprise one or more controllers or processors. In  FIG. 2 , the controller  34  in the gaming machine  10  is depicted as comprising a CPU, but the controller  34  may alternatively comprise a CPU in combination with other components, such as the I/O circuits  46 ,  48  and the system memory  36 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown an isometric view of the slot machine  10  with a door  64  thereof in an open position. The slot machine  10  comprises the housing  12  and the plurality of physical symbol-bearing reels  60  mounted in the housing  12 . The reels  60  may be assembled together on a common platform. The door  64  is hingedly connected to the rest (i.e. cabinet side) of the housing  12  for movement between the illustrated open position and the closed position in  FIG. 1 . The door  64  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  without the reel display arrangement  62  mounted thereto. 
       FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are isometric front and rear views, respectively, of three possible reel display arrangements  62   a - c  that may be interchangeably mounted to the door  64  of the housing  12  in  FIG. 3  and serve as the reel display arrangement  62  for viewing the reels  60 . When the door  64  is closed as in  FIG. 1 , the selected reel display arrangement  62   a ,  62   b , or  62   c  is positioned in front of the reels  60 . 
     The reel display arrangement  62  is interchangeable in the same housing  12  between at least two, and preferably all three, of the following: (i) a display panel  62   a  without an interior cavity, (ii) a light-guiding panel  62   b  having an illuminated interior, and (iii) a transmissive video display  62   c . The selected display arrangement  62   a ,  62   b , or  62   c  is mounted to the door  64  in  FIG. 3  by screws, bolts, rivets, clamps, or other type of fastener. More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 3  the door  64  includes a bezel  66 . Each of the display panel  62   a , the light-guiding panel  62   b , and the transmissive video display  62   c  is interchangeably mountable to the same bezel  66  in  FIG. 3 . An adapter may be required to mount the transmissive video display  62   c  to the bezel  66  in  FIG. 3 . Regardless of which display arrangement  62   a ,  62   b , or  62   c  is mounted to the door  64  in  FIG. 3 , the mounted display arrangement includes transparent portions or windows  70  aligned with the respective reels  60  to permit viewing of the reels  60  through the display arrangement when the door  64  is closed. Instead of individual windows  70  for viewing the respective reels  60 , the windows  70  may be replaced with a single elongated window encompassing all of the reels  60 . 
     The display panel  62   a  includes a rectangular sheet of glass, plastic, or other material with graphics applied thereto. The graphics may be printed on the panel or incorporated in a film adhered to the panel. The graphics may, for example, relate to paylines, credit meters, and denomination. In addition to the windows  70  for viewing the individual physical reels  60  when the panel  62   a  is installed on the slot machine  10 , the panel  62   a  includes windows  72  for viewing such credit meters as a “bet” meter, “credit” meter, and a “win” meter. Other portions of the display panel  62   a  are opaque to prevent a player from viewing an interior of the housing  12 .  FIG. 5  depicts the display panel  62   a  after it has been mounted to the door  64 . 
     The light-guiding panel  62   b  is of the type disclosed in International Publication WO 2006/015046 and International Publication 2006/036486, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The light-guiding panel  62   b  includes an outer edge to receive light from a peripheral light source  76  (see  FIG. 4   a ) and transmit the light through a panel interior defined by opposing front and rear surfaces. The rear surface may include an etched portion with fine recesses for reflecting the light. The front surface may carry graphics that are either directly applied to the surface or incorporated in a film adhered to the surface. The graphics may, for example, relate to paylines, credit meters, and denomination. In addition to the windows  70  for viewing the individual physical reels  60  when the panel  62   b  is installed on the slot machine  10 , the panel  62   b  includes windows  74  for viewing such credit meters as a “bet” meter, “credit” meter, and a “win” meter. The light is substantially uniformly reflected through all but the windows. 
     The transmissive video display  62   c  may be a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD) of the type disclosed in U.S. Publication 2004/0198485, U.S. Publication 2003/0087690, U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433, and International Publication WO 2006/036948, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Alternatively, the transmissive video display  62   c  may be an organic light-emitting diode (LED) display as disclosed in the aforementioned International Publication WO 2006/036948. The transmissive LCD  62   c  provides a video image that may selectively be made to have levels of transmissivity varying from transparent to opaque, thus allowing the display of images on the transmissive LCD while allowing selective portions of the physical reels to be seen through the transmissive LCD. The transmissive LCD  62   c  may be outfitted with a touch screen for operating the gaming machine and is preferably illuminated with a backlight assembly positioned between the LCD and the physical reels. The backlight assembly may be integrated with the transmissive LCD  62   c  in a single unit, or may be separate from the transmissive LCD  62   c  and mounted adjacent thereto. The backlight assembly includes windows or cutouts aligned with the physical reels  60  so that a player may view the reels  60 . The backlight assembly may, for example, be an organic LED display or alternatively a light-guiding panel similar to the light-guiding panel  62   b.    
     In an alternative embodiment, instead of being mounted to the door  64  of the housing  12 , the reel display arrangements  62   a - c  may be interchangeably mounted to the cabinet side of the housing  12 . For example, like the door  64 , a display arrangement  62   a ,  62   b , or  62   c  may be connected to the cabinet side of the housing  12  by a hinge. Alternatively, a display arrangement may be mounted to a shelf within the housing  12  such as the shelf carrying the reels  60 . When mounted in this manner, closing the door  64  against the display arrangement serves to complete the enclosure of the display arrangement. 
     The gaming machine  10  has a number of advantages. The standard base structure has multiple uses. And yet, because the base structure is standardized (except for primarily the reel display arrangement  62 ), it is easier and more cost-effective to manufacture, repair, and maintain. The standard structure minimizes the number of parts and knowledge necessary to manufacture, repair, and maintain the gaming machine. The three display arrangements  62   a - c  may be interchangeably mounted to the door  64 . The placement of the windows  70  is such that any of the display arrangements  62   a - c  may be used with the reels  60 . Depending upon the desired use, one of these three arrangements may be selected for mounting to the door without making substantial modifications to the rest of the base structure. In this manner, the cost of manufacturing different types of gaming machines may be reduced. 
     Furthermore, the gaming machine  10  may easily be reconfigured in the field or for resale. For example, a particular gaming establishment (e.g. casino) may first obtain the machine with one of the three display arrangements  62   a - c . Based on consumer demand, the gaming establishment may find it desirable to offer the machine with a different one of the three display arrangements  62   a - c . While retaining the rest of the base structure, this reconfiguration (or “conversion”) is easily achieved by removing the initial display arrangement and replacing it with a different display arrangement. 
     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.