Patent Publication Number: US-2004048673-A1

Title: Gaming device having alternating display

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 gaming places 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 or the amount a 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 or obtaining a triggering event 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 base 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 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 such as a paytable 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] 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  
       [0009] The present invention provides a gaming device having a simulated or mechanical alternating display. The display includes a lever arm that pivots substantially at its middle about a pivot point. Each end of the lever arm points to one of a group of symbols placed on either side of the lever arm. When the lever arm moves, both ends point sequentially to the symbols of the groups. An alternating indicator, such as a light placed on each side of the pivot point and adjacent to a respective one of the groups of symbols, indicates one of the groups of symbols. When the display finishes its sequence, the player is provided with the symbol from the group currently indicated by the indicator and currently indicated by the lever arm.  
       [0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the display includes an alternating indicator having a pivot arm that pivots about a pivot point. Each end of the arm includes an indicator that sequentially indicates one of a number of symbols in a symbol group. In this manner, the pivot arm is simultaneously indicating two symbols, one from each group of symbols associated with the dual ends of the pivot arm. The display also includes a group selection indicator that simultaneously indicates one of the groups, while the pivot arm simultaneously indicates one of the symbols from each of the groups. In an embodiment, the group selection indicator includes a light placed in association with each lever arm indicator. The group selection indicator selects one of the groups and the level arm indicators select one of the symbols of the groups, wherein the game ultimately provides the selected symbol from the group.  
       [0011] The group selection indicators can have various arrangements and can be any suitable type of visual highlighting device that indicates one group of symbols as opposed to another group. The display can have any suitable number of groups wherein the group selection indicator indicates one of three groups, four groups, etc. The display of the present invention can be simulated or electromechanical. Likewise, the group selection indicator can be simulated or electromechanical. In one embodiment the group selection indicator is a light, however, the group selection indicator can alternatively be a moving indicator, such as a lever arm.  
       [0012] The symbols represent various gaming device outcomes, such as game, credits, game credit multipliers, a number of picks from a prize pool, a number of free spins or free games, a progressive game increment, a symbol that enables the player to enter a bonus round or any combination of these. The symbol groups can include the same type of game outcomes or have various types of game outcomes as desired by the implementer. In one embodiment, the symbols are ordered from lowest to highest. In other embodiments, the symbols are randomly disbursed. The symbols of the groups are placed in such a manner than at certain times the lever arm indicators indicate a high value from one group and at the same time indicate a low value from another group. This creates excitement and enjoyment in the player who hopes to win the higher value. The group selection indicator, then alternates between higher and lower values.  
       [0013] 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  
     [0014]FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of alternative embodiments of the gaming device of the present invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration of one embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is an elevation view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a lever arm indicating a first set of symbols.  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 showing the lever arm indicating a second set of symbols.  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the lever arm indicating a third set of symbols.  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the present invention showing alternative groups of symbols from the groups illustrated in FIGS.  3  to  5 .  
     [0020]FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the present invention showing various alternative group selection indicators than the group selection indicators illustrated in FIGS.  3  to  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0021] The present invention provides a display and display indication that operate with the wagering 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 one of 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 primary game or with any of the bonus triggering events associated with primary games, as well as any progressive game coordinating with these base or bonus games. The symbols and indicia used for any of the base, bonus and progressive games include mechanical, electrical or video symbols and indicia.  
     [0022] 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 and 1B, one slot machine embodiment is illustrated. Gaming devices  10   a  and  10   b  illustrate two possible cabinet styles and display arrangements and are collectively referred to herein as gaming device  10 . Gaming device  10  is 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  also includes being a pub-style or table-top game (not shown), which a player operates while sitting.  
     [0023] Gaming device  10  includes monetary input devices. FIGS. 1A and 1B 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.  
     [0024] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, 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.  
     [0025] Gaming device  10  also includes one or more display devices. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B 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.  
     [0026] The display and display indication of the present invention is provided, in an embodiment, in the area of the upper display area  32  of gaming device  10   a  and  10   b  of FIGS. 1A and 1B. The display and display indication of the present invention is provided, in another embodiment, on top of the rounded cabinet of gaming device  10   a  or rectangular cabinet of gaming device  10   b . In a further embodiment, the top portion or “top box” of the gaming device is removed, creating a lower profile machine. Here, the display and display indication of the present invention sits on top of gaming device  10  but is lower to the ground than if the top box is not removed.  
     [0027] 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.  
     [0028] With reference to the slot machine base game of FIGS. 1A and 1B, 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.  
     [0029] 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.  
     [0030] 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.  
     [0031] 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.  
     [0032] The processor  38  also controls the output of one of more motion controllers  56  that control one or more actuators or 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.  
     [0033] As described more fully below, the rotational motion of an actuator or motor  58  can be used to rotate a portion of the display or indicator of the present invention. The rotational motion can alternatively be converted to cause a portion of the display or indicator to translate. Otherwise, a linear motion producing device  58  can be used to directly cause a portion of the display or indicator of the present invention to translate.  
     [0034] The motion control arrangement facilitates complex movements of multiple parts 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 displays and indicators described below can perform or move differently, e.g., faster, 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 displays and indicators of the present invention.  
     [0035] Referring now to FIG. 3, a display  60  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. The display  60  in an embodiment appears on a video monitor, such as the display device illustrated in connection with FIGS.  1 A and  1 B. In another embodiment, display  60  is electromechanical, where, for example, display  60  appears on the upper display area  32  of gaming device  10  illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Display  60  can therefore be simulated or have actual physical parts.  
     [0036] Display  60  includes a lever arm  62  that pivots about pivot point  64 . Lever arm  62  includes an indicator  66  at one end and an indicator  68  on the opposing end. In the illustrated embodiment, indicators  66  and  68  have the shape of an arrowhead or pointer, however, indicators  66  and  68  can have any suitable desired shape. It should also be appreciated that more than two indicators may be employed in the present invention.  
     [0037] The indicators  66  and  68  each indicate a respective group of symbols. Indicator  66  indicates symbols  72  from the group  70 . Indicator  78  indicates symbols  82  from the group  80 . The groups  70  and  80  of symbols  72  and  82 , respectively, are positioned on either side of the pivot point  64 . In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot point  64  is positioned roughly half-way between the groups  70  and  80 . In an alternative embodiment, pivot point  64  is located closer to one of the groups  70  or  80 .  
     [0038] The symbols  72  of the group  70  are spaced apart from one another in substantially a column. Likewise, symbols  82  are also spaced apart from one another substantially in a column. In an embodiment, pivot point  64  is located approximately in the center of the spaced apart distance of the columns of symbols of the groups  70  and  80 . In an alternative embodiment, the pivot point  64  is positioned closer to one end of each of the columns of the groups  70  and  80 .  
     [0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot point  64  is roughly in the center of the symbol groups  70  and  80 . For this reason, the arm length for the indicators  66  and  68  is approximately equal. If the pivot point  64  resides closer to one of the groups  70  or  80  and/or resides closer to one end of the column of symbols of the groups  70  and  80 , the arm length of the indicators  66  and  68  of the lever arm  62  varies accordingly.  
     [0040] The display  60  in an embodiment includes a theme that corresponds to a theme of gaming device  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the theme is that of an oil tycoon, wherein display  60  includes indicia, figures, objects or other items  74  that relate to the gaming device theme.  
     [0041] The display  60  includes a group selection indicator that highlights or selects, at a given point in time, one of the groups  70  or  80  of symbols  72  and  82 , respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the group selection indicator is shown by lights  76  and  78  that are placed on the lever indicators  66  and  68 , respectively. The lights  76  and  78  therefore move with the lever indicators  66  and  68 . In an embodiment, the lights  76  and  78  alternate to show the player that the player is going to win one of the awards or be awarded one of the symbols  72  or  82 , whichever is ultimately indicated by one of the lights  76  or  78 .  
     [0042] The group selection indicator can take on many different forms, some of which are illustrated below in connection with FIG. 7. For example, in an embodiment where display  60  resides on a video monitor or video display device  30 , the group selection indicator can be: (i) an arrow that points alternatingly towards one of the groups  70  or  80 ; (ii) any type of light or highlighting adjacent to or associated with one of the groups  70  or  80 ; (iii) an indication by one of the theme objects  74 ; and (iv) any combination thereof.  
     [0043] The symbols  72  and  82  can represent a number of outcomes commonly associated with gaming devices. In the illustrated embodiment, symbols  72  and  82  are gaming device credits. In an alternative embodiment, one, a multiple of or all of the symbol  72  and/or  82  can be: (i) a multiplier of gaming device credits: (ii) gaming device symbols that alone or in combination with at least one other gaming device symbol yield a gaming device award; (iii) a number of picks from a prize pool; (iv) a progressive game increment; (v) a number of free games; (vi) a number of free spins; (vii) a symbol that signals an entry into a bonus game; and (viii) any combination thereof.  
     [0044] The symbols  72  and  82  make up at least part of an outcome provided by gaming device  10 . In an embodiment, the gaming device  10  simply provides the symbol or credit value to the player, wherein gaming device  10  increments the credit meter  16  (FIGS. 1A and 1B) accordingly. In another embodiment, gaming device  10  alters or modifies the symbol in some fashion to provide an ultimate award to the player. For example, display  60  includes a meter  84  that illustrates a multiplier value. In an embodiment, gaming device  10  multiplies one of the symbols that is indicated by one of the lever arm indicators  66  and  68  and by one of the group selection indicators  76  and  78 . The multiplier and the indicated symbol are multiplied to produce an ultimate award for the player.  
     [0045] The credit symbols are placed in ascending order in the illustrated embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, both groups  70  and  80  include the same symbols that are in the same order. In this manner, when indicator  66  indicates the highest value of five thousand in the group  70 , the alternative indicator  68  indicates the lowest valued symbol of ten in the group  80 . A player viewing the display  60  of FIG. 3 obviously wishes to obtain the award currently indicated in the group  70  rather than the award currently indicated in the group  80 . This disparity between awards creates tension and excitement for the player viewing the display  60 . That is, if the order of the value of the symbols were reversed in one of the groups  70  or  80 , the indicators  66  and  68  would indicate the same value, rendering the selection between the group  70  and  80  meaningless. In alternative embodiments, groups  70  and  80  do not have to have the same symbols, and to the extent that groups  70  and  80  have the same symbols, groups  70  and  80  do not have to place the symbols in the same order or in any particular order.  
     [0046] Referring now to FIG. 4, the lever arm  62  of the display  60  has rotated so that the indicators  66  and  68  at the end of the lever arm  62  are indicating intermediately placed symbols  72  and  82 , respectively. If the display  60  is simulated, the motion of the lever arm  62  about pivot point  64  is simulated by the display  30 . If the display  60  if electromechanical, the motion of the arm  62  about the pivot point  64  is produced by the motion controller  56  and motion producing device  58  discussed above in connection with FIG. 2.  
     [0047] In an embodiment, motion producing device  58  is a motor, such as a rotational stepper, servo or dc motor. Stepper motors in particular are common in gaming devices because they can be obtained in relatively small sizes, are programmable and are highly accurate. The stepper motor is controlled by a motor controller  56  which receives high level commands from the processor  38 . The processor  38  runs a program that causes the lever arm  62  at a designated time to oscillate back and forth about pivot point  64  in a desired manner, and continue oscillating at any practicable, desired acceleration and velocity. After the pivot arm  62  stops rotating and indicates, via indicators  66  and  68 , one of the symbols  72  and  82  from the groups  70  and  80 , respectively.  
     [0048] The mechanical display  60  includes in one embodiment a positional feedback device, such as an encoder or a position sensor that sends a feedback signal to the processor so that processor  38  knows the location of the indicators  66  and  68  of the lever arm  62  at all times. By knowing the location of the indicators  66  and  68 , gaming device  10  knows which of the symbols  72  and  82  is being indicated at any point of time. Gaming device  10  also knows which group  70  or  80  is being indicated by one of the group selection indicators  76  or  78  that enables the processor  38  to determine which of the symbols  72  and  82  indicated by the indicators  66  and  68 , respectively, is to be used for a gaming device outcome.  
     [0049] Referring now to FIG. 5, the indicator  62  has pivoted to almost the reverse position of the lever arm in FIG. 3. Here, indicator  66  indicates the second lowest symbol  72  in the group  70 , and the indicator  68  indicates simultaneously the second highest symbol  82  in the group  80 . During the oscillation shown in FIGS.  3  to  5 , gaming device  10  in an embodiment alternates the lights  76  and  78 , thereby altering whether the group  70  or the group  80  is indicated.  
     [0050] It should be appreciated that display  60  includes two random generation elements. The first random generation element is which symbol  72  or  82  from the respective groups  70  or  80  is indicated by the respective lever arm indicators  66  and  68 , respectively. The second random element is whether the group selection indicators  76  and  78  are indicating the group  70  or the group  80 . In FIG. 5, because the indicator  68  indicates the symbol  82  of one thousand and the indicator  66  indicates the symbol  72  of fifteen, the player desires that the group selection indicator  78  would select the group  80  at this moment.  
     [0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, one direction of movement is the active direction of movement, and one direction of movement is a non-active direction of movement. For instance, the movement of the member or lever in an upward direction can be the active direction and the movement of the member or lever in a downward direction can be the non-active direction. In one embodiment, the member or lever can only stop on a symbol or award when the member or lever is moving in an active direction such as upwardly.  
     [0052] It should also be appreciated that although the symbols or awards are illustrated in increasing magnitude from bottom to top, the symbols or awards could be in reverse order or in any suitable order such as a random order. It should also be appreciated that in one embodiment, probabilities are associated with the different symbols and the random determination of which symbols or awards are indicated is based on those probabilities. It should be appreciated that the probabilities may be the same or may be different.  
     [0053] After a predetermined period of oscillating the lever arm  62  about pivot point  64  and simultaneously changing whether the indicating light  76  or the indicating light  78  is lit, gaming device  10  stops the lever arm in a randomly generated position and stops the alternate changing of the lights  76  and  78  so that one light remains lit, which is also determined according to a random generation. The frequency that the lever arm oscillates with respect to the frequency that the indicating lights change is also determined by the game implementer and can be any practical, suitable frequencies. In one embodiment of the present invention, the lever arm could first stop to indicate opposing symbols and the indicating light could flash between choices and eventually stop to illuminate one side or group (even though the determination of the symbol could already be made). Alternatively, the indicating light could stop flashing and illuminate one side or group and the lever arm could keep moving until stopping to indicate one of the symbols in that group.  
     [0054] The random generations can occur at any point in the game program of gaming device  10  before the ultimate symbol is indicated by the display  60 . In FIG. 5, for example, the processor  38  of gaming device  10  can determine prior to the lever arm  62  oscillating that the player receives the symbol  82  of one thousand from the group  80 . According to this randomly generated outcome, gaming device  10  runs a sequence of oscillating the lever arm  62  and alternating the lights  76  and  78 , ultimately culminating in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 5 with the indicator  68  pointing towards the symbol  82  of one thousand, and wherein the indicating light  78  is lit instead of the indicating light  76 . Gaming device  10  then multiplies the credit value of one thousand by the multiplier of ten indicated by meter  84  to provide the player an ultimate award of ten thousand credits.  
     [0055] Referring now to FIG. 6, an alternative display  160  includes many of the same components of display  60  described above, including the lever arm  62  that rotates about pivot point  64  and has at its ends indicators  66  and  68 . The alternative display  160  also includes the group selection indicators  76  and  78  placed at the ends of the pivot arm  62  along with the lever arm indicators  66  and  68 , respectively. The alternative display  160  also includes the theme based objects and indicia  74  as well as the multiplier meter  84 .  
     [0056] Display  160  includes alternative symbol groups  170  and  180 . Alternative symbol group  170  includes symbols  172 , while group  180  includes symbols  182 . The symbols are again credits but could be any type of symbol described above. Symbols  172  and  182  include the same amounts as illustrated above with the display  60 , however, the arrangement of the amounts is different. Display  160  illustrates a random amount distribution as opposed to an ordered distribution illustrated with the display  60 . Although the amount distribution is randomly disbursed, the values are arranged in the alternative groups  170  and  180 , such that one indicator will indicate the highest amount, while the other indicator will indicate simultaneously the lowest amount. The indicators  66  and  68  will simultaneously indicate medium amounts, etc. This distribution as stated above is desirable to create excitement in the player, wherein the player hopes to achieve a higher one of the two awards indicated.  
     [0057] The groups of the present invention, such as groups  170  and  180  do not have to be in a linear column as illustrated. The symbols  172  and  182  of the groups  170  and  180 , respectively, can be distributed so that the groups have one or more curvatures. Further, any practical and suitable number of groups may be provided, and the present invention is expressly not limited to providing only two groups. Also, different groups can have different numbers of symbols. Still further, a portion of the motion sequence of the lever arm  62  could include the lever  62  turning at least one hundred eighty degrees in one direction so that indicator  68  indicates one of the symbols  172  over the group  170 , while the indicator  66  indicates one of the symbols  182  of the group  180 .  
     [0058] Referring now to FIG. 7, a further alternative display  100  is illustrated. Alternative display  100  includes many of the same components from the displays  60  and  160 , including the lever arm  62 , the pivot  64 , the theme based indicia  74  and the multiplier meter  84 . The alternative display  100  includes the symbol groups  70  and  80  having symbols  72  and  82 , respectively, as does the display  60 . As with all embodiments in the present invention, display  100  in an embodiment is a simulated display on video monitor  30  or an electromechanical display which is located, for example, in the upper display area  32 . Any of the embodiments in electromechanical form can also be placed on the top of gaming device  10 , wherein the top box as it is well known in the art can be removed so that the displays of the present invention are on top of the machine but lower in overall height.  
     [0059] Alternative display  100  illustrates various alternative group selection indicators. As previously illustrated, the group selection indicators included alternating lights placed on the indicators  66  and  68 . In an alternative embodiment one or more lights, highlights, lighted areas or any other type of visual indication device such as fading out and brightening, changing color, etc., is placed adjacent to the group  70 . Here, stationary lighted indicators  102  and  104  are placed adjacent to the groups  70  and  80 , respectively. Indicators  102  and  104  illustrate that the indication can be positioned anywhere that is indicative of a respective group and does not have to be located on or associated with the moving indicators  66  and  68 .  
     [0060] In a further alternative embodiment, a second moving or mechanical indicator  106  can be provided to alternatively select one of the groups  70  or  80 . Indicator  106  is illustrated as translating back and forth in a groove  108 . Indicator  106  in an embodiment is coupled to a stepper motor, e.g., via a lead screw or linear actuator. The indicator  106  couples through the slot  108  to the stepper motor or other type of motion producing device  58 , wherein the processor  38  sends high level commands from a computer program to the motion controller  56 , which converts the commands into motor currents to send to the motion producing device  58 . In this manner, the indicator  106  can have any practical desired acceleration, velocity and positional movements. Indicator  106  alternatingly translates in the embodiment illustrated. In an alternative embodiment, an indicator can be provided that pivots back and forth about a pivot point or it uses some other type of motion that produces an alternating indication of the groups  70  and  80 .  
     [0061] In one preferred alternative embodiment of the present invention, the gaming device provides the player with multiple awards. The indicators sequentially indicate each award and credit the player with each indicted award. In one such embodiment, after each sequential activation, indication and payment of an award, for a brief period of time, the player does not know whether the indicators will be activated again. This provides an exciting and entertaining game for the players. In one further alternative embodiment, the gaming device can provide the player with both symbols or awards which are simultaneously indicated by the member or lever. This could be done on a random or predetermined basis.  
     [0062] 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.