Patent Publication Number: US-6656041-B1

Title: Gaming device for changing a player&#39;s environment

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to the following commonly-owned co-pending patent applications: “A GAMING DEVICE HAVING A PHYSICAL STIMULI GENERATOR,” Ser. No. 09/978,952. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates in general to a gaming device, and more particularly to a gaming device for changing a player&#39;s environment, preferably in conjunction with an award or as part of a bonus round. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Known gaming machines use various lighting effects and sound effects to attract, stimulate and entertain players. Such games, for instance, include flashing lights, spinning lights, music, and voices for such purposes. Gaming machines also include bonus schemes, progressive jackpots and large awards to attract, stimulate and entertain players. To increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide new player stimuli in conjunction with gaming devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a gaming device which stimulates the player by changing the player&#39;s environment, preferably in conjunction with an award or bonus scheme, thereby increasing the player&#39;s enjoyment and excitement. The gaming device of the present invention includes a topper unit mounted on the top of the cabinet of the gaming device which emulates certain stimuli to the player, including air movement or wind, lighting effects and sound effects. The topper unit includes a housing and diffuser that provide the stimulus that supplements the primary or secondary games of the gaming device. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides stimuli relating to a storm, such as a thunderstorm. The housing includes one or more illumination devices that simulates lightning flashing through a thundercloud, while thunder sounds are provided by a soundcard and transmitted through speakers. The present invention provides a blower mechanism contained in the topper unit fluidly communicating with the diffuser. The blower mechanism, preferably including a plurality of fan blades and a drive mechanism which generates a pulsed or steady stream of air (i.e., air stream) that is provided to the diffuser. The diffuser acts to control the air stream reducing its force so that the player is not unduly startled or injured. The diffused air stream is directed toward the player and temporarily changes the player&#39;s environment, preferably in conjunction with a player award, bonus game or other event. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gaming device that changes a player&#39;s environment. 
    
    
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the gaming device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration of one embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded front perspective view of the topper unit including the illumination and blower mechanisms of the present invention illustrating the relationship there between. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, a gaming device  10  of one embodiment of the present invention, which is preferably a slot machine having the controls, displays and features of a conventional slot machine is generally illustrated. Gaming device  10  includes a cabinet  11  constructed to enable a player to operate gaming device  10  while standing or sitting. However, it should be appreciated that gaming device  10  can be constructed as a pub-style table-top game (not shown) which a player can operate preferably while sitting. 
     Gaming device  10  can incorporate any primary game such as slot, poker or keno in addition to any of their bonus triggering events which trigger a bonus round. The symbols and indicia used on and in gaming device  10  may be in mechanical, electrical or video form. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, gaming device  10  includes a coin slot  12  and bill acceptor  14  where the player inserts money, coins or tokens. The player can place coins in the coin slot  12  or paper money in the bill acceptor  14 . Other devices could be used for accepting payment such as readers or validators for credit cards or debit cards. 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 , pushing play button  20  or activating any other mechanism (including a touch screen) which starts the game. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, 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. 
     Gaming device  10  may include a display window which contains, in the slot machine embodiment, a plurality of reels  30 , preferably three to five reels in mechanical or video form. Each reel  30  displays a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which preferably correspond to a theme associated with the gaming device  10 . If the reels  30  are in video form, the gaming device  10  preferably displays the video reels  30  at display  32 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 2, the general electronic configuration of gaming device  10  preferably includes: a processor  38 ; a memory device  40  for storing program code or other data; a central display device  32  (not shown in FIG.  1 ); a display  30 ; a sound card  42  for generating sounds, such as thunder or other storm sounds; a plurality of speakers  36 ; and one or more input devices  44 . The processor  38  is preferably a microprocessor or microcontroller-based platform which is capable of displaying images, symbols and other indicia such as images of people, characters, places, things, faces of cards, an image of storms, such as clouds and rain; and controlling the illumination and blower mechanisms described below. The memory device  40  can include random access memory (RAM)  46  for storing event data or other data generated or used during a particular game. The memory device  40  can also include 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. 
     It should be appreciated that although a processor  38  and memory device  40  are preferable implementations of the present invention, the present invention can also be implemented using one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC&#39;s) or other hard-wired devices, or using mechanical devices (collectively referred to herein as a “processor”). Furthermore, although the processor  38  and memory device  40  preferably reside on each gaming device  10  unit, it is possible to provide some or all of their functions at a central location such as a network server for communication to a playing station such as over a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet connection, microwave link, and the like. The processor  38  and memory device  40  is generally referred to herein as the “computer” or “controller.” 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, to operate the gaming device  10  in one embodiment the player must insert the appropriate amount of money or tokens at coin slot  12  or bill acceptor  14  and then pull the arm  18  or push the play button  20 . The reels  30  will then begin to spin. Eventually, the reels  30  will come to a stop. As long as the player has credits remaining, the player can spin the reels  30  again. Depending upon where the reels  30  stop, the player may or may not win additional credits. 
     In addition to winning credits in this manner, preferably gaming device  10  also provides players the opportunity to win credits in a bonus round. This type of gaming device  10  will include a program which will automatically begin a bonus round when the player has achieved a qualifying condition in the primary game. This qualifying condition can be a particular arrangement of indicia on a display device. The gaming device  10  preferably uses the video-based display  32  to enable the player to play the bonus round. Preferably, the qualifying condition is a predetermined combination of indicia appearing on a plurality of reels  30 . 
     In one embodiment, the present invention includes a gaming device  10  that emulates the sights, sounds and feel of a storm and in particular a thunderstorm. The gaming device  10  includes a topper unit  56  connected to and mounted on top of the cabinet  11  of the gaming device  10 . The gaming device  10  uses the topper unit  56  to entice players to play the game, stimulate a player playing the game, and increase their enjoyment while playing, adding external stimulus that supplements the primary or secondary (i.e., bonus game) game. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, the topper unit  56  generally includes a housing  58  and diffuser  60  that provide the outside stimulus that supplements the primary or secondary game. In the illustrated embodiment, the diffuser  60  is connected to cabinet  11  of the gaming device (preferably to a top surface  57  thereof by screws, bolts, pegs, adhesives, or other suitable means. The diffuser  60  includes a diffuser housing  59  defining a opening  61  in a front surface  62  thereof and includes a screen or mesh  64  therein. The diffuser  60  is in fluid communication with a blower mechanism  66  as discussed in greater detail below. The diffuser housing  59  is preferably formed as a single piece of non-transparent, colored or dyed plastic, but other materials are contemplated including polyvinylchloride, polyvinylacetate, acrylic, or other suitable material. Moreover, it should be anticipated that housing  59  could be formed of a plurality of units joined together and comprising one integral unit. 
     The housing  58  is connected to the diffuser  60  using screws, bolts, pegs, adhesives or other suitable fixing devices. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing  58  has a rounded appearance so that it looks like a storm cloud. It should be appreciated that the housing  58  can have any shape (square, round, oval, triangular, etc.) suitable for use with the gaming device  10  and the game. The housing  58  is preferably formed as a single piece of non-transparent, colored or dyed plastic, but other materials are contemplated including polyvinylchloride, polyvinylacetate, acrylic, or other suitable material. Moreover, it should be anticipated that housing  58  could be formed of a plurality of units joined together and comprising one integral unit. 
     The depicted housing  58  includes an illumination device  68  (best viewed in FIG. 3) that provides a lighting effect such as simulating lightning. The housing  58  also includes a opaque or translucent plastic face plate  70  removably connected thereto which acts to diffuse the light, heightening the lightening effect. It should be appreciated that the face plate  70  may also display the name of the primary or secondary game. While an opaque or translucent plastic face plate  70  is discussed, other suitable materials are contemplated. 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, the topper unit  56  is shown in greater detail. The diffuser  60  includes the diffuser housing  59  defining opening  61  (containing screen  64 ) in the front surface  62  thereof. The diffuser  60  includes opposing extending members  72  that removably connect to the housing  58  using any suitable fastening device. 
     The diffuser housing  59  defines a chamber  74  containing a curved trough  76  which fluidly communicates with the housing  58  and provides a path for an air stream through the topper unit  56  and out the opening  61 . It should be appreciated that diffuser  60  acts to control the air stream, reducing or diffusing the air stream power, preventing the air stream from injuring or annoying the player. 
     The housing  58  includes a first or generally flat back surface  78  and a second surface or wall  80  connected to and extending therefrom. The second surface or wall  80  has a lip  82  extending transversely therefrom, and includes inner and outer surfaces  84  and  86 , respectively, where the outer surface  86  connects to the extending members  72  of the diffuser  60 . The second surface or wall  80  further defines a port  88  that fluidly communicates with the diffuser  60  and the trough  76 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the first and second surfaces  78  and  80  define a chamber  90  that contains the illumination device  68  and a blower mechanism  66 . The chamber  90  contains a first support member  92  removably connected to the first surface  78  by screws, bolts, pegs, adhesives or other suitable fastening devices. The first support member  92  has a support surface  94  with a plurality of illumination supports or sockets  96  extending therefrom and removably connected thereto. 
     The illumination supports or sockets  96  support the illumination device  68  connected to the controller or computer, which enable the device  68  to flash in a regular or irregular pattern (emulating lightening during a storm) as determined by the controller. In the illustrated embodiment, the illumination device  68  is a plurality of light bulbs  98  connected to a power source (not shown). While light bulbs  98  are illustrated, any suitable light source including light emitting diodes “LEDs”, light beams, fluorescent tubes, electro-luminesence or fiber optic cable are contemplated. It is also contemplated that the illumination device  68  could all be of one color or various colors. 
     A second support member  100  is illustrated in FIG. 3 connected to the first support member  92  and extending therefrom. The second support member  100  includes a support surface  102  and support members  104  which connect to the first support member  92  using screws, bolts, pegs, adhesives, or other fastening devices. The blower mechanism  66  is shown connected to the support surface  102  of the second support member  100 , where the blower mechanism  66  is connected to the controller. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the blower mechanism  66  includes a drive mechanism and fan blades (not shown) contained in housing  106  which creates a pulse of air (i.e., air stream) simulating high winds associated with a thunderstorm. While the drive mechanism and fans are discussed, any suitable blower mechanism  66  is contemplated. It should be appreciated that the blower mechanism  66  provides the air stream in both a pulsed and non-pulsed (i.e., continuous or non-continuous) pattern. 
     It is contemplated that the present invention preferably works in conjunction with a bonus scheme of a gaming device  10 , where the game initiates the bonus round based on a predetermined pattern in the primary game and the game then enters the bonus scheme or bonus round. However, it should be appreciated that the present invention could be used with a primary game of a gaming scheme in conjunction with an event or occurrence during the game, such as an award to the player. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the gaming device  10  emulates a thunderstorm when triggered by the controller, based on a triggering event generated by the primary or secondary game. The illumination device  68  emulates lightening, providing light in a pulsed or irregular pattern as determined by the controller. It should be appreciated that the face plate  70  could include a thundercloud pattern that heightens the lightening effect. The sound card  42  generates thunder transmitted to the player by the speakers  36 . The blower mechanism  66  generates an air stream (pulsed or non-pulsed) that is provided through the topper unit  56  to the player in a controlled or diffused fashion by the diffuser  60 . 
     It should be appreciated that the above described events provide certain sights, sound and feel of a thunderstorm, heightening the player&#39;s enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the present invention could include a detector which detects passersby. In this embodiment, when someone passes by the gaming device  10 , the topper unit  56  lights up, creates thunder and provides a stream of air to attract their attention. In yet another embodiment, the gaming device could emulate a storm on a timed or regular basis to attract players. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. It is thus to be understood that modifications and variations in the present invention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of this invention as defined in the claims, and that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the claims.