U.S. patent application number 09/257625 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for slot machines having advertising displays.
Invention is credited to LADD, HAROLD S., ORANGES, CARYL E., SCHINDLER, PETER U..
Application Number | 20010041609 09/257625 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22977052 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010041609 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ORANGES, CARYL E. ; et
al. |
November 15, 2001 |
SLOT MACHINES HAVING ADVERTISING DISPLAYS
Abstract
In a gaming device of the type that utilizes multiple rotatable
wheels or a video display to present a random combination of
predetermined symbols and which issues a "win" indication or payout
whenever one of several predetermined winning combinations of
symbols is obtained, the provision of advertising messages which
can be utilized in substitution for or in combination with the
conventional symbols and the payout can be determined by a
combination of the conventional symbols with the advertising
messages or other messages alone.
Inventors: |
ORANGES, CARYL E.; (RANCHO
MIRAGE, CA) ; SCHINDLER, PETER U.; (SOLANO BEACH,
CA) ; LADD, HAROLD S.; (SOLANO BEACH, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMAS P. MAHONEY LAW OFFICES
5 COLLINS ISLE
BALBOA ISLAND
CA
92662
US
|
Family ID: |
22977052 |
Appl. No.: |
09/257625 |
Filed: |
February 25, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/34 20130101;
G07F 17/3227 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/16 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
I claim:
1. In a gaming device of the type having means for generating a
random combination of symbols, means defining a plurality of
winning combinations of symbols, and means responsive to said
random combination generating means and to said winning combination
defining means for providing an indication of a win whenever the
generated random combination corresponds to one of said winning
combinations, the improvement comprising: means for generating a
plurality of advertising messages; and means for displaying said
advertising messages, said advertising messages being displayable
with one another or in conjunction with one or more of said
symbols.
2. The gaming device of claim 1 in which the said symbols and said
advertising messages are located upon a plurality of rotatable
reels, said symbols and said messages having a predetermined value
to establish a prize-winning combination.
3. The gaming device of claim 1 in which said symbols and
advertising messages are video-generated images simulating the
action of mechanical reels and in which, when said gaming device is
disposed in a static mode, said advertising messages are presented
for perusal.
4. In a gaming device for generating a random combination of
symbols, means defining a plurality of winning combinations of
symbols and means responsive to said random combination generating
means and to said winning combination defining means for providing
an indication of a win whenever the generated random combination
corresponds to one of said winning combinations, the improvement
comprising: a plurality of advertising messages displayable on said
gaming device; means for defining a plurality of winning
combinations of messages; and means responsive to said random
combination-generating means and to said winning
combination-defining means for providing an indication of a win
whenever the generated random combination of messages corresponds
to one of said winning combinations.
5. The gaming device of claim 1 in which said symbols and said
advertising messages are displayed by means for interspersing or
combining said symbols and said messages.
6. The devices of claims 4 or 5 incorporating means for sequential
display of said advertising messages to the exclusion of said
symbols.
7. In a method of operating a slot machine incorporating arbitrary
symbols and advertising messages displayed on said machine, the
steps of: presenting a plurality of arbitrary, conventional
symbols; presenting a plurality of advertising messages; and,
simultaneously, energizing said symbols and said messages to
produce a winning combination of said symbols and said
messages.
8. The method of claim 7 in which the method includes the step of
providing a winning combination of advertising messages.
9. The method of claim 7 in which static display means displays
only said messages.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/077,039, filed Mar. 6, 1998.
[0002] This invention relates to gaming devices which generate
random combinations of symbols and provide a "win" indication if
the random combination generated corresponds to one of a plurality
of pre-determined winning combinations, and, more particularly, to
a gaming device of the aforementioned character wherein advertising
messages are interspersed between the symbols. In other words,
instead of a random combination of symbols, the gaming device will
display advertising related to products, services, or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The gaming devices under consideration here are commonly
known as slot machines and can be broadly divided into two classes:
namely, electro-mechanical devices which are energized by an
elongated arm and video devices which are energized by pressing one
or more buttons on the housing of the device. In the
electro-mechanical device, the aforementioned symbols are displayed
on a plurality of wheels whereas, in the video device, the spinning
of the wheels is simulated by the video circuitry.
[0004] Long habituation has resulted in the use of conventional
symbols such as various types of fruits or numerals. The present
invention will be disclosed as utilized in a video slot machine,
but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the
invention can be applied to mechanical or electro-mechanical slot
machines.
[0005] As is well known to those skilled in the art, a video slot
machine has a display screen on which a simulation of three
spinning wheels of the slot machine is presented. Each simulated
wheel incorporates a plurality of game elements such as a "cherry",
an "orange", a "BAR" or the like. The appearance of the various
symbols on the respective simulated wheels is determined by
electronic circuitry which is commonly controlled by an electronic
micro-processor.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to substitute a
pre-determined number of the conventional symbols with advertising
materials so that, during dwell time of the machine, the
advertising messages will be automatically displayed to an
individual utilizing the machine. For instance, various products,
such as soft drinks, cigarettes, or the like can be the subject of
the advertising messages and the trademarks of the products can
appear on each of the three video wheels of the machine.
[0007] Another object of the invention is the provision of
advertising symbology on the wheels of a slot machine wherein the
advertising symbology is integrated into the "win" circuitry of the
machine so that one or more or all of the advertising symbology on
the wheels of the machine can provide a pay-out in accordance with
the pre-determined operational adjustment of the machine's
circuitry.
[0008] For instance, an advertising symbol appearing on one wheel
in conjunction with conventional symbology, such as cherries or
bells on the other two wheels can materially increase the pay-out
to the player, thus engendering goodwill for the advertiser on the
machine.
[0009] In addition, the appearance of the advertising symbology on
all three wheels can result in a major pay-out of substantial sums
of money to the player. In this manner, the goodwill engendered by
the pay-outs associated with the advertising symbology materially
reinforces the advertising message which is displayed on the wheels
of the machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] FIG. 1 is a view showing one embodiment of a slot machine
which can be modified to display advertising messages on the video
wheels thereof; and
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which advertisements on the
respective wheels of the machine can be interspersed with
conventional symbols.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1
thereof, I show a video-type slot machine 10 incorporated in a
housing 12 and having a plurality of control buttons 14, 16, 18,
20, and 22 to control the video wheel display bank 30.
[0013] A slot 32 is provided for the reception of coins to initiate
the operation of the machine 10 and a delivery bin 34 is provided
for the pay-outs.
[0014] Conventionally, three wheels 40 are provided in the bank 30
and are energized in various combinations determined by the
utilization of the control buttons 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22.
[0015] Normally, when the bank 30 is operated, the wheels 40 will
be spun simultaneously and the spinning action of the individual
wheels will terminate seriatim, that is, the first second and third
wheels 40 stop one after the other.
[0016] As previously mentioned, the pay-outs are determined by the
proprietor of the machines and are frequently displayed on the
machine as at 42. Therefore, a player is made aware of what the
individual pay-outs will be.
[0017] The operation of such machines is normally controlled by a
micro-processor which generates signals that determine the number
of increments each of the respective reels or wheels 40 will be
advanced. Winning combinations include those corresponding to the
unalterable symbology on the reels, such as the bell, plum, melon,
star, etc. previously discussed. In the present machine, the video
circuitry has been modified to provide for the wheels 40 showing
various advertising messages as represented by the word "AD" shown
on the wheels 40 of FIG. 1. Alternatively, the winning combinations
shown on the charts 42 will be modified to indicate the advertising
combinations which will provide for a pay-out to the player.
[0018] For instance, the combination of all three wheels 40 having
advertising messages thereupon, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings,
will result in one of the larger or, perhaps, the largest pay-out
made by the machine. Other pay-outs made by the machine can include
the presence of advertisements on one or two wheels in conjunction
with the conventional symbology.
[0019] In these instances, for instance, the presence of one AD
wheel 40 in conjunction with two conventional symbols can increase
the pay-out above the amount which would normally be paid if all
three symbols were present. Similarly, if two AD wheels are
displayed in conjunction with a conventional symbol, a greater
amount will be paid Thus, the products advertised will be
associated in a the mind of a player with greater goodwill than
that obtained by mere display in magazine, television, or other
types of advertising.
[0020] The chart 60 of FIG. 2 is an illustration of the manner in
which the advertising message can be displayed in conjunction with
the conventional symbols. For instance, as illustrated, one, two,
or three advertising messages on the wheels can display. The one
and two messages can be displayed in conjunction with conventional
symbols and the payout proportionately increased until the triune
display of the advertising messages results in the greater
pay-out.
[0021] In addition, during the dwell time on the machine, a message
is conveyed to passers-by or, initially, to a player approaching
the machine for the first time. It should be noted that the
principles of the invention can be applied with equal cogency to
conventional mechanical or electro-mechanical slot machines,
although, of course, greater flexibility of combinations is
achieved with the microprocessor of the machine 10.
[0022] It should be noted that the advertisers can confine their
messages solely to the advertising function of the machine and that
the gaming use of the ads is an additional aspect of the
invention.
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