U.S. patent application number 10/624279 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-18 for multiple video display gaming machine and gaming system.
Invention is credited to Lind, Clifton, Lind, Jefferson C..
Application Number | 20040229693 10/624279 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33423957 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040229693 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lind, Clifton ; et
al. |
November 18, 2004 |
Multiple video display gaming machine and gaming system
Abstract
A gaming machine includes a cabinet having a game video display
mounted on a front side of the cabinet. The gaming machine also
includes at least one more additional video display mounted on the
front side of the cabinet either above or below the game video
display. A player control device is also mounted on the front side
of the cabinet. This player control device may be separate from the
video displays or may be integrated with one or more of the video
displays in the form of a touch screen portion of one or more of
the video displays. The player control device may include a
separate touch screen display mounted on a ledge projecting
forwardly from the front side of the gaming machine cabinet.
Inventors: |
Lind, Clifton; (Austin,
TX) ; Lind, Jefferson C.; (Austin, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE CULBERTSON GROUP, P.C.
1114 LOST CREEK BLVD.
SUITE 420
AUSTIN
TX
78746
US
|
Family ID: |
33423957 |
Appl. No.: |
10/624279 |
Filed: |
July 22, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60470081 |
May 13, 2003 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3211
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/037 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
1. A gaming machine including: (a) a cabinet; (b) a game video
display mounted on a front side of the cabinet; (c) a first
additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet
above the game video display, the first additional video display
making up substantially the entire area of the front side of the
gaming machine above the game video display; (d) a player control
device mounted on the front side of the cabinet, the player control
device being separate from the game video display or first
additional video display or being or integrated with the game video
display; and (e) a second additional video display mounted on the
front side of the cabinet below the game video display and player
control device, the second additional video display extending
substantially the entire width of the front side of the gaming
machine in an area immediately below the game video display or
player control device.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the player control device
includes a player control touch screen display.
3. The gaming machine of claim 2 wherein the player control touch
screen forms at least a portion of a forwardly projecting ledge
located below the game video display, the forwardly projecting
ledge extending transversely to a plane of the game video
display.
4. The gaming machine of claim 3 further including a mechanical
player input device or player interface device mounted on the
forwardly projecting ledge.
5. The gaming machine of claim 1 further including at least one
player interface device mounted on the lower front surface of the
gaming machine adjacent to the second additional video display.
6. A gaming system including: (a) a number of gaming machines, each
gaming machine including a respective single-player game
presentation arrangement having two or more video displays and also
including at least one processor for controlling the video
displays; and (b) a game modification controller in communication
with each respective gaming machine, the game modification
controller for selectively communicating presentation switching
instructions to each respective gaming machine, the presentation
switching instructions being executable at the gaming machine to
cause the respective gaming machine to switch the content of each
video display in the operation of the respective gaming machine
from content for a first game presentation to content for a second
game presentation.
7. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein each gaming machine
includes a game video display mounted on a front face of the
cabinet and an additional video display mounted on the front side
of the gaming cabinet above or below the game video display.
8. The gaming system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the gaming
machines includes a player control touch screen mounted on the
front side so as to form an outwardly extending ledge below the
game video display.
9. The gaming system of claim 7 further including a game
presentation server with a presentation storage arrangement for
storing multiple sets of presentation instructions, each set of
presentation instructions being executable at a respective one of
the gaming machines to define at least a portion of the video
content of at least two different video displays on the respective
gaming machine during the operation of the respective gaming
machine.
10. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the game modification
controller is also for directing the transfer of a new set of
presentation instructions from the presentation server to a
respective one of the gaming machines in connection with
presentation switching instructions communicated to the respective
gaming machine.
11. The gaming system of claim 6 further including a gaming machine
usage monitoring arrangement for monitoring the usage of at least a
portion of the gaming machines and providing control inputs to the
game modification controller based on the usage of at least a
portion of the gaming machines.
12. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein the game modification
controller communicates presentation switching instructions to a
respective gaming machine in response to a player input at the
gaming machine.
13. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the gaming
machines includes a storage device storing a number of sets of
presentation instructions, each set of presentation instructions
being executable at the gaming machine to define at least a portion
of the video content of at least two different video displays on
the respective gaming machine during the operation of the
respective gaming machine.
14. A method of making a game presentation at a gaming machine, the
method including steps of: (a) displaying a first game presentation
component on a first video display mounted on a front side of the
gaming machine, the first game presentation component comprising a
portion of a first game presentation; (b) simultaneously with
displaying the first game presentation component, displaying a
second game presentation component on a second video display
mounted on the front side of the gaming machine, the second game
presentation component comprising a portion of the first game
presentation; and (c) simultaneously with displaying the first game
presentation component, displaying a third game presentation
component on a third video display mounted on the front side of the
gaming machine, the third game presentation component comprising a
portion of the first game presentation.
15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of,
simultaneously with displaying the first game presentation
component, displaying a fourth game presentation component on a
fourth video display mounted on the front side of the gaming
machine, the fourth game presentation component comprising a
portion of the first game presentation.
16. A method of controlling a gaming machine, the method including
steps of: (a) displaying a first game presentation through a number
of video displays mounted on a front side of the gaming machine,
each respective video display showing a respective portion of the
first game presentation; (b) producing a presentation switching
instruction at least partially based on conditions of a gaming
system in which the gaming machine is included; and (c) in response
to the presentation switching instruction, displaying a second game
presentation through the video displays mounted on the front side
of the gaming machine, each respective video display showing a
respective portion of the second game presentation.
17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of monitoring
usage of the gaming machine or additional gaming machines in the
gaming system to produce usage information and wherein the
presentation switching instruction is issued in response to the
usage information.
18. The method of claim 16 further including the step of
simultaneously storing a first game presentation instruction set
and a second game presentation instruction set at the gaming
machine, the first game presentation instruction set being
executable to display the first game presentation and the second
game presentation instruction set being executable to display the
second game presentation.
19. The method of claim 16 further including the steps of: (a)
storing a second game presentation instruction set at a game
presentation server remote from the gaming machine; and (b)
communicating the second game presentation instruction set to the
gaming machine to facilitate the display of the second game
presentation at the gaming machine.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of producing the
presentation switching instruction at least partially based on
conditions of the gaming system is performed based on conditions of
the gaming system monitored by the gaming machine.
21. A gaming machine including: (a) a cabinet; (b) a game video
display mounted on a front side of the cabinet; and (c) player
control touch screen forming at least a portion of a forwardly
projecting ledge located below the game video display, the
forwardly projecting ledge extending transversely to a plane of the
game video display.
22. The gaming machine of claim 21 further including a first
additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet
above the game video display, the first additional video display
making up substantially the entire area of the front side of the
gaming machine above the game video display.
23. The gaming machine of claim 22 further including a second
additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet
below the player control touch screen.
24. The gaming machine of claim 21 further including a player input
device or player interface device separate from the player control
touch screen and mounted on the forwardly projecting ledge.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to U.S. provisional patent
application No. 60/470,081, filed May 13, 2003, entitled MULTIPLE
VIDEO DISPLAY GAMING MACHINE AND GAMING SYSTEM, the entire content
of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference. The
Applicant hereby claims the benefit of this earlier pending
provisional application under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e).
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to gaming machines that
incorporate a video display and to systems that include a number of
such gaming machines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A number of different games of chance may use electronic
gaming machines as an interface through which players may
participate in the game. For example, electronic gaming machines
may be used to imitate a traditional mechanical slot machine, a
poker game, blackjack game, or other traditional casino games.
Electronic gaming machines may also be used to play lottery games,
bingo and games similar to bingo, and other games of chance that
are not necessarily related to any traditional casino game.
[0004] Electronic gaming machines are commonly housed in a large
and oftentimes standalone cabinet. The cabinet includes a front
side on which is mounted a game video display along with player
controls. Player controls may include various types of mechanical
controls such as switches, buttons, and levers mounted on a
forwardly extending ledge below the game video display. Player
controls may also be incorporated into the game video display
itself using touch screen technology. In addition to the game video
display and basic player controls through which the player makes
choices or takes action in the game offered through the gaming
machine, the gaming machines may also include other player
interface devices such as coin or paper currency acceptors, player
card or credit card acceptors, keypads, and other player interface
devices. As with traditional mechanical gaming machines, electronic
gaming machines also commonly include a number of static graphic
displays. In electronic gaming machines, these static graphic
displays are mounted above the game video display and/or below the
game video display on the front side of the cabinet. These static
graphic displays generally provide information regarding the game
offered through the gaming machine such as pay tables and other
game related information, and include colorful and attractive
graphics that are coordinated with the video display shown on the
game video display in the course of game play. The static graphic
displays may also incorporate ono-static elements such as counters
or numeric displays for showing bonus or progressive play
information. Video displays may also be incorporated into the
static graphic displays to show game related information or
information unrelated to the game available at the gaming machine.
The graphic display located above the game video display is
commonly referred to as the top glass, whereas the graphic display
located below the game video display is commonly referred to as the
belly glass.
[0005] The look of a particular game to a player at an electronic
gaming machine may be referred to as the game presentation. This
game presentation includes the animated graphics displayed on the
game video display and associated static graphics shown on the top
glass and belly glass. For example, a gaming machine providing a
game presentation imitating a mechanical slot machine will include
graphics displayed on the game video display to imitate a number of
reels. In response to a player control, these representations of
reels are set in motion using suitable graphics display techniques
and are made to appear to stop at some final stop position that
indicates the outcome of the play. The top glass and belly glass
will commonly have graphics associated with a theme of the imitated
slot-type game, and a payout table showing payouts for various reel
stop positions. As another example, a gaming machine providing a
game presentation imitating a poker game may include animated
graphics displayed on the game video display showing a card deal
and allowing the player to see the cards they are dealt and perhaps
certain cards dealt to the house or other players depending upon
the specific type of poker game being portrayed. The top and belly
glass graphics which are part of the poker presentation will be
related to the poker theme and may also include payout tables for
the poker game, game rules, and other information.
[0006] The game presentation of an electronic gaming machine may
depict the actual game offered through the gaming machine or some
other game of chance. An example of an electronic gaming machine
that depicts the actual game being played is a slot machine type
game in which the gaming machine itself or some associated piece of
equipment executes a program to independently pick the reel stop
positions for a given play. A video lottery terminal is an example
of an electronic gaming machine that may depict a game different
from the game actually being played to determine a win/loss result.
In video lottery terminals, the win/loss result is determined by a
predetermined video lottery ticket or data record that is selected
from a set of such records in response to a game play request. The
game video display of a video lottery terminal may simply show a
representation of the predetermined lottery record selected for a
given game play request. However, the graphics provided on the game
video display may alternatively provide a presentation of a
different game such as a presentation including spinning reels
imitating a traditional mechanical slot machine. The reel stop
position is dictated by the result associated with the
predetermined video lottery record selected in response to a game
play request at the video lottery terminal.
[0007] A given gaming facility that employs electronic gaming
machines may include numerous machines to accommodate a large
number of players. Each of the gaming machines is generally
dedicated to a particular presentation or perhaps a number of
related presentations. Although the underlying hardware included in
the gaming machine may be fairly generic from one game presentation
to the next, the game presentation provided by the gaming machine
may be switched only by replacing the top glass and belly glass and
perhaps by changing the player controls to accommodate the new game
presentation. Thus, changing the game presentation provided by an
electronic machine to an entirely different presentation is a
substantial undertaking and may be accomplished only by taking the
gaming machine out of service for a relatively long period of time.
A switch of game presentations commonly requires removing the
gaming machine from the casino floor for the changeover. That is,
if a casino desires to change from a gaming machine having a
presentation that has proven to be unpopular to a gaming machine
having a more popular presentation, essentially the entire gaming
machine must be replaced for at least taken and service for a
substantial period of time to change the static graphic displays.
Because switching game presentations in a gaming machine is so
involved, the game presentations offered in a given gaming facility
are fairly static. It is noted that even in prior art gaming
machines that allow the player to choose from among several
different games, portions of the game presentation remains static
between the different games available at the gaming machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention includes a gaming machine and a gaming
system having a number of individual gaming machines. The invention
also encompasses a method of producing a game presentation at a
gaming machine and a method of controlling a gaming machine.
[0009] A gaming machine according to the invention includes a
cabinet having a game video display mounted on a front side of the
cabinet. The gaming machine also includes at least one more
additional video display mounted on the front side of the cabinet
either above or below the game video display. A player control
device is also mounted on the front side of the cabinet. This
player control device may be separate from the video displays or
may be integrated with one or more of the video displays in the
form of a touch screen portion of one or more of the video
displays.
[0010] In one preferred form of the invention the player control
device includes a player control touch screen display that forms a
portion of a forwardly projecting player control ledge below the
game video display. The player control ledge extends transversely
to a plane of the game video display.
[0011] In addition to the player control device, a gaming machine
according to the present invention may also include at least one
more player interface device such as a player card reader, currency
acceptor/validator, or coin acceptor mounted on the cabinet. These
player interface devices may be mounted on the front side of the
cabinet on the player control ledge or elsewhere.
[0012] The additional video displays mounted above and/or below the
game video display may be used to display the portion of a game
presentation previously displayed by the static displays used in
prior art gaming devices. For example, a first additional video
display mounted above the game video display may extend across the
entire front surface of an upper portion of the gaming device,
making up the entire area used for the top glass in prior art
gaming machines. Such a video display may be used to display the
information and graphics previously displayed by the top glass
found in a prior art gaming machine. A second additional video
display mounted below the game video display may extend across
substantially the entire width of a lower portion of the gaming
device, making up the entire area used for the belly glass in prior
art gaming machines. Such a second additional video display may be
used to display the information and graphics previously displayed
by the belly glass of a prior art gaming machine. Using additional
video displays rather than static displays provides two important
advantages. First, the additional video displays facilitate
animated and more interesting graphics and also allow much more
information to be displayed. This greatly increases the flexibility
of the gaming machine and allows the gaming machine to provide more
interesting presentations. The second major advantage associated
with employing additional video displays according to the present
invention is that the additional video displays allow the entire
game presentation of a particular gaming machine to be modified
without modifying the static structure of the gaming machine
itself. That is, rather than taking a gaming machine out of service
to change out the top and belly glass, and perhaps other static
graphics on the gaming machine cabinet, the additional video
displays of the present invention may simply be provided with
different instructions to display a different presentation. Game
presentations may even be changed to meet demand in a particular
gaming facility.
[0013] A gaming system according to the present invention includes
a number of gaming machines, each gaming machine including a single
player game presentation arrangement having two or more video
displays. The two or more video displays include a game video
display and least one additional video display mounted above or
below the game video display on a front side of gaming machine
cabinet.
[0014] In addition to the gaming machines, the gaming system
according to the invention also includes a modification controller
for selectively issuing presentation switching instructions to the
various gaming machines included in the system in response to a
control input. The control input may be entered by a player at a
particular gaming machine to request a different game presentation.
Alternatively or additionally, a gaming machine usage monitoring
controller monitors usage of gaming machines in the system and
provides the control input based on the usage of the gaming
machines. A game presentation server may also be included in the
system with associated storage for storing a library of game
presentation instruction sets. Each presentation instruction set is
executable for causing a gaming machine to provide a given game
presentation.
[0015] These and other advantages and features of the invention
will be apparent from the following description of the preferred
embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a gaming machine
embodying the principles of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the various components
of one preferred form a gaming machine according to the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a gaming system
embodying the principles of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a process flow chart illustrating a gaming machine
control process according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a gaming machine 10 includes a cabinet
11 having a front side generally shown at reference numeral 12. A
game video display 14 is mounted in a central portion of the front
surface 12 with a player control ledge 16 positioned below the game
video display and projecting forwardly from the plane of the game
video display. This forwardly projecting ledge 16 defines a
location for one or more player controls as described further
below. In addition to the game video display 14, the illustrated
form of the invention includes a first additional video display 17
positioned on the front side of cabinet 11 above game video display
14, and a second additional video display 18 mounted on the front
side of the cabinet below the game video display. Each of these
displays, the game video display 14, first additional video display
17, and second additional video display 18 participate in the
operation of game machine 10 to provide a presentation for a
particular game. It is noted that the gaming machine 10 is shown in
an operating position in FIG. 1, and that descriptions of positions
above or below a given element of the gaming machine are made with
reference this operating position.
[0021] Gaming machine 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, includes a player
control touch screen display 15 that defines a portion of the
player control ledge extending forwardly from the plane of game
video display 14. With this separate player control touch screen,
the illustrated gaming machine 10 includes a total of four
different video displays that together provide the game
presentation in the course of operation of the gaming machine. In
addition to the separate player control touch screen 15, gaming
machine 10 also includes mechanical player control or input buttons
19 mounted on ledge 16. Other forms of the invention may include
switches, joysticks, or other player control on input devices
mounted on ledge 16. However, all of the traditional player control
inputs from devices such as switches, buttons, and pointer
controls, can be provided through the illustrated touch screen
display/player control device 15. Using the separate player control
touch screen display 15 in gaming machine 10 allows the player
controls to be modified readily from one game presentation to the
next and even within a single presentation.
[0022] It will be appreciated that gaming machines may also include
player interface devices in addition to devices that are considered
player controls or inputs for use in playing a particular game. For
example, gaming machines commonly include a player card reader, a
voucher or ticket reader/issuer, a currency acceptor/validator,
and/or coin or token acceptors/dispensers. The form of the
invention shown in FIG. 1 includes these types of additional player
interface devices on a lower portion of the cabinet 11 generally in
the plane of the lower or second additional video display 18. These
additional player interface devices 20 are located around the
periphery of second additional video display 18. However, other
forms of the invention may configure one or more separate displays
to make up the overall display 18 with interface devices 20 or even
mechanical player controls mounted within the area of the second
additional video display. This use of apparent openings in the
video display also applies to the player control video display 15
and other video displays on machine 10.
[0023] Although FIG. 1 shows four separate video displays that
combine to produce the game presentation for gaming machine 10, it
will be appreciated that fewer video displays may be used. For
example, a gaming machine according to the invention may include
game video display 14 and only a single additional video display
that may be mounted above or below the game video display and take
up the entire area of the gaming machine front surface previously
reserved for a static top glass or belly glass display. Also,
although each video display shown in FIG. 1 is indicated as being a
single display, it will be appreciated that each video display 14,
15, 17, and 18 shown in FIG. 1 may in fact be made up of two or
more separate displays that combine to provide what appears to the
user to be a single display. It will also be appreciated that many
different types of video displays may be used for the displays in
the present invention including cathode ray tubes, liquid crystal
displays, plasma displays, or any other type of video display
currently known or that may be developed in the future.
[0024] FIG. 2 provides a block diagram showing all the components
of gaming machine 10 (shown in FIG. 1) including the displays 14,
15, 17, and 18. Gaming machine 10 includes a central processing
unit (CPU) 25 along with random access memory 26 and nonvolatile
memory or storage device 27. All of these devices are connected on
a common system bus 28 with an audio interface device 29,
communications interface 30, and a serial interface 31. Two
graphics processors 35 and 36 are also connected on the common bus
28 and are connected to drive the displays mounted on cabinet 11
(shown in FIG. 1). Graphics processor 35 controls game video
display 14 and player control display 15 while graphics processor
36 controls first additional display 17 and second additional
display 18. The system shown in FIG. 2 also includes a touch screen
controller 37 connected to system bus 28. Touch screen controller
37 is also connected to receive signals from touch screen elements
associated with each display, 14, 15, 17, and 18. It will be
appreciated that the touch screen elements themselves comprise thin
films that are secured over the respective video display. These
touch screen elements are not illustrated or referenced separately
in the figures. It will also be appreciated that touch screen
elements may not be associated with each display, although most
preferred forms of gaming machines according to the present
invention will have a touch screen element associated with at least
game video display 14 and player control video display 15.
[0025] All of the elements 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31 shown in
FIG. 2 are elements commonly associated with a personal computer.
These elements are preferably mounted on a standard personal
computer chassis and housed in a standard personal computer housing
which is itself mounted in cabinet 11 shown in FIG. 1. Those
familiar with personal computers and the various standard personal
computer elements shown in FIG. 2 will appreciate that many
variations on this illustrated structure may be used within the
scope of the present invention. For example, since serial
communications are commonly employed from a touch screen element
secured over a video display, a system according to the invention
may not include a separate touch screen controller 37. Rather,
communications from the touch screen elements may be accommodated
through any suitable peripheral interface such as a USB controller
or a IEEE 1394 controller. Thus, the connections shown from touch
screen controller 37 to the various displays may alternatively run
from the displays (or more precisely the touch screen elements
associated with the displays) to the serial interface 31 or any
other suitable interface. Numerous other variations in the gaming
machine internal structure and system may be used in accordance
with the principles of the present invention.
[0026] It will also be appreciated that graphics processors are
also commonly a part of modern personal computer systems. Although
two separate graphics processors 35 and 36 are shown for
controlling the four displays included in this form of the
invention, it will be appreciated that a separate graphics
processor may be included in the system for each particular
display. It is also possible for a single graphics processor to
control all of the video displays mounted on gaming machine 10.
[0027] CPU 25 executes game software which ultimately controls the
entire gaming machine 10 including the presentation provided
through the video displays. CPU 25 also executes software related
to communications handled through communications interface 30, and
software related to various peripheral devices such as those
connected to the system through audio interface 29, serial
interface 31, and touch screen controller 37. CPU 25 may also
execute software to perform accounting functions associated with
game play. Random access memory 26 provides memory for use by the
central processing unit in executing its various software programs
while the nonvolatile memory or mass storage 27 provides storage
for programs not in use or for other data generated or used in the
course of gaming machine operation. Communications interface 30
provides an interface to other components of a gaming system that
may be involved in game play. For example, some gaming machines
rely on remote processing units for providing accounting functions
associated with game play and also for providing game results. U.S.
Pat. No. 6,524,184 provides an example of a gaming system which
includes player terminals and remote systems for providing results
from predetermined game play records stored at the remote systems.
Even where the results of game play are determined at the gaming
machine itself, gaming machines are commonly interfaced with
systems for accounting purposes and control purposes, and
communications interface 30 provides an interface for such
communications. Communications interface 30 also provides an
interface to a processor that controls presentation changes at the
gaming machine as will be described below with reference to FIG.
3.
[0028] Audio interface 29 provides an interface for an audio system
that may be included in gaming machine 10. Serial interface 31
provides an interface for serial devices such as player controls
not incorporated in any touch screen display, and possibly the
touch screen elements themselves, and other player interface
devices such as currency acceptors/validators, a player card
reader, voucher readers/printers, and coin/token drops. Commonly, a
single serial interface device is used to communicate with a number
of serial devices through a suitable serial protocol such as USB or
IEEE 1394. However, it will be appreciated that additional serial
interfaces may be used depending upon the nature of the serial
protocols used for communications and the number of serial devices
included in gaming machine 10.
[0029] It will be appreciated that other basic components will be
included in gaming machine 10 such as a power supply, cooling
systems for the various processors, audio amplifiers and speakers,
and other devices that are common in gaming machines. These
additional devices are omitted from the drawings so as not to
obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 3, a number of gaming machines 10 are
included in a gaming system 40 according to the present invention.
The eight gaming machines 10 shown in FIG. 3 only for purposes of
example are divided into three separate groups indicated by dashed
lines 41, 42, and 43. Each gaming machine 10 is shown connected to
a network hub or switch 45. A separate processing device 47 is also
shown connected to hub/switch 45. This separate processing device
is used according to the invention to implement a presentation
server 48 with associated presentation storage 49, a modification
controller 50, and a usage monitoring arrangement 51. This separate
processing device 47 may comprise a single computer executing
software instructions to provide the communications and functions
for presentation server 48, presentation storage 49, modification
controller 50, and usage monitoring arrangement 51 described
further below.
[0031] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of
computer networks and computer system communications that the
arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3 provides only a single example of
a network arrangement that may be used to implement the present
invention. The illustrated example would be appropriate for direct
TCP/IP communications with the individual gaming machines. Other
forms of the invention may use serial communications with gaming
machines and may also include a suitable serial controller
interposed between one or more gaming machines and hub/switch 45.
The present invention is generally not limited to any particular
communications arrangements or protocols for providing
communications between the respective gaming machines 10 and the
processor 47. It will also be appreciated that the processing
functions described below for components 48, 49, 50, and 51 may be
distributed to different processors and are not necessarily
performed by a single processor indicated at reference numeral 47.
In particular, each gaming machine 10 may include sufficient
processing capability and operational software to perform the
functions of the modification controller 50, and usage monitoring
arrangement 51. That is, the gaming machine 10 itself may monitor
gaming machine usage conditions and switch presentations based upon
the detected conditions according to some predetermined standard,
formula, or logic. For example, a gaming machine 10 according to
the invention may be configured to switch presentations on its own
accord in the event no player has played a game on the gaming
machine for a given period of time.
[0032] The three different groups of gaming machines 10 are shown
to illustrate that a gaming system according to the present
invention at a given gaming facility may include different groups
of gaming machines 10 with each different group including gaming
machines controlled or configured to provide a particular game
presentation. The number of gaming machines 10 shown in FIG. 3 is
shown only for purposes of example and it will be appreciated that
a gaming system 40 according to the invention may include large
numbers gaming machines all connected for communications with one
or more processors used to implement presentation server 48,
modification controller 50, and usage monitoring arrangement
according to the invention.
[0033] Modification controller 50 is implemented in software
instructions executed by processor 47 and operates to selectively
issue presentation switching instructions to the various gaming
machines 10 included in gaming system 40. These presentation
switching instructions are executed at the receiving gaming machine
10 to cause the gaming machine to switch from a first game
presentation to a second game presentation.
[0034] In one form of the invention, modification controller 50
issues presentation switching instructions in response to a control
signal derived from a presentation change request that a player
inputs at a respective one of the gaming machines 10. Alternatively
to issuing presentation switching instructions in response to a
player request, gaming system 40 includes arrangements for issuing
presentation switching instructions automatically. In the form of
the invention illustrated in FIG. 3 for example, a usage monitoring
arrangement 51 implemented in software executed by processor 47
monitors the usage of the various gaming machines 10 included in
system 40. Upon detecting certain predetermined usage conditions,
monitoring arrangement 51 may issue a control signal to
modification controller 50 which responds by issuing presentation
switching instructions to one or more gaming machines 10. For
example, where the usage information indicates that all or most of
the gaming machines at a facility offering a particular game
presentation are in use while gaming machines providing another
game presentation are not in use, usage monitoring arrangement 51
may provide a control signal or signals to cause modification
controller 50 to issue presentation switching instructions to
unused gaming machines offering the less popular game presentation.
These switching instructions would cause the receiving gaming
machines 10 to switch to provide the more popular game
presentation. Of course, the issuance of instructions to switch
from one game presentation to another in a particular gaming
machines may not be fully automated and may require certain
operator intervention within the scope of the invention.
[0035] Presentation server 48 and its associated storage 49 provide
a repository of a number of different game presentation instruction
sets. Each game presentation instruction set is executable at a
gaming machine 10 to provide a particular game presentation at the
gaming machine. In some forms of the invention of the issuance of a
presentation switch instruction from modification controller 50 is
made in conjunction with a transfer of a given presentation
instruction set from presentation server storage 49 to the
particular gaming machine or machines 10 receiving the switch
command. Presentation server 48 and its associated storage 49
facilitate storing a large number of different game presentations
which may be downloaded to the various gaming machines 10 as
needed. In other forms of the invention, however, each gaming
machine 10 may include sufficient storage capacity (in mass storage
or non-volatile memory 27 shown in FIG. 2) to store a large number
of game presentation instruction sets. Storing game presentation
instruction sets at the gaming machines obviates the need for a
presentation server 48 and storage 49 respectively at a central
location such as processor 47. In cases where the game presentation
instruction sets are prestored on gaming machines 10, the
presentation switching instruction from modification controller 50
simply causes the gaming machines to load and execute a particular
one of the presentation instruction sets identified in the
switching instruction.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, a process of controlling gaming machines
according to the invention includes monitoring for switch
conditions or switch control signals as shown at process block 55.
The switch conditions may be based on usage as monitored by usage
monitoring arrangement 51 (shown in FIG. 3), or some other
conditions. Switch control signals may be derived from inputs by
facility management through a suitable interface or from inputs
made by players at the gaming machines 10. If switch conditions are
met or if a switch control signal is present as indicated at
decision block 56, the process includes issuing a presentation
switch instruction or command as indicated at block 57. If the
result of decision block 56 is negative, the process returns to
block 55 and monitors for an input. It will be appreciated that the
process may be represented without any decision block as shown at
56. Such an alternate representation of the process would include a
process block that simply issues a presentation switch instruction
or command in response to the detected switch conditions or switch
control signal.
[0037] The presentation switch instruction issued at process block
57 will be directed to at least one recipient gaming machine 10
shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 using the applicable communications
protocol, and may include data identifying the game presentation to
be used at the gaming machine or the data or instruction set for
the presentation itself. In this latter case, the data or
instruction set itself may be directed from presentation server
storage 49 shown in FIG. 3.
[0038] For purposes of example, assume that the gaming machines 10
in group 41 provides a game presentation A, each of the gaming
machines in group 42 provides a different game presentation B, and
each gaming machine 10 in group 43 provides yet a different
presentation C. In this example, assume that presentation A happens
to be particularly popular at one point in time and that all of the
gaming machines providing that presentation, that is, all gaming
machines 10 in group 41, are in use. Further assume that at least
some of the machines providing the C presentation, that is, the
gaming machines 10 in group 43 are not in use. It may be desirable
in that situation to have more gaming machines 10 in the gaming
facility to switch over to presentation A from presentation C.
According to the present invention, the switch in game
presentations is accomplished by communicating a presentation
switching instruction from modification controller 50, and perhaps
a set of game presentation instructions from server 48/storage 49,
to one or more of the unused gaming machines 10 in group 43. The
switching instruction will cause the receiving gaming machine 10 to
switch presentations to the desired presentation. The new game
presentation will include different graphics for the game video
display 14 associated with the gaming machine as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2, and usually different graphics for each additional video
display such as displays 15, 17, and 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0039] This example illustrates how the additional video displays
according to the invention such as displays 15, 17, and 18 shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 allow switching game presentations without taking the
gaming machine 10 out of service for any extended period.
Furthermore, the present invention enables the game presentations
offered at a given gaming facility to be modified to meet demand
and to optimize gaming machine usage.
[0040] The above described preferred embodiments are intended to
illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit the
scope of the invention. Various other embodiments and modifications
to these preferred embodiments may be made by those skilled in the
art without departing from the scope of the following claims. For
Example, although the invention contemplates switching from one
game presentation to an entirely different game presentation, the
switching may be between somewhat related game presentations, or
presentations having elements in common with the earlier
presentation at the gaming machine. Furthermore, the invention may
be implemented in a data processing environment in which more
processing tasks are performed at a central processing device
rather than the individual gaming machine CPUs. The present
invention encompasses these more centralized data processing
implementations.
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