U.S. patent application number 10/603455 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-30 for gaming machine with reel strips having an organic light emitting diode display.
Invention is credited to Gauselmann, Michael.
Application Number | 20040266515 10/603455 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33418661 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040266515 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gauselmann, Michael |
December 30, 2004 |
Gaming machine with reel strips having an organic light emitting
diode display
Abstract
An OLED display is used in a reel-type gaming machine. In one
embodiment, only a section of a reel strip is replaced by an OLED
display. The section may display one or more symbols. In another
embodiment, OLED displays are curved to resemble reels, and the
reels do not move. The LEDs on the OLED displays are energized
(scrolled) in such a way as to simulate the movement of symbols on
reels rotated by a motor. Programmable displays other than OLEDs
may also be used. In one embodiment, conventional rotating reels,
or any reel incorporating an OLED, are viewable behind a
transparent display window. The display window is a transparent
electronic display that can be controlled to display any opaque or
translucent image in front of the reels. The display window may
also be a touch screen. A touch screen that does not display may
also be used as a display window, and areas of the touch screen are
touched by the player to make selections such as to hold a reel or
a symbol for the next spin. In another embodiment, the display
glass in areas other than the transparent openings for viewing the
reels may be a programmable display to enable the display glass to
display any programmed images.
Inventors: |
Gauselmann, Michael;
(Espelkamp, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENT LAW GROUP LLP
2635 NORTH FIRST STREET
SUITE 223
SAN JOSE
CA
95134
US
|
Family ID: |
33418661 |
Appl. No.: |
10/603455 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3211 20130101;
G07F 17/3213 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/020 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A gaming device comprising: a plurality of reels displaying a
plurality of symbols on the periphery of each reel, a portion of
the periphery of at least one reel being formed of an electronic
display having pixels such that at least one symbol around the
periphery of a reel is displayed by the electronic display, a
remainder of the periphery displaying symbols not including an
electronic display; and a motor associated with each reel for
rotating each reel and stopping each reel so that at least one
symbol from each reel is displayed to a player.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic display is an
organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic display is a liquid
crystal display.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic display only
displays one symbol.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic display changes
based on the status of a game being played.
6. A gaming method comprising: rotating a plurality of reels
displaying a plurality of symbols on the periphery of each reel, a
portion of the periphery of at least one reel being formed of an
electronic display, a remainder of the periphery displaying symbols
not including an electronic display; energizing the electronic
display such that at least one symbol around the periphery of the
at least one reel is displayed by the electronic display; stopping
each reel so that at least one symbol from each reel is displayed
to a player; and granting an award to the player based on the
symbols displayed after the reels have stopped rotating.
7. A gaming device comprising: a plurality of reels displaying a
plurality of symbols on the periphery of each reel, at least a
portion of the periphery of at least one reel being formed of an
electronic display, wherein the reels do not rotate during a game;
and a display controller that controls the electronic display such
that symbols displayed by the electronic display appear to be
moving on a rotating reel.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the reels are partial reels.
9. The device of claim 7 wherein the electronic display is an
organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
10. The device of claim 7 wherein the electronic display is a
liquid crystal display.
11. A gaming method for a gaming device, the gaming device
comprising a plurality of curved reels displaying a plurality of
symbols on the periphery of each reel, at least a portion of the
periphery of at least one reel being formed of an electronic
display, the method comprising: controlling the electronic display
such that symbols displayed by the electronic display appear to be
moving on a rotating reel without rotating the reel having the
display.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the electronic display comprises
an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the electronic display comprises
a liquid crystal display.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the reels are partial reels.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising: controlling the
electronic display to make the reel having the electronic display
appear to stop rotating; and granting an award to the player based
on symbol combinations across the reels.
16. A gaming device comprising: a plurality of reels displaying a
plurality of symbols on the periphery of each reel; and a display
window in front of the reels through which the reels are viewed by
a player, the display window being a display panel that is
controlled to display images.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein the display panel is
electronically controlled.
18. The device of claim 16 wherein the display window is a touch
screen for receiving a player's input by the player touching an
area of the touch screen.
19. The device of claim 18 wherein the display panel displays
images corresponding to choices a player is to make in playing a
game.
20. The device of claim 19 wherein the choices comprise holding a
position of one or more symbols for a next spin of the reels.
21. The device of claim 19 wherein the player touches a portion of
the touch screen corresponding to a particular reel to initiate a
function relating to that reel.
22. The device of claim 16 wherein the reels rotate.
23. The device of claim 16 wherein the reels comprise an electronic
display.
24. A gaming method for a gaming device, the gaming device
comprising a plurality of reels displaying a plurality of symbols
on the periphery of each reel and a display window in front of the
reels through which the reels are viewed by a player, the method
comprising: controlling the display window in front of the reels to
display images.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the display window is controlled
to designate choices to be made by the player regarding the
game.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the display window is controlled
to identify one or more symbols.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein controlling the display
comprises electronically controlling the display.
28. A gaming device comprising: a plurality of reels displaying a
plurality of symbols on the periphery of each reel; and a window in
front of the reels through which the reels are viewed by a player,
the window being a touch screen for receiving player input.
29. The device of claim 28 wherein the touch screen is also a
display panel for displaying images in front of the reels.
30. The device of claim 29 wherein the display panel is
electronically controlled.
31. The device of claim 28 further comprising a player touching an
area of the touch screen in front of a particular reel or symbol to
perform a function related to that particular reel or symbol.
32. The device of claim 31 wherein the function comprises holding a
position of one or more symbols for a next spin of the reels.
33. The device of claim 28 wherein the reels rotate.
34. The device of claim 28 wherein the reels comprise an electronic
display.
35. A gaming method for a gaming device, the gaming device
comprising a plurality of reels displaying a plurality of symbols
on the periphery of each reel and a display window in front of the
reels through which the reels are viewed by a player, the method
comprising: detecting a touch position by the player on the window
to make a selection; and performing a function associated with the
touch position.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the window is controlled to
display choices to be made by the player regarding the game, the
method further comprising the player touching one of the displayed
choices on the touch screen.
37. The method of claim 35 wherein the player touches an area on
the touch screen in front of a reel to designate the reel or a
symbol on the reel.
38. A gaming device comprising: a main display for displaying a
game to a player; and a display panel forming part of a housing for
the main display, at least a portion of the display panel being a
programmable electronic display.
39. The device of claim 38 wherein the electronic display is an
organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
40. The device of claim 38 wherein the electronic display changes
depending on the status of the game.
41. The device of claim 38 wherein the display panel displays a
logo of the game.
42. The device of claim 38 wherein the display panel retains its
display image even when power has been turned off at the gaming
machine.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to gaming machines, sometimes
referred to as slot machines, and, in particular, to a light
emitting diode display in a reel-type gaming machine.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays are
commercially available. An OLED display is a full-color flat-panel
display with a level of brightness, wide viewing angle, and
sharpness not possible with traditional flat-panel displays. OLEDs
are self-luminous, in contrast to liquid crystal displays, and have
a distinctly different look. The benefits of OLED displays over
LCDs include an unlimited viewing angle, very high contrast, and
much higher speed responses. They are extremely thin and
lightweight, making them well suited for portable and flexible
applications. Some of the many descriptions of OLED displays
include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,844,363; 5,952,789; 6,097,147; and
6,483,236; all incorporated herein by reference.
[0003] Conventional reel-type gaming machines include three or more
motor-driven reels, each reel having a flexible reel strip around
its periphery with 20-25 symbols printed on each reel strip. The
reel strips are easily replaceable with ones having different
symbols thereon. In a conventional gaming machine, a random outcome
is first determined by a microprocessor using a random number
generator, and pulses are applied to the stepper motor rotating
each reel to cause each reel to stop at the predetermined position.
The position of each rotating reel is determined by counting the
number of pulses to the stepper motor after a reference position or
detecting codes on the reel itself. The symbol combinations across
activated pay lines are then evaluated (based upon the stopped
positions of the reels), and the appropriate award is granted to
the player in the form of coins or credits.
[0004] Reel-type gaming machines are the most popular type of
gaming machines, well surpassing the popularity of video-type
gaming machines that simulate the rotation of reels on a flat
display screen. Manufacturers of gaming machines have added various
features to their reel-type gaming machines to increase player
interest in the gaming machines.
[0005] A reel-type gaming machine is described in U.S. Patent
Application Publication U.S. 2003/0060269 A1, filed Sep. 27, 2001,
incorporated herein by reference. That application describes a
reel-type slot machine, where each reel strip is a flexible OLED
display so that each of the symbols is represented by a pattern of
energized LEDs on a reel strip. The main purpose of using the OLED
reel strip is for changing the symbols for different games with no
physical changes to the machine. Once a game starts, the symbols
are fixed in position on the rotating reels. The device disclosed
in the Publication U.S. 2003/0060269 A1 would be difficult and
expensive to implement due to the rotating large electronic
display.
[0006] What is needed is a further improvement to reel-type gaming
machines that can reduce the cost of the machine and add player
excitement.
SUMMARY
[0007] An OLED display is used in a reel-type gaming machine. In
one embodiment, only a section of a reel strip is replaced by an
OLED display. The section may only display one symbol. The OLED
symbol may be a special symbol used in a high value symbol
combination. The symbol may dynamically change to any other image
during the game itself or may provide, for example, a celebration
display or a highlighted image if the symbol is used in a winning
combination. Accordingly, the OLED display adds uniqueness and
excitement to the gaming machine with little additional complexity
and cost.
[0008] In another embodiment, at least a visible portion of a
reel's circumference is provided with an OLED display, and the
reels do not move. The LEDs on the OLED display are energized in
such a way (scrolled) as to simulate the movement of symbols on a
reel rotated by a motor. Such a gaming machine is a hybrid between
a pure video gaming machine and a motor-driven reel-type machine.
The reels appear to a player to be actual motor-driven reels, and
the electronic control of the LEDs to simulate the rotation may be
indistinguishable from actual reel rotation. The gaming machine may
be manufactured inexpensively since there is no requirement for
stepper motors and the controls for operating the stepper motors.
Simulated sounds may be generated to simulate the sounds of reels
starting and stopping.
[0009] In one embodiment, conventional rotating reels, or any reel
incorporating an OLED, are viewable behind a transparent display
window. The display window is a transparent electronic display that
can be controlled to display any opaque or translucent image. In
one embodiment, the display window is a liquid crystal display
(LCD). The LCD may also be a touch screen, and icons may be
displayed superimposed in front of the reel symbols so that players
can effectively touch the symbols on the reels to perform certain
functions. Such functions may be to hold a reel (or an OLED symbol)
during the next game. The display window may be used to highlight
any winning combinations of symbols on the reels or convey any
other information. The LCD may provide a celebration type of
screen, and may even provide the controls for the player to operate
a game, such as spin the reels, bet max, etc.
[0010] In another embodiment, the display window is a transparent
touch screen but cannot display images.
[0011] In another embodiment, the display glass in areas other than
the transparent openings for viewing the reels may be an OLED
display, and LCD, or other type of display to enable the display
glass to display any programmed images.
[0012] Many other embodiments may be made using the
above-identified inventions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front view of a reel-type gaming machine that
may incorporate the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of three motor-driven reels in
the gaming machine of FIG. 1, wherein one or more symbols on a reel
strip around each reel is created by an OLED display.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side view of a reel frame, around which the reel
strip is adhered, showing a control cable to the OLED display and
to an electrical connector slip ring for maintaining electrical
contact with a controller as the reel rotates about an axis.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of three stationary reels, each
including an OLED display that simulates the movement of symbols on
a rotating reel.
[0017] FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate the physical reel symbols with
superimposed images created by a transparent display screen in
front of the reels.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of certain functional blocks in a
gaming machine incorporating the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIG. 1 is a front view of a gaming machine that incorporates
the present invention. Many other types of gaming machine designs
may also be used with the inventions.
[0020] A player deposits a coin into coin slot 1 to obtain a
playing credit. Other devices for generating playing credits
include bill acceptors, ticket slots, card slots, and any other
known device. A starting handle 2 may be pulled by the player to
start the game. Displays 3 display any useful information, such as
the amount of the last win, the total credits, and the number of
coins deposited.
[0021] Player control buttons 4 perform various functions such as
pay out (coins), bet, max bet, and start (spin reels). Reel strips
5, 6, and 7 are revealed through transparent windows 8, 9, and 10,
respectively.
[0022] A coin tray 11 receives coins paid out by the gaming
machine.
[0023] Top display glass 14 surrounds the transparent windows 8, 9,
and 10 and displays any information or design. Bottom display glass
16 typically displays the logo of the game.
[0024] By betting a sufficient number of credits, three pay lines
A, B, and C may be activated, where designated symbol combinations
across an activated pay line pay predetermined awards to the
player. Conventional aspects of reel-type gaming machines are
extremely well known and need not be described herein.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of three reels with reel strips
5, 6, and 7 around the periphery of the reels. A reel is formed of
a light plastic frame 14 (FIG. 3). Stepper motors 22, 23, and 24
rotate a predetermined amount with each pulse applied to the
stepper motor. As in a typical gaming machine, the final positions
of the three reels are predetermined by a random number generator
within the gaming machine. The required number of pulses to rotate
the reels to their predetermined positions is determined by a
microprocessor, and the pulses are applied to each stepper motor.
The final positions of each reel represent displayed symbols in
windows 8, 9 and 10. The appropriate award for any winning symbol
combination across a pay line is then paid to the player.
[0026] To add excitement to the game and to distinguish the gaming
machine from other reel-type gaming machines, one or more of the
symbols on the reel strip for one or more of the reels is a color
OLED display 26. The particular symbol displayed by the OLED
display 26 in FIG. 2 is the symbol 7. An OLED display controller
selectively provides energization signals to X and Y coordinates in
an LED array to create a bright image in any color. The control of
an OLED display and the construction of a flexible OLED display
necessary to form any symbol are well known in the field of OLED
display technology.
[0027] In FIG. 3, the flexible OLED display 26 portion attached to
the reel frame 14 is shown having an electrical cable 30 connected
to a slip connector 32, which includes electrical contacts that
rotate with the shaft of the stepper motor and stationary contacts
that make electrical contact to corresponding rotating contacts to
provide uninterrupted electrical contact as the reels are rotating.
Such rotatable contacts are well known. Examples of such contacts
include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,331,117 and 4,583,798, incorporated herein
by reference. Cable 30 includes power and signal wires. The
resolution (LEDs per unit length) can be virtually any number, such
as five per centimeter. Decoding circuitry may be fixed on the reel
frame 14 so that serial or parallel encoded signals through cable
30 can be decoded by circuitry proximate to display 26 to energize
any number of LEDs in display 26.
[0028] The control of display 26 is performed in software in
conjunction with known display controller technology, which stores
a pattern of bits in a memory corresponding to the image to be
displayed. An energization scheme of display 26 may be a raster
scan that selectively energizes the LEDs by row and column at a
rapid rate.
[0029] As the reels are spinning, the player is attracted by the
illuminated symbols on the OLED displays 26. When the reels stop
spinning, the OLED displays 26 may change its presentation
depending upon the outcome of the game, such as if the special
symbols displayed by OLED displays 26 are involved in a winning
combination. There may be one or more symbols displayed by an OLED
display 26 on a reel strip. Display types other than an OLED may
also be used.
[0030] In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, a flexible OLED display
34, 35, 36 forms a visible portion of each stationary reel. The
portions 37, 38, and 39 of the reels are not visible to the player
and may even be deleted.
[0031] When a player presses the start button 4 or pulls lever 3,
the symbols on the OLED displays 34, 35, and 36 scroll down (or
up), giving the illusion to a player that reels are actually
spinning. Scrolling of an LED display is well known and may involve
simply shifting prestored symbol-forming bits in a video memory as
is done in a video gaming machine.
[0032] Accordingly, the player is provided the excitement of a
bright multi-colored display, and the gaming machine manufacturer
can produce an inexpensive gaming machine without moving parts,
such as stepper motors.
[0033] When the stationary reels appear to stop, the OLED symbols
may change into any form to highlight a symbol, or to convey
information, or to show a celebratory display, or to identify the
winning symbol combination, etc. A displayed symbol can randomly
turn into any other symbol, such as a wild card symbol with added
functions. Virtually anything performed in conventional video-type
gaming machines may be performed on the OLED displays 34, 35, and
36. In addition, any bonus game can be easily performed where the
symbols on displays 34, 35, and 36 are changed for the bonus game
as a result of a special outcome of the main game. Display types
other than an OLED may also be used.
[0034] Referring back to FIG. 1, display windows 8, 9, and 10 may
be a transparent display screen that can display any image in the
foreground of the reel strips. The reel strips may be conventional,
or may be any of the reel strips described with respect to FIGS. 2
and 4. A suitable display window may be a liquid crystal display,
which can selectively produce clear pixels or colored pixels, where
red, green, and blue components of a backlight are selectively
blocked by the pixels in the liquid crystal display. The display
need not be electronic but may use reflection to present an image
in front of the reels.
[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates how the LCD windows 8, 9, 10 can be
controlled to form a frame 40 around each symbol in a winning
combination to highlight the combination, assuming two oranges and
a cherry result in an award to the player.
[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates how LCD windows 8, 9, and 10 can be
controlled to highlight the pay line 42 that has a winning symbol
combination across it.
[0037] The transparent display windows 8, 9, and 10 can
additionally be a touch screen, where the X-Y position of a changed
capacitance caused by a player's fingertip touching the screen is
sensed. The X-Y position is cross-referenced with a function to be
performed. The touch screen may be used to display information to
the player or to designate a selection by the player. In FIG. 7,
the gaming machine is the type that allows the player to hold a
reel stationary for a next game if the player believes the
displayed symbols are advantageous. A frame 44 (or other
highlighting image) may appear around a reel or symbol that has
been held by the player touching the screen in front of that reel.
Any information or icons may be displayed by the windows 8, 9, and
10 in front of the reels. In another example, question marks may
appear on windows 8, 9, and 10 asking the player to make a
selection by touching one or more of the question marks to select a
reel or symbol.
[0038] Control of an LCD display is well known and need not be
described herein. The light that illuminates the reels may be the
backlight for the LCD. Alternatively, additional backlighting
sources may be optically coupled to the edges of the LCD display
window. Such light sources may be red, green, and blue LEDs or a
white light. Red, green, and blue pixels in the LCD display window
are energized to display any symbol or any information on windows
8, 9, and 10. The windows 8, 9, and 10 can be a single display
panel or separate display panels. Other transparent display windows
may be used instead of an LCD.
[0039] In another embodiment, display windows 8, 9, and 10 are
transparent touch screens that do not have the capability to
display images. Such touch screens are well known and include
capacitive, piezoelectric, and other types of touch screens. One
type of capacitive touch screen is described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,579,036, incorporated herein by reference. A player may "touch" a
reel or symbol to hold the reel or symbol, or to otherwise make a
selection, by touching an area of the touch screen corresponding to
the selection.
[0040] In another embodiment, any portion of the top display glass
14 or the bottom display glass 16, or both, may be OLED displays
that can be controlled to display any image. As such, the display
glass does not need to be replaced if the machine is configured to
play a different game. Control of OLEDs is well known. The image
displayed can be static to display information for a particular
game or may change depending on the status of the game being
played. For example, the display glass may have an attract mode, a
play mode, and a celebration mode for a player win. The display
glass may also be a LCD or any other type of programmable
display.
[0041] Recently, flat panel displays with pixels that hold their on
or off states even after power has been removed have become
commercially available. Therefore, the programmable display glass
may be programmed to display anything without further processing by
the gaming machine's microcomputer until it is time to change the
display. Such a display is sometimes referred to as electronic
paper. Reconfiguring the gaming machine for a new game would
require a one time reprogramming of the display glass. This display
glass in combination with the OLED reels and other inventions
described herein enable a gaming machine owner to change the game
played and the appearance of the gaming machine with only a
software change for the displays and a game program change. This
reconfiguration may be done remotely via a server or performed at
the gaming machine.
[0042] FIG. 8 illustrates basic circuit blocks in a suitable gaming
device incorporating the present invention. A control unit (CPU 60)
runs a gaming program stored in a program ROM 63. A
coin/bill/credit detector 61 enables the CPU 60 to initiate a next
game. A pay table ROM 64 detects the outcome of the game and
identifies awards to be paid to the player. A payout device 62 pays
out an award to the player in the form of coins upon termination of
the game or upon the player cashing out. The payout device 62 may
instead generate a payout in the form of a coded paper ticket,
credits on a smart card or magnetic strip card, or in any other
form. A display controller 65 receives commands from the CPU 60 and
generates signals for the various displays 66, including the LCD
and OLED displays. Player commands may be input through the buttons
or touch screen into the CPU 60.
[0043] Each feature described herein can be used in a gaming
machine by itself or in combination with the other features. Having
described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will
appreciate that, given the present disclosure, modifications may be
made to the invention without departing from the spirit of the
inventive concepts described herein. Therefore, it is not intended
that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific
embodiments illustrated and described.
* * * * *