U.S. patent application number 10/644613 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-30 for gaming machine illuminating arrangement.
Invention is credited to Hwang, John, Williams, John.
Application Number | 20040266524 10/644613 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27671542 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040266524 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Williams, John ; et
al. |
December 30, 2004 |
Gaming machine illuminating arrangement
Abstract
A gaming machine 10 includes a chamber-defining portion that
defines a chamber 62. A panel 58 carrying gaming machine artwork 28
is arranged on one side of the chamber 62. A light diffusing
element 60 is arranged on an opposed side of the chamber 62 in
spaced relationship relative to the panel 62 A gaming machine
illuminating arrangement 50is arranged in the chamber between the
panel 58 and the light diffusing element 60.
Inventors: |
Williams, John; (Sydney,
AU) ; Hwang, John; (Sydney, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBERG TRAURIG LLP
2450 COLORADO AVENUE, SUITE 400E
SANTA MONICA
CA
90404
US
|
Family ID: |
27671542 |
Appl. No.: |
10/644613 |
Filed: |
August 19, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/30 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3211 20130101;
G07F 17/3216 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/030 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 22, 2002 |
AU |
2002951220 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A gaming machine illuminating arrangement, the illuminating
arrangement including: a carrier; and a plurality of semiconductor
illuminating elements arranged in a predetermined array on the
carrier.
2. The arrangement of claim 1 in which the carrier is a strip of
printed circuit board (PCB) carrying conductive traces for
connecting the illuminating elements to a control means for
supplying electrical power to the PCB, the control means being part
of a controller of the gaming machine.
3. The arrangement of claim 1 in which the semiconductor
illuminating elements are in the form of light emitting diodes
(LED's).
4. The arrangement of claim 3 in which the LED's are arranged in a
sequence of repeating groups on the strip.
5. The arrangement of claim 4 in which each group comprises a
predetermined number of differently coloured LED's.
6. The arrangement of claim 5 in which each group of LED's
comprises LED's corresponding to the three primary colours.
7. A gaming machine which includes: a chamber-defining portion that
defines a chamber; a panel carrying gaming machine artwork arranged
on one side of the chamber; a light diffusing element arranged on
an opposed side of the chamber in spaced relationship relative to
the panel; and a gaming machine illuminating arrangement, as
claimed in any of the preceding claims, arranged in the chamber
between the panel and the light diffusing element.
8. The gaming machine of claim 7 in which the light diffusing
element is in the form of a diffuser plate.
9. The gaming machine of claim 7 which includes a control means for
controlling operation of the illuminating arrangement.
10. The gaming machine of claim 7 in which the chamber defining
means is arranged in a top box of the gaming machine.
11. The gaming machine of claim 7 in which the chamber defining
means is arranged in a belly of the gaming machine.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a gaming machine. More
particularly, the invention relates to a gaming machine
illuminating arrangement and to a gaming machine including an
illuminating arrangement.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] At present, gaming machine artwork, whether in a top box or
in a belly of the gaming machine, is illuminated by means of one or
more fluorescent lamps arranged behind a panel carrying the
artwork.
[0003] Generally, the intensity of these lamps cannot be adjusted.
Also, the fluorescent lamps have a life of about one year which is
much shorter than the average life of a gaming machine.
[0004] Additionally, the fluorescent lamps emit only white light
requiring any colouration of the artwork to be effected by means of
the artwork. This can result in complex screen-printing
requirements with the resultant additional costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is
provided a gaming machine illuminating arrangement, the
illuminating arrangement including:
[0006] a carrier; and
[0007] a plurality of semiconductor illuminating elements arranged
in a predetermined array on the carrier.
[0008] The carrier may be a strip of printed circuit board (PCB)
carrying conductive traces for connecting the illuminating elements
to a control means for supplying electrical power to the PCB. The
control means may be part of a controller of the gaming
machine.
[0009] The semiconductor illuminating elements may be in the form
of light emitting diodes (LED's). The LED's may be arranged in a
sequence of repeating groups on the strip. Each group may comprise
a predetermined number of differently coloured LED's. Preferably,
each group of LED's comprises LED's corresponding to the three
primary colours. In other words, each group may comprise a red LED,
a green LED and a blue LED so that, by appropriate energising of
the LED's, any colour in the visible spectrum can be achieved. In
the case where colour control is not required, either all the LED's
may be illuminated or, instead, white LED's may be used for
illumination purposes.
[0010] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
provided a gaming machine which includes:
[0011] a chamber-defining portion that defines a chamber;
[0012] a panel carrying gaming machine artwork arranged on one side
of the chamber;
[0013] a light diffusing element arranged on an opposed side of the
chamber in spaced relationship relative to the panel; and
[0014] a gaming machine illuminating arrangement, as described
above, arranged in the chamber between the panel and the light
diffusing element.
[0015] The light diffusing element may be in the form of a diffuser
plate.
[0016] The gaming machine may include a control means for
controlling operation of the illuminating arrangement. The control
means may form part of a controller of the gaming machine.
[0017] When the gaming machine is in an idle mode, the controller
may cause the gaming machine illuminating arrangement to operate in
an attract mode to attract players to the gaming machine.
[0018] The chamber defining means may be arranged in a top box of
the gaming machine. Instead or, in addition, the chamber defining
means may be arranged in a belly of the gaming machine.
[0019] When the top box is to be used in an "attract" mode, artwork
on the panel of the top box may be of an appropriate format to
impart an attractive appearance to the gaming machine and to
encourage people to play the gaming machine. Paytables, rules of
the game played on the gaming machine etc, may be carried on
artwork arranged in the belly of the gaming machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The invention is now described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gaming machine, in
accordance with an embodiment of an aspect of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the
gaming machine; and
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the gaming machine with a
top box in an open configuration showing an illuminating
arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of another aspect of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a
gaming machine, in accordance with an embodiment of an aspect of
the invention. The machine 10 includes a console 12 having a video
display unit 14 on which a game 16 is played, in use. The game 16
is, normally, a spinning reel game which simulates the rotation of
a number of spinning reels 18. However, the game 16 could be a card
game or a ball-type game such as bingo, keno, or the like. A
midtrim 20 of the machine 10 houses a keypad 22 of buttons for
enabling a player to play the game 16. The midtrim 20 also houses a
credit input mechanism 24 including a coin input chute 24.1 and a
bill collector 24.2.
[0025] The machine 10 includes a top box 26 on which artwork 28 is
carried. The artwork 28 of the top box 26 includes details of the
game 16, such as a name of the game and related thematic material,
of the relevant gaming machine 10. Supplementary artwork 29 is
carried on a panel received in a frame of a belly door 31 of the
gaming machine 10. The supplementary artwork 29 includes paytables,
details of bonus awards, etc.
[0026] A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash
payouts from the machine 10.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a control means or
control circuit 32 is illustrated. A program which implements the
game and user interface is run on a processor 34 of the control
circuit 32. The processor 34 forms part of a controller 36 that
drives the screen of the video display unit 14 and that receives
input signals from sensors 38. The sensors 38 include sensors
associated with the keypad 22 and touch sensors mounted in the
screen of the video display unit 14. The controller 36 also
receives input pulses from the mechanism 24 to determine whether or
not a player has provided sufficient credit to commence playing.
The mechanism 24 may, instead of the coin input chute 24.1 or the
bill collector 24.2, or in addition thereto, be a magnetic stripe
card reader (not shown) or any other type of validation device.
[0028] Finally, the controller 36 drives a payout mechanism 40
which, for example, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the
coin tray 30 to make a pay out to a player when the player wishes
to redeem his or her credit.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the gaming machine 10
includes an illuminating arrangement 50. The illuminating
arrangement 50 is shown in the top box 26 of the gaming machine 10.
A similar illuminating arrangement (not shown) is, additionally, or
optionally, provided in the belly door 31 of the gaming machine 10
behind the artwork 29.
[0030] The illuminating arrangement 50 comprises a sequence of
semiconductor illuminating elements in the form of light emitting
diodes (LED's) 52. The LED's 52 are arranged in groups 54. Each
group 54 comprises a red LED 52.1, a green LED 52.2 and a blue LED
52.3. It will be appreciated that the LED's 52.1, 52.2 and 52.3
constitute the primary colours of the visible light spectrum and,
by appropriate energising of the LED's 52 in each group 54, all
colours of light can be emitted. For example, to obtain yellow
light, both the red LED 52.1 and the green LED 52.2 of each group
54 are energised.
[0031] The top.box 26 has a door 56 containing a panel 58 carrying
the artwork 28. A light diffusing element in the form of a light
diffuser 60 is arranged inwardly of the door 56 so that a chamber
62 is defined between the diffuser 60 and the panel 58 in the door
56 of the top.box 26. The illuminating arrangement 50 is arranged
in the chamber 62 intermediate the diffuser 60 and the panel 58
when the door 56 is in its closed condition.
[0032] As indicated above, the panel 58 carries artwork 28 showing
the name of the game 16 played on the gaming machine 10 and related
thematic material. When the gaming machine 10 is in an idle mode,
ie. is not being played, the illuminating arrangement 50 is
energised to cause the gaming machine 10 to go into an "attract"
mode where various LED's 52 in the groups 54 are energised
sequentially and cyclically to cause the artwork 28 of the panel 58
effectively to change colour. For example, the LED's could cycle
from red to green to blue or, as indicated above, by energising
more than one LED in each group at a time different colours can
also be achieved. It will be appreciated that by energising all the
LED's 52 in each group 54 white light is emitted by the
illuminating arrangement 50. Further, for example, in the case of
the belly panel where colour control may not be required, white
LED's could be used.
[0033] The LED's 50 are arranged on a strip 64 of printed circuit
board (PCB). The PCB 64 carries conductive traces (not shown) for
electrically connecting the LED's 52 to the controller 36 of the
gaming machine 10. The controller 36 controls energising of the
LED's 52 to achieve the desired effect. The controller 36 can also
vary the intensity of the light emitted by the LED's 52 to enhance
the required or desired effect.
[0034] It will be appreciated that a similar effect can be achieved
in respect of the artwork 29 in the belly door 31 of the gaming
machine 10.
[0035] It is an advantage of the invention that an illuminating
arrangement 50 is provided which, due to its semiconductor nature,
has a longer life than fluorescent lamps or tubes which are
currently used in gaming machines. The applicant believes that the
illuminating arrangement 50 should have a lifespan corresponding to
that of the gaming machine 10 itself. In addition, the illuminating
arrangement 50 provides a more versatile configuration as, by
appropriate illumination of the LED's 52, various colours of
illumination can be achieved. Also, by appropriate control of the
LED's 52, varying intensity of illumination of the LED's can be
effected. In so doing, an effective "attract" mode of operation of
the gaming machine 10 can be achieved.
[0036] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the
invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing
from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The
present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
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