U.S. patent application number 10/868396 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for gaming machine using holographic imaging.
This patent application is currently assigned to JCM American Corporation, a Nevada Corporation. Invention is credited to Karabin, Judy A., Stanek, James R..
Application Number | 20050277467 10/868396 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35461202 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050277467 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Karabin, Judy A. ; et
al. |
December 15, 2005 |
Gaming machine using holographic imaging
Abstract
A gaming machine having a main game and a bonus game playable by
a player. The bonus game includes an interactive holographic image
with different areas on it. The holographic image, for example, can
be that of a video screen and the areas can be different symbols on
the screen. To play the bonus game the player selects the desired
area or symbol and sticks his/her finger in it.
Inventors: |
Karabin, Judy A.;
(Henderson, NV) ; Stanek, James R.; (Henderson,
NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Douglas N. Larson, Esq.
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP
14th Floor
801 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles
CA
90017-5554
US
|
Assignee: |
JCM American Corporation, a Nevada
Corporation
Las Vegas
NV
|
Family ID: |
35461202 |
Appl. No.: |
10/868396 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/31 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3244 20130101;
G07F 17/3211 20130101; A63F 2250/302 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/031 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A gaming machine comprising: a main game playable by a player of
the gaming machine; and generating means for generating an
interactive holographic image actuable by the player as part of a
bonus game following a successful result or outcome in the play of
the main game.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the holographic image
includes different holographic symbols selectively actuable by the
player by physically interacting with same.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the main game is a video
style slot machine.
4. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the main game includes a
touch screen monitor.
5. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the main game is
selectable by the player on a touch video display screen from a
plurality of different games.
6. The gaming machine of claim 1 further comprising processor means
for controlling the main game and the generating means.
7. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the generating means
generates an attract-mode holographic image before the player
starts playing the main game.
8. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the interactive
holographic image includes a display screen with symbols
therein.
9. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the generating means
includes a holographic unit in a top box of the machine.
10. A gaming machine comprising: a processor; a main game
controlled by the processor and playable by a player at the gaming
machine; an interactive holographic image projector system
controlled by the processor; and the projector system being adapted
to project a holographic image including a plurality of image
areas, at least one of the areas being selectable and actuable by
the player by physically interacting with same as part of a bonus
game after the player has achieved a successful result or outcome
in the play of the main game.
11. The gaming machine of claim 10 wherein the holographic image
includes a video screen, the image areas are symbols on the video
screen, and the symbols are actuable by the player putting the
player's finger in at least one of them, as desired.
12. A gaming machine comprising: a main game having a first chance
outcome and a second chance outcome when played by a player; and a
holographic image which is interactive with the player of the main
game after the first chance outcome, but not after the second
chance outcome, as part of a bonus game of the gaming machine.
13. The gaming machine of claim 12 wherein the holographic image is
projected and visible to the player after the first chance outcome
but not after the second chance outcome.
14. The gaming machine of claim 12 wherein the holographic image
includes first and second holographic symbols between which the
player can select and in which the player can insert the player's
finger as part of the play of the bonus game.
15. A method of playing a gaming machine, comprising: playing a
main game of the gaming machine; and when a winning outcome of the
main game is achieved, playing a bonus game associated with the
main game by interacting with an interactive holographic image from
the gaming machine.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the interactive holographic
image includes a plurality of holographic interactive symbols.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the playing the bonus game
includes selecting at least one of the symbols and the interacting
includes inserting one or more fingers into the at least one
selected symbol.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the main game is video
poker.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the main game is a video slot
machine game.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein the playing the main game
includes interacting with a video screen of the gaming machine.
21. The method of claim 15 wherein the playing the main game
includes pressing at least one button of the gaming machine.
22. The method of claim 15 wherein the playing the main game
includes pulling a handle of the gaming machine.
23. The method of claim 15 further comprising before the playing
the main game, inserting money or money equivalent into the gaming
machine.
24. A method of conducting a game of chance on a gaming machine,
comprising: executing a main game for play by a player on the
gaming machine; executing a bonus game for play by the player in
the event a winning outcome results when the player is playing the
main game; the executing the bonus game includes projecting an
interactive holographic image; and determining the gaming outcome
of the bonus game after the player interacts with the interactive
holographic image.
25. The method of claim 24 further comprising before the executing
the main game, receiving payment from the player.
26. The method of claim 24 further comprising after the determining
the outcome, executing the main game for another play thereof by
the player.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein the interactive holographic
image includes an interactive holographic bonus screen.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein the interactive holographic
bonus screen includes a plurality of symbols, at least one of which
the player can interact with the player's hand.
29. The method of claim 24 further comprising at least some of the
time when the interactive holographic image is not being projected,
projecting an attract-mode holographic image associated with the
gaming machine.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the projecting the interactive
holographic image and the projecting the attract-mode holographic
image use the same hologram projector device of the gaming
machine.
31. The method of claim 24 wherein the main game includes a touch
screen monitor of the gaming machine.
32. The method of claim 24 wherein the main game includes user push
buttons.
33. The method of claim 24 wherein the executing the main and bonus
games are via a microprocessor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The popularity of gaming machines, such as slot machines and
video poker machines, depends on the likelihood or perceived
likelihood of the player winning money at the machine and on the
entertainment value of the machine to the player relative to other
available gaming options. Where the available gaming options
include a number of competing machines and the expectation of
winning at each machine is perceived to be relatively the same,
players will most likely be attracted to the most entertaining and
exciting or different gaming machines.
[0002] One concept which has been used to enhance the entertainment
value of gaming machines is that of a secondary or bonus game,
which may be played in conjunction with a basic game. The bonus
game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely
different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence
of a selected event or outcome of the basic game. Generally, bonus
games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic games
and may also be accompanied with additional attractive or unusual
video displays and/or audio. Examples of bonus games are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,837 (Jaffe, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,641
(Webb), U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,187 (Baerlocher), U.S. Pat. No.
6,203,492 (Demar, et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,074 (Thomas, et
al.), and in 2003/083121 (Cole, et al.), 2003/0064797 (Jackson, et
al.), 2003/0119576 (McClintic, et al.), 2001/0054794 (Cole), and
2003/0119576 (Cole). (All patents and other publications mentioned
anywhere in this disclosure are hereby incorporated by reference in
their entireties.) Accordingly, there is a continuing need to
develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy
the demands of the players due to the popularity of bonus
games.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Disclosed herein is a gaming machine having a main game
playable by a user. When one or more play outcomes of the main game
are achieved, a bonus game is activated. When activated an
interactive holographic image is generated in front of the player,
preferably at between twelve and eighteen inches away from the
player and at eye level. A preferred embodiment of the holographic
image is a flat panel screen with a plurality of symbols thereon.
As examples only, the symbols can be diamonds, fishermen, frogs or
stars. The bonus screen is attained, for example, by matching a
certain combination of symbols or numbers determined by the main
game.
[0004] To play the bonus game, the player selects one (or more) of
the holographic symbols and puts his/her finger in it. A redundancy
feature can be included whereby the player is asked to confirm or
verify that the symbol selected is actually the player's desired
symbol. The interactive holographic system of the gaming machine
identifies the selected symbol and the play of the bonus game is
completed by the machine based on the selected symbol, and the
outcome displayed or otherwise revealed to the player. The outcome
can be a predetermined bonus prize, such as credits. One less
preferred embodiment can have the same outcome no matter which
symbol is selected. The player can then continue playing the main
game or end his/her gaming play.
[0005] When the bonus game is completed, the interactive bonus game
holographic image is turned off by the machine. When neither the
main game nor the bonus game is being played (or at times when the
bonus game is not being played) the hologram projector can project
an attract-mode holographic image proximate to the physical gaming
machine. This image is preferably not interactive and is designed
to entice people to the machine and then to play the machine. In
other words, except at the achieved bonus mode, a holographic image
can be continuously displayed, preferably above the machine, to act
as an "attract mode." Once the bonus mode is achieved by a player,
the attract mode disappears and projection begins as part of bonus
play. When the bonus mode is concluded, the display returns to the
attract mode. The attract mode can be a large diamond, or any
number of objects used to create interest to play the game. The
hologram is preferably visible only from the player's angle when in
the "play mode" and visible at additional different angles or
perspectives when in the "attract mode."
[0006] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the
art to which the present invention pertains from the foregoing
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a front view of a gaming machine of the present
invention with the holographic image thereof in an attract
mode;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the gaming machine of
FIG. 1 showing the holographic image in an interactive bonus game
mode and with a player playing the bonus game;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a play method of the gaming
machine of FIG. 1; and
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the gaming machine of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Referring to the drawings a gaming machine of the present
invention is illustrated generally at 100. Machine 100 includes a
chassis 110 enclosing or supporting the machine components and a
"top box" 120 on top of the chassis 110. The top box 120 can house
the holographic components as well as other features of the machine
such as speakers and lights.
[0012] Mounted in the chassis 110 is a touch screen monitor 130,
which has numbers or symbols which the player can select. The
monitor 130 can also include a time out show currently being
played, and a picture-in-picture ability to select another game
while the current game is in the small screen. Buttons 150 or the
like allow the player to control the play of the main game on the
screen in addition to touch screen functions of the screen. The
main game can be a video-style slot machine game, a video poker
game or generally any "main game" as would be apparent to those
skilled in the art. Instead of being button activated it can be
pull-handle, joy stick or key pad activated or controlled. Instead
of video screens, different types of display devices such as
rotating wheels, liquid crystal displays, flat panel semiconductor
display screens, polarized screen displays and holographic screens,
such as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,672 (Sines, et al.), can
be used.
[0013] An advertising panel 160 can be provided on a lower front
face of the chassis 110. Currency notes, non-currency notes or
coins can be inserted by a player through an opening in the chassis
110 to commence play and validated by a validator in the chassis.
Currency notes or non-currency notes, or coins representing the
"winnings" of the player can be discharged from the chassis 110 as
is known in the art. The chassis 110 can further house or be
connected to a printer and a player tracking on-line system.
[0014] Referring to FIG. 3, when a player plays the main game 160
and achieves a "winning result," the interactive holographic unit
in the top box 120 is activated (see step 170) and projects (see
step 180) an interactive bonus holographic image or screen 180 in
front of the player (see FIG. 2), such as between twelve and
eighteen inches away from the player and at eye level (or for
example six to twelve inches in front of the chassis 110). The
player P plays the bonus game using the image or screen 180 (see
step 190). When play is finished the holographic screen 180 is
turned off, and play is returned to the main game, as depicted by
step 200. As shown in FIG. 3, if the player does not achieve a
"winning result" in the main game, the play ends, as depicted by
step 204.
[0015] The interactive bonus holographic image 180 can be a video
screen 210 with a plurality of symbols 220, such as stars,
diamonds, dollar signs, and animals, thereon. The player P
interacts with the image by selecting one of the symbols by putting
his/her finger F "in" the selected symbol 220. The selected symbol
220 is noted by the interactive holographic image system of the
machine 100, and the (processor controlled) machine plays the bonus
round and displays the result to the player, such as on the video
screen (or on the holographic image/screen). Other images aside
from video screens and symbols can be used as would be apparent to
those skilled in art; for example, the video screen can be omitted
and the symbols can be "floating" in the air.
[0016] Holography is an imaging technique that uses laser light to
record the patterns of light waves reflected from an object onto
the emulsion of light sensitive film (or glass plates). When that
film is developed, and re-exposed to laser light (or normal
incandescent light like most holograms today), it re-creates, in
space, all the points of light that originally came from the
object. The resulting image, either behind or in front of the
holographic film, has the dimensions of the original object and
looks so real that observers are tempted to reach out and touch it,
only to find nothing there but focused light.
[0017] Unlike photography or painting, holography can render a
subject with complete dimensional fidelity. A hologram creates
everything the eyes see, namely, depth, size, shape, texture, and
relative position, from many points of view. In fact, the term
"hologram" derives from the Greek words, holos, meaning "whole,"
and gramma, meaning "message."
[0018] The simplest version of 3-D image technology is based on a
system of mirrors and lenses. The object whose image is being
projected sits inside a pedestal, which projects the object's light
into space above the pedestal, where the image is reformed. This is
often a computer generated image, therefore the computer must be
integrated into the system. The effect is as if the object itself
is hovering above the pedestal's surface. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No.
6,056,641 (Webb), U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,303 (Trudeau, et al.), U.S.
Pat. No. 4,818,048 (Moss), U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,486 (Popovich), and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,607 (Windsor, et al.), and US 2003/0220134
(Walker, et al.), JP8155134A (Taito Corp.), and JP6273690A
(Dainippon Printing Co., Ltd.).
[0019] "Interactive" holography is a technology known in other
arts. It is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,238
(McPhetens), U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,888 (Stapperts), U.S. Pat. No.
5,990,990 (Crabtree), U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,490 (Kuzunuki, et al.),
and U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,878 (Montellese).
[0020] The bonus game "played" on the interactive holographic
screen 180 can be rather simple by having the player's
participation end after he/she has chosen the symbol 220. The
result then can be a multiple, such as ten or fifty times, the
point value achieved in the main game depending on the
symbol-selected. For example, the bonus game can be a variation of
the popular "Go Fish" game, where the player seeks the fish and the
fisherman. Alternatively, the bonus game can be more complicated
such as by requiring further interaction by the player with the
holographic bonus screen 180, or less preferably by transferring
further bonus game play to the main game video screen 130.
[0021] When the bonus game is not being played or when neither the
bonus nor the main game is being played, the holographic unit can
project an "attract mode" holographic image 230 proximate to the
chassis 110, as shown in FIG. 1. The attract mode image 230 can be
the same as the bonus game screen but not be interactive.
Alternatively and preferably, the attract mode image can be a
different image such as that of a diamond or of an attractive
woman; the image can be static or changing such as flashing
symbols, e.g., dollar signs. It also can be clearly seen from
angles in addition to that of a player at the machine. The attract
mode hologram as well as the playing of the games can be
accompanied with audio sounds from speakers as shown in FIG. 4, and
mentioned below.
[0022] As discussed above, the bonus game interactive holographic
image 180 can require multiple interactions from the player. It can
also change during bonus game play. A less desired alternative is
for the holographic image to include a plurality of images from
different holographic projectors. A further alternative of the
present invention is to have the entire play of the gaming machine
to be through interactive holographic images, both the bonus and
main games; or there can be no bonus game, or the main game can
employ one or more interactive holographic images and the bonus
game can use another system (such as the video screen).
[0023] A schematic block diagram of the machine 100 is illustrated
in FIG. 4 generally at 250. Referring thereto, it is seen to
include a processor 260 which is connected to the RAM 270 and the
ROM 280 and which controls or is controlled by the video controller
290, the touch screen controller 300, the touch screen 310 (or
130), the holographic board (and lighting device, touch grid
device, and holographic plate) 320, the coin/bill acceptor 330, the
input devices 340, the display devices 350, the sound card 360, and
the speakers 370. The operation and construction of this machine
100 (or 250) would be readily understood by those skilled in the
art from the above disclosure (and from the prior art such as U.S.
Pat. No. 6,443,837 (Jaffe, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,559
(Baerlocher, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,074 (Thomas, et al.), and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,187 (Baerlocher) and US 2003/0064797 (Jackson,
et al.)).
[0024] From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident
that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications
of the present invention which come within the province of those
skilled in the art. The scope of the invention includes any
combination of the elements from the different species or
embodiments disclosed herein, as well as subassemblies, assemblies,
and methods thereof. However, it is intended that all such
variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be
considered as within the scope thererof.
* * * * *