Reel spinning slot machine with superimposed video image

ES 2 292 701 T3

DESCRIPTION

Spinning reels slot machine with a video image superimposed.

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to a spinning reel slot machine and more particularly to a spinning reel slot machine with a video image superimposed on the mechanical reels of the machine.

Background of the invention

A spinning reel slot machine generally comprises a plurality of spinning mechanical reels controlled by a processor. In response to a bet, the processor randomly selects an outcome from a plurality of possible outcomes and then causes the reels to spin and stop to display the selected outcome. Said selected result is represented by certain symbols on the reels that are in visual association with a display area. If the selected result corresponds to a winning result, identified on a pay table, the processor instructs a payment mechanism to award the player a refund according to the winning result, in the form of coins or credits.

Until now, the visual area of ​​spinning reel slot machines has been pretty trivial. Proposals to change the appearance of the area have been of limited capacity and of little importance. For example, in US Patent No. 6,056,642 to Bennett, the symbols on the reels are colored by backlighting the symbols themselves with colored light bulbs or similar means. In US Patent No. 6,027,115 to Griswold et al., The same reels contain electroluminescent elements that define one or more symbols on the reel, such as cherries, bars, a number "7", and the like. If multiple electroluminescent elements are provided for a particular symbol, that symbol can be displayed in multiple formats. Although the aforementioned proposals change the appearance of the display area to some extent, there is a need for a spinning reel slot machine having a structure capable of effecting major changes in the appearance of the display area.

Document US-A-6,135,884 describes an arcade machine that has two separate display devices, which do not interact with each other: one to display the results of the game, and the other to display secondary information, such as tables of scores. Payments.

US-A-6,036,188 and GB-A-2,124,505 do not describe spinning reel slot machines, but million-dollar machines. In document US-A-6,036,188, virtual images are projected on the playing field of the million-dollar machine. Such virtual images can interact with actions taking place on the same machine. In GB-A-2,124,505, the million-dollar machine can also function as a video game, with video images not interacting with the devices on the playing field.

Document WO 99/53454 describes a casino game that combines two display devices, each of them for a different game, thus providing a secondary display in the form of a ring of an electroluminescent device, which only covers a periphery of the main display . JP 2000-116843 describes two display means in an arcade machine, to make the game more interesting, by providing variable movements of the display means. However, here, the secondary display means are mounted at the back of the main display means, so that the LCD display can only be seen through a transparent window of the machine roller, thus, by For example, the appearance of all major display media is changed, not exactly that of a roller symbol.

Summary of the invention

Accordingly, a spinning reel slot machine comprises a plurality of spinning mechanical reels and a video display means. Responding to a bet, the reels spin and stop to randomly place the symbols on the reels themselves in visual association with a display area. The video display means provides a video image superimposed on the rollers. The video image can be interactive with the reels and include graphics such as prize values, a pay table, pay lines, bonus game features, special effects, thematic scenarios, and instructional information. The present invention is advantageous in that it is capable of effecting major changes in the appearance of the display area and the representation of graphics within the focus of the player's attention (ie, the mechanical reels).

Brief description of the drawings

The aforementioned and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is an isometric perspective of a spinning reel slot machine embodying the present invention.

ES 2 292 701 T3

Figure 2a is a side view of the slot machine with parts cut away to reveal the internal structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2b is a side view of the slot machine with parts cut away to reveal the internal structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 3 to 10a-c are front views of a slot machine display area with various video images superimposed on the mechanical reels.

Figure 11 is a block diagram of a control system suitable for the operation of the slot machine.

Although the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments have been illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms described. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalences, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Description of some illustrative embodiments

Turning now to the drawings and referring first to Figure 1, a spinning reel slot machine 10 comprises a plurality of spinning mechanical reels 12a, 12b, 12c and a video display (see Figures 2a and 2b). Responding to a bet, the reels 12a, 12b, 12c rotate and stop to randomly place the symbols on the reels themselves in visual association with a display area 16. Payouts are awarded based on combinations and arrangements of symbols appearing on display area 16. Video display provides a video image 18 that occupies display area 16 and overlaps reels 12a, 12b, 12c. The video image 18 can be interactive with said reels 12a, 12b, 12c, it can be static or dynamic, and it can include graphics such as prize values, a pay table, pay lines, bonus game features, special effects. , thematic scenarios, and instructional information. In the illustrated embodiment, slot machine 10 is a "vertical" version in which display area 16 is oriented vertically relative to the player. Alternatively, said slot machine 10 could be of a "slanted" version in which the display area 16 is slanted at an angle of about thirty degrees towards the player of the slot machine 10 itself.

With reference to Figures 2a and 2b, the video image 18 in the display area 16 may already be a direct image (Figure 2a) or a virtual image (Figure 2b). If the video image 18 is a direct image, as in Figure 2a, said direct image is preferably generated by a flat panel transmissive video display 14a located in front of the rollers 12a, 12b, 12c. The transmissive display 14a may be, for example, a commercially available transmissive liquid crystal (LCD) display from LG Phillips LCD Co. Ltd. of Seoul, Korea. The transmissive display 14a may be equipped with a touch screen mounted on the front surface of the display 14a itself. Said touch screen contains soft touch "keys" indicated by the underlying display image 14a and used to operate the slot machine 10.

If the video image 18 is a virtual image, as in Figure 2b, said virtual image is preferably generated by a projection arrangement that includes a video display 14b and a partially reflective mirror.

twenty. Video display 14b and partially reflective mirror 20 are relatively positioned to project the virtual image in front of reels 12a, 12b, 12c between the reels and a player. Video display 14b is preferably mounted below rollers 12a, 12b, 12c and is generally perpendicular to the display area.

16. Mirror 20 is preferably mounted in front of rollers 12a, 12b, 12c and is oriented at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees relative to both video display 14b and display area 16. The virtual image is generally parallel to display area 16 and may indeed occupy display area 16. The virtual image can also be three-dimensional. In the embodiment of Figure 2b, the display area 16 includes a glass cover / window. This deck is optionally equipped with a touch screen containing soft touch "keys" indicated by the virtual image and used to operate the slot machine 10.

The video display 14b of FIG. 2b may be a CRT, LCD, dot matrix, LED, electroluminescent, or other type of video display known in the art. Instead of mounting the video display 14b below the rollers 12a, 12b, 12c, the display 14b could also be mounted on top of said rollers with the mirror 20 still oriented at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees relative to the display of video 14b and to display area 16.

Referring again to Figure 1, the slot machine 10 is capable of being operated to play a basic pay-per-slot game with the three rotating mechanical reels 12a, 12b, 12c and a bonus game triggered by an initial prize outcome of the game. basic. The number of mechanical rollers can vary, for example include one or more additional rollers. Said mechanical rollers may be mounted on a horizontal axis to rotate vertically as illustrated or may alternatively be mounted on a vertical axis to rotate horizontally. Instead of each column of symbols being associated with a single reel, each individual symbol can also be associated with a single reel so that a symbol arrangement of nine symbols is associated with

ES 2 292 701 T3 nine different rollers. Each of the five pay lines 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e passes through a symbol on each of the three mechanical reels. The number of pay lines can be more or less than five and can have several configurations.

Generally, the game is started by inserting a number of coins or by playing a number of credits, which involves a central processing unit activating a number of pay lines corresponding to the number of coins or credits paid. As shown in Figure 3, the overlay video image 18 may illustrate instructional information that prompts the player to insert game coins or credits. The player selects the number of pay lines to play (between one and five) by pressing a "Select lines" key on a control panel 24. Then the player chooses the number of coins or credits to bet on the pay lines by pressing a "Bet per line" key on the control panel 24. As shown in Figure 4, the overlay video image 18 may illustrate the activated pay lines and the number of credits bet per pay line.

After activation of the pay lines, reels 12a, 12b, 12c can be set in motion by touching a "Spin Reels" key on the control panel 24 or, if the player wishes to bet the maximum amount per line, by touching a "Max Bet Spin" key on the control panel 24. Alternatively, other mechanisms may be used, such as, for example, a lever to set the reels in motion. The central processing unit employs a random number generator to select a game result (e.g. "basic" game result) corresponding to a particular series of reel "stop positions". Then, said central processing unit causes each of the mechanical rollers to stop in the appropriate stop position. Symbols are printed on the reels to graphically illustrate the stop positions of the reels themselves and indicate whether the stop positions of said reels represent a winning result of the game.

The winning results of the basic game (eg combinations of symbols that involve the payment of coins or credits) are identifiable to the player by means of a pay table. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the overlay video image 18 may illustrate the pay table in response to a player command (eg, by pressing a "Pay Table" key on the control panel 24). A basic game winning outcome occurs when the symbols appearing on reels 12a, 12b, 12c along an active payline match one of the winning combinations on the paytable. A winning combination, for example, can be three matching symbols along an active payline. If the displayed symbols come to rest on a winning combination, the game credits the player with an amount corresponding to the paytable prize for that combination multiplied by the amount of credits wagered on the winning payline. As shown in Figure 6, the overlay video image 18 can brightly illuminate the winning combination (s) (eg "7", "7", "7") and their associated pay line (eg. payline 22c) and illustrate the prize for that winning combination. The video image 18 may further include special effects such as flashing on the winning payline (s) and / or the prize and providing pops. The winning payline (s) can flash, be accompanied by trigger flashes, and display part of the paytable. The player can collect the accumulated amount of credits by pressing a "Collect" key on the control panel 24. In one implementation, the winning combinations start from the first reel 12a (from left to right) and span the adjacent reels. In an alternative implementation, the winning combinations start from the first reel 12a (from left to right) or from the third reel 12c (from right to left) and spread to the adjacent reels.

If the display area 16 includes a touch screen mounted either on the transmissive display 14a of the direct image embodiment of Figure 2a or on the glass cover of the virtual image embodiment of Figure 2b, the video image 18 may duplicate some or all of the aforementioned keys on control panel 24 as tactile "keys" 26, as illustrated in various figures. A player can then enable a desired function either by touching the touch screen on an appropriate touch "key" 26 indicated by the video image 18 or by pressing an appropriate key on the control panel 24.

Included among the plurality of basic game outcomes is a starting bonus outcome for triggering a play of a bonus game. A starting bonus result can be defined in a number of ways. For example, a starting bonus result can occur when a special starting bonus symbol or a special combination of symbols appears on one or more of the reels 12a, 12b, 12c. The starting bonus result may require the combination of symbols to appear along an active payline or may alternatively require the combination of symbols to appear somewhere on the display, regardless of whether the symbols are next to each other. along an active payline. The appearance of a start-up bonus result causes the central processing unit to switch from a basic coin game operation to a bonus game.

As shown in Figure 7, the video image 18 may illustrate the game with bonuses and some prizes resulting therefrom. The bonus game may, for example, include free spins from a new series of video reels included in video image 18. Winning combinations of video reels can be defined by the same pay table as used for mechanical reels or a completely different paytable. Bonus play can be interactive and require a player to select one or more selective items 28 to win prizes. Similarly, the bonus game may illustrate one or more animated events and award prizes based on a result of the animated events. In addition, the bonus game may be illustrated by the video image 18 alone or in conjunction with an illustrated video image on an optional secondary video display 40 (see FIG. 1). The two video images can be associated to look like

ES 2 292 701 T3 as a unified image. Upon completion of the bonus game, the central processing unit switches operation back to the basic coin game.

As illustrated in Figures 8a-c, 9a-c, and 10a-c, video image 18 can be used to modify one or more of the symbols printed on one or more of the stationary mechanical rollers 12a, 12b, 12c. . For example, in response to a random or non-random predetermined event, video image 18 may transform a reel symbol to a different symbol, such as a symbol necessary to complete a winning combination. The different symbol is generated by video image 18. In Figures 8a-c, video image 18 illustrates an animation transforming (eg "transfiguring") a blank symbol space from a mechanical reel 12b into a BELL symbol to form a winning combination of three BELL symbols. along the pay line 22c. On the other hand and with reference to Figures 9a-c, in response to a random or non-random predetermined event, the video image 18 may illustrate an animation in which a video indicator 29 moves from a periphery of the zone of display (eg a corner of the display area, distant from the mechanical rollers) to one or more of the symbols on the rollers. The transfiguration indicator 29 can identify the reel symbols to which it is directed as a special symbol to be evaluated, such as an abnormal symbol or a scattered payment symbol. In Figures 10a-c, a video indicator 29 has moved to a CHERRY symbol on the mechanical roller 12c. If the CHERRY symbol thereby designates an anomalous symbol, the displayed symbol arrangement includes a winning combination of three MELON symbols along the pay line 22b where one of the three MELON symbols is formed by the anomalous symbol. On the other hand, in Figures 10a-c, video image 18 illustrates an animation transforming a BELL symbol on reel 12c into a SEVEN symbol to form a winning combination of three SEVEN symbols along pay line 22c. The substitution of the SEVEN symbol generated by the video image 18 is sufficiently opaque or translucent to substantially cover the BELL symbol printed on the mechanical roller 12c.

The slot machine is preferably designed to adjust the appearance of the video image 18 in terms of transparency, translucency, or opacity depending on the purpose of the video image 18. Furthermore, to allow a clear view of the mechanical reels 12a , 12b, 12c underlying the video image 18, the part of the video image 18 covering the rollers becomes more transparent.

On the other hand, to facilitate viewing of the video image 18 without visual interference from the underlying mechanical rollers, the video image 18 is made more opaque by proper selection of colors and their level of brightness. Similarly, to accentuate the video image 18 with respect to the underlying rollers following a roller rotation, any lamps that illuminate the rollers during a roller rotation can be turned off or dimmed following the roller rotation. Also, if the reels include blank symbols (eg all white areas), any video graphics on such blank symbols will be easily visible. Similarly, any video graphs along, just above, or just below the underlying reels will be easily visible. Furthermore, in the live image embodiment of FIG. 2a, the transmissive video display 14a may be supported by an extensible opaque shadow during bonus play. The shadow is removed from display area 16 during basic coin play. As the central processing unit transitions from coin play to bonus play operation, the shadow extends across the display area to separate the transmissive video display 14a from the underlying reels and thereby completely shield the underlying reels.

Figure 11 is a block diagram of a control system suitable for operating the slot machine. The control system includes a central processing unit with a microcontroller 30 and a system memory 32. The memory 32 preferably comprises a separate read-only memory (ROM) and a battery-backed random access memory (RAM). It will be appreciated, however, that the memory of the system 32 can be realized in any of several alternative types of memory structures or it could be realized in a simple memory structure. For example, read-only memory could be replaced or supplemented with a mass storage unit based on removable pulse memory or a hard disk drive. System memory is used to store game related data associated with games of chance played on the slot machine. The data relating to the game may, for example, include a game code, mathematical tables, a random number generator, audio sources, and video sources. The player can select an amount of bets and other functions of the game by means of the touch "keys" of the screen 26 (if any) or of the control panel 24. The amount of the bet is indicated to the microcontroller 30 by a coin / credit detector 34. Responding to the bet, the microcontroller 30 executes the game code which, based on a randomly selected result, spins and stops the mechanical reels 12a, 12b, 12c in the selected result. The microcontroller 30 also selectively accesses the video sources to be included in the video image 18 provided by the video display 14a (figure 2a) or 14b (figure 2b) and the audio sources to be reproduced by one or more speakers 36 mounted in a slot machine housing. If the outcome corresponds to a winning outcome identified in the pay table, the microcontroller 30 instructs a payout mechanism 38 to award a payment for the winning outcome to the player in the form of coins or credits.

Even though the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will see that many changes can be made therein. For example, instead of the video image 18 illustrating a bonus game triggered by a start bonus outcome on the mechanical coin-actuated reels 12a, 12b, 12c, the functions of the video image 18 and reels driven by currency can be reversed. Video image 18 may illustrate a basic game that includes a starting bonus outcome to trigger a bonus game that involves spinning the coin-operated reels.