METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ADDING A REEL TO A GAME DISPLAY
A method includes operating a gaming machine in a first display mode in which a display device associated with the gaming machine displays a base array and side graphics and in which a result for a respective game play initiated through the gaming machine is represented by a set of symbols included in the base array and where the side graphics provide a continuous graphical theme on at least two sides of the base array. In response to detecting a trigger event, the gaming machine switches to a second display mode in which the display device displays a graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics to replace that part of the side graphics with at least one additional array location and in which a result for a respective game play initiated through the gaming machine while operating in the second display mode is represented by a respective set of symbols included in the base array and each additional array location.
The Applicants claim the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/865,831 filed Nov. 14, 2006, and entitled “Method, Apparatus, and Program Product for Adding a Reel to a Game Display.” The entire content of this provisional application is incorporated herein by this reference.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent documents or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all rights of copyright.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to gaming systems and to gaming machines used to present gaming results. More particularly, the invention relates to methods for adding a reel to a base array for presenting gaming results to a player through a gaming machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA large number of different gaming machines have been developed to provide various formats and graphic presentations for conducting games and presenting game results. For example, numerous mechanical reel-type gaming machines, also known as slot machines, have been developed with different reel configurations, reel symbols, and paylines. More recently, gaming machines have been developed with video monitors that are used to produce simulations of mechanical spinning reels. These video-based reel-type gaming machines may use one or more video monitors to provide a wide variety of graphic effects in addition to simulated spinning reels, and may also provide secondary/bonus games using different reel arrangements or entirely different graphics. Video-based gaming machines may also be used to show card games or various types of competitions such as simulated horse races in which wagers may be placed. Game manufacturers are continuously pressed to develop new game formats and game graphics in an attempt to provide high entertainment value for players and thereby attract and keep players.
Gaming machines and video-based gaming machines typically have a base array of three or five spinning reels that can be stopped to display an array made up of three rows of game symbols. This base array of game symbols shown when the reels stop either shows a result of the game or correlates to a result in the game. Although the base array typically takes up most of the area of the gaming machine display, some gaming machines may include side graphics in border areas outside of the area reserved for the base array area. In mechanical reel-type gaming machines the base array and the side graphics, if any, are essentially fixed and cannot be changed in the course of play at the gaming machine. In video-based gaming machines, both the base array and the side graphics may be revised by providing different driving signals to the video monitor. As used herein the term “side graphics” includes all the graphics displayed around the base array whether on the sides, top, or bottom of the base array display.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0159208-A1 discloses a reel-type video-based gaming machine with an expandable reel array. According to this publication, additional video simulated reels may be added to the ends of the original base array or somewhere in-between columns of the original base array by resizing or redistributing the original base array to create a “secondary” array. Because the elements of the display in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0159208-A1 are resized to accommodate the new reel, the addition of the new reel does not affect any side graphics in the display.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention includes a highly entertaining method of presenting game results. The entertainment value is achieved by the graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics shown on a video-based reel-type gaming machine so as to create at least one array location in addition to the array locations included in the base array. The present invention also encompasses methods for operating a gaming machine as well as both apparatus and program products for implementing the gaming machine operation methods.
A method embodying principles of the invention may be implemented in a gaming machine using one or more display devices such as CRTs, LCDs, plasma displays, or other types of video display devices. The display device or devices are used to show graphic elements according to the invention. As used in this disclosure and the accompanying claims, the designations “gaming machine” will refer to any gaming machine through which the present invention may be implemented regardless of the specific type or location of video display devices included in the gaming machine to show results to the player.
One preferred method embodying the principles of the invention includes operating a gaming machine in a first display mode in which a video display device associated with the gaming machine displays a base array and side graphics. In this first display mode, a result for a respective game play initiated through the gaming machine is represented by a set of symbols included in the base array and the side graphics provide a continuous graphical theme on at least two adjacent sides of the base array. In response to detecting a trigger event, this particular method includes switching to a second display mode at the gaming machine. In the second display mode, the video display device displays a graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics, and ultimately replaces that part of the side graphics with at least one additional array location. The symbols included in the base array and the additional symbols provided by each additional array location may then be used to show results for game plays initiated through the gaming machine while the gaming machine is operating in the second display mode.
The base array and side graphics in the first display mode are characterized by side graphics that provide a “continuous graphical theme.” As used herein, a continuous graphical theme is a visual representation that is connected by a continuity between adjacent graphical elements in artwork and/or figures. For example only, and not by way of limitation,
In some preferred forms of the present invention, the graphical transformation may include a graphical element that appears to swing out from the area of the base array into the area of side graphics on one lateral side of the base array. In these preferred forms of the invention, the graphical element may appear to swing out from behind the base array or from the front of the base array. Alternatively, some graphical element may appear to swing or otherwise move down from above the side graphics, or a graphical element may appear to swing or otherwise move up from below the side graphics. Further, a graphical transformation according to the present invention may include some graphical element that appears to come from beyond the plane of the display or appears to move the base array without resizing so as to accommodate the at least one additional array location. In yet other forms of the invention the graphical transformation may include some graphical element on a lateral side of the base array that appears to move to a different location or disappear to expose or reveal at least one additional array location. Further, the side graphics area may include one or more controls that appear to be covered as a result of the graphical transformation or that are moved as a result of the graphical transformation.
One preferred apparatus according to the invention includes a video display device and a player input device associated with a gaming machine. This preferred apparatus also includes a presentation controller which may or may not be located at the gaming machine. The presentation controller is responsible for displaying the graphical transformations of at least a part of the side graphics as described above. In particular, the presentation controller causes the display device to display a base array and side graphics in a first display mode. In this first display mode a result for a respective game play is represented by a set of symbols included in the base array while the side graphics provide a continuous graphical theme on at least two sides of the base array. In response to a trigger event, the presentation controller causes the video display device to switch to a second display mode. In the second display mode the video display device displays a graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics. The graphical transformation replaces that part of the side graphics with at least one additional array location. Once the graphical transformation is complete in the second display mode, a result for a respective game play is represented by a respective set of symbols included in the base array and each additional array location.
A program product embodying the principles of the invention includes first display mode program code, second display mode program code, and display mode control program code. The first display mode program code is executable to cause a video display device to display the base array and side graphics in a first display mode as described above. The second display mode program code is executable to cause the video display device to operate in a second display 2 mode, producing the graphical transformation described above and showing results with a combination of the symbols included in the base array and the symbols included in the additional array location(s). The display mode control program code is executable to cause the video display device to switch from the first display mode to the second display mode in response to the trigger event.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
The claims at the end of this document set out novel features which the Applicants believe are characteristic of the invention. The various advantages and features of the invention together with preferred modes of use of the invention will best be understood by reference to the following description of illustrative embodiments read in conjunction with the drawings introduced above.
Referring to
Gaming machine 100 illustrated in
Gaming machine 100 also includes additional player interface devices 110 on a lower portion of cabinet 101. These additional player interface devices 110 may comprise for example, a player card reader, a voucher or ticket reader/issuer, a currency acceptor/validator, and/or a coin or token acceptor/dispenser.
It should be noted that the present invention is by no means limited to implementation with a gaming machine having a single video display device such as gaming machine 100 shown in
The gaming machine 100 shown in
Those familiar with gaming machines and data processing devices will appreciate that other basic components will be included in gaming machine 100 such as a power supply, cooling systems for the various system components, 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.
All of the elements 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, and 211 shown in
It will also be appreciated that although separate graphics processor 215 is shown for controlling video display device 104, CPU 205 may control the video display device directly without any intermediate graphics processor. The invention is not limited to any particular arrangement of graphics processors for controlling the video display device or devices that may be included in the particular gaming machine.
In the illustrated gaming machine 100, CPU 205 executes software which ultimately controls the entire gaming machine including the receipt of player inputs and the presentation of the graphic symbols at the various symbol locations displayed according to the invention through the video display device 104 associated with the gaming machine. Thus, CPU 205 either alone or in combination with graphics processor 215 serves as the presentation controller according to the invention. CPU 205 may also execute software to perform accounting functions associated with game play and/or identify or generate a result for each game play initiated through gaming machine 100. Random access memory 206 provides memory for use by CPU 205 in executing its various software programs while the nonvolatile memory or storage device 207 provides storage for programs not in use or for other data generated or used in the course of operation of gaming machine 100. Communications interface 210 provides an interface to other components of a gaming system that may be involved in game play or data collection, such as local area server 200 and/or central server 201.
It should be noted that the invention is not limited to gaming machines employing the personal computer-type arrangement of processing devices and interfaces shown in example gaming machine 100. Other gaming machines may include one or more special purpose processing devices (for example, application specific integrated circuits) to perform the various processing steps for implementing the present invention. Unlike general purpose processing devices such as CPU 205, these special purpose processing devices may not employ operational program code to direct at least some of the processing steps.
The operation of the gaming machine as shown at process block 302 itself generally includes a series of steps representing a single game cycle to present a game result to the player. The game cycle will typically include some player input representing a game play request at the gaming machine to initiate a game play. This input may be entered in any suitable fashion at the gaming machine and may include one or more separate inputs. For example, a particular gaming machine could require that a player make some input to select one or more paylines to place in play, select a wager level per line, and then actually initiate the play. All of these inputs are entered at one or more input devices at the gaming machine, such as input devices 109 shown in
Regardless of the manner in which a game play is initiated in a game cycle at process block 302 in
Referring again to the flow chart shown in
Regardless of the trigger event used in the decision indicated at decision block 303 in
The process of operating the gaming machine 100 in the second display mode as indicated at process block 305 in
All of the variations described above in connection with the trigger event are also applicable to the return event which results in the gaming machine switching from the second display mode back to the first display mode. Regardless of the specific event or series of events that may be chosen to serve as a return event, an appropriate component at the gaming machine or elsewhere preferably generates a suitable return event signal and communicates the return event signal as necessary to the system component serving as the presentation controller. The presentation controller then responds to the return event signal by switching from the second display mode to the first display mode as indicated at process block 307 in
A result in a given game play initiated through a gaming machine employing graphic display 400 is shown by first causing the simulated reels defined by columns 403, 404, 405, 406 and 407 to appear to spin and then come to rest with a particular set of reel symbols 401 and/or blanks lined up along one or more pay lines defined through the base array 412. For example, the reel symbols aligned along the middle row 409 of base array 412 may represent a pay line. Reel symbols 401 that line up along the pay line(s) indicate the result for the game play. A pay line may be defined in any manner including two or more adjacent symbols in the base array. Results can also be displayed by “scatter” symbols displayed anywhere in the base array and not necessarily in any line or set relationship.
In addition to base array 412, the graphic display image shown in
In the example graphic display 400, “Play” button 418 (represented as a float or buoy) may be invoked by a player to initiate a game play at the gaming machine. “Select Lines” button 420 may be invoked to select pay lines for a given play in the game while, “Bet Per Line” button 422, and “Max Bet” button 424 may be invoked to choose a bet level in the process of initiating a game play at the gaming machine employing graphic display 400.
It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to graphical transformations in which an additional reel representation appears to swing out from the side of the base array as shown in
In the example game shown in
At some point, the gaming machine in the second display mode shown in
The return event for the examples shown in
The example displays shown in
It should be noted that restrictions may be placed on bet levels available in display modes that are more favorable to the player. In particular, a gaming machine implementing the present invention may be programmed or otherwise operated to prevent a player from increasing their bet level when play is switched to a display mode that is more favorable to the player. In one arrangement for preventing an increase of bet levels in a more player-favorable display mode, the presentation controller may take an increased bet level in a player-favorable display mode as a return event to cause play to switch back to the less favorable display mode. The player may be warned through a video display included in the gaming machine, before switching back to the less favorable display mode, and allowed an opportunity to withdraw the increased bet. Alternatively, the gaming machine may simply not accept an input that attempts to increase the bet level in the more player-favorable display mode, and/or may lock the bet level in to the bet level in effect at the time of the trigger event for all game plays initiated in the more player-favorable second display mode produced in response to the trigger event.
In forms of the invention implemented through general purpose processing devices such as the devices shown in the example gaming machine 100 of
As used herein, whether in the above description or the following claims, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, that is, to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” respectively, shall be considered exclusionary transitional phrases, as set forth, with respect to claims, in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures (Eighth Edition, August 2001 as revised September 2007), Section 2111.03.
Any use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. Rather, unless specifically stated otherwise, such ordinal terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term).
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 present invention.
Claims
1. A method including:
- (a) operating a gaming machine in a first display mode in which a display device associated with the gaming machine displays a base array and side graphics and in which a result for a respective game play initiated through the gaming machine is represented by a set of symbols included in the base array, wherein the side graphics provide a continuous graphical theme on at least two sides of the base array;
- (b) detecting a trigger event; and
- (c) in response to the trigger event, switching the gaming machine to operate in a second display mode in which (i) the display device displays a graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics to replace that part of the side graphics with at least one additional array location, and in which (ii) a result for a respective game play initiated through the gaming machine is represented by a combination of a respective symbol in each additional array location and a respective set of symbols included in the base array.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array and the graphical transformation includes a graphic element that appears to move out from the area of the base array.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the display device displays the base array and side graphics in a display plane and wherein the graphical transformation includes a graphic element that appears to come from outside of the display plane.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical transformation appears to move the base array so as to accommodate the at least one additional array location.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array that appears to have obscured the at least one additional array location such that the at least one additional array location is revealed upon completion of the graphical transformation.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the side graphics area includes one or more controls that appear to be covered as a result of the graphical transformation.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more controls included in the area of the side graphics are moved to a different location of the display device as a result of the graphical transformation.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array and the graphical transformation includes a graphic element that appears to move vertically into the area of the side graphics on the lateral side of the base array.
9. An apparatus including:
- (a) a display device;
- (b) a player input device; and
- (c) a presentation controller, the presentation controller for (i) causing the display device to display a base array and side graphics in a first display mode in which a result for a respective game play is represented by a set of symbols included in the base array, the side graphics providing a continuous graphical theme on at least two sides of the base array, and for (ii) in response to a trigger event, causing the display device to switch to a second display mode in which the display device displays a graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics to replace that part of the side graphics with at least one additional array location, wherein a result for a respective game play while operating in the second display mode is represented by a combination of a respective symbol in each additional array location and a respective set of symbols included in the base array.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array and includes a graphic element that appears to move out from the area of the base array.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array and includes a graphic element that appears to move vertically into the area of the side graphics on that lateral side of the base array.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the display device displays the base array and side graphics in a display plane and wherein the graphical transformation includes a graphic element that appears to come from outside of the display plane.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the graphical transformation appears to move the base array so as to accommodate the at least one additional array location.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array that appears to have obscured the at least one additional array location such that the at least one additional array location is revealed upon completion of the graphical transformation.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the side graphics area includes one or more controls that appear to be covered as a result of the graphical transformation.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein one or more controls included in the area of the side graphics are moved to a different location of the display device as a result of the graphical transformation.
17. A program product embodied in one or more computer readable media, the program product including:
- (a) first display mode program code executable to cause a gaming machine to operate in a first display mode in which a display device associated with the gaming machine displays a base array and side graphics, wherein a result for a respective game play initiated through the gaming machine while operating in the first display mode is represented by a set of symbols included in the base array, and wherein the side graphics provide a continuous graphical theme on at least two sides of the base array;
- (b) second display mode program code executable to cause the gaming machine to operate in a second display mode in which the display device displays a graphical transformation of at least a part of the side graphics to replace that part of the side graphics with at least one additional array location, and wherein a result for a respective game play initiated at the gaming machine while operating in the second display mode is represented by a combination of a respective symbol in each additional array location and a respective set of symbols included in the base array; and
- (c) display mode control program code executable to cause the gaming machine to switch from the first display mode to the second display mode in response to a trigger event.
18. The program product of claim 17 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array and the graphical transformation includes a graphic element that appears to move out from the area of the base array.
19. The program product of claim 17 wherein the graphical transformation is of a part of the side graphics on a lateral side of the base array and includes a graphic element that appears to move vertically into the area of the side graphics on that lateral side of the base array.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the graphical transformation appears to move the base array so as to accommodate the at least one additional array location.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 9, 2007
Publication Date: May 15, 2008
Inventors: Clint A. Owen (Rockdale, TX), Andrea R. Barton (Austin, TX)
Application Number: 11/938,186
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);