AU2018247250A1 - Gaming Machine User Interfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

A gaming machine comprises a display screen, a game controller and a mechanical display filter. The game controller is arranged to control images displayed on the 5 display screen, the game controller being arranged to allow a plurality of users to simultaneously play a game displayed on the display screen and, if one of a plurality of predefined winning events or combination of events result for at least one of the plurality of users, a prize or feature is awarded to the at least one of the plurality of users, wherein images of the game are controlled for displayed in accordance with one 10 of a set of game mathematics. The mechanical display filter comprises a frame and a plurality of dividing members arranged to visually distinguish a respective one of a plurality of portions of said display screen from other portions of the display screen, wherein an illuminable portion of the mechanical display filter is illuminated by an illuminating portion of the display screen to produce a visual effect, wherein the one of 15 the set of game mathematics that is selected to control display of the images of the game is selected according to the position of said mechanical display filter relative to said display screen. 10712676_1 (GHMatters) P88069.AU.9 10/10/18

Description

invention relates to user interfaces for computational devices. 15 This embodiment may have particular application to user interfaces for computational devices used for entertainment and may have even more particular application to gaming consoles of the type known as slot machines or gaming machines. A particular embodiment of the present invention relates to user interfaces for such gaming consoles.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to gaming consoles of the type known as slot machines arranged to play a large variety of card related and other gambling games such as keno or bingo. A particular embodiment of the invention relates to a display used on such a machine.

Background of the Invention

Most computational devices have a user interface that includes a keyboard, keypad or touch screen interface, which allows a user of the device to enter information that may be subsequently acted on by the computational device. The form of the user interface depends on the function of the computational device. One form of computational device is a gaming machine or poker machine.

Gaming or poker machines have been well known for many years and have more recently gained considerable popularity, with quite substantial amounts of money wagered on these machines. There is a growing tendency for governments to legalise

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 the use of gaming machines and consoles by licensing operators, with resulting revenue gains through licence fees and taxation of money invested.

With the growth that has occurred in the gaming machine market there is intense 5 competition between manufacturers to supply the various existing and new venues.

Gaming machine manufacturers are keen to devise games and gaming consoles which are visually pleasing to, and readily understood and usable by, players. Further, with the passage of time players can become bored or dissatisfied with the appearance and functionality of existing machines. To prevent this, it is desirable to provide either new machines with a new appearance and functionality or means for reconfiguring existing machines to have a new appearance and functionality.

Current gaming consoles typically use one or more displays, generally either LCD or CRT, although other technologies such as electroluminescent displays have also been used. Suitable design and use of such displays can make a console more visually pleasing to a user, both from a distance and while using the console.

Gaming machine manufacturers such as Silicon Gaming and Ainsworth Gaming Technology have used large displays oriented in a portrait mode. A potential problem with these displays is that the player of the machine can be confused as to where to look. In machines where there are two mechanically distinguished displays, a primary display and a secondary display, it is very easy for the player to understand how the game is played across the two displays.

As large displays become lower in cost it becomes feasible and in some cases preferable to use a single display instead of multiple displays.

Touch screens are used on gaming console displays to enable the user to interact with the display. In some cases a button will exist both as a physical button for the player to depress, as well as a touchable virtual button on the display itself. In the case of a physical button for the player to depress, screen marking and degradation associated with touch screens is reduced.

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Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect the present invention, there is provided a gaming device that provides a plurality of games in which a player makes a wager and is awarded a prize on occurrence of a winning game outcome, the gaming device comprising a user interface comprising:

a bank of buttons for providing player control of the game, comprising a plurality of buttons, a button housing and circuitry that detects pressing of the plurality of buttons; and one or more button displays, each button display located behind the bank of 10 buttons, wherein at least two buttons in the bank of buttons are constructed so that material displayed by the one or more button displays is viewable there through, and wherein responsive to the gaming device changing from providing one of the plurality of games to another of the plurality of games, material displayed by the one or more button displays that is viewable through the at least two buttons changes.

In an embodiment, the gaming device comprises a communication interface for communicating with a central game controller, the communication interface comprising a first connection and a second connection, the first connection communicating information to the central controller indicative of pressing of a button in the bank of buttons and the second connection communicating control information to the one or more button displays from the central controller.

In an embodiment, at least one said button is transparent and the button housing is translucent or opaque.

In an embodiment, at least one said button comprises a translucent or transparent top surface and opaque or substantially opaque side walls extending from the top surface.

In an embodiment, one or more button displays extend below every one of the buttons in the bank of buttons.

In an embodiment, the circuitry comprises a column-row matrix of conductors and the buttons are switches that connect a column and row in the matrix when depressed.

In an embodiment, the circuitry comprises a touch screen.

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In an embodiment, the buttons are transparent to allow the touch screen to viewed there through.

In an embodiment, the circuitry is arranged about the buttons so as to not impede 5 viewing of the one or more button displays through the buttons.

In an embodiment, the gaming device further comprises at least one optical component to modify the image displayed on the display screen as viewed through the button or button housing.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of controlling a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a user interface comprising: a bank of buttons for providing player control of the game, comprising a plurality of buttons, a button housing and circuitry that detects pressing of the plurality of buttons, and one or more button displays, each button display located behind the bank of buttons, wherein at least two buttons in the bank of buttons are constructed so that material displayed by the one or more button displays is viewable there through, and the method comprising controlling what is viewable through said at least two buttons by controlling material displayed by the one or more button displays including by automatically changing material displayed by the one or more button displays that is viewable through the at least two buttons responsive to the gaming device changing from providing one of the plurality of games to another of the plurality of games.

In an embodiment, the method comprises controlling material displayed by the one or more button displays using a central computational controller.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Non-limiting examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a conventional gaming console;

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Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional gaming console control circuit;

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a gaming machine;

Figure 4 shows a block diagram of components of the memory of the gaming machine represented in Figure 3.

Figure 5 illustrates a plurality of display regions of a gaming console in accordance with a related art solution;

Figure 6 illustrates a front view of a video display and mechanical screen filter in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a gaming console and mechanical 15 screen filter in accordance with the first embodiment;

Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical screen filter in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical screen filter in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9A is a partial cross sectional view along the line 9A-9A of Figure 9;

Figure 10 illustrates a perspective view of a gaming system with a fourth embodiment of a mechanical screen filter;

Figure 11 illustrates a front perspective view of a mechanical screen filter in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11A is a partial cross sectional view along the line 11A-11A of Figure 11;

Figure 12 is a partial cross sectional view of a sixth embodiment of a video display and mechanical display filter;

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Figure 13 is a partial cross sectional view of a video display and mechanical screen filter in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 14 is a partial section cross sectional view along the lines 14A-14A of Figure 11;

Figure 15 illustrates a front perspective view of an eighth embodiment of a mechanical screen filter of the present invention;

Figure 16 shows diagrammatically an exploded view of a keyboard user interface in 10 accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 17 shows diagrammatically a top view of a keyboard user interface in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 18 shows a view of a gaming network suitable for implementing an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Embodiments

In the following detailed description the methodology of the embodiments will be 20 described with reference to gaming consoles and gaming machines, and it is to be understood that it is within the capabilities of the non-inventive worker in the art to introduce the methodology on any standard microprocessor-based gaming machine or on gaming machines including other types of game controllers by means of appropriate programming.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a conventional slot machine 10 is illustrated, of the type having a video display screen 11, which displays a game, in this instance including a plurality of rotatable reels carrying symbols, and is arranged to pay a prize on the occurrence of a predetermined symbol or combination of symbols.

In the slot machine 10 illustrated in Figure 1, the game is initiated by a push button 14 in a bank of buttons 16, however, it will be recognised by persons skilled in the art that this operating mechanism might be replaced by a pull handle, touch screen, or other type of actuator in other embodiments of the invention. The top box 15 on top of the slot machine 10 carries an artwork panel or player marketing module (PMM) which displays the various winning combinations for which a prize is paid on this machine.

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The PMM on the slot machine 10 may additionally comprise a small video display (such as LCD), buttons and a magnetic card reader.

The program which implements the game and game feature is run on a standard 5 gaming machine control processor or other suitable computational device 20 as illustrated schematically in Figure 2. The computational device 20 forms part of a controller 21 which drives the video display screen 22 of the console 24 and receives input signals from sensors 23. The sensors 23 may be touch sensors, a pull handle or another type of actuator in other embodiments of the invention. The controller 21 also receives input pulses from a mechanism 25 indicating the user has provided sufficient credit to begin playing. The mechanism 25 may be a coin input chute, a credit card reader, or other type of validation device. The controller 21 further drives a payout mechanism 26 which for example may be a coin output.

In another embodiment, a remote controller may be provided in the form of a central controller linked to a plurality of gaming machines or consoles. The outcome of the games may be determined centrally and communicated to individual machines or consoles, which primarily have an interface function for displaying the outcome of a particular game, including a player interface for enabling player interaction.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a gaming device, generally referenced by arrow 100. The gaming device 100 may, for example, operate as a standalone slot machine of the type shown in Figure 1. However, the gaming device 100 may alternatively operate as a networked gaming machine, communicating with other network devices, such as one or more servers or other gaming machines. The gaming device 100 may also have distributed hardware and software components that communicate with each other directly or through a network.

As explained in relation to Figure 2, the gaming device 100 includes a controller 21, which is shown in more detail in Figure 3. In the illustrated example the controller 21 includes a computational device 20, which may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or other suitable device. Instructions and data to control operation of the computational device 20 are stored in a memory 29, which is in data communication with, or forms a part of, the computational device 20. Typically, the gaming device 100 will include both volatile and non-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with such memories being collectively represented by the

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 memory 29. The instructions to cause the controller 21 to provide a game on the slot machine 10 will be stored in the memory 29.

The gaming apparatus may include hardware meters 31 for the purposes of regulatory 5 compliance and also include an input/output (I/O) interface 32 for communicating with the peripheral devices of the gaming device 100. The input/output interface 32 and/or the peripheral devices may be intelligent devices with their own memory for instructions and data.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the peripheral devices that communicate with the controller are the video display screen 11, a keyboard interface 33, a button display 34 (see herein below), a printer 35, a bill acceptor and/or coin input mechanism 36 (which may be the mechanism 25) and the payout mechanism 26. The display screen 11 may be provided with a touch screen 11 A. Additional devices may be included as part of the gaming device 100, or devices omitted as required for the specific implementation.

In addition, the gaming device 100 may include a communications interface, for example a network card 38. The network card 38, may for example, send status information, accounting information or other information to a central controller, server

0 or database and receive data or commands from a central controller, server or database. One or more of the peripheral devices, for example the button display 34 may be able to communicate directly with the network card 38.

The game controller 101 may also include a random number generator (RNG) 39, which generates a series of random numbers that determine the outcome of a series of random game events played as part of a game on the gaming device 100.

Figure 4 shows an exemplary block diagram of the main components of the memory

29. The RAM 103A typically temporarily holds program files for execution by the computational controller 102 and related data. The EPROM 103B may be a boot ROM device and/or may contain some system or game related code. The mass storage device 103C may be used to store game programs, the integrity of which may be verified and/or authenticated by the computational controller 102 using protected code from the EPROM 103B or elsewhere.

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Figure 5 illustrates a plurality of display regions 161, 162 of a gaming console 160 in accordance with a related art solution. Whilst the provision of multiple display regions 161, 162 enables presentation of a primary display 162 and a secondary display 161, such prior art solutions necessitate the installation of two separate video displays.

Figure 6 illustrates a video display 41 and mechanical screen filter 42 of a gaming console 40 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The single large display 41 is mechanically screened/filtered by filter 42 so as to appear to be two smaller displays 43, 44. The large display 41 may be a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, electroluminescent, or other type of display. The smaller displays 43, 44 may be used to represent any combination of primary, secondary, and PMM displays as desired. Preferably the mechanical display filter 42 is opaque, blocking light from the display from being seen by the player, and may comprise one or more of a metal, opaque glass or plastic sheet, or paint. The mechanical display filter

42 may additionally or alternately be in some areas partially transparent and/or translucent, allowing it to have the appearance of a non-display area, yet with software controllable colour and/or illumination, by way of backlighting from the display 41.

The mechanical screen filter 42 may equally be applied to any display screen linked to

0 a game or jackpot display controller to visually distinguish at least two portions of the display screen from one another.

The filter 42 may be further customised in shape, giving display regions 43, 44 the appearance of a non-rectangular display. The mechanical filter 42 may further be used to mount further hardware, such as buttons and magnetic card readers.

Figure 7 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the mechanical display filter 52 comprises a frame which defines a first aperture 53 and a second aperture 53a. The mechanical display filter is shown as removably mountable onto the gaming console 51 over the display screen 55 by use of screw or bolt fasteners through the holes 54 and 54a. Similar mechanical fasteners or other mounting means may be used. In one embodiment of the present invention, unauthorised removal of the mechanical display filter 52 may be prevented by provision of screw or bolt fasteners with a security head or other locking means. Once mounted on the gaming console 51, the first aperture 53 and the second aperture 53a of the mechanical display filter 52 define a first portion of the display screen 55 in the

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 area indicated by 56 and a second portion of the display screen 55 indicated by 56a respectively.

Referring to Figure 8, a third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The 5 mechanical display filter 61 comprises a transparent overlay 62 and a divider 63. The transparent overlay 62 may be constructed of glass, plastic or any other suitable material. The divider 63 is preferably translucent or opaque. The mechanical display filter 61 is mounted over a display screen such that the portion of the transparent overlay 62a defines a first portion of the display screen and the portion of the transparent overlay 62b defines a second portion of the display screen.

Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 shows a mechanical display filter 71 which defines a first aperture 72 and a second aperture 72a and a translucent portion 73. The mechanical display filter is preferably mounted on a gaming console over a display screen to visually distinguish a first, second and third portion of a display screen. The first aperture 72 and the second aperture 72a are used to define a first portion and a second portion of the display screen respectively. These portions of the display screen are unobscured.

0 The translucent portion 73 overlays a third portion of the display screen. The third portion is partially obscured by the translucent portion, which is illuminated by the third portion of the display screen to produce different visual effects. For example, the display screen may be illuminated to have the appearance of running lights in one or several different colours, to sequence through a range of different colours and brightness or to have any other complex or simple illumination, illumination pattern or illumination sequence. Each form of illumination will illuminate the translucent portion 73 in different ways and can be used to produce visually pleasing light effects. If translucent artwork were provided on the translucent portion 73, this artwork may be illuminated by the display screen in a visually pleasing manner. Light pipes or mirrors may be used to transport light from the display screen to the translucent portion, as is discussed in greater detail with respect to Figures 10 and 11.

Figure 9A shows a partial cross sectional view through line 9A-9A in Figure 9, drawn through the centre of the translucent portion 73 of the mechanical display filter 71. The mechanical display filter 71 is shown mounted over a display screen 74. The area 75 allows light to pass from the display screen 74 to illuminate the translucent portion 76.

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A light tube may be provided in the area 75 to facilitate better transmission of the light. Translucent artwork may be placed on the translucent portion 76 to be illuminated by the light originating from the display screen 74.

Figure 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention comprising a gaming system 81 which is capable of allowing three users to each play a game at a single time. The gaming system has three sets of game buttons 85. The mechanical display filter 82 defines a first aperture 83, a second aperture 83a and a third aperture 83b.

The first aperture 83, the second aperture 83a and the third aperture 83b define a first, second and third portion of the display screen 84, being 84a, 84b and 84c respectively. The games displayed on each of these portions of the display screen can each be played by a different user. The games may be independent of each other, or may influence or be interconnected with each other. By modifying the game and display software, one or more of the display portions may be selectively varied.

Referring to Figure 11, a sixth embodiment of a mechanical display filter 91 of the present invention is illustrated. The mechanical display filter 91 is in a form of a frame defining a first aperture 92 and a second aperture 92a, which is capable of being mounted on a gaming console over a display screen. Between the first aperture 92 and

0 the second aperture 92a, the mechanical display filter has a divider 93 carrying a card reader 93a. The card reader 93a is a magnetic card reader through which a magnetic card can be swiped, causing the card reader to read the information on the card. Similar card readers and cards may be used, such as a smart card. The card reader may alternatively be a slot into which a card is inserted or any other arrangement or type of card reader which is known in the art.

Figure 11 additionally illustrates a plurality of buttons 94 located on a control panel 95 of the mechanical display filter below the second aperture 92a and a plurality of buttons 94a located on the divider 93. The buttons may be conventional momentary or similar push buttons which are hardwired to the gaming console. Alternatively, the buttons may consist of an actuator as is described in more detail with respect to Figure 14.

Referring now to Figure 12, a video display 41 and mechanical display filter 42 similar to that of Figure 6, comprises a light tube 45, which carries light from the video display 41 to a button 46. In such embodiments, the button 46 can have a customised display

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 or illumination by having a transparent or translucent face presented to the user. The display visible behind the button 46 appears as part of the button, presenting either graphics or illumination.

The customised display may be game or game category specific with the result that the display screen may generate images and indicia for buttons which images / indicia can then be varied on playing a different game, or in response to variations occurring dynamically in the course of a game.

Figure 13 is a partial cross sectional view of a display assembly 110 of a further alternate embodiment of the invention, the display assembly 110 comprising a video display 111 and mechanical display filter 112. In the display assembly 110 of Figure 8, the video display 111 comprises a touch screen. The mechanical screen filter 112 comprises a button 113 mounted such that user actuation of the button 113 causes actuation of the touch screen 111 at a position of the button 113. The button may be biased in the open position and may be configured, by a stop or otherwise, to limit the amount of force that can be applied to the video display 111 by pressing the button 113.

0 In an alternate embodiment the mechanical display filter and button(s) may be positioned at an edge of the display means, such that only one region of the screen depicts gaming features, while in the second portion of the screen button illumination functionality is provided. This provides the benefits of controllable button illumination, in an otherwise traditional machine. This embodiment may consist of the portion of Figure

11 indicated by bracket 96.

Figure 14 is a partial cross sectional view of the control panel 95 of the mechanical display filter 91 of Figure 11 and one of the plurality of buttons 94 of Figure 11. The mechanical display is shown mounted over a display screen 121. Light from a portion of the display screen 121 travels through the passage 122, reflecting off the mirror 123. The passage 122 and mirror 123 direct the light from the display screen 121 to the rear of a translucent button 94b, thereby illuminating the button. A variety of different images displayed on the display screen 121 causes a variety of different illumination effects in the button 94b.

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Alternatively, as shown in Figure 12, the mechanical filter 42 may integrate light pipes 45, to channel the light from the display 41 to a button 46 mounted away from the display 41. This provides further flexibility in the mechanical arrangement of the product. Light pipes may in certain cases provide an advantage of cheaper manufacture or assembly of a product, as it can otherwise be difficult to mount the source of illumination exactly where it is needed.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical filter may incorporate screens to prevent light from one portion of the display screen illuminating a button which is adjacent to another portion of the display screen. This is illustrated in Figure 11A which shows a partial cross sectional view of the middle portion of the mechanical screen filter 91 containing two transparent buttons 94a, being 94b and 94c. The buttons 94a are mounted over a display screen which is capable of illuminating the buttons 94a. The screen 95 prevents light from a portion of a display screen behind button 94b from illuminating button 94c, and vice versa. In a further embodiment, additional screens may be provided to surround each button.

The mechanical filter 42 is attached to the console in such a way that it is easily replaced, so as to facilitate easy initial manufacturing, and so as to allow field upgrades

0 of products. For example the number of player buttons on a gaming machine may vary according to the game. It is advantageous to be easily able to change the button panel carried by the mechanical display filter 42 to change the number of buttons. The button panel may incorporate electronic identification allowing the game machine to verify that the button panel is correct for the game being played. Further the regions on the filter corresponding to areas to be illuminated as seen by the layer may be different depending on the filter, even where the filter has the same button functionality. Identification of the mechanical filter type allows the correct regions of the filter to be illuminated.

One or more optical sensors on the filter may be used to more precisely align the illumination regions on the display with the corresponding areas on the filter.

Mechanical misalignment between the filter and display may cause light from one region to illuminate a region of the filter adjacent to the intended region of illumination. The display is illuminated in a scanning pattern to determine the pixel(s) corresponding to the optical sensor(s), and the resulting data used to determine the degree of

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 misalignment and dynamically determine the correct regions of the screen to illuminate.

Additionally shown in Figure 14 is an optical sensor 124 located on the face of the 5 mechanical display filter 91 which is adjacent to the display screen 121. The optical sensor 124 detects whether the portion of the display screen 121 adjacent to it is illuminated.

A single touch screen covering the entire display may be used instead of a plurality of separate touch screens for each display. With some touch screen technology it is possible to replace the human finger with other implements, and in this case the touch screen can be used to sense button presses by the player. As all electronic button sensing is performed by the touch screen the new button becomes a simple mechanical device, eliminating the wiring present in a traditional button panel.

Traditionally the alignment between the touch screen and display must be determined so that mechanical misalignment can be calibrated out. This process is simplified, as the location of the optical sensor 124 with respect to the buttons is fixed, and the location of the optical sensor 124 with respect to the display can be determined as

0 previously described. Hence the location of the touch screen with respect to the display is easily determined when the user presses a button. This calibration may be done either in a special calibration mode, or dynamically as the gaming machine is used.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical display filter may include identification means, such as a filter identifier, which enables a game controller, such as the controller 21, or a separate controller, which may be in data communication with the controller 21, to identify the mechanical display filter mounted over a display screen. For example, the identification means may be electronic and may comprise a memory card installed in the mechanical display filter. The memory card has wires or terminals which conductively connect to a plug or corresponding terminals on a game console. The game controller is incorporated in the game console and is able to electronically communicate with the memory card through the wires and plug or terminals. In another example, the filter identifier may consist of a RFID transponder which communicates with the gaming controller. A filter identifier 77 is shown embedded in Figure 9A.

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The game controller is able to identify the mechanical display filter from the communications received from the filter identifier 77. The information received from the filter identifier 77 allows the game controller to determine whether the mechanical display filter comprises a correct number of buttons for play of the game or games to be displayed on the display screen and to appropriately configure the at least two portions of the display screen to physically align with at least one portion of the image displayed on the display screen. Other methods for storing and transmitting information electronically may be employed.

Figure 15 illustrates a mechanical display filter 133 comprising a movable divider 131, so that its position with respect to a display can be adjusted. A simple vertical adjustment as indicated by arrows 132 and 132a allows the proportion of the display lower than the filter 133 to be adjusted relative to the proportion above the filter 133a. This allows the portions of the display allocated to different purposes to be adjusted.

The movable divider 131 may slide up and down a track 134 in the mechanical display filter 133.

As described previously the gaming machine can sense the position of the filter on the display.

This adjustment may be performed when the machine is being manufactured, allowing manufacturing to easily produce different product configurations. Alternately the adjustment may be performed in the field, to customise the console to a particular game or gaming venue operator's preference.

Alternately the adjustment may be performed by the player and cause the presentation of the game to change. Graphics may automatically scale or be otherwise adjusted to appropriately fit the display. The gaming machine may have a set of game presentations from which the one displayed is selected according to the filter position.

Alternately the game mathematics may change according to the position of the filter. The gaming machine may have a set of game mathematics from which one is selected according to the filter position. For example the game may be a spinning reels type slot machine, with 5 reels each 3 symbols high. When the filter is moved up (or down, depending on the game design), the screen available for the reels grows larger, and the number of symbols on each reel expands from 3 to 4. The game mathematics

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 changes appropriately, to compensate for the new number of symbols, for example by changing the layout of symbols on the reel strips. Alternately the filter position is used as part of the calculation of the game mathematics.

Appropriate cooling methods are preferably applied to compensate for retention of heat by the mechanical display filter.

Figure 16 shows diagrammatically an exploded view of a user interface 150 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and Figure 17 shows an assembled view of the user interface 150. The user interface 150 replaces the bank of buttons 16 on the slot machine 10 (see Figure 1) and forms the keyboard interface 33 of the gaming device 100 (see Figure 2), or at least a part thereof.

The user interface 150 includes a bank of buttons 151, including individual buttons 152 (one only indicated in Figures 5 and 6) which may include the button 14 (see Figure 1) and which are movable up and down relative to a button housing 153. The number of buttons 152 in the bank of buttons 151 is selected according to the requirements for the particular gaming device 100. While Figure 16 shows a single integral button housing 153, the button housing 153 for the bank of buttons 151 may include multiple

0 parts. The user interface 150 may be retrofitted on to existing slot machines.

At least one of the buttons 152 is made from materials so that at least the top 152A of the button 152 is transparent or translucent. In one embodiment all of the buttons 152 are made from transparent or translucent material. The sides of the button

152 may also be transparent or translucent, or may be opaque. The buttons 152 may not have a base extending across the button 152 parallel to the top 152A, but if a base is provided it is also made from a transparent or translucent material. Alternatively, the buttons 152 could include an aperture through which the button display 34 may be viewed, although this may be less preferred due to creating potential problems with cleaning as well as other potential problems.

The button housing 153 supports and guides the buttons 152 as they are pressed and released. The button housing 153 may contain a circuit including a column-row matrix of conductors so that the buttons 152 act as switches that connect a column and row when pressed. This arrangement of wiring for the buttons 152 is like a conventional keyboard for a personal computer. The matrix may then be monitored by the controller

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 for button presses in the usual manner for a conventional keyboard. While other methods of detecting presses of the buttons 152 may be used, methods that result in a low profile may be preferred. The conductors are preferably routed around the line of sight through the top of the buttons 152 so as not to obstruct view of the display 34 (see herein below).

The user interface 150 may include a cover 154 that sits over the button housing 153. The cover 154 may include an aperture 155 through which the buttons 152 may protrude when the user interface 150 is assembled. A second aperture 156 may be provided for a bill acceptor, card reader, coin input mechanism or other device. The cover 154 may be secured to the gaming console 10 through any suitable method. Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the shape and dimensions of the cover will vary to suit particular gaming consoles.

The user interface 150 further includes a button display 34. While in the embodiments described previously herein the display for the buttons is the main display on which game images are shown, the display 34 is separate from the game display. The keyboard display is suitably a LCD panel of approximately equal dimensions to the area occupied by the buttons 152 and is located behind the buttons 152 (in the

0 example of an upwardly facing bank of buttons this is below the buttons 152), so as to be viewable through the transparent or translucent buttons 152. As explained herein above, the button display 34 may be controlled by the controller 21. Optionally, the button display 34 may instead or in addition be controlled or controllable by a remote device. The remote device may communicate with the keyboard display through the network card 38 and optionally the computational device 20 and I/O interface 32 if direct communication between the button display 34 and network card 38 is not provided. Alternatively, the button display 34 may communicate with a remote device using another network interface or via a direct communication channel.

The button display 34 may be operated in a similar manner to a display for a touch screen interface, displaying material that represent buttons that may be pressed by a player of the gaming device 100. If the buttons 152 are transparent, then the material could be clearly viewed through the buttons 152 and the material displayed may be icons, letters, numbers, pictures or any other material. The material may inform a player of the function that the gaming device 100 will perform when the button 152 is pressed, at least when the player is required to provide an input using one of the

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 buttons 152. The button display 34 may differentiate between buttons that are active (i.e. if pressed will result in an action being completed by the gaming device 100) and those that are inactive. For example, the button display 34 may display below active buttons icons, letters or numbers indicative of the action that will be completed if the button is pressed, while other buttons that will not result in any action at that time may display pictures, colours or be blank.

Providing a single button display 34 for a single bank of buttons may be preferred for cost reasons. However, two or more keyboard displays 34 may be provided if required for a particular implementation.

If the buttons are translucent so that detailed information cannot be viewed through the buttons, the buttons could be colour coded to indicate their function, although it is expected that this embodiment may not be well suited for use with a gaming device

100.

In one embodiment, the user interface includes one or more optical elements that may be arranged to increase the visibility of the material displayed on the button display 34 through the buttons 152, or to otherwise modify the appearance of the material. The

0 optical elements may be provided as part of the buttons 152, for example part of the top 152A, located within the buttons 152 and/or located between the buttons 152 and button display 34. The optical elements may, for example, magnify the image of the icon as it is seen through the button 152. Also, a light pipe or other light channel may span the distance between the button display 34 and the buttons 152.

The button housing 153 may be opaque and therefore act as a mask over the button display 34. Alternatively, the button housing 153 or portions of the button housing 153 may be translucent or transparent, or may include one or more apertures. These options allow the button display 34 to be at least partly viewed through the button housing 153. This may allow the background area to the buttons to be varied, for example according to the particular game that is being played or status of the game that is being played.

In another embodiment, material identifying the function that the buttons 152 perform may be viewed through the button housing 153 in addition to, or instead of through the

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 buttons 152. In this embodiment the buttons 152 may be opaque or translucent and the cover 154 may be transparent.

Figure 18 shows a gaming system 200. The gaming system 200 includes a network 5 201, which for example may be an Ethernet network. Gaming devices 202, shown arranged in three banks 203 of two gaming devices 202 in Figure 18, are connected to the network 201. The gaming devices 202 may form part or all of a gaming device 100. Single gaming devices 202 and banks 203 containing three or more gaming devices 202 may also be connected to the network 201.

Each gaming device 202 or each bank 203 may have a single connection point to the network 201. However, in alternative embodiments, a gaming device 202 may have two or more connections to the network 201, for example connections C1 and C2 shown in Figure 18. In one embodiment, the network card 78 may use connection C1 and the button display 34 may have its own interface to the network and communicate with the network 201 through connection C2.

Servers may also be connected to the network 201. For example, a game server 205 may generate game outcomes for games played on the gaming devices 202, a o database management server 206 may manage the storage of game programs and associated data for downloading or access by the gaming devices 202 in a database 206A, and a jackpot server 207 may control one or more jackpots associated with the gaming devices 202.

Further servers may be provided to assist in the administration of the gaming system 200, including for example a gaming floor management server 208, and a licensing server 209 to monitor the use of licenses to particular games. An administrator terminal 210 is provided to allow an administrator to run the network 201 and the devices connected to the network.

The gaming system 200 may communicate with other gaming systems, other local networks, for example a corporate network and/or a wide area network such as the Internet through a firewall 211.

Some or all of the gaming devices 202 may be able to download games from the database management server 206. In this embodiment, the games may include or be

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 downloaded together with instructions to control the button display 34, in which case the game controller 21 may control both the display screen 11 and button display 14. Alternatively, the button display may communicate directly with the network card 38 or communicate with the network using its own communication interface and connection

C2 to receive commands as to what to display from the database management server 206 or another device connected to the network 201.

Instructions to control the button display 34 may also be provided in a similar manner to gaming devices 202 that play a plurality of games, which are stored locally to the gaming device 202. In this embodiment, the gaming device 202 communicates (or is interrogated) as to what game it is playing and then the appropriate control instructions are communicated to the button display 34. The button display 34 may have its own controller, for example a microprocessor based controller, which may be able to be programmed in the field, for example by downloading instructions from the database management server 206. In a multi-game gaming device 202, the games may include program code to control the button display 34.

The button display 34 may receive and continually display material in response to a single communication from the game controller 21, network card 38 or network 201 to

0 avoid having to maintain a constant communication link with the button display 34.

The button display 34 may therefore display a wide range of indicia for each button 152, increasing the flexibility in the display and which may allow the gaming device 100 to be designed to be more attractive to players. For example, where multiple games are playable on the gaming apparatus, the button display 34 may display different indicia for the buttons for different games. Where the games are controlled centrally, the button display 34 may also be controlled centrally. The indicia for the buttons may change depending on game events. For example, if a bonus game is triggered during game play the buttons may change or may be displayed differently to emphasise the different play conditions.

Certain players may have preferences for display, for example preferences for particular display fonts, colours, or styles, which could be stored in the gaming device 100 or remote from the gaming device 100 and communicated to the gaming device

100 after a player has identified themselves as playing the gaming device 100. The buttons may be used to indicate to a player when they have wagered a certain amount

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2018247250 10 Oct 2018 or when their game play of the gaming device 100 reaches a predefined threshold level.

In addition, when the gaming device 100 is not being played, the button display 34 may 5 use the buttons 152 as part of attract sequences, for example by cycling through sequences of illumination of the buttons 152 and/or displaying the buttons in various colours. The button display 34 may be used to indicate other events, preferences or other information, depending on the device that the user interface 150 is applied to.

Throughout this specification the word comprise, or variations such as comprises or comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

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.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

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Claims (12)

1. A gaming device that provides a plurality of games in which a player makes a wager and is awarded a prize on occurrence of a winning game outcome, the gaming device

5 comprising a user interface comprising:

a bank of buttons for providing player control of the game, comprising a plurality of buttons, a button housing and circuitry that detects pressing of the plurality of buttons; and one or more button displays, each button display located behind the bank of

10 buttons, wherein at least two buttons in the bank of buttons are constructed so that material displayed by the one or more button displays is viewable there through, and wherein responsive to the gaming device changing from providing one of the plurality of games to another of the plurality of games, material displayed by the one or

15 more button displays that is viewable through the at least two buttons changes.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, comprising: a communication interface for communicating with a central game controller, the communication interface comprising a first connection and a second connection, the first connection communicating

20 information to the central controller indicative of pressing of a button in the bank of buttons and the second connection communicating control information to the one or more button displays from the central controller.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one said button is transparent and

25 the button housing is translucent or opaque.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein at least one said button comprises a translucent or transparent top surface and opaque or substantially opaque side walls extending from the top surface.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein one or more button displays extend below every one of the buttons in the bank of buttons.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a column-row matrix

35 of conductors and the buttons are switches that connect a column and row in the matrix when depressed.

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7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a touch screen.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the buttons are transparent to allow the touch 5 screen to viewed there through.

9. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the circuitry is arranged about the buttons so as to not impede viewing of the one or more button displays through the buttons.

10 10. The gaming device of claim 1, further comprising at least one optical component to modify the image displayed on the display screen as viewed through the button or button housing. 11. A method of controlling a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a user interface comprising: a bank of buttons for providing player control of the game, comprising a plurality of buttons, a button housing and circuitry that detects

15 pressing of the plurality of buttons, and one or more button displays, each button display located behind the bank of buttons, wherein at least two buttons in the bank of buttons are constructed so that material displayed by the one or more button displays is viewable there through, and the method comprising controlling what is viewable through said at least two buttons by controlling material displayed by the one or more

2 0 button displays including by automatically changing material displayed by the one or more button displays that is viewable through the at least two buttons responsive to the gaming device changing from providing one of the plurality of games to another of the plurality of games.

25 12. The method of claim 11, comprising controlling material displayed by the one or more button displays using a central computational controller.

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