GB2296360A

GB2296360A - Gaming or amusement machines

Info

Publication number: GB2296360A
Application number: GB9526073A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen John Murray; Adrian Francis Davies
Original assignee: JPM International Ltd
Current assignee: JPM International Ltd
Priority date: 1994-12-20
Filing date: 1995-12-20
Publication date: 1996-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2015-12-20
Also published as: GB9425638D0; GB9526073D0; GB2296360B

Abstract

A gaming or amusement machine has reels which rotate and stop in a random manner to show symbols in windows in a screen. The screen has touch sensitive points associated with the reels and connected to the machine control system. These points are enabled when features such as 'nudging' and 'holding' are available and the player controls the reels by touching the points rather than operating buttons. Touching two points, associated with different reels, can swap symbols between their original positions in the windows. Touch sensitive points can also be associated with a prize display and a gambling feature.

Description

"Improvements relating to Gaming or Amusement Machines" This invention relates to a gaming or amusement machine of the conventional "reels" type. Such a machine has a number of buttons for use in playing the game, and the reels are partly visible through windows in a glass screen. When set in motion they spin and then stop in a random manner to reveal symbols on one or more win lines. Such a machine will be referred to as "of the kind described".

It is established practice to allow, on a random basis at the end of a non-winning spin, adjustment of the reel(s) by "nudging". A reel is selected by use of buttons located near the reels and the reel is moved down (or up) one or more symbols, one at a time, in order to attempt to obtain a winning combination on the win line(s). Reels may also be held stationary while others are spun, again by operating associated buttons.

It is also established practice to display a list of awards on the glass, to back-light these awards and illuminate them when achieved. A "gamble" option is sometimes offered when a player has achieved a win. This may be signalled by the symbols of the achieved win and the associated win value on the award card being illuminated.

A gamble button and a collect button light up or flash, and by pressing the collect button the player chooses not to gamble but just to collect the normal win. But by pressing the gamble button, the player either wins the award on offer or loses what he would have collected if he had not gambled.

Further gambles could be offered beyond that, limited by reaching the top award or losing all.

It is the aim of this invention to improve the player participation in the above events and to make them more obvious and interactive.

According to the present invention there is provided a gaming or amusement machine of the kind described wherein the screen in front of the reels is touch sensitive at least at one point coupled to machine control means, whereby a player touching that point, if enabled at a certain state of play, affects the operation of the machine.

Touching the point in between plays, or when the machine is operating in a certain mode will have no effect.

The point will only become "live" or enabled at certain times, which may be indicated by a flashing light or other marker from the machine.

Preferably, there will be a plurality of such points associated with respective reels. For example each reel may have two associated points, one above and one below the centre of the window in which part of the reel appears. The upper point will be for nudging the reel upwards and the lower point will be for nudging the reel downwards.

There may also be a touch point associated with each reel to enable it to be held while other reels are spun.

A plurality of touch sensitive points may be associated with the winning symbols and prize values on the award card.

When a gamble feature is offered, the player may take it by touching the prize to gamble for. For example, having won 1 the player may select to gamble 2 to nothing at evens, 4 to nothing at 1:3, 6 to nothing at 1:5 or 8 to nothing at 1:7. This would avoid a series of gambles to achieve the jackpot. After selecting by the first touch, the prize aimed at might flash, and the player would have to touch the prize when it was lit in order to win.

These are all ways of implementing known features. But the touch sensitive screen can also be used to introduce other, new features virtually impossible with conventional button controls.

In one preferred form, there are points in registry with positions where symbols appear when the reels are stationary. Touching two such points associated with different reels causes, when those points are enabled, the reels to present at each associated position the symbol that was presented at the other associated position. The touching may be simultaneous or in sequence.

These touch points can be actually on the windows in which the reels appear. The touch sensitive screen can be transparent and not affect the visibility of the reels.

For example, the points may be on the usual win line, and the player may want to have a cherry on the second, middle reel rather than on the third, right hand one. By putting his finger on the screen over the third reel, on the win line, and tracking it across to the central position over the middle reel, he can cause both reels to turn so that the middle reel brings up the cherry on the win line, while the third reel shows the symbol that was previously on the win line on the second reel. It is well established that these machines "know" the symbols that are currently on the win line and where all the other symbols are around the reels and that they are capable of rotating any reel to produce a desired symbol on the win line.

Normally, more than one symbol appears in a window; the symbols above and below the win line are generally visible to assist nudging. Their positions may also have touch sensitive points so that, for example, the player could shift the symbol above the win line on one reel on to the win line on another reel.

With this arrangement, the usual array of buttons by which the player manipulates the machine can be eliminated, and this may lead to a substantial cost saving.

Claims

1. A gaming or amusement machine of the kind described wherein the screen in front of the reels is touch sensitive at least at the point coupled to machine control means, whereby a player touching that point, if enabled at a certain state of play, affects the operation of the machine.

2. A gaming or amusement machine according to Claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of touch sensitive points.

3. A gaming or amusement machine according to Claim 2, wherein the points are associated with respective reels.

4. A gaming or amusement machine according to Claim 3, wherein each reel has two associated points one above and one below the centre of the window in which part of the reel appears, touching of the upper point, when enabled, causing the reel to be nudged upwards and touching of the lower point, when enabled, causing the reel to be nudged downwards.

5. A gaming or amusement machine according to Claims 3 or 4, wherein each reel has an associated point the touching of which, when enabled, causes the respective reel to be held while others may be spun.

6. A gaming or amusement machine according to Claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein there are points in registry with positions where symbols appear when the reels are stationary, and wherein touching two such points associated with different reels causes, when those points are enabled, the reels to move to present at each associated position the symbol that was presented at the other associated position.

7. A gaming or amusement machine, as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein a touch sensitive point operates a gamble feature.

8. A gaming or amusement machine according to Claim 7, as appended to Claim 2, wherein different touch sensitive points provide gambles for respective different prizes at respective different odds.