GB2334363A

GB2334363A - Entertainment machine display

Info

Publication number: GB2334363A
Application number: GB9807125A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Michael Butler
Original assignee: BWB NEWARK Ltd
Current assignee: BWB NEWARK Ltd
Priority date: 1998-02-13
Filing date: 1998-04-03
Publication date: 1999-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-03
Also published as: GB9803091D0; GB2334363B; GB9807125D0

Abstract

A display device for a coin-operated entertainment machine, such as a fruit machine, has a matrix of symbol regions (15), each symbol region (15) being divided into separate parts (16). The symbol regions (15) can be printed on translucent regions of a glass panel. A bank of lamps located behind the glass panel is capable of selectively illuminating the separate parts (16) of each symbol region (15) to produce a combination of symbols by switching on and off, and/or by producing changes in colour. If the combination of illuminated symbols corresponds to a predetermined winning combination an award is made available to the player.

Description

ENTERTAINMENT MACHINES This invention relates to player-operable entertainment machines, particularly coin-operated amusement machines, such as 'fruit' or 'poker' machines of the kind having a main display device for displaying a selected combination of symbols at a win zone. As used herein the term coin is intended also to cover tokens, charge or credit cards and any other means of supplying credit or monetary value.

The main display of a fruit machine may comprise multiple side-by-side reels which are rotatable about a common horizontal axis within a housing behind a window at the win zone. Each reel has symbols at equally spaced positions around its periphery and the reels can be brought to rest with one symbol on each reel displayed through the window on a win line. If the displayed combination of symbols constitutes a predetermined winning combination an award may be made available to the player.

As an alternative to reels it is known to use a video display which simulates rotatable reels. It is also known to use devices which are operable to display individual symbols such as projection devices, LED matrices, etc.

Further, it is known to print all symbols on a glass panel and arrange for symbols to be individually back illuminated.

The known systems therefore necessitate complex and expensive equipment or require enlarged display formats which may have less appeal than conventional compact reel displays.

An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative versatile form of display device which is of simple and inexpensive construction and can present an appealing compact display format.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a symbol display device for a player-operable entertainment machine having a plurality of display regions each bearing respective symbols, and a visual indicator operable to indicate selected regions for purposes of selection of symbols associated therewith, characterised in that the visual indicator is operable to indicate separately multiple aspects of each said region.

With this arrangement, multiple selection combinations are possible, with a relatively simple and compact symbol display, in so far as it is possible to select different combinations of the multiple aspects of the symbol regions.

Win combinations may constitute predetermined combinations of selected indicated aspects of predetermined ones of the symbol regions.

A versatile display can be achieved with simple and inexpensive equipment and without requiring reels or other moving parts. In so far as a wide range of symbol aspects are available for selection, instead of requiring a wide range of symbols, it is possible to use an appealing compact display format which may be such as to represent closely a conventional reel arrangement.

By way of example, in simulation of a three-reel arrangement, there may be a 3x3 matrix of nine display regions, each display region being made up of three separate aspects, and there may be a transverse win line defined across the middie row of the 3x3 matrix.

The visual indicator may take any suitable form, or combination of forms, in relation to the nature of the different aspects of the display regions.

Most conveniently the different aspects may be different parts, particularly laterally separated parts, and the visual indicator may comprise a selective means of illumination, such as a bank of lamps, which may be operable to back illuminate the respective parts. By way of example, and particularly in the case of the above mentioned 3x3 matrix, the parts may conveniently be arranged one above the other.

It is however to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to a 3x3 matrix, or to parts arranged one above the other. Any suitable number and arrangement of regions composed of any suitable number and arrangement of parts may be used.

Moreover, the invention is not restricted to back illumination of parts.

Any other suitable means of visual indication of the parts may be utilised including for example top illumination, edge illumination, colour change, outlining or the like.

Further, the invention is not restricted to the utilisation of different aspects of the regions which are laterally separated parts. It is also possible to use different aspects which are overlapping or superimposed parts or which represent different characteristics of a common said part or region, whereby, for example, a symbol is only indicated when a specific characteristic thereof selected from a range of possible characteristics. e.g. a specific colour, has been activated e.g. by illumination of the part or region with a lamp of the appropriate colour, or by an appropriate combination of coloured lamps.

Moreover, it is possible to use in combination different categories of said aspects to increase the range of possible selections. Thus, for example, each (or at least one) said region may have laterally separated parts and also the parts may be arranged to be activated by different colours whereby for selection of the associated symbol the correct combination of parts have to be illuminated with the correct combination of colours.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the symbols are marked e.g. by screen printing on a light transmitting panel such as a transparent glass sheet so as to define translucent or outlined opaque areas or the like.

Most preferably the display device of the invention is used in the context of a coin-operated amusement machine generally of the fruit or poker machine kind.

Thus, there may be one or more win lines or patterns defined in relation to the said regions, whereby an award is made available to the player on attaining a predetermined winning combination in any such win line or pattem.

The award may comprise a monetary payout, free games, access to features such as a supplementary feature game played elsewhere on the machine (e.g. on an upper feature game panel) or features used in relation to the said symbol regions such as 'nudge' or 'hold' features.

In the latter respect, on a reel-type fruit machine it is customary to provide player controls which can be used, at occasions during game playing, to hold rotation of one or more.reels, and, after rotation of a reel, to nudge this through one or more steps to try to improve an attained symbol combination.

A similar effect can also be achieved with the display device of the present invention by appropriate indication of the said regions to simulate hold and nudge functions.

With conventional reel-type fruit or poker machines having subsidiary play features such as the above mentioned feature game, or other features such as a gamble feature, it is known to use reels for the subsidiary features as well as for the main symbol selecting function of the machine. In this context the display device of the invention is preferably used to perform the main symbol selecting function but alternatively or additionally it may be used for a supplementary symbol selecting function associated with a supplementary game feature.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a coin-operated machine of the fruit or poker kind having one form of a display device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the operating circuitry of the machine; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the display device; and Fig. 4 is a schematic view of symbol regions of the display device.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a machine of the fruit or poker machine kind having a floor-standing housing 1 with upper and central glass panels 2, 3 at a front face of the housing 1. Alongside the upper panel 2 there is a coin slot 4; at the lower edge region of the middle panel 3 there are playeroperable press buttons 5, 6, 7; and beneath the middle panel there is a payout opening 8.

Within the housing 1 there is a microprocessor controlled operating system 9 connected to a coin mechanism 10 linked to the coin slot 4, the player-operable press buttons 5, 6, 7, a payout mechanism 11 linked to the payout opening 8, a first bank of lamps 12 behind printed translucent regions of the upper glass panel 2, and a second bank of lamps 13 behind printed translucent regions of the lower glass panel 3.

As shown in Figs. 3 & 4, the lower glass panel 3 is printed with a rectangular central window 14 containing a 3x3 matrix of symbol rectangles 15 each divided into three separate parts 16 one above the other. A win line 17 is printed across the middle transverse row of regions 15. Each part 15 has printed thereon a 'bar' symbol.

The second bank of lamps 13 includes a part 13a arranged behind the printed window 14 so that there is a respective lamp 13b behind each symbol part 16.

In use the machine is activated by insertion of coins through the slot 4 into the coin mechanism 10 and the player can now press a start button 5 to initiate game playing. This causes the lamps 1 3b to be switched on and off to give a moving pattern of back illumination of the symbol parts 16. This may be of a random nature or may follow a predetermined pattern such as to simulate the rotation of reels e.g. by successively illuminating the regions 15 from top to bottom.

On a random or pseudo random basis the moving pattern of back illumination is arrested so that a fixed display of back illuminated symbol parts 16 is displayed to the player.

As indicated in Fig. 4, there are various back illumination possibilities for each region 15, namely: any one of three parts 16, any combination of two parts 16, and all three parts 16. The control circuitry 9 computes an award depending on the combination along the win line 17 whereby e.g. a maximum award is allocated to all three parts 16 of all three regions 15 being back illuminated, and other lesser awards may be allocated for some of the other possible back illumination possibilities.

Movement of the back-illumination pattern preferably occurs by shifting of a selected combination downwards through the regions 15 of each column, generally in like manner to reel rotation. Thus, for example, if the uppermost region 15 has only a central part 16 back illuminated, this same pattern then moves down to the middle region 15 then to the bottom region 15. For each column there may be a predetermined sequence of different or repeated combinations of parts, say 20 or 24 combinations corresponding to the sequence of symbols used on a conventional reel whereby, with the above example, as the combination of top and bottom parts is moved down, further combinations of the predetermined sequence take its place until eventually, on reaching the end of the sequence, the combination reappears at the uppermost region.

In conventional manner, the award may result in a payout or transfer to the feature game played on the upper panel 3, or other consequences.

Also in conventional manner, the player may be given the opportunity at the start of some games to hold one or more of the columns of symbol regions 15 against further change during the ensuing game, by pressing the button 6 beneath the column or columns. The player may also be given the opportunity at the end of the game to press one or more of the buttons 6 and cause the back illumination pattern of one or more of the columns of regions 15 to change stepwise through a number of steps selected by the player within a predetermined maximum. This latter opportunity may correspond to conventional reel-nudging whereby the back illumination combination of the symbol region above the win line can be nudged down onto the win line.

With the arrangement described, an appealing symbol selection display, which can simulate a compact window-style reel display, is provided using simple inexpensive equipment.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. Although a 3x3 matrix, simulating a conventional 3-reel display, is shown, it is possible to use other arrangements. Thus, for example, there may be a 4x3 matrix, simulating a 4-reel display. The display of symbol regions above and below the win line is required (or is desirable) in the case where win lines other than a single central transverse line are used and also where nudging is provided. In other cases it may be sufficient simply to display a single transverse row.

Also, the invention is not restricted to reel-simulating displays and arrangements of symbol regions other than 3x3 and 4x3 matrices can be used.

Each symbol region may have any suitable number of parts arranged in any suitable manner.

As described, there is a single lamp 13b for each part. There may be multiple lamps. Also, the lamps may be of one or more different colours. For example there may be a red and blue lamp for each part whereby each part can be illuminated red or blue or combined red/blue thereby increasing the number of selectable combinations.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A symbol display device for a player-operable entertainment machine having a plurality of display regions each bearing respective symbols, and a visual indicator operable to indicate selected regions for purposes of selection of symbols associated therewith, characterised in that the visual indicator is operable to indicate separately multiple aspects of each said region.
2. A symbol display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one win line is defined in relation to the symbol regions, and an award is made available to the player on attaining a predetermined winning combination in any such win line.
3. A symbol display device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the aspects of each symbol region are formed from a number of different parts.
4. A symbol display device according to claim 3, wherein the said parts are laterally separated.
5. A symbol display device according to any preceding claim, wherein there are three different laterally separated said parts.
6. A symbol display device according to claims 1 to 3, wherein said parts are different overlapping parts.
7. A symbol display device according to any preceding claim, wherein nine symbol regions are provided which define a 3x3 matrix.
8. A symbol display device according to claim 7 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the win line is transversely defined across the middle row of the 3x3 matrix.
9. A symbol display device according to claim 3 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the visual indicator comprises a selective means of illumination of the respective parts.
10. A symbol display device according to claim 3 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the visual indicator comprises colour change means for illumination of the respective parts.
11. A symbol display device according to claim 3 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the visual indicator comprises a selective means of back illumination of the respective parts.
12. A symbol display device according to any preceding claim, wherein the symbols are marked by screen printing on a light transmitting panel which define translucent areas.
13. A symbol display device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the symbols are marked by screen printing on a light transmitting panel which define outlined opaque areas.
14. An entertainment machine including a symbol display device in accordance with any preceding claim.
15. An entertainment machine according to claim 14, which is a coinoperated fruit machine.
16. An entertainment machine according to claim 14 or 15, wherein control circuitry computes an award in respect of win combinations which constitute predetermined combinations of selected indicated said aspects of predetermined ones of the symbol regions.
17. A symbol display device substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.