GB2381929A - Slot machine with wheel and touch sensitive LCD screen - Google Patents

Abstract

A slot machine comprises a cabinet 1, display glass 2, two LCD screens 6, and a wheel 5. The wheel has game graphics on the surface, graphic divisions, and pegs (26, Fig 3) equally spaced near the rim (22, Fig 3). The wheel 5 is driven by a digitally controlled motor (14, Fig 2). A touch sensitive LCD screen 29 enables the player to input bets and instructions.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1>

SLOT MACHINE The invention relates to a slot machine of the type used for gaming and consists of a cabinet, a large wheel set vertically therein to face the player two small LCD screens placed at ten

o'clock and two o'clock relative to the wheel and a larger touch sensinvc LOT) screen placed 1 below the wheel and convenient for the player to use to place his/her bets The wheel is driven by a digitally controlled motor which gives very fine and smooth control of starting,

stopping and running speeds which gives the wheel the appearance of running freely A pi I gi software program controls the rotation of the wheel and the images which appear on the two small LCDs and thereby controls the percentage payout of the machine

Such machines are well know but come in two main types : The Reel type consisting of reels I, N consisting of reels powered bv a "te ! 1ping motor whose main drawback is that the wheels run with a jerky motion and the Video tvpe which uses onlv a video screen to generate images Both use software programs of known type to control the oercentase Dayout.

Players gamble partly because they want to feel a random factor is at work in their play. The above two types of machine. while cleverly constructed, do not give the full impression of 'luck'at work such as they would get with a physical object set in random motion like a pair of dice. This machine operates on the'random'values generated by the LCDs and the wheel.

Because the invention's wheel movement is digitally controlled if" movements can be so finely driven as to give the impression of spinning naturally and coming to a stop without any artificial control at well over 40. 000 positions on the outside of the circumference This fine tuning also allows for a greater range of odds in the game The addition of the two small LCD screen adds to this factor and the third, larger LCD screen allows for multi coin games to be played.. The wheel and screens are driven by a special software program which uses a high quality graphics processor to allow for many different games to he played and increase player satisfaction. The wheel can be easily changed for another wheel with different graphics.

The machine can be programmed with several standard features like'hold'and'nudge' A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing m which: FIGURE 1 shows a front view of the whole machine FIGURE 2 shows a side view of the whole machine.

FIGURE 3 shows the wheel.

As shown in Figure 1 the machine consists of a cabinet 1 made of plywood, steel or other rigid matenal and which is fitted with a framework 2 of mild steel, aluminium, pre-formed plastic or like material known to the slot machine industry, which will take a decorative finish like chrome plating or metalising.

<Desc/Clms Page number 2>

There is a top to bottom front frame which holds a glass fronted payout display 3, the wheel 4, a backboard 5, which supports the dnve motor mechanism, lamp array behind the wheel25, Fig. 3, the two small LCD screens 6 and three digital display meters 7. Beneath the wheel is a sloping shelf 8 which holds the large LCD screen 29, conveniently placed for the player to enter his/her bets. This shelf also has slots for notes and coins. The frame is hinged down one side and opens to allow access to the entire machine. A lower door 9 hinged allong the bottom, allows access only to the cash boxes and holds the peakers 28.

As shown in Figure 2 behind the display glass is a lamp arrangement of known design 13 and beneath this the backboard 5 sits centrally m the cabinet. Behind the backboard is the drive motor 14, and CPU 15 The motor is connected to the wheel 4 by a drive shaft 17 which passes through a manifold 18 in the backboard Beneath the shelf 8 are located a combination of a standard industry coin mechanism and cash box 10, note acceptor and stacker 11, card acceptor and ticket printer 12, fan 16, and power supply 27.

As shown in Figure 3 the wheel consists of a thin perforated disk of aluminium 19, with a lip approximately 3 CMS deep running around the circumference much like the lid of a jar. Set mto this is a flat, opaque plastic disk 20, on which graphics can be printed. Fixed to the inside centre of the wheel is an axle 21 which passes through the manifold 18, Fig. 2.

Fixed to the backboard 5 is a circular rim 22, of ABS or pre formed plastic approximately 2 mm thick and 3 cms deep with a circumference approximately 1 mm less than the inner circumference of the wheel. The nm is divided into equal segments by 3 cms deep aluminium or plastic strips 23, which stop at a smaller rim 24, approximately 20 cms in diameter. In the segments formed by the rims 22,24, and strips 23, is a matrix of small bulbs 25, or LEDs which flash in pre programmed light displays behind the wheel. The stnps serve to channel air from the fan through holes in the central manifold and over the hot bulbs. In operation the wheel fits closely over but not touching the outer rim on the backboard.

The outer surface of the wheel is graphically divided into fine divisions which correspond to bets in the game Around the nm of the wheel, regularly spaced along these divisions and standing vertical to the surface are a number of short pegs approximately 3 CMS high. Above the wheel is a pointer 30, Fig. 1, operated by a cam which nses and falls as the segments pass by. When a peg reaches the pointer the cam lifts the pointer over it but still gives the impression that the peg moved the pointer. This action is accompanied by a clicking sound

Claims (6)

1. CLAIMS 1. A siot machine including a wheel driven by a digitally controlled direct drive motor,

   two small LCD screens and a larger touch sensitive LCD screen all controied by a CPU and gaming software. It contains standard cash handhng and payout systems.
2. 2. A slot machine as claimed in claim I but, it no large touch sensitiveLCD screen is incorporated, bets and other instructions can be imputed by use of buttons of known design.
3. 3 A slot machine as claimed m Calm 1 but still mcorporating buttons of known design to input extra mstructlons.
4. 4. A slot machme as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3 where the wheel can be exchanged tor one having different graphics at the sametime as the software program is changed so that the machine can play a new game.
5. 5. A slot machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim J but without the pegs around the nm of the wheel or the moving pointer above the wheel.
6. 6. A siot machine substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.