JP2006514862A - Device for making hidden visual elements appear in game consoles - Google Patents

Abstract

The game machine has a second display unit and a light valve coupled to the game machine to hide or reveal the second display unit. The game machine can display a game index on the second display unit. The gaming machine can also control the transparency of the light valve to hide or reveal the game instructions as desired.

Description

  The present invention relates to a game machine, and more particularly, to an apparatus for causing a visual element hidden in a game machine to appear.

  Conventional game units are usually provided with a cabinet and a game display mounted inside the cabinet. Game displays are mechanical, such as a series of stepper wheels, electronic, such as a video display capable of generating video images, and these two, such as a stepper with an electronic video display. There may be one combination. The game display of traditional game units, whether mechanical, electronic, or combined, generates images related to the game system, such as poker, blackjack, slot, keno, or bingo. Yes.

  While game displays are the primary functional component, some game units include a secondary display and provide additional game information to the player. Such secondary display elements include, for example, the use of additional video screens and / or the use of additional electromechanical devices. Some game machines hide the secondary display from the player until the use of the secondary display is required in the game, and cause the display to appear to the player when needed. In order to hide the secondary display, these game machines use a mechanical mask, such as a mechanical door, and open the secondary display so that the secondary display appears.

The present invention is directed to a game apparatus that can include a display unit capable of generating a video image, a value input device, a second display unit, and a light valve. The game unit controller can include a processor and memory that allows a person to bet on the outcome of a video poker, video blackjack, video slot, video keno, or video bingo game. Can be programmed to do so. In addition, the game unit controller can be programmed to display game instructions on the second display unit and hide these instructions by use of a light valve. The controller can control the transparency of the light valve and hide or reveal instructions as desired.
Additional aspects of the invention are defined by the claims of this patent.

  In the following, a detailed description of a number of different embodiments of the invention will be given, but it goes without saying that the technical scope of the invention is defined by the language of the claims of this application. The detailed description is to be construed as illustrative only, and it is impractical, if not impossible, to describe every possible embodiment, so that every possible embodiment of the present invention is described. Not to do. Numerous alternative embodiments can be implemented using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of the present application, and these are also intended to fall within the scope of the claims defining the present invention. .

Also, a certain term is "when used here," Is the term here. . . The meaning of the term beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, whether expressly or implicitly, unless explicitly stated in this patent using the document There is no intent to limit, and it is to be understood that such terms should not be construed to be limited in scope based on any plain text made in any section of this patent. Any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent will be made for clarity so that it will not confuse the reader, even if it is referred to in this patent to be consistent with a single meaning. It is not intended that the terms in such claims be limited to their single meaning, implicitly or otherwise. Finally, when defining claim elements, the scope of any claim element is 35 U.S. unless otherwise stated with the word “means” and function and there is no description of the structure. S. C. No interpretation is assumed based on the application of §112, section 6.

  FIG. 1 illustrates one possible embodiment of a casino game system 10 according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the casino game system 10 includes a first group of casino game units 20 or networks 12 that are operatively coupled to a network computer 22 through a network data link or bus 24. be able to. The casino game system 10 may also include a second group of casino game units 30 or networks 26 that are operatively coupled to the network computer 32 via a network data link or bus 34. The first and second game networks 12, 26 can be operatively coupled to each other through a network 40, such as the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a first network link 42. And a local area network (LAN) via a second network link 44.

  The game unit 20 of the first network 12 can be provided in the first casino, and the group of game units 30 of the second network 26 is a second casino located in a geographically separate place from the first casino. Can be provided inside. For example, two casinos can be located in different areas of the same city, or they can be located in different states. Network 40 may include a plurality of network computers or server computers (not shown), each of which may be operatively interconnected. If the network 40 is composed of the Internet, data communication can be performed via the communication links 42 and 44 by the Internet communication protocol.

  The network computer 22 can be a server computer and can be used to store and analyze data relating to the operation of the game unit 20. For example, the network computer 22 pays from each of the game units 20 data indicating the dollar amount and the number of bets placed on each of the game units 20, how much each of the game units 20 will win when winning. Can be received continuously, data on the player's identity and data regarding game habits, etc. played in each of the game units 20. The network computer 32 can be a server computer and can be used to perform the same or different functions on the game unit 30 as the network computer 22 described above.

  Although each network 12, 26 is shown to include one network computer 22, 32 and four game units 20, 30, it is possible that a different number of computers and game units may be utilized. Needless to say. For example, the network 12 can include a plurality of network computers 22 and tens or hundreds of game units 20, all of which can be interconnected via a data link 24. Data link 24 may be provided as a dedicated hardwire link or a wireless link. Although the data link 24 is shown as a single data link 24, the data link 24 may comprise multiple data links.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one possible embodiment of one or more game units 20. The following description is directed to the design of the game unit 20, but it goes without saying that the game unit group 30 may have the same design as the game unit group 20 described below. Also, the design of one or more game units 20 may differ from the design of other game units 20, and the design of one or more game units 30 may be the design of other game units 30. Needless to say, it may be different. Each game unit 20 may be any type of casino game unit and may have a variety of different structures and operating methods. Various configurations of the game unit 20 will be described for purposes of illustration, but many other configurations may be employed.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the casino game unit 20 inputs numerical values to the housing or cabinet 50, coin slot or slot 52, bill slot 54, ticket reader / printer 56, and game unit 20. One or more input devices, which can include a card reader 58 that can be used to Numeric input devices can include any device that can accept a numerical value from a customer. As used herein, the term “number” may include game tokens, coins, banknotes, ticket vouchers, credit or debit cards, smart cards, and anything else that represents value. it can.

  When provided on the game unit 20, a ticket reader / printer 56 can be used to read and / or print the ticket voucher 60 or to encode it. The ticket voucher 60 can be made of paper or other printable or encodeable material, and one or more of the following information items can be printed or encoded thereon. In other words, casino name, ticket voucher type, validity confirmation number, bar code with control and / or security data, ticket voucher issuance date and time, description and restrictions of refund, description of winnings, and necessary Or any other information that may be desirable. Bonus ticket vouchers, cash refund ticket vouchers, casino chip ticket vouchers, premium game play ticket vouchers, product ticket vouchers, restaurant ticket vouchers, show ticket vouchers, etc. Different types of ticket vouchers 60 can be used. The ticket voucher 60 can be printed with an optically readable material such as ink, or the data on the ticket voucher 60 can be magnetically encoded. The ticket reader / printer 56 can have both the function of reading and printing the ticket voucher 60, or it can have only the function of reading the ticket voucher 60, or only the function of printing or encoding. In the latter case, for example, a part of the game unit 20 has a ticket printer 56, which can be used to print a ticket voucher 60, and the player can print the ticket voucher to the ticket reader 56. It can also be used in other game units having

  If a card reader 58 is provided, any form of card reading device, such as a magnetic card reader or optical card reader, can be used, and a card presented by the player, such as a credit card or player tracking card Can be used to read data from. When provided for player tracking purposes, the card reader 58 reads data from a player tracking card that can store data representing the player's identity, casino identity, player's game habits, and / or the like, and / or It can be used to write data to this card.

  The game unit 20 includes one or more audio speakers 62, a coin payout tray 64, an input control panel 66, and a color video display unit that displays images relating to one or more games provided by the game unit 20. 70 and a light valve 71 described below. A light valve 71 can be coupled to the front of the cabinet 50 and can surround the secondary display device 73. Secondary display device 73 can be, for example, any known video monitor, television screen, dot matrix display, CRT, LED, LCD, physical display, or electroluminescent display. Furthermore, the secondary display device 73 can permanently display a fixed game instruction or can dynamically change the game instruction. This will be described below. The audio speaker 62 can generate audio representing sounds such as spinning slot machine reel sounds, dealer voices, music, notifications, or any other sound related to casino games. The input control panel 66 can be provided with a plurality of push buttons or touch sensitive areas, and when these are pressed by the player, a game can be selected, a wager can be made, and a game can be determined.

  FIG. 2A shows one possible embodiment of a control panel 66 that can be used when the game unit 20 is a slot machine with multiple mechanical or “virtual” reels. Referring to FIG. 2A, the control panel 66 may include a “SEE PAYS” button 72 that, when activated, causes the display unit 70 to provide one or more of the game units 20 provided. One or more display screens showing odds, i.e., refund information for a plurality of games are generated. As used herein, the term “button” refers to any input device that must be pressed to make an input selection, or any display area that the player may simply touch, such as a display area that the player may touch. It is intended to include devices. The control panel 66 can include a “CASH OUT” button 74 that can be activated when the player decides to end play on the game unit 20. In that case, the game unit 20 can return the price to the player, such as by returning a certain number of coins to the player via the payout tray 64.

  In the case where the game unit 20 includes a slot game having a plurality of reels and a plurality of paylines defining a winning combination of reel symbols, the control panel 66 has a plurality of selection buttons 76. Each of which can allow the player to select a different number of paylines before rotating the reel. For example, five buttons 76 can be provided, each of which allows the player to select 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 paylines.

  When the game unit 20 provides a slot game having a plurality of reels, the control panel 66 can be provided with a plurality of selection buttons 78, each of which allows the player to wager for each selected payline. Can be specified. For example, if the minimum bet amount accepted by the game unit 20 is a quota ($ 0.25), the game unit 20 may include five selection buttons 78, each of which allows the player to select One, two, three, four, or five quarters can be selected for each payline. In that case, the player activates the “5” button 76 (meaning to play with five paylines the next time the reels are rotated), then the “3” button 78 (three coins per payline). If you are trying to activate (betting), your total bet will be $ 3.75 (assuming the minimum bet is $ 0.25).

  The control panel 66 may include a “BET MAX” button 80 to allow the player to place the maximum bet allowed for the game. In the above example, up to 9 paylines are provided, and up to 5 quarters can be betted for each selected payline, so the maximum bet is 45 quarters, or $ 11.25. The control panel 66 includes a “SPIN” button 82 that allows the player to start spinning the reels of the slot game after determining the bet amount.

  In FIG. 2A, a rectangle is shown around the buttons 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82. Of course, this rectangle merely indicates the area in which the buttons 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82 may be located for ease of citation. Accordingly, the term “control panel” should not be construed to imply that a separate panel or plate from the housing of the game unit 20 is required, and the term “control panel” It may also include a player activatable button, or a collection thereof.

  Although one possible control panel 66 has been described so far, different buttons are also available on the control panel 66 and the individual buttons used depend on the game or games that can be played on the game unit 20. Needless to say, there are cases. Although the control panel 66 is shown as being separate from the display unit 70, it will be appreciated that the control panel 66 can be generated on the display unit 70. In that case, each of the buttons on the control panel 66 can be a colored area generated by the display unit 70, and if a certain mechanism such as a touch-sensitive screen is linked to the display unit 70, It is possible to detect when each of the touches.

  Furthermore, while one possible display unit 66 has been described above, it will be appreciated that different embodiments may be used with the display unit 70. For example, the display unit 70 may be a plurality of physical reels controlled by a stepper motor, as is generally known in the art. In that case, the player also initiates rotation of the reel by any number of means, including pressing the spin button 82. The physical reel then rotates and the player can observe through the display glass. Next, the spinning reel is stopped and the game result is determined.

  2B-2D show an embodiment of the light valve 71 in operation. Specifically, FIG. 2B shows the light valve 71 in a substantially transparent state, FIG. 2C shows the light valve 71 in a semi-transparent state, and FIG. 2D shows the light valve 71 in a substantially opaque state. . These will be described in detail below. The light valve 71 can be operatively coupled to the front surface of the cabinet 50 of the game unit 20, as shown in FIG. The light valve 71 surrounds the secondary display unit 73 and forms a device for concealing and appearing the secondary display unit 73.

  That is, the light valve 71 can be a suspended particle device or similar device. As is well known in the art, suspended particle devices consist of a plurality of light-absorbing microparticles that can be suspended between electrically conductive coated surfaces, such as glass or plastic. When a voltage is applied to the light-absorbing particle film through the conductive coating surface, the suspended particles are aligned in a straight line and all light can pass through. The light valve 71 thus appears transparent. However, once the voltage is removed, the suspended particles can move back to their original irregular order, blocking the light and making the light valve 71 appear opaque.

  By changing the voltage applied to the suspended particle device, the amount of light that can pass through the device can be changed, making the device appear transparent, opaque, or any shade in between. For example, FIG. 2B shows a state where a substantially maximum voltage is applied to the light valve 71 so that the light valve can maintain a substantially transparent orientation and the secondary display 73 can be viewed through the light valve 71. Show. FIG. 2C applies approximately 50 percent (50%) of the maximum voltage, allowing the light valve 71 to maintain a translucent orientation and still see the theme and image written in the secondary display 73 text. Indicates the state. As shown in FIG. 3C, when the light valve 71 is in a translucent configuration, the secondary display 73 can change its appearance. For example, a secondary display can change color, shading, brightness, and the like. Finally, FIG. 2D applies a substantially negligible voltage to the light valve 71 so that the curtain device maintains a substantially opaque orientation, effectively making the secondary display device 73 invisible. The state that can be.

  It will be appreciated that the light valve 71 may be of any physical shape and may have any number of light display attributes. Attributes include, for example, any number of corresponding colors, and any number of shades and / or brightness settings that can be obtained. Similarly, although the light valve 71 is shown as a separate element from the secondary display 73, it will be understood that the light valve 71 may be integrated within the secondary display 73. Furthermore, although the light valve 71 and the secondary display 73 are shown as a single element, it will be understood that any number of light valve 71 and display 73 can be used to provide any number of display opportunities. In addition, the light valve 71 can be formed of any known or future-developed light valve, and includes, as an example, a liquid crystal light valve or an electrochromic light valve. Furthermore, although the secondary display 73 has been shown to be separate from the display unit 70, a secondary display can be generated by the display unit 70, i.e., the secondary display can be smaller than the display unit 70. It goes without saying that it can also be a sub-part.

Game Unit Electronic Circuit FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a number of components that can be incorporated into the game unit 20. Referring to FIG. 3, the game unit 20 includes a controller 100. The controller 100 includes a program memory 102, a microcontroller or microprocessor (MP) 104, a random access memory (RAM) 106, and input / output (I / O) circuitry 108, all of which are address / data buses. 110 are interconnected. It should be appreciated that although only one microprocessor 104 is shown, the controller 100 can include multiple microprocessors 104. Similarly, the memory of the controller 100 can include multiple RAMs 106 and multiple program memories 102. Although I / O circuit 108 is shown as a single block, it will be appreciated that I / O circuit 108 may include many different types of I / O circuits. The RAM (multiple RAMs) 104 and the program memory 102 can be implemented, for example, as semiconductor memory, magnetically readable memory, and / or optically readable memory.

  Although the program memory 102 is shown as a read-only memory (ROM) 102 in FIG. 3, the program memory of the controller 100 may be a read / write or rewritable memory such as a hard disk. When a hard disk is used as a program memory, the address / data bus 110 schematically shown in FIG. 3 can be composed of a number of address / data buses, which may be of different types. An I / O circuit may be arranged between the address / data bus.

  FIG. 3 shows that the control panel 66, coin slot 52, bill slot 54, card reader 58, ticket reader / printer 56, secondary display 73, and light valve 71 are operatively connected to the I / O circuit 108. Each component can be coupled, indicating that it is so coupled by either a unidirectional or bidirectional, single line or multi-line data link. However, it may differ depending on the design of the component used. In addition, the speaker (s) 62 can be operatively coupled to the acoustic circuit 112. The acoustic circuit 112 can comprise a speech and acoustic synthesis circuit or can comprise a drive circuit. The sound generation circuit 112 can be coupled to the I / O circuit 108.

  As shown, components 52, 54, 56, 58, 66, 71, 73, 112 can be connected to I / O circuit 108 through respective direct lines or conductors. Different connection methods can also be used. For example, one or more of the components shown in FIG. 3 may be connected through a common bus or other data link shared by multiple components. Further, some of these components can be directly connected to the microprocessor 104 without going through the I / O circuit 108.

  FIG. 3A shows an example of the light valve 71. Referring to FIG. 3A, the light valve 71 can include a plurality of particles 120 suspended between two siding panels of glass or plastic 122. Particles 120 can respond to charge. The siding plate 122 can be covered with a conductive material 124. The conductive agent can be connected to the voltage 126, and the voltage 126 can be made variable to increase or decrease the amount of electricity applied to the conductive material 124.

  3B and 3C show an example of the light valve 71 during operation. Referring to FIG. 3B, the voltage 126 is “off”, allowing the conductive agent 124 to carry a negligible charge. The particles 120 can randomly scatter between the conductive materials 124 to absorb light and make the light valve 71 appear opaque. As a result, the secondary display 73 can be hidden from view.

  Referring to FIG. 3C, the voltage is “ON” and the conductive material 124 can carry charges. The particles 120 can be aligned between the conductive materials 124 in response to the charge. When the particles are aligned, the light passes through the light valve 71 and the light valve 71 appears to be transparent, thereby allowing the secondary display 73 to appear.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the secondary display 73. Specifically, FIG. 4 shows an electromechanical display mechanism 128 that can operate in conjunction with the light valve 71 and the controller 100 to cause one of a plurality of bonus prizes to appear. The secondary display 73 can include two rollers 130 and 132. At least one roller 132 may be operatively coupled to the motor 134 and the bearing 136, and the bearing 136 may be fixed to the game unit 20. The motor 134 can rotate the roller 132 clockwise or counterclockwise, as determined by the controller 100. The motor 134 may be a stepper motor having a drive indexer (not shown) and a programmable indexer (not shown) well known in the art, with which the motor causes the roller 132 to rotate accurately, A belt 138 can be positioned. The second roller 130 can be a driven roller and can be operatively coupled to the two bearings 136. The bearing 136 can be fixed to the game unit 20. The driven roller 130 can be driven by a belt 138 that is pulled by the rollers 130 and 132 so that the belt 138 does not slide along the rollers 1300 and 132. The rotation of the motor 134 can drive the roller 138 while the roller 138 can move the belt and rotate the follower roller 130.

  The belt 138 can display a plurality of prizes such as AWARD # 3, AWARD # 4, and AWARD # 5 shown in FIG. The belt 138 can display an arbitrary prize instruction designed by the game designer, and includes a numerical value, an image combined with the amount, and a character combined with the amount. In addition, the display can also include one or more images and / or characters. The motor 134 can rotate the belt 138 in any direction using the variable position, speed, and acceleration, stop it at any time, and display a desired product.

Overall Operation of Game Units One manner in which one or more game units 20 (and one or more game units 30) operate represents a number of portions or routines of one or more computer programs. This will be described below in association with a number of flowcharts. These programs can be stored in one or more memories of the controller 100. The computer program (a plurality of computer programs) or a part thereof can be stored at a remote location outside the game unit 20, and the operation of the game unit 20 can be controlled from a remote location. Such remote control may be through the use of a wireless connection, or a remote computer (such as one of the network computers 22, 32) having a memory unit with a computer program portion stored therein. It can be done easily by internet interface to connect with. The computer program portion can be written in either a high level language such as C, C ++, C #, Java, etc., or a lower level assembly or machine language. By storing computer program portions therein, various portions of the memories 102, 106 are physically and / or structurally configured in response to computer program instructions.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the main routine 200 of operation that can be stored in the memory of the controller 100. Referring to FIG. 5, the main routine 200 may begin operation at block 202 where it executes an attraction sequence in an attempt to lure potential players into the casino and play on the game unit 20. be able to. An attraction sequence may be performed to display one or more video images on the display unit 70 and / or one or more acoustic segments such as voice or music may be generated through the speaker 62. The attraction sequence can be a scrolling list of games that can be played on the game unit 20 and / or video poker, video blackjack, video slot, video keno, video bingo, etc. Video images of various play games can be included.

  If, during execution of the attraction sequence, it is determined at block 204 that a potential player has made some input to the game unit 20, the attraction sequence can be terminated and a game selection display can be displayed at block 206. The game can be generated on the display unit 70 and allow the player to select a game that can be played on the game unit 20. Game unit 20 may detect input in block 204 in a variety of ways. For example, the game unit 20 can detect whether the player has pressed any button on the game unit 20, and the game unit 20 can detect one or more coins from the game unit 20. The game unit 20 can detect that the player has deposited banknotes to the game unit, and so on.

  The game selection display generated at block 206, for example, prompts the game unit 20 to deposit a list of video games that can be played on the game unit 20 and / or the player to place a wager (value). A visual message can be included. While generating the game selection display, the game unit 20 can wait for the player to select a game. If block 208 determines that the player has selected one of the games, controller 100 causes one of a number of game routines to execute and play the selected game. For example, the game routines may include a video poker routine 210, a video blackjack routine 220, a slot routine 230, a video keno routine 240, and a video bingo routine 250. If, at block 208, no game selection is made within a given time period, the action can branch back to block 202.

After executing one of the routines 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 and having the player play one of the games, using block 260, the player wants to end play on the game unit 20? Or other game may be determined to be selected. If the player wants to stop playing with the game unit 20, this desire can be expressed, for example, by selecting the “CASH OUT” button, and the controller 100 at block 262 allows the player to play. Based on the result of the game (a plurality of games), the consideration can be paid to the player. The operation can then return to block 202. If it is determined at block 260 that the player does not want to stop, the routine returns to block 208 where the game selection display can be regenerated to allow the player to select another game.
Although FIG. 5 shows five game routines, it is possible to include a different number of routines and play a different number of games. The game unit 20 can also be programmed to play different games.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an alternative main operation routine 300 that can be stored in the memory of the controller 100. The main routine 300 can be used for game units 20 designed to play only a single game or a single type of game. Referring to FIG. 6, the main routine may begin operation at block 302, where an attraction sequence is executed in an attempt to lure potential players into the casino and play on the game unit 20. be able to. An attraction sequence may be performed to display one or more video images on the display unit 70 and / or one or more acoustic segments such as voice or music may be generated through the speaker 62.

  If at block 304 it is determined that a potential player has made some input to the game unit 20 during execution of the attraction sequence, the attraction sequence can be terminated, and at block 306 the game display is displayed. It can be generated on the unit 70. The game display generated at block 306 includes, for example, an image of a casino game that can be played on the game unit 20 and / or a visual message that prompts the player to deposit the bet amount on the game unit 20. be able to. At block 208, the game unit 20 can determine whether the player has requested information about the game, and if so, at block 310, the requested information can be displayed. At block 312, it can be determined whether the player has requested the start of the game, and if so, the game routine 320 can be executed. Game routine 320 may be one of five game routines 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, or any one of the game routines disclosed herein, such as another game routine. .

  After executing the routine 320 to cause the player to play the game, the block 322 can be utilized to determine whether the player wishes to end play on the game unit 20. If the player wishes to stop playing with the game unit 20, this desire can be expressed, for example, by selecting a “CASH OUT” button, and the controller 100 at block 324 indicates that the player has played Based on the result of the game (a plurality of games), the consideration can be paid to the player. The operation can then return to block 302. If it is determined at block 322 that the player does not want to stop, the operation can return to block 308.

Video Poker FIG. 7 is an example display 350 that can be shown on the display unit 70 during execution of the video poker routine 210 shown schematically in FIG. Referring to FIG. 7, the display 350 can include video images 352 of multiple play cards representing a player's hand, such as five cards. A plurality of player selectable buttons can be displayed to allow the player to control video poker game play. These buttons are a “HOLD” button 354, a “CASH OUT” button 356, a “SEE PAYS” button 358, and a “BET” button arranged immediately below each of the play card images 352. An “ONE CREDIT” button 360, a “BET MAX CREDITS” button 362, and a “DEAL / DRAW” button may be included. The display 350 may also include an area 366 that displays the number of remaining credits, or amount. If the display unit 70 is provided with a touch sensitive screen, the buttons 354, 356, 358, 360, 362, 364 may form part of the video screen 350. Alternatively, one or more of these buttons can be provided as part of a control panel that is provided separately from the display unit 70.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the video poker routine 210 schematically shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 8, at block 370, the routine may determine whether the player has requested refund information, such as by activating a “SEE PAYS” button. If so, at block 372, the routine may cause one or more payment schedules to be displayed on the display unit 70. In block 374, the routine determines whether the player has made a bet, such as by pressing the “BET ONE CREDIT” button 360, and if so, in block 376, the bet made by the player. Can be stored in the memory of the controller 100. In block 378, the routine determines whether the player has pressed the “BET MAX CREDITS” button 362, and if so, in block 380, the wager data corresponding to the maximum allowable wager is stored in the memory of the controller 100. Can be stored.

  At block 382, the routine may determine whether the player wants to hand out a new card. This can be determined by detecting whether the “DEAL / DRAW” button 364 is activated after making a bet. In that case, at block 384, the video poker card can be “handed out” by causing the display unit 70 to generate a card image 352. After handing out the card, at block 386, the routine can determine whether any of the “HOLD” buttons 354 have been activated by the player, and if so, the play card image 352 is displayed. Data regarding which one to “hold” may be stored in the controller 100 at block 388. If it is determined in block 390 that the “DEAL / DRAW” button 364 has been reactivated, each of the play card images 352 that have not been “held” are erased from the video display 350 and are randomly selected in block 392. The play card image 352 is replaced.

  At block 394, the routine may determine whether the poker hand represented by the currently displayed play card image 352 is a winner. To make this determination, data representing the poker hand currently displayed may be compared with data representing all possible winning hands that can be stored in the memory of the controller 100. If so, a refund amount corresponding to the winning hand can be determined at block 396. At block 398, the player's accumulated amount, or number of credits, can be updated. At that time, if the bet determined by the player is subtracted and the hand is a winner, the refund amount determined in block 396 is added. The accumulated amount, that is, the number of credits can also be displayed in the display area 366 (FIG. 7).

  While the video poker routine 210 has been described in relation to a single poker hand of five cards, it is possible to modify the routine 210 to play other variants of poker. . For example, you can play a seven-card poker, or you can play a stud poker. Or you can play with many poker hands at the same time. In that case, the game can be started by handing out a single poker hand and allowing the player to hold a card. After deciding which cards to hold, the held cards can be duplicated in different poker hands and the remaining cards in each of these poker hands can be randomly determined.

Video Blackjack FIG. 9 shows an example display 400 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during execution of the video blackjack routine 220 shown schematically in FIG. Referring to FIG. 9, display 400 may include a video image 402 of a pair of play cards representing a parent's hand, with one of the cards shown up and the other card shown down. Yes. Also, a pair of play card video images 404 representing the player's hand are both shown face up. The “parent” may be the game unit 20.

  A plurality of player selectable buttons can be displayed to allow the player to control video blackjack game play. These buttons are “CASH OUT” button 406, “SEE PAYS” button 408, “STAY” (as it is) button 410, “HIT” (handing out another card) button 412, “BET ONE CREDIT” (1 credit) A bet button 414 and a “BET MAX CREDITS” button 416. The display 400 may also include an area 418 that displays the remaining credit number or amount. Buttons 406, 408, 410, 412, 414, 416 can form part of video display 400 when display unit 700 is provided with a touch-sensitive screen. Alternatively, one or more of these buttons may be provided as part of a control panel that is provided separately from the display unit 70.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the video blackjack routine 220 schematically shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 10, the video blackjack routine 220 begins at block 420 where it can be determined whether the player has bet. This can be determined, for example, by detecting the activation of either the “BET ONE CREDIT” button 414 or the “BET MAX CREDITS” button 416. At block 422, data corresponding to the bet made at block 420 can be stored in the memory of the controller 100. At block 424, the play card images 402, 404 can be made visible on the display unit 70 to “distribute” the parent hand and the player hand.

  At block 426, the player can be “handed out another card”, in which case the player can hold another card by making another play card image 404 visible on the screen 404 at block 428. Distribute the bill. If another card is dealt to the player, a determination may be made at block 430 as to whether the player has “disrupted”, ie, has exceeded 21. If the player is not ruined, blocks 426 and 428 can be executed again and another card can be dealt to the player again.

  If the player decides not to receive another card, at block 432, the routine can determine whether another card should be dealt to the parent. Whether or not another card is dealt to the parent can be determined according to a predetermined rule such that when the total of the parent's hand is 15 or less, another card is always dealt to the parent. If another card is dealt to the parent, another card can be dealt to the parent's hand by making another play card image 402 visible in the display 400 at block 434. At block 436, the routine may determine whether the parent is destroyed. If the parent is not ruined, blocks 432 and 434 can be executed again to give the parent another card again.

  If no more cards are dealt to the parent, at block 438 the outcome of the blackjack game and the corresponding refund is based on, for example, whether the player or the parent has a high hand within 21. Can be determined. If the player has a winning hand, a refund amount corresponding to the winning hand can be determined at block 440. At block 442, the player's accumulated amount, ie, the number of credits, can be updated. At that time, if the bet determined by the player is subtracted and the hand is a winner, the refund amount determined in block 396 is added. The accumulated amount, that is, the number of credits can also be displayed in the display area 418 (FIG. 9).

Slot FIG. 11 shows an example display 450 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during execution of the slot routine 230 shown schematically in FIG. Referring to FIG. 11, display 450 may include a video image 452 of a plurality of slot machine reels, each of which has a plurality of reel symbols 454 associated therewith. The display 450 shows five reel images 452, each of which can have three symbols 454, which can be viewed at one time, but other reel configurations can be utilized.

  A plurality of player selectable buttons can be displayed to allow the player to control slot game play. These buttons include a “CASH OUT” button 456, a “SEE PAYS” button 458, a plurality of payline selection buttons 460 that allow the player to select a different number of paylines before “spinning” each reel. A plurality of bet selection buttons 462 that allow the player to specify a bet amount per payline, a “SPIN” button 464, and a “MAX BET” button 466 that allows the player to place the maximum bet allowed.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the slot routine 230 schematically shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 12, at block 470, the routine may determine whether the player has requested refund information, such as by activating the “SEE PAYS” button 458. If so, at block 472, the routine may cause one or more payment schedules to be displayed on the display unit 70. In block 474, the routine can determine whether the player has pressed one of the payline selection buttons 460, and if so, in block 476, the data corresponding to the number of paylines selected by the player is It can be stored in the memory of the controller 100. At block 478, the routine can determine whether the player has pressed one of the premium selection buttons 462, and if so, at block 480, the data corresponding to the bet amount for each payline is obtained from the controller 100. Can be stored in the memory. At block 482, the routine may determine whether the player has pressed the “MAX BET” button 466, and if so, at block 484, the wager data (payline data) corresponding to the maximum allowable wager. Can also be included in the controller 100 memory.

  If it is determined at block 486 that the “SPIN” button 464 has been activated by the player, at block 488 the routine initiates a “rotation” of the reel image 452 of the slot machine and a plurality of rotating mechanical slot slots. The appearance of the reel of the machine can be simulated. At block 490, the routine may determine the position at which the reel image of the slot machine has stopped, ie, the individual symbol image 454 that is displayed when the reel image 452 has stopped rotating. In block 492, the routine can stop the rotation of the reel image 452 by displaying a stationary reel image 452 and an image of three symbols 454 for each stopped reel image 452. The virtual reel can be stopped from left to right as viewed from the player's field of view, or in any other manner or sequence.

The routine can assume the possibility of a bonus game or a round when certain conditions are met such that the display on the stopped reel image 452 is a specific symbol 454. If it is determined at block 494 that such a bonus condition exists, the routine proceeds to block 496 where a bonus round can be played. The bonus round may be a different game than the slot, and many other types of bonus games can be prepared. If the player wins in the bonus round, or receives additional credits or points in the bonus round, the bonus amount can be determined in block 498. A refund amount corresponding to the result of the slot game and / or bonus round may be determined at block 500. In block 502, the player's accumulated amount, ie, the number of credits, can be updated. At that time, if the player has won the slot game and / or bonus round, the bet amount determined by the player is subtracted, and the refund amount determined in block 500 is added.
Although the above routine has been described as a virtual slot machine routine that represents the slot machine reel as an image on the display unit 70, a rotatable actual slot machine reel may be used instead. .

Video Keno FIG. 13 is an example display 520 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during execution of the video keno routine 240 shown schematically in FIG. Referring to FIG. 13, the display 520 includes a plurality of video images 522 selected by the player prior to the start of the keno game and a plurality of encrypted video images 524 selected randomly during the keno game. Can do. Randomly selected numbers can be displayed in a lattice pattern.

  A plurality of player selectable buttons can be displayed to allow the player to control the play of the keno game. These buttons include “CASH OUT” button 526, “SEE PAYS” button 528, “BET ONE CREDIT” button 530, “BET MAX CREDITS” button 532, “SELECT TICKET” (ticket selection) button 528, “SELECT NUMBER”. ”(Number selection) button 536, and“ PLAY ”(play) button 538. The display 520 can also include an area 540 that displays the remaining credit count or amount. If the display unit 70 is provided with a touch-sensitive screen, these buttons can be part of the video display 520. Alternatively, one or more of these buttons can be provided as part of a control panel that is provided separately from the display unit 70.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the video keno routine 240 schematically shown in FIG. The keno routine 240 can be used with a single game unit 20 in which one player is playing a keno game, or the keno routine 240 allows a large number of players to play a keno game. It can also be used with a number of game units 20. In the latter case, one or more of the processing actions described below are performed by the controller 100 in each game unit or by the network computers 22, 32 to which a number of game units 20 are operatively connected. Can be performed by one.

  Referring to FIG. 14, at block 550, the routine may determine whether the player has requested refund information, such as by activating the “SEE PAYS” button 528. If so, at block 552, the routine may cause one or more payment schedules to be displayed on the display unit 70. At block 554, the routine may determine whether the player has made a bet, such as by pressing a “BET ONE CREDIT” button 530 or a “BET MAX CREDITS” button 532. If a wager is placed, at block 556, wager data corresponding to the wager determined by the player may be stored in the memory of the controller 100. After the player has placed a bet, at block 558, the player can select a keino ticket, and at block 560, the ticket can be displayed on the display 520. At block 562, the player can select one or more game numbers. These numbers should be within the range set by the casino. After selection, the player's game number may be stored in the memory of the controller 100 at block 564 and may be included in the image 522 on the display 520 at block 566. After some time, the keno game can be closed to additional players (if a large number of players are playing a keno game using a large number of game units 20).

  If it is determined at block 568 that a keno game is about to begin playing, at block 570 the game number set by the casino is operatively applied to a controller, such as the controller 100 or the network computer 22, 32. Can be selected randomly by any of the central computers connected to the. At block 572, the randomly selected game number is displayed on the display unit 70 or on the display unit 70 of another group of game units 20 (if any) involved in the same casino game. be able to. At block 574, the controller 100 (or the central computer noted above) may increment a count tracking how many game numbers have been selected at block 570.

  At block 576, the controller 100 (or one of the network computers 22, 32) can determine whether up to the maximum number of game numbers in the range has already been selected at random. If not yet the maximum number, another game number may be randomly selected at block 570. If the maximum number of games has been selected, at block 578, the controller 100 (or central computer) has a sufficient number between the game number selected by the player and the game number selected at block 570. Whether or not the player is a winner can be determined based on whether or not there is a match. The number of matches may vary depending on the number of numbers that the player selects and the individual keno rules used.

  If there is a sufficient number of matches, a refund can be determined at block 580 and the player can be rewarded for winning the game. The refund amount can be determined according to the number of matches between the game number selected by the player and the game number randomly selected in block 570. At block 582, the player's accumulated amount, or number of credits, can be updated. At that time, if the bet determined by the player is deducted and the game is won, the refund amount determined in block 580 is added. The accumulated amount, that is, the number of credits can also be displayed in the display area 540 (FIG. 13).

Video Bingo FIG. 15 is an example display 600 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during execution of the video bingo routine 250 shown schematically in FIG. Referring to FIG. 15, display 600 may include one or more video images 602 of a bingo card and an image of a bingo number selected during the game. The bingo card image 602 may have a lattice pattern.

  A plurality of player selectable buttons can be displayed to allow the player to control the bingo game. These buttons include a “CASH OUT” button 604, a “SEE PAYS” button 606, a “BET ONE CREDIT” button 608, a “BET MAX CREDIT” button 610, a “SELECT CARD” button 612, and a “PLAY” button 614. Can be included. The display 600 can also include an area 616 that displays the remaining credit amount or amount. If the display unit 70 is provided with a touch sensitive screen, these buttons can form part of the video display 600. Alternatively, one or more of these buttons can be provided as part of a control panel that is provided separately from the display unit 70.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the video bingo routine 250 schematically shown in FIG. The bingo routine 250 is used with a single game unit 20 where a single player is playing a bingo game or with multiple game units 20 where a large number of players are playing a single bingo game. You can also In the latter case, one or more of the processing operations described below may be performed by a controller 100 within each game unit 20 or by a network computer 22, 32 to which a number of game units 20 are operatively connected. Can be performed by one.

  Referring to FIG. 16, at block 620, the routine can determine whether the player has requested refund information, such as by activating the “SEE PAYS” button 606, and if so, block At 622, the routine can cause one or more payment schedules to be displayed on the display unit 70. At block 624, the routine can determine whether the player has placed a bet, such as by pressing the “BET ONE CREDIT” button 608 or the “BET MAX CREDITS” button 610, and if so, At block 626, wager data corresponding to the wager determined by the player may be stored in the memory of the controller 100.

  After the player places a bet, at block 628, the player can select a bingo card. Bingo cards can be randomly generated and displayed on the display unit 70 at block 630. The player can select more than one bingo card, and there may be a maximum number of bingo cards that the player can select. After determining at block 632 that the play is about to begin, at block 634, a bingo number may be randomly generated by a central computer, such as controller 100 or one of network computers 22,32. At block 636, the bingo number can be displayed on the display unit 70 and the display unit 70 of any other game unit 20 involved in the bingo game.

  At block 638, the controller 100 (or central computer) can determine which player has won the bingo game. If no player has won, another bingo number can be randomly selected at block 634. If it is determined at block 638 that any player has bingo, the routine may determine at block 640 whether the player playing on the game unit 20 is a winner. If so, at block 642, a refund to the player can be determined. The payout amount can be determined according to the number of random numbers drawn before the winner is determined, the total number of winners (if there are more than one player), and the amount bet on the game. At block 644, the player's accumulated amount, ie, the number of credits, can be updated. At this time, if the bet determined by the player is deducted and the bingo game is won, the refund amount determined in block 642 is added. The accumulated amount, that is, the number of credits can also be displayed in the display area 616 (FIG. 15).

Appearance of the Hidden Visual Element During execution of the main operation routine 200 or the alternative main operation routine as described above, the controller 100 can use the secondary display 73 and the light valve 71 to activate the hidden element appearance sequence. For example, the controller 100 can activate the hidden element appearance sequence during the bonus round played in block 496 of FIG.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a main hidden element appearance operation routine 700 that can be stored in the memory of the controller 100 and starts the hidden element appearance sequence. Referring to FIG. 17, the main routine 700 can begin operation at block 702 where the controller 100 can determine whether a hidden element should appear. If the controller 100 determines that a hidden element should not appear, the routine 700 can end. However, if the controller 100 determines that the hidden element should appear, the controller 100 can cause the secondary display 73 to display a desired index. For example, if the desired index is AWARD # 3 (Prize Number 3), the controller 100 can command the motor 134 to rotate the belt 138 to the correct position. It will be appreciated that the secondary display 73 can be commanded to display the correct indicator accordingly, as the physical display may require. For example, if the secondary display 73 is an electronic display such as a CRT video display, the controller 100 can instruct the secondary display to generate an appropriate electronic indicator. Further, as described above, the index displayed on the secondary display 73 may be an arbitrary image such as a bonus prize or bonus / credit.

  When the correct indicator is displayed on the secondary display 73, at block 706, the controller 100 commands the light valve 71 to change from opaque to transparent (see FIGS. 2B-2D), thereby secondary display. Make the element appear to the player. After leaving the controller 100 to appear for a predetermined time, or until the player takes an action, the controller 100 changes the light valve from transparent to opaque at block 708. As a result, the secondary display can be hidden from the player.

  Although the main hidden element appearance action routine 700 has been described with respect to bonus rounds, it will be understood that the routine 700 can be executed at any time before, during, and after game play. It will further be appreciated that the steps involved in appearing / hiding hidden elements may be performed in any order. For example, to provide different visual stimuli and excite the excitement of the game, the main hidden element appearance action routine 700 performs a step of causing the secondary display 73 to appear before the display actually displays the correct indicator. It is possible to give the player a certain level of excitement when the index appears.

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a game system according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the game unit schematically shown in FIG. 2. An embodiment of a control panel for a game machine is shown. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a light valve in a substantially transparent state. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a light valve in a translucent state. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a light valve in a substantially opaque state. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of electronic components of the game unit of FIG. 2. 3 shows an embodiment of components of a light valve for a game unit. 3 shows an embodiment of components of a light valve for a game unit. 3 shows an embodiment of components of a light valve for a game unit. FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a secondary display unit using two rollers and a merchandise display belt being pulled by the rollers. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a main routine that may be executed during operation of one or more game units. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an alternative embodiment of a main routine that may be executed during operation of one or more game units. FIG. 9 is a diagram of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed during execution of the video poker routine of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video poker routine that may be executed by one or more game units. FIG. 11 is a diagram of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed during execution of the video blackjack routine of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video blackjack routine that may be executed by one or more game units. FIG. 13 is a diagram of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed during execution of the slot routine of FIG. FIG. 6 is an illustration of an embodiment of a slot routine that can be executed by one or more game units. FIG. 15 is a diagram of an embodiment of a visual display that can be displayed during execution of the video keno routine of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video keno routine that may be executed by one or more game units. FIG. 17 is a diagram of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed during execution of the video bingo routine of FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video bingo routine that may be executed by one or more game units. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a hidden element appearance operation routine that may be executed by one or more game units.

Claims (19)

A game device,
A numeric input device;
A first display unit capable of generating a video image;
A second display unit capable of displaying game instructions;
A light valve attached to an upper portion of the second display unit, the opaque state for hiding the second display unit from the game player's field of view; and the second display unit of the game player A light valve that can be changed between a transparent state to appear in the field of view;
A controller coupled to the first display unit, the numerical input device, the second display unit, and the light valve, the controller comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor; Has
The controller is programmed to make a person place a bet,
The controller displays a video image representing a game on the first display unit, the video image representing one game of video poker, video blackjack, video slot, video keno, or video bingo. Is programmed to generate
The video image comprises at least five play card images if the game is a video poker;
The video image comprises a plurality of simulated slot machine reel images when the game is a video slot;
The video image comprises a plurality of play card images if the game is video blackjack;
The video image includes images of a plurality of keno numbers when the game is a video keno,
The video image comprises a bingo grid image if the game is a video bingo;
The controller is programmed to determine a refund amount in relation to the outcome of the game;
The controller is programmed to display the game instructions on the second display;
The game device, wherein the controller is programmed to change the light valve display unit between the opaque state and the transparent state. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light valve includes a suspended particle light valve, a liquid crystal light valve, or an electrochromic light valve. 2. The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second display unit is capable of generating a video image, and the game instruction includes a video image. 2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the second display unit includes an electromechanical display, and the electromechanical display includes:
A motor,
At least one rotatable roller coupled to the motor;
A belt coupled to the rotatable roller and having a plurality of game instructions stamped on the upper surface;
The game apparatus, wherein the controller is programmed to cause the display of the game instruction by rotating the motor. 2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to launch a bonus game, and the controller further includes the light valve in the opaque state and the transparent state during the bonus game. A game device that is programmed to change between. A game system comprising a plurality of game devices according to claim 1, wherein the game devices are interconnected to form a network of game devices. The game system according to claim 6, wherein the game devices are interconnected through the Internet. A slot machine,
A plurality of slot machine reels, each having a plurality of symbols on its upper surface;
A numeric input device;
A display unit capable of displaying game instructions;
A light valve attached to an upper part of the display unit, wherein the second display unit is hidden from the field of view of the game player, and is transparent so that the second display unit appears in the field of view of the game player. A light valve that can be changed between states,
A controller coupled to the slot machine reel, the numerical input device, the display unit, and the light valve, the controller comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. And
The controller is programmed to allow a person to place a bet on the game,
The controller is programmed to rotate and stop the slot machine reel;
The controller is programmed to determine a payment amount associated with the outcome of the game;
The slot machine, wherein the controller is programmed to change the light valve display unit between the opaque state and the transparent state. 9. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the light valve comprises a suspended particle light valve, a liquid crystal light valve, or an electrochromic light valve. 9. The slot machine according to claim 8, wherein the display unit is capable of generating a video image, and the game instruction is a video image. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the second display unit comprises an electromechanical display, the electromechanical display comprising:
A motor,
At least one rotatable roller coupled to the motor;
A belt coupled to the rotatable roller, wherein a plurality of game instructions are imprinted on the upper surface,
The slot machine, wherein the controller is programmed to cause the display of the game instructions by rotating the motor. 9. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed to launch a bonus game, and the controller further includes the light valve in the opaque state and the transparent state during the bonus game. A slot machine that is programmed to change between. 9. A game system comprising a plurality of slot machines according to claim 8, wherein said slot machines are interconnected to form a network of slot machines. 14. The game system according to claim 13, wherein the slot machines are interconnected via the Internet. A slot machine,
A plurality of slot machine reels, each having a plurality of symbols on its upper surface;
A numeric input device;
Game instructions visible to the player of the slot machine;
A light valve attached to an upper part of the display unit, wherein the game instruction is visible to the game player, the game instruction is visible to the game player, and the game instruction A light valve that is changeable between a translucent state in which the appearance of the game device changes and an opaque state in which the game instructions are hidden from view of the game player;
A controller coupled to the slot machine reel, the numerical input device, and the light valve, the controller comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;
The controller is programmed to allow a person to place a bet on the game,
The controller is programmed to rotate and stop the slot machine reel and represent a game;
The controller is programmed to determine a refund amount in relation to the outcome of the game;
The slot machine, wherein the controller is programmed to change the light valve display unit between the opaque state, the translucent state, and the transparent state. 16. The slot machine of claim 15, wherein the light valve comprises a suspended particle light valve, a liquid crystal light valve, or an electrochromic light valve. 16. The slot machine of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to launch a bonus game, and the controller further includes the opaque state of the light valve and the halfway during the bonus game. A slot machine programmed to change between a transparent state and the transparent state. 16. A game system comprising a plurality of slot machines according to claim 15, wherein the slot machines are interconnected to form a network of slot machines. 19. A game system according to claim 18, wherein said slot machines are interconnected through the Internet.

Images