Electronic gaming machine with dynamic display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11710368-B2
Application number	US-202117449635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Feb 26, 2021
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

Gaming systems, methods, and machines provided herein may include dynamic displays in which sets of movable display units are arranged such that movable display units of each set are translatable along corresponding non-parallel first axes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic gaming system comprising:
a housing;
multiple sets of movable display units, each set of movable display units having a plurality of movable display units, and each movable display unit including a corresponding display panel, wherein each display panel is a multi-pixel display panel;
a plurality of linear drive mechanisms, each linear drive mechanism connected with one of the movable display units and configured to translate the movable display unit connected therewith relative to the housing and along a corresponding first axis responsive to receipt of a control signal; and
a game controller that includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices, wherein:
the sets of movable display units are arranged side-by-side along a second axis and rotationally aligned with one another about the second axis,
the linear drive mechanism for each movable display unit in each set of movable display units includes a stationary portion and a movable portion,
the corresponding display panel of each movable display unit in each set of movable display units is connected with the stationary portion of the linear drive mechanism for that movable display unit by the movable portion of the linear drive mechanism for that movable display unit,
the stationary portions of the linear drive mechanisms for the movable display units in the sets of movable display units are fixed in space relative to the housing,
the corresponding first axes of the movable display units within each set of movable display units are non-parallel to one another,
the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices, the one or more display panels, and the linear drive mechanisms are operably connected, and
the one or more memory devices store computer-executable instructions for controlling the one or more processors to:
present a game of chance using graphical content displayed on the display panels, and
cause the linear drive mechanisms to be selectively actuated so as to cause the movable display units connected with the actuated linear drive mechanisms to translate during presentation of the game of chance in association with an occurrence of one or more events during presentation of the game of chance.

2. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the display panels is selected from the group consisting of a light-emitting diode (LED) display panel, a micro-LED display panel, an organic LED (OLED) display panel, a plastic OLED (POLED) display panel, and a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel.

3. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding first axes for each set of movable display units intersect at a common point.

4. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the display panels of the movable display units in each set are arcuate and have radii that are selected so as to allow the display panels to all be co-radial when the movable display units of that set are placed into a first position.

5. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the housing is a main cabinet configured to rest on a floor during use.

6. The electronic gaming system of claim 5 , further comprising a transmissive display element that is positioned in front of the movable display units such that translation of the movable display units away from the linear drive mechanisms causes the movable display units to move closer to the transmissive display element.

7. The electronic gaming system of claim 5 , further comprising an arcuate cover glass that has a surface facing the sets of movable display units that is positioned such that a gap exists between the surface and the display panels of the movable display units when the display panels of the movable display units are in a fully extended state.

8. The electronic gaming system of claim 5 , wherein the display panel of each movable display is in the form of a planar or slightly arcuate shape selected from the group consisting of: a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, a pentagon, a hexagon, and a regular polygon.

9. The electronic gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the region of each reel strip is a transparent region of the reel strip.

10. The electronic gaming system of claim 8 , further comprising, for each set of movable display units:
a reel basket;
a motor configured to rotate the reel basket; and
a reel strip, wherein:
the reel strip is mounted to the reel basket so as to provide a cylindrical surface,
the movable display units for that set of movable display units are encircled by the reel strip,
the reel basket for each set of movable display units is rotatable relative to that set of movable display units, and
the reel strip for at least a first set of movable display units of the sets of movable display units has at least one region through which each of the display panels of the movable display units of the first set of movable display units is visible when the reel strip is rotated such that the at least one region is proximate thereto.

11. The electronic gaming system of claim 10 , wherein each region is an opening sized to allow one of the display panels of the movable display units associated with the reel strip for the first set of movable display units to be translated therethrough.

12. The electronic gaming system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more memory devices store computer-executable instructions for controlling the one or more processors to cause at least a first movable display unit of the first set of movable display units to translate the display panel thereof along the corresponding first axis thereof and through the opening of a first region of the at least one region responsive to the reel basket associated therewith being caused to rotate and then ceasing rotation with the first region aligned with the first movable display unit.

13. The electronic gaming system of claim 11 , wherein:
each reel strip is associated with movable display units having display panels of the same size and shape, and
each opening for each reel strip has a shape that matches the shape of the display panels of the movable display units associated therewith.

14. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein:
there are a plurality of sets of movable display units,
the electronic gaming system includes a plurality of electronic gaming machines that are communicatively connected and that each have at least one of the sets of movable display units, and
the one or more memory devices store computer-executable instructions for controlling the one or more processors to cause the movable display units for the plurality of electronic gaming machines to actuate in a coordinated manner.

15. The electronic gaming system of claim 14 , wherein the coordinated manner involves the movable display units of the electronic gaming machines each being caused to undergo similar movements in synchronicity with one another.

16. The electronic gaming system of claim 14 , wherein the coordinated manner involves the movable display units of the electronic gaming machines being actuated such that it appears that a visual effect moves from one of the electronic gaming machines to another of the electronic gaming machines.

17. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the game of chance is a slot machine game.

18. The electronic gaming system of claim 17 , wherein each movable display unit is caused to show a symbol that is part of an outcome of the game of chance responsive to a play of the game of chance.

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Winston Eric
• Paulsen Craig
• Jadeja Rajendrasinh
• Taylor Eric

Classifications

• G07F17/3213 Primary

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title

• G07F17/3216

  Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects · CPC title

• G07F17/34

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title