Slant top slot machine with LEDs to illuminate front surface
A slant top slot machine is described where a raised translucent or transparent housing for light emitting diodes (LEDs) surrounds the main display area of the machine. In the case of a video machine, the raised housing surrounds the video screen. Light from multicolored LEDs in the housing, when illuminated, is emitted downward from the sides of the raised housing to illuminate the front surface of the slant top surface. In one embodiment, the slant top surface is brushed stainless steel so that the LED light reflects off the stainless steel surface and reradiates the light outward toward the player. In an embodiment where the raised housing raises the video screen and the LEDs above the front surface, the screen is optically separated from the rest of the machine, and the player can more easily concentrate on the game since other features on the front surface appear to be in the background. The LED light also illuminates any player-control devices and other features on the front surface, allowing the ambient light to be lower.
1. A gaming device comprising:
a display area for displaying a game;
a front surface of the gaming device;
a raised housing at least partially surrounding the display area;
a plurality of LEDs mounted so as to at least partially surround the display area, the raised housing being configured such that light emitted from the LEDs is emitted downward from the raised housing to illuminate at least a portion of the front surface of the gaming device.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of LEDs are mounted inside the raised housing.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein the raised housing includes a translucent window for emitting the light from the LEDs.
4. The device of claim 2 wherein the raised housing includes a transparent window for emitting the light from the LEDs.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are mounted in the raised housing on a downward angle with respect to the front surface of the gaming device.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the front surface of the gaming device is reflective and reflects the light emitted from the LEDs.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein a flat panel display is provided in the display area, a display screen of the flat panel display being raised above the front surface.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are multicolored and controlled by a processor.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs completely surround the display area.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the display area comprises a first display area, the device also comprising a second display area having a second raised housing surrounding the second display area, with LEDs mounted in the second raised housing for illuminating a surrounding area.
11. The device of claim 1 where the front surface of the gaming machine comprises a metal that diffusively reflects light emitted from the LEDs.
12. The device of claim 1 wherein the gaming device is a slant top gaming machine, wherein reflected light from the LEDs illuminates an area in front of the gaming device.
13. A method of illuminating a front surface of a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a display area for displaying a game, the gaming device having a front surface and a raised housing at least partially surrounding the display area, the method comprising:
illuminating a plurality of LEDs mounted so as to at least partially surround the display area, the raised housing being configured such that light emitted from the LEDs is emitted downward from the raised housing to illuminate at least a portion of the front surface of the gaming device.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of LEDs are mounted inside the raised housing.
15. The device of claim 13 wherein the raised housing includes a translucent window for emitting the light from the LEDs.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the raised housing includes a transparent window for emitting the light from the LEDs.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the LEDs are mounted in the raised housing on a downward angle with respect to the front surface of the gaming device.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein the front surface of the gaming device is reflective, the method further comprising reflecting downward light from the LEDs off the reflective front surface of the gaming device.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein illuminating the LEDs comprises illuminating the LEDs to indicate that the gaming device is part of a linked group of gaming devices.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein illuminating the LEDs comprises illuminating the LEDs in a special manner upon a winning outcome of a game played on the gaming device.
21. The method of claim 13 further comprising energizing a flat panel display provided in the display area to display images, a display screen of the flat panel display being raised above the front surface.