Dynamic user interface in a gaming system

1 . A dynamically re-configurable input panel for a gaming machine comprising:

a plurality of electrical contact regions disposed on the input panel, wherein the plurality of electrical contact regions comprises a plurality of electrical switches with at least a first electrical switch having a multi-faceted geometry; and

a plurality of display elements associated with the electrical contact regions;

wherein information displayed on the display elements is dynamically re-configurable under game machine software control.

2 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical switch comprises a self-contained, re-configurable display element that displays different indicia for each of the multi-faceted geometries of the first electrical switch.

3 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 2 , wherein the self-contained, re-configurable display element comprises an LCD display.

4 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 3 , wherein the LCD display comprises an active matrix color LCD display.

5 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 2 , wherein the dynamically re-configurable display element is implemented in a display technology selected from the group of display technologies consisting of:

liquid crystal;

light emitting diode;

organic light emitting diode;

digital paper; and

vacuum fluorescent.

6 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein each of the multi-faceted geometries of the first electrical switch comprises a planar geometry.

7 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein each of the multi-faceted geometries of the first electrical switch generates a corresponding different switch output when the associated multi-faceted geometries of the first electrical switch are activated by a user.

8 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein the multi-faceted geometry comprises a pyramidal geometry.

9 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein the multi-faceted geometry comprises a truncated pyramidal geometry.

10 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein self-contained, re-configurable display elements are disposed on each of the facets of the multi-faceted switches.

11 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrical contact regions comprises a plurality of electrical contact regions created on a touch screen display panel.

12 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 11 , wherein one of the electrical contact regions is a virtual touch pad.

13 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 12 , wherein the virtual touch pad is at least partially transparent to underlying display content.

14 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 13 , wherein the virtual touch pad is laterally translatable and re-sizable.

15 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 14 , wherein the virtual touch pad is laterally translatable and re-sizable through detection of a plurality of substantially simultaneous electrical contacts detected at laterally spaced predetermined minimum intervals.

16 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 12 , wherein the virtual touch pad is disposed amidst information content on the touch screen display panel.

17 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 16 , wherein a predetermined manner of electrical contact detected within the virtual touch pad region initiates scrolling operation of the information content.

18 . A dynamically re-configurable input panel for a gaming machine comprising:

a touch screen display panel having a plurality of virtual electrical contact regions displayed thereon, wherein the plurality of virtual electrical contact regions act as corresponding electrical switches with at least a first electrical switch having a multi-faceted geometry;

wherein information content and virtual electrical contact regions displayed on the display panel are dynamically re-configurable under game machine software control.

19 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 18 , wherein one of the electrical contact regions is a virtual touch pad.

20 . The dynamically re-configurable input panel of claim 19 , wherein the virtual touch pad is laterally translatable and re-sizable through detection of a plurality of substantially simultaneous electrical contacts detected at laterally spaced predetermined minimum intervals.

21 . A gaming machine comprising:

a dynamically re-configurable input panel spaced apart from a main video display unit of the gaming machine, the input panel having a plurality of electrical contact regions disposed thereon, wherein the plurality of electrical contact regions comprise a plurality of electrical switches with at least a first electrical switch having a multi-faceted geometry; and

a plurality of display elements associated with the electrical contact regions;

wherein information displayed on the display elements is dynamically re-configurable under gaming machine software control.

22 . A dynamically re-configurable input panel for a gaming machine comprising:

a touch screen display panel spaced apart from a main video display unit of the gaming machine, the touch screen display panel having a plurality of virtual electrical contact regions displayed thereon, wherein the plurality of virtual electrical contact regions act as corresponding electrical switches with at least a first electrical switch having a multi-faceted geometry;

wherein information content and virtual electrical contact regions displayed on the display panel are dynamically re-configurable under gaming machine software control.