IP Library Granted Patent US 8,388,433
Granted Patent B2
US 8,388,433 · App. 12/193,275 · Granted Mar 5, 2013

Slot machine systems, methods, and apparatus

Inventors: Scott Stewart (Las Vegas, NV); Anthony Wayne Bond (Las Vegas, NV); Casey Lyle Condron (Las Vegas, NV); Lonnie Lynn Anderson (Las Vegas, NV); Charles Gilbert Mull, Jr. (Las Vegas, NV); Steve Lewandowski (Pahrump, NV); Linn Anthony McKay (Las Vegas, NV); Michael Bristol (Las Vegas, NV)
Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty, Ltd.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,388,433
App. No.
12/193,275
Granted
Mar 5, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods and/or apparatus for slot machine eye-strain reduction are disclosed. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for slot machine back lighting are further provided. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for a slot machine back lighting effect are also disclosed. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for reel line lights are disclosed. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for reel tilt and motion detection are disclosed. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for reel wins display for an electromechanical slot machine and/or gaming machine viewing window configurable lines are disclosed. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for a configurable shelf system for an electromechanical slot machine are disclosed. Systems, methods, and apparatus are also disclosed for reel tilt minimization. Systems, methods and/or apparatus for slot machine controlled lighting. Further embodiments of the present disclosure can provide slot machine reel stop systems, methods, and apparatus useful for electromechanical slot machines.

Claims (19)

1. An electromechanical slot machine with back lighting, the slot machine comprising:

a cabinet having upper, middle, and lower portions;

a display mounted to the upper portion of the cabinet for displaying information related to winning symbol combinations, the display comprising an updatable portion for receiving dynamic information indicative of configurable winning symbol combinations available for game play, wherein at least one of the displayed winning symbol combinations includes a pattern of symbols on different pay lines;

a plurality of rotatable reels rotatably supported in the middle portions of the cabinet, wherein game symbols are disposed on an outer surface of each reel;

a motor supported in the cabinet and configured and arranged to rotate each reel; and

a plurality of controlled light sources, one or more of which are disposed behind a visible surface of a respective reel in the middle portion of the cabinet to illuminate one or more symbols on the respective reels, wherein the controlled light sources selectively illuminate the symbols based on the configurable winning pattern combinations available for game play that are indicated on the updatable portion of the display.

2. The slot machine of claim 1 , wherein each light source is a lamp.

3. The slot machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of controlled lighting sources is a light emitting diode.

4. The slot machine of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller configured to control the illumination of the plurality of controlled light sources.

5. The slot machine of claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured and arranged to control power supplied to the plurality of controlled light sources.

6. The slot machine of claim 1 wherein the plurality of rotatable reels include a translucent material.

7. The slot machine of claim 1 wherein the game symbols include a translucent material.

8. The slot machine of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of rotatable reels include an opaque material outside of an area of the game symbols.

9. A method of operating a slot machine, the method comprising:

displaying information related to winning symbol combinations at a display of a cabinet, the display comprising an updatable portion for receiving dynamic information indicative of configurable winning symbol combinations available for game play, wherein at least one of the displayed configurable winning symbol combinations includes a pattern having symbols on different pay lines;

placing one or more controlled light sources behind individual symbols of a plurality of mechanical rotatable slot machine reels; and

selectively highlighting one or more game symbols on the plurality of slot machine reels by activating the respective controlled light sources, wherein the selective highlighting is based on the configurable winning pattern combinations available for game play indicated at the updatable portion of the display.

10. The method claim 9 , further comprising turning on one or more or the controlled light sources when one or more of the slot machine reels is moving.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising operating a switch configured and arranged to control power to one or more of the light sources during operation.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE (REEL 060204 / FRAME 0216) Recorded Mar 2, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Reel/Frame 074989/0657 →
NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 060204/0216 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 059368/0799 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS SECURITY TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 052828/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2018
From: STEWART, SCOTT; BOND, ANTHONY WAYNE; CONDRON, CASEY LYLE; ANDERSON, LONNIE LYNN; MULL, CHARLES GILBERT; LEWANDOWSKI, STEVE; MCKAY, LINN ANTHONY; BRISTOL, MICHAEL
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 046110/0559 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2018
From: STEWART, SCOTT; BOND, ANTHONY WAYNE; CODRON, CASEY LYLE; ANDERSON, LONNIE LYNN; MULL, CHARLES GILBERT, JR.; LEWANDOWSKI, STEVE; MCKAY, LINN ANTHONY; BRISTOL, MICHAEL
To: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 046105/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 16, 2015
From: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 034777/0498 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation PCTIB2007053939 · Sep 27, 2007
Continuation 11833156 · Aug 2, 2007
Provisional Application 60834329 · Jul 29, 2006
Related Publication 20100041460A1 · Feb 18, 2010