Granted Patent B2

US 8,137,183 · App. 12/196,243 · Granted Mar 20, 2012

Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A method for providing animation on a gaming machine having one or more mechanical reels, comprising:

spinning at least one mechanical reel, wherein the mechanical reel comprises symbols located at a plurality of symbol positions around an outer circumference of the mechanical reel;

selecting an animation sequence to present during the spinning of the mechanical reel, the animation sequence comprising at least a first symbol and a second symbol;

illuminating the first symbol of the animation sequence, wherein the first symbol is located on the spinning mechanical reel and a lighting system directs light onto the first symbol for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning;

illuminating the second symbol in the animation sequence, wherein the second symbol is located on the spinning mechanical reel and the lighting system directs light onto the second symbol for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning, and wherein a combined effect of illuminating the first and second symbols while the mechanical reel is spinning is to produce an appearance of movement or motion across multiple symbol positions on the mechanical reel.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising illuminating one or more additional symbols on at least one mechanical reel, wherein each additional symbol is illuminated for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising illuminating one or more additional symbols on at least one additional mechanical reel, wherein each additional symbol is illuminated for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving player input to stop the animation.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information from a player tracking card, and the received information determining the criteria for presenting animation to a player.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information from a casino server via a network connection, the received information determining the criteria for the presented animation.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a trigger to begin the animation.

8. A method for providing animation on a network of gaming machines, the method comprising:

providing two or more gaming machines connected via a network connection;

spinning at least one mechanical reel on a first gaming machine, wherein the mechanical reel comprises one or more symbols around an outer circumference of the mechanical reel;

illuminating a first symbol located on the spinning mechanical reel of the first gaming machine, wherein a lighting system directs light onto the first symbol for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning;

spinning at least one mechanical reel on a second gaming machine, wherein the mechanical reel comprises one or more symbols around an outer circumference of the mechanical reel; and

illuminating a second symbol located on the spinning mechanical reel of the second gaming machine that is graphically related to the first symbol, wherein a lighting system directs light onto the second symbol for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning, and wherein a combined effect of illuminating the first and second graphically related symbols while the mechanical reels are spinning is to produce an appearance of animation.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising illuminating one or more additional symbols on at least one of the mechanical reels, wherein each additional symbol is illuminated for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving information from a player tracking card, wherein the received information includes information to trigger the presentation of animation to a player.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving information from a casino server via a network connection, the received information determining the criteria for the presented animation.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein each additional symbol is illuminated for a designated amount of time while the mechanical reel is spinning.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving a trigger to begin the animation.

14. A method for providing animation on a gaming machine having one or more mechanical reels, comprising:

spinning one or more mechanical reels having one or more symbols;

selecting an animation sequence to present during the spinning of the one or more mechanical reels, the animation sequence comprising at least a first symbol and a second symbol that are graphically related and that are associated with one or more reels;

illuminating the first symbol for a designated amount of time while the first symbol is in motion;

illuminating the second symbol for a designated amount of time while the second symbol is in motion, wherein a combined effect of illuminating the graphically related first and second symbols while the first and second symbols are in motion produces an appearance of animation because the first and second symbols are graphically related.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the appearance of animation includes illuminating the first and second symbols on a first reel such that the animation sequence is perceived as occurring at a single position on the first reel while the first reel is spinning.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the appearance of animation includes movement or motion across multiple positions on one mechanical reel.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the appearance of animation includes movement or motion across multiple mechanical reels.

Assignments (10)

Continuity (1)