Method for interacting a display with mechanical reels
View Patent ↗Various methods for interacting with mechanical reels via a video screen are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a gaming machine having one or more mechanical reels positioned behind a video screen, wherein the video screen includes a touch screen and user interface for receiving user input. The mechanical reels spin and generate a game outcome, visible to the player through a video screen. A request is received, via the user interface, to rearrange the placement order of the mechanical reels, and the rearranged order of the mechanical reels is displayed on the video screen.
1. A method for interacting with mechanical reels via a video screen, the method comprising:
providing a gaming machine having one or more mechanical reels positioned behind a video screen, the video screen including a touch screen and a user interface for receiving user input;
receiving a player bet;
spinning the one or more mechanical reels, and during the spinning of the mechanical reels, receiving a signal from the user interface to stop spinning one identified particular mechanical reel while at least one mechanical reel continues to spin;
stopping the mechanical reels and producing a game outcome visible to the player through the video screen;
receiving a request via the user interface to rearrange the placement order of the mechanical reels;
displaying, on the video screen, the rearranged order of the mechanical reels;
reordering selected symbols of a selected mechanical reel such that a first selected symbol of the selected mechanical reel replaces a second selected symbol of the selected mechanical reel and the second selected symbol replaces the first selected symbol; and
presenting one or more virtual reels on the video screen for use in conjunction with the mechanical reels during a game.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, during the spinning of the mechanical reels, receiving a signal from the user interface to stop spinning at least one identified, particular mechanical reel.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending a signal to a reel control unit to stop spinning the identified particular mechanical reel.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending a signal to a stepper motor to stop spinning the identified particular mechanical reel.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request via the user interface to rearrange the order of the symbols on at least one of the mechanical reels.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising displaying the mechanical reels and the resulting rearrangement of the symbols on the video screen.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving user input to rearrange a sequential placement order of the reels on the video screen without removing any reels.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating one or more paylines on the video screen for use in conjunction with the mechanical reels during a game.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising downloading data from a back end system to the gaming machine, wherein the data is for use by the video screen.
10. A method for interacting with mechanical reels via a video screen, the method comprising:
providing a gaming machine having one or more mechanical reels positioned behind a video screen, the video screen including a touch screen and user interface for receiving user input;
receiving a player bet;
spinning the one or more mechanical reels, and during the spinning of the mechanical reels, receiving a signal from the user interface to stop spinning one identified particular mechanical reel while at least one mechanical reel continues to spin;
stopping the mechanical reels and producing a game outcome visible to the player through the video screen;
receiving a request via the user interface to rearrange the placement of one or more symbols on at least one mechanical reel;
displaying, on the video screen, the mechanical reels and the rearranged order of the symbols on the mechanical reels;
reordering selected symbols of a selected mechanical reel such that a first selected symbol of the selected mechanical reel replaces a second selected symbol of the selected mechanical reel and the second selected symbol replaces the first selected symbol; and
presenting one or more virtual reels on the video screen for use in conjunction with the mechanical reels during a game.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, during the spinning of the mechanical reels, receiving a signal from the user interface to stop spinning at least one identified, particular mechanical reel.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending a signal to a reel control unit to stop spinning the identified particular mechanical reel.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending a signal to a stepper motor to stop spinning the identified particular mechanical reel.
14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving a request via the user interface to rearrange the order of the mechanical reels.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising presenting the rearrangement of the mechanical reels on the video screen.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving user input to rearrange a sequential placement order of the reels on the video screen without removing any reels.
17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating one or more paylines on the video screen for use in conjunction with the mechanical reels during a game.
18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising downloading data from a back end system to the gaming machine, wherein the data is for use by the video screen.