System for animating mechanical reels on a gaming machine

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a plurality of reels each having symbols provided on an outer surface of each of the reels;

a lighting system configured to illuminate at least two selected symbols on at least one reel, wherein the at least two selected symbols are different but graphically related;

a game controller for generating a game outcome; and

a reel control unit in communication with the game controller, wherein the reel control unit determines the timing of illuminating of the at least two selected symbols, wherein a combined effect of illuminating the at least two selected symbols produces an appearance of animation because the at least two selected symbols are different but graphically related,

wherein the appearance of animation includes illuminating the first and second symbols such that the appearance of animation is perceived as occurring at a single position on at least one reel.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the gaming machine comprises at least three reels.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein each reel comprises its own light source to illuminate symbols on the reel.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein each reel comprises at least three light sources, a first light source to illuminate a symbol located on the top display position of a reel, a second light source to illuminate a symbol located on the middle display position of a reel, and a third light source to illuminate a symbol located on the bottom display position of a reel.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the reel comprises at least twenty-one symbols.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a LED, OLED, neon light, laser light, ultraviolet light or any combination thereof.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the reel includes invisible symbols, and an ultraviolet light source is used to illuminate a selected invisible symbol.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising a player-actuated button to stop the animation.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the appearance of animation includes movement or motion across multiple positions on at least one reel.

10. A gaming machine, comprising:

one or more reels displayed in a display area, each reel having symbols drawn on an outer circumference and one or more of the symbols on each reel viewable in the display area;

a lighting system positioned within the gaming machine and configured to illuminate a first selected symbol on a first reel and then illuminate a second selected symbol on the first reel to produce an appearance of movement or motion across multiple positions on the first reel,

wherein each reel comprises at least three light sources, a first light source to illuminate a symbol located on the top display position of a reel, a second light source to illuminate a symbol located on the middle display position of a reel, and a third light source to illuminate a symbol located on the bottom display position of a reel.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the gaming machine comprises at least three reels.

12. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the animation appears on more than one reel.

13. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein each reel comprises its own light source to illuminate symbols on the reel.

14. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the first reel comprises at least twenty-one symbols.

15. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the light source is a LED, OLED, neon light, laser light, ultraviolet light or any combination thereof.

16. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the first reel includes invisible symbols, and an ultraviolet light source is used to illuminate a selected invisible symbol.

17. The gaming machine of claim 10 , further comprising a player-actuated button to stop the animation.

18. A gaming machine, comprising:

a display window;

one or more reels positioned behind the display window, each of the one or more reels having indicia provided on an outer surface of each of the reels; and

a reel control unit, wherein the reel control unit determines an animation profile for at least one reel having a first symbol and a second symbol associated therewith, wherein the first symbol is different but graphically related to the second symbol, and wherein an animation sequence appears on at least one reel because the first and second symbols are different but graphically related,

wherein the animation sequence appears on at least one reel such that the animation sequence is perceived as occurring at a single position on at least one reel.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein the gaming machine comprises at least three reels.

20. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein each reel comprises its own light source to illuminate symbols on the reel.

21. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein each reel comprises at least three light sources, a first light source to illuminate a symbol located on the top display position of a reel, a second light source to illuminate a symbol located on the middle display position of a reel, and a third light source to illuminate a symbol located on the bottom display position of a reel.

22. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein the reel comprises at least twenty-one symbols.

23. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein the light source is a LED, OLED, neon light, laser light, ultraviolet light or any combination thereof.

24. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein the reel includes invisible symbols, and an ultraviolet light source is used to illuminate a selected invisible symbol.

25. The gaming machine of claim 18 , further comprising a player-actuated button to stop the animation.

26. The gaming machine of claim 18 , wherein the animation sequence includes movement or motion across multiple positions on at least one reel.