FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an illumination device for a gaming machine. The present invention further relates to a gaming machine comprising an illumination device. The invention furthermore relates to a method of controlling a gaming machine comprising an illumination device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

US 7,641,554 B2 (Paulsen et al.) discloses an improved external visual indicator such as a candle that is provided for a gaming machine having lights such as LEDs and which are programmable via a processor of the gaming machine. The reprogrammability of the illumination sequence and colors of the candle may provide for the promotion of bonusing and to aid in the servicing of gaming machines.

However, there is a need of enhanced visual fedback with increasing sophisticated gaming devices and games for ever increasing gaming experience.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the inventio to provide a comperable simple to produced (and hence a low cost), versatile, multipurpose display medium to provide for enhanced visual fedback possibilities.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide an illumination device for a gaming machine.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine comprising an illumination device.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling a gaming machine comprising an illumination device.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a gaming device may comprise a housing and at least one illumination device attached to the housing, the illumination device further comprising a base element and a moulded top element, wherein the base element comprises an LED-strip element.

In an illustrative embodiment, an illumination device is provided wherein the moulded top element and the base element are connected to each other by means of plastic rivets and/or screws and/or a clip mechanism.

In a further embodiment, the LED-strip element may comprises a number of Red and/or Green and/or Blue LED's.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, the moulded top element may be translucent.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, the moulded top element may be of white translucent polystyrene.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, the moulded top element may be obtained by a vacuum forming process. This provides for simple though effective handling and production of the illumination devices.

In a further embodiment according to the invention, the gaming device may comprise a display area and the illumination device is arranged to at least partly frame the display area. The illumination device may be bar-shaped, i.e. comprising a substantially elongated base and moulded top element. In a further embodiment, the illumination device may be closed shaped, i.e. may have a ring-shaped both base and moulded top element.

The shape of each unit may vary from a simple straight tube to more complex curved tubes to moulded 3-dimensional shapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. shows an illumination device according to an embodiment of the invention in plan view and cross-section view;

Fig. 2 shows a multiple station gaming device according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 shows a multiple station gaming device comprising a shared display according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 multiple station gaming device comprising an illumination device according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 shows an illumination device according to a further embodiment of the invention in plan view. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows an illumination device 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The illumination device 10 comprises a base element 11 and a moulded top element 12; wherein the base element 11 comprises an (light emitting diode) LED-strip element 13.

The moulded top element 12 may be formed in a variety of shapes and sizes by a simple vacuum forming process. For instance the moulded top element may be formed from a three (3) milimeter thick white translucent polystyrene to substantially form a semicircular shape in cross-section view.

Such an illumination device 10 according to the invention is a comperable simple to produced (and hence a low cost), versatile, multipurpose display medium.

Several of such illumination devices may be connected respectively attached together to make up a larger illumination display, wherein attachment means may be provided at the illumination devices to enable such an attachment. The attachment means may be provided with the base element 11 and/or moulded top element 12, on a front side and/or on a long side of the illumination device. A planar 2-dimensional or a 3 -dimensional arrangement of an larger illumination device may be achieved.

The base element 11 in the present case has an U-shaped cross-section and is substantially elongated respectively bar-shaped wit a length L. The base element 11 in this case comprises a Red/Green/Blue LED-strip 13. The moulded top element 12 is opalescent nd connected respectively attached to the base element 11 by a variety of rivets (not shown in Fig. 1). It is to be mentioned that the connection may be done, in addition with or separately by, screws and/or clips etc..

Fig. 2 shows a multiple station gaming device 20 according to a further embodiment of the invention. The multiple station gaming device gaming device 20 comprises in this case three gaming devices, i.e. a first gaming device 21, a second gaming device 22 and a third gaming device 23. A number of illumination devices are connected to this gaming devices. A first set of bar-shaped illumination devices 24 is provided for the first gaming device 21. A second set of bar-shaped illumination devices 25 is provided for the second gaming device 22. A third set of bar-shaped illumination devices 26 is provided for the third gaming device 23. Likewise, a first closed-shaped illumination device 27 is provided for the first gaming device 21. A second closed-shaped illumination devices 28 is provided for the second gaming device 22. A third closed-shaped illumination devices 29 is provided for the third gaming device 23. Each of the closed-shaped illumination devices 27, 28 and 29 surrounds a respective display area of the respective gaming device 21 - 23.

Fig. 5 shows a detailed sample engineering drawing of such a closed-shaped illumination device 27, 28 respectively 29. Among a number of openings and holes shown and provided for different purposes like production and handling - the shaded area represents the illuminated section.

Each of the gaming device 21 - 23 may comprise a first display that may be a thin film transistor (TFT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), or any other type of display, e.g touch screen display. A second display may provide game data or other information in addition to the first display. The second display may provide static information, such as an advertisement for the game, the rules ofthe game, pay tables, paylines, or other information, or may even display the main game or a bonus game along with the first display. Alternatively, the area for the second display may be a display glass for conveying information about the game.

A coin slot may be provided to accepts coins or tokens in one or more denominations to generate credits within the gaming device for playing games. An input slot for an optical reader and printer receives machine readable printed tickets and outputs printed tickets for use in cashless gaming. A bill acceptor may be provided to accept various denominations of banknotes. A coin tray may be provided to receive coins or tokens from a hopper upon a win or upon the player cashing out.

A card reader slot may be provided to accept any ofvarious types of cards, such as smart cards, magnetic strip cards, or other types of cards conveying machine readable information. The card reader reads the inserted card for player and credit information for cashless gaming. The card reader may also include an optical reader and printer for reading and printing coded barcodes and other information on a paper ticket.

A keypad may be provided to accept player input, such as a personal identification number (PIN) or any other player information. A part of the display may be provided to display a menu for instructions and other information and provides visual feedback of the keys pressed.

Player control buttons may be provided for the play of the particular game or games offered by the gaming device including, for example, a bet button, a repeat bet button, a play two-ways button, a spin reels button, a deal button, hold cards buttons, a draw button, a maximum bet button, a cashout button, a display paylines button, a display payout tables button, select icon buttons, and any other suitable button. The control buttons may be replaced by a touch screen with virtual buttons. The multiple station gaming device gaming device 20 may comprise a control unit (not shown in Fig. 2) for enabling a game program to illuminates the Red/Green/Blue LED's of the LED strip 13 at varying intensities to illuminate the illumination devices with different coloured light. The control unit may comprise a processor that is associated with several controllers. The controllers may control the power to the LEDs. The processor may be any processor or circuit to provide the control signals to the controllers such as, but not limited to, a controller, addressable controller, microprocessor, microcontroller, addressable microprocessor, computer, programmable processor, programmable controller, dedicated processor, dedicated controller, application specific integrated circuit, integrated circuit, control circuit or other processor. In an embodiment, the processor is a Microchip PIC processor and the LEDs may be red, green and blue. The controller may be a pulse width modulator, pulse amplitude modulator, pulse displacement modulator, resistor ladder, current source, voltage source, voltage ladder, switch, transistor, voltage controller, or other controller. The controller controls the current, voltage or power through the LED. The controller may have a signal input wherein the controller is responsive to a signal received by the signal input. The signal input is associated with the processor such that the processor communicates signals to the signal input and the controller regulates the current, voltage and or power through the LED. In an embodiment, several LEDs with different spectral output may be used. Each of these colors may be driven through separate controllers. The processor and controller may be incorporated into one device. This device may power capabilities to drive several LEDs in a string or it may only be able to support one or a few LEDs directly. The processor and controller may also be separate devices. By controlling the LEDs independently, color mixing may be achieved for the creation of lighting effects. An electronic memory may also be provided. The memory may be capable of storing algorithms, tables, files, or values associated with the control signals. In an embodiment, the memory may store programs for controlling the LEDs. A program, for example, may store control signals to operate several different colored LEDs. A user interface may also be associated with the processor. The user interface may be used to select a program from memory, modify a program from memory, modify a program parameter from memory, select an external signal or provide other user interface solutions. The processor may also be addressable to receive programming signals addressed to it.

The illumination device may also be associated with signal input connection. An information signal may be communicated to the signal input connection or a receiver. The processor may convert the information signal into an illumination control signal; and the illumination device may change color corresponding to the information signal. A second processor may also be provided. The second processor may convert the information signal to lighting control signals. These lighting control signals may be communicated to the illumination device.

Fig. 3 shows a multiple station gaming device 30 according to a further embodiment of the invention. The multiple station gaming device gaming device 30 comprises in this case three gaming devices, i.e. a first gaming device 31, a second gaming device 32 and a third gaming device 33. A number of illumination devices are connected to this gaming devices. A first set of bar-shaped illumination devices 34 is provided for the first gaming device 31. A second set of bar-shaped illumination devices 35 is provided for the second gaming device 32. A third set of bar-shaped illumination devices 36 is provided for the third gaming device 33.

The multiple station gaming device 30 comprises a common central display 37. In this case an illumination device arrangement 38 is arranged to at least partly frame the shared central display 37 and used to differentiate which player is currently active on the shared display. Each player station (gaming devices 31 - 33) may comprise its own illumination device and the central display maybe surrounded by a common illumination device. The illumination devices are controlled to illuminate with a different colour depending on which player station is or was currently active.

Fig. 4 shows a multiple station gaming device 40 according to a further embodiment of the invention. The multiple station gaming device gaming device 40 comprises in this case three gaming devices, i.e. a first gaming device 41, a second gaming device 42 and a third gaming device 43. A number of illumination devices are connected to this gaming devices 41 - 43. A first set of bar-shaped illumination devices 44 is provided for the first gaming device 41. A second set of bar-shaped illumination devices 45 is provided for the second gaming device 42. A third set of bar-shaped illumination devices 46 is provided for the third gaming device 43. the multiple station gaming device 40 further comprises a shared illumination device 47 that is of a multi-surface 3d-moulded formation as well as further illumination device 48 that is arranged in a letter-type formation.