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US 7,731,580 B2Granted
Gaming device with multiple orbit award indicator
AssigneeIgt
InventorMarkus Rothkranz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gaming device having a display with an award indicator that moves in multiple orbits is provided. A member rotates about a first center point at a first radial distance from the first center point. An indicator rotates about a second center point located on the member at a second radial distance from the second center point. When the indicator stops moving, the indicator points to or indicates an award that is provided to a player of the gaming device.
Claims39
A gaming device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:
- a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager;
- a cabinet;
- a display device controlled by the processor and configured to display the game, said display device supported by the cabinet;
- a display area supported by the cabinet, said display area including a plurality of displayed symbols;
- a member rotatable about a first axis, the member having a free end;
- a first motion producing device configured to rotate the member about the first axis;
- an indicator coupled to the free end of the member, the indicator rotatable about a second axis positioned at the free end of the member, said indicator moveable relative to the displayed symbols, wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis;
- a second motion producing device configured to rotate the indicator about the second axis;
- and
- a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to operate with the member, the first motion producing device, the indicator and the second motion producing device to:
- (i) cause the first motion producing device to rotate the member and the indicator about the first axis,
- (ii) cause the second motion producing device to rotate the indicator about the second axis, the rotation of the indicator about the second axis being independent from the rotation of the indicator about the first axis,
- (iii) stop the rotation of the member,
- (iv) stop the rotation of the indicator,
- (v) cause the indicator to indicate one of the symbols of the display area when the rotation of the member and the indicator stops, and
- (vi) provide an award to the player based on the symbol indicated by the indicator.
13 more elements
A gaming device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:
- a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager;
- a cabinet;
- a display device controlled by the processor and configured to display the game, said display device supported by the cabinet;
- a display area supported by the cabinet, the display area including a plurality of displayed symbols, the display area defining a slot;
- a member having an end which extends through the slot;
- an indicator coupled to the end of the member, said indicator moveable relative to the displayed symbols;
- a first motion producing device configured to rotate the member about an axis;
- a second motion producing device coupled to the member and rotatable by the first motion producing device about the axis, the second motion producing device configured to rotate the indicator about the member, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate one of the symbols when rotation of the member stops;
- and
- a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to operate with the member, the indicator, the first motion producing device and the second motion producing device to:
- (i) cause the first motion producing device to rotate the member and the indicator about the axis,
- (ii) cause the second motion producing device to rotate the indicator about the member, the rotation of the indicator about the member being independent from the rotation of the indicator about the axis,
- (iii) stop the rotation of the member,
- (iv) stop the rotation of the indicator,
- (v) cause the indicator to indicate one of the symbols when the rotation of the member and the rotation of the indicator stops, and
- (vi) provide an award to the player based on the symbol indicated by the indicator.
13 more elements
A gaming device operated under control of a processor, said gaming device comprising:
- a game controlled by the processor and operable upon a wager;
- a cabinet;
- a display device controlled by the processor and operable to display the game, said display device supported by the cabinet;
- an indicator rotatable relative to a plurality of symbols displayable by a display area;
- a first motion producing device coupled to the indicator, the first motion producing device configured to rotate the indicator about a first axis such that the indicator moves in a first orbit about the display area, the display area being stationary relative to the indicator;
- a second motion producing device coupled to the indicator, the second motion producing device moveable about the first axis due to the rotation of the indicator about the first axis by the first motion producing device, the second motion producing device configured to rotate the indicator about a second axis such that:
- (i) the indicator is moveable in a second, different orbit about the second axis when the second motion producing device is moved to a first position about the first axis by the first motion producing device, and (ii) the indicator is moveable in a third, different orbit about the second axis when the second motion producing device is moved to a second, different position about the first axis by the first motion producing device, the second axis being parallel to the first axis and the second, different orbit intersecting the third, different orbit;
- and
- a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to operate with the first motion producing device, the indicator and the second motion producing device to:
- (i) cause the first motion producing device to rotate the indicator about the first axis,
- (ii) cause the second motion producing device to rotate the indicator about the second axis,
- (iii) stop the rotation of the indicator about the first axis,
- (iv) stop the rotation of the indicator about the second axis,
- (v) cause the indicator to indicate one of the symbols of the display area when the rotation of the indicator stops about the first axis and when the rotation of the indicator stops about the second axis, and
- (vi) provide an award to the player based on the symbol indicated by the indicator.
12 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:
- (a) causing a display device to display a game upon a wager by a player;
- (b) causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to cause:
- (i) a first motion producing device to rotate a member having a distal end about a first axis relative to a plurality of symbols, and
- (ii) a second motion producing device to rotate an indicator about a second axis positioned at the distal end of the member, relative to the plurality of symbols, the rotation of the indicator about the second axis being independent from the rotation of the indicator about the first axis;
- (c) causing the first motion producing device and the second motion producing device to stop the rotation of the member and the indicator;
- (d) causing the indicator to indicate one of the plurality of symbols when the rotation of the member and indicator stops;
- and
- (f) causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide an award to the player, the award based on the indicated symbol.
5 more elements
A method of operating a gaming device including a plurality of instructions, said method comprising:
- (a) causing a display device to display a game upon a wager by a player;
- (b) causing a processor to execute the plurality of instructions to simultaneously cause:
- (i) a first motion producing device to rotate an indicator about a first axis through a first orbit about a plurality of symbols, and
- (ii) a second motion producing device to rotate the indicator about a second axis through one of a plurality of different second orbits relative to the symbols, at least one of the second orbits intersecting another one of the second orbits;
- (c) causing the first motion producing device and the second motion producing device to stop the rotation of the indicator;
- (d) after stopping the rotation of the indicator, causing the indicator to indicate one of the symbols;
- and
- (e) causing the processor to execute the plurality of instructions to provide an award to the player, the award based on the indicated symbol.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.