Method and apparatus for creating a multi-panel video display unit gaming device

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for creating a computer generated video display based gaming device having a plurality of display unit in which gaming images, advertisements, and announcements are displayed to a player of the gaming device. apparatus consists of a multi-panel gaming device permits a player to operate a video-based game. The gaming system has a programmable computing system enclosed within a computer enclosure 10 having a top side and a back side. The gaming system also has a separate player wager and prize unit having a plurality of input and output devices relating to accepting wagers from the player and paying winnings to the player, the input and output devices are enclosed within the wager and prize unit. The gaming system uses a pair of vertical support members extending upward from the computer enclosure. These support members are located on either side of a plurality of video display devices and hold the sequence of video display devices in a vertical column. A player stands or sits in front of the rising sequence of video display devices to play the gaming system such that the player may easily view the sequence of images presented upon the display devices while operating the gaming system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electronic gaming system for permitting a player to operate a video-based game, the gaming system comprising: 
 a programmable computing system enclosed within a computer enclosure having a top side and a back side;    a player wager and prize unit having a plurality of input and output devices relating to accepting wagers from the player and paying winnings to the player, the input and output devices are enclosed within the wager and prize unit;    a pair of vertical support members extending upward from the top side of the computer enclosure; and    two or more player display devices for presenting video images and audio sounds generated by the programmable computing system to the player, the player display devices having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of horizontal edges;    wherein the display devices are coupled to a pair of vertical support members about the vertical edges of the player display devices; and    the computer enclosure and the wager and prize unit are separate units electrically connected by a communication cable in order to permit the wager and prize unit to be easily be connected and disconnected from the computer enclosure.    
     
     
         2 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 1 , wherein the programmable computing system comprises: 
 a processing module electrically connected to a system bus;    two or more video interface modules connected to the system bus, each video display module is electrically connected to a player display device;    mass storage interface module connected to the system bus; and    an intelligent input and output module (IIOB) connected to the system bus;    wherein the IIOB module is further connected to the communications cable used to transmit and receive data to and from the wager and prize unit.    
     
     
         3 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wager and prize unit comprises one or more player interface units chosen from the following: a coin return hopper, a bill acceptor unit, a coin/token acceptor unit, a credit card acceptor unit, and a prize ticket payout unit.  
     
     
         4 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 1 , wherein the video display modules comprise an LCD panel for displaying video images.  
     
     
         5 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 4 , wherein the wherein the video display modules comprise one or more audio speakers.  
     
     
         6 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 2 , wherein the wherein the video interface modules comprise a video buffer memory module.  
     
     
         7 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 2 , wherein the programmable computing system comprise one or more concurrently operating software modules that generate the sequence of video images stored within the video interface modules for display upon the video display devices.  
     
     
         8 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 7 , wherein the sequence of video images comprise video images used to display games images presenting the operation of the game to the player.  
     
     
         9 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 8 , wherein the sequence of video images further comprise video images used to display advertisements and announcements.  
     
     
         10 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 9 , wherein the game images are displayed upon different video display devices from video display devices displaying the advertisements and announcements.  
     
     
         11 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 3 , wherein the communications cable electrically connecting the IIOB module to the wager and prize unit comprises a plurality of electrical connections to connect each of the one or more player interface units in the wager and prize unit to the IIOB module.  
     
     
         12 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the one or more player interface units operate in response to commands received from and transmitted through the IIOB module to the processing module, the commands are processed by software modules executing within the processing module.  
     
     
         13 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 7 , wherein the software modules generate the sequence of video images based upon video data elements retrieved from mass storage devices connected to the mass storage interface module.  
     
     
         14 . The electronic gaming system according to  claim 13 , wherein the video data elements retrieved from mass storage devices connected to the mass storage interface module comprise streaming video data transmitted directly from the mass storage interface module to the video display interface module.  
     
     
         15 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a computer controlled gaming device including a payment receiver;    a computer controlled actuator;    a computer controlled determiner awarding winning for selected plays;    a computer controlled distributor for paying or crediting winnings; and    a display assembly mounted to the gaming device, the display assembly including a plurality of display screens providing gaming information; wherein the screens are vertically connected in a serial configuration.    
     
     
         16 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the display screens extend upward from the gaming device.  
     
     
         17 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of display screens face toward a center point forward and above the gaming device.  
     
     
         18 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the display comprises at least three screens.  
     
     
         19 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the display screens comprise video screens for displaying computer generated video images.  
     
     
         20 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the display screens mount on support rails on support rails, wherein a support rail extends upward from each end of the display screens.  
     
     
         21 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the display screens mount on support rails on support rails, wherein a support rail extends upward from each end of the display screens.  
     
     
         22 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the support rails arc about a radius having a focal point substantially at the center point.  
     
     
         23 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the gaming device comprises a plurality of modules interconnecting in a side by side configuration.  
     
     
         24 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein adjacent display screens are connected at an oblique angle to one another.  
     
     
         25 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the display screens display portions of a larger image that form a continuous image.  
     
     
         26 . A gaming apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising gaming device controls, wherein the controls are located on an upper portion of the gaming device.  
     
     
         27 . A display system for a computer controlled gaming apparatus having a housing, comprising: 
 a plurality of video display screens mounted to an upper portion of the housing; wherein the display screens are connected along upper and lower edges to adjacent display screens.    
     
     
         28 . A display system according to  claim 27 , wherein each of the display screens comprises a computer generated video display.  
     
     
         29 . A display system according to  claim 27 , wherein the display system includes at least three connected display screens.  
     
     
         30 . A display system according to  claim 27 , wherein the display screens are arranged at an obtuse angle to one another.  
     
     
         31 . A display system according to  claim 27 , wherein the display screens are arranged to face a center point forward of the screens and above the housing.  
     
     
         32 . A display system according to claim  31 , wherein the display screens mount on arcing side rails, arcing about the center point.