Wide screen gaming apparatus

Abstract

A gaming apparatus, comprising: a display support structure; a display unit capable of generating video images and attached to said display support structure in a position that is non-rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by a front surface of said display unit, wherein said display unit comprises: a flat-panel display screen having a width and a height, said width of said flat-panel display screen being larger than said height of said flat-panel display screen, said width of said flat-panel display screen divided by said height of said flat-panel display screen forming an aspect ratio having a magnitude greater than or equal to 16/10; a value input device; a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager, said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno and video bingo, said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker, said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots, said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack, said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno, said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo, and said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game; a display interface operatively connected to said controller and said display unit; and a touchscreen sensor located in a plane substantially parallel to said front surface of said display unit and associated with said flat-panel display screen.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display support structure;    a display unit capable of generating video images and attached to said display support structure in a position that is non-rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by a front surface of said display unit, wherein said display unit comprises: 
 a flat-panel display screen having a width and a height, said width of said flat-panel display screen being larger than said height of said flat-panel display screen, said width of said flat-panel display screen divided by said height of said flat-panel display screen forming an aspect ratio having a magnitude greater than or equal to 16:10;  
   a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno and video bingo,  
 said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game;  
   a display interface operatively connected to said controller and said display unit; and    a touchscreen sensor located in a plane substantially parallel to said front surface of said display unit and associated with said flat-panel display screen.    
     
     
         2 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said display unit may be adjusted vertically to enhance the angle of viewing for a user.  
     
     
         3 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said display unit may be rotatably adjusted about a horizontal axis that is generally parallel to a horizontal edge of said flat-panel display, to enhance the angle of viewing for a user.  
     
     
         4 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flat-panel display screen is selected from a group of flat-panel displays consisting of LCD, plasma and front projection.  
     
     
         5 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said video images comprise HDTV video images comprising at least 720 progressively scanned lines carrying 1280 pixels each.  
     
     
         6 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said video images comprise HDTV video images comprising at 1600 progressively scanned lines carrying 1024 pixels each.  
     
     
         7 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said video images comprise HDTV video images comprising 1920 progressively scanned lines carrying 1200 pixels each.  
     
     
         8 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said touchscreen sensor comprises a width and a height, said width of said touchscreen sensor being substantially equal to said width of said flat-panel display screen and said height of said touchscreen sensor being substantially equal to said height of said flat-panel display screen.  
     
     
         9 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 1 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         10 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
     
     
         11 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display support structure;    a display unit capable of generating video images and attached to said display support structure in a position that is non-rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by a front surface of said display unit, wherein said display unit comprises: 
 a flat-panel display screen having a width and a height, said width of said flat-panel display screen being larger than said height of said flat-panel display screen, said width of said flat-panel display screen divided by said height of said flat-panel display screen forming an aspect ratio having a magnitude greater than or equal to 16:10;  
   a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a payline selection,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image comprising a plurality of simulated slot machine reels of a slots game, each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols,  
 said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said slots game that is based on a configuration of said slot machine symbols;  
   a display interface operatively connected to said controller and said display unit; and    a touchscreen sensor located in a plane substantially parallel to said front surface of said display unit and associated with said flat-panel display screen.    
     
     
         12 . A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 11  wherein said controller is programmed to allow a user to select a number of paylines.  
     
     
         13 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said display unit may be adjusted vertically to enhance the angle of viewing for a user.  
     
     
         14 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said display unit may be rotatably adjusted about a horizontal axis that is generally parallel to a horizontal edge of said flat-panel display, to enhance the angle of viewing for a user.  
     
     
         15 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said flat-panel display screen is selected from a group of flat-panel displays consisting of LCD, plasma and front projection.  
     
     
         16 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said video images comprise HDTV video images comprising at least 720 progressively scanned lines carrying 1280 pixels each.  
     
     
         17 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said touchscreen sensor comprises a width and a height, said width of said touchscreen sensor being substantially equal to said width of said flat-panel display screen and said height of said touchscreen sensor being substantially equal to said height of said flat-panel display screen.  
     
     
         18 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 11 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         19 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display support structure;    a display unit capable of generating video images and attached to said display support structure in a position that is non-rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by a front surface of said display unit, wherein said display unit comprises: 
 a display screen having a width and a height, said width of said display screen being larger than said height of said display screen, said width of said display screen divided by said height of said display screen forming an aspect ratio having a magnitude greater than or equal to 16:10;  
   a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game selected from the group of games consisting of video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno and video bingo,  
 said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,  
 said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno,  
 said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game;  
   a touchscreen sensor associated with said display screen and operatively connected to said controller.    
     
     
         20 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said display screen comprises a flat-panel display screen.  
     
     
         21 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , further comprising a display interface operatively connected to said controller and said display unit.  
     
     
         22 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said touchscreen sensor is located in a plane substantially parallel to said front surface of said display unit.  
     
     
         23 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said touchscreen sensor comprises a width and a height, said width of said touchscreen sensor being substantially equal to said width of said display screen and said height of said touchscreen sensor being substantially equal to said height of said display screen.  
     
     
         24 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said display unit may be adjusted vertically to enhance the angle of viewing for a user.  
     
     
         25 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said display unit may be rotatably adjusted about a horizontal axis that is generally parallel to a horizontal edge of said flat-panel display, to enhance the angle of viewing for a user.  
     
     
         26 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said flat-panel display screen is selected from a group of flat-panel displays consisting of LCD, plasma and front projection.  
     
     
         27 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said video images comprise HDTV video images comprising at least 720 progressively scanned lines carrying 1280 pixels each.  
     
     
         28 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 19 , said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
     
     
         29 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
     
     
         30 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display support structure;    a display unit capable of generating video images and attached to said display support structure in a position that is non-rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by a front surface of said display unit, wherein said display unit comprises: 
 a display screen having a width and a height, said width of said display screen being larger than said height of said display screen, said width of said display screen divided by said height of said display screen forming an aspect ratio having a magnitude greater than or equal to 16:10;  
   a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to said display unit, said value input device, and a display interface, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, 
 said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,  
 said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing 500 video poker hands, wherein each of said video poker hands comprises at least five playing cards, and  
 said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game.