Entertainment machines

Abstract

A display device for a player-operable entertainment machine has a rotatable reel ( 9 ) with symbols around its periphery. The symbols are defined digitally on a support ( 27, 30 ), such as a curved LCD strip, by feed of signals from a signal generating device ( 28 ). The support ( 27 ) may rotate with the reel. Alternatively the support ( 30 ) may be fixed so that the reel ( 9 ) rotates but the support ( 30 ) is static. In this case the support ( 30 ) extends round part only of the periphery of the reel and the feed of signals is such as to define symbols which move with the rotation of the reel ( 9 ).

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A display device for displaying symbols in a player-operable entertainment machine comprising at least one movable member having a symbol-bearing support, and a signal-generating device characterised in that the support is a signal-actuable support whereby the symbols are produced on said support by supply of signals thereto from said signal-generating device.  
     
     
         19 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the movable member is movable relative to the support, and the signal-generating device is operable to produce a moving symbol display on the support.  
     
     
         20 . A display device for a player-operable entertainment machine comprising at least one movable member arranged to bear symbols for display on the machine, and a signal-generating device, characterised by the provision of a signal-actuable support mounted alongside said member so that the member is movable relative to the support and the symbols are arranged to be produced on said support in a sequence moving in correspondence with movement of the member by supply of signals to the support from the signal-generating device.  
     
     
         21 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the support is movable with the movable member.  
     
     
         22 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the movable member is a rotatable member.  
     
     
         23 . A display device according to  claim 22  characterised in that the rotatable member is an axially rotatable reel, and the support is in the form of a strip mounted in a curved path relative to at least a part of an outer peripheral structure of the reel so as to face radially outwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         24 . A display device according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the strip extends around part only of the peripheral structure.  
     
     
         25 . A display device according to  claim 24  wherein the peripheral structure is open whereby the strip is visible therethrough.  
     
     
         26 . A display device for a player-operable entertainment machine comprising a signal-actuable support, and a signal-generating device, characterised in that the support is shaped to conform to a simulated path of movement and the symbols are arranged to be produced on said support in a sequence moving along said path by supply of signals to the support from the signal-generating device.  
     
     
         27 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the support comprises an LCD substrate and said symbols comprise digital signals.  
     
     
         28 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the signal-generating device is operable to produce and maintain said signals thereby to establish and maintain said symbols.  
     
     
         29 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the signal-generating device is operable to produce said signals thereby to establish said symbols, the support being operative to retain established symbols.  
     
     
         30 . A display device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the signal-generating device is operable in a plurality of modes corresponding respectively to a plurality of different symbol ranges.  
     
     
         31 . A device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the support is back illuminated with an illumination device.  
     
     
         32 . A device according to  claim 18  characterised in that the symbols on the support comprise pictorial representations of fruit.  
     
     
         33 . A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine of the kind having a main display device for displaying a combination of symbols at a win zone, said device comprising a plurality of side-by-side symbol-bearing reels rotatable about a common horizontal axis within a housing behind a window at the win zone, characterised in that said main display device is the display device of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         34 . A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine of the kind having a main display device for displaying a combination of symbols at a win zone, and an auxiliary display device for displaying one or more symbols in relation to a supplementary game feature characterised in that said auxiliary display device is the device of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         35 . An entertainment machine operable to receive monetary value from a player, the entertainment machine comprising: 
 a housing defining at least one display zone;    a symbol-bearing support movably coupled to the housing, a portion of the symbol-bearing support positioned adjacent to the display zone;    a motor operatively coupled to the symbol-bearing support;    a signal-generating device operatively coupled to the symbol-bearing support;    a plurality of symbols generated by the signal-generating device and displayed on the symbol-bearing support;    a successful outcome occurring when at least one of the symbols is displayed at the display zone; and    an award available to the player when the successful outcome occurs, the award being at least partially based on the monetary value provided by the player.    
     
     
         36 . The entertainment machine of  claim 35 , wherein the symbol-bearing support includes a movable member which supports a signal-actuable device.  
     
     
         37 . The entertainment machine of  claim 35 , wherein the signal-actuable device includes a device selected from the group consisting of a Liquid Crystal Diode (LCD) device, an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) device and a flexible diode device.  
     
     
         38 . The entertainment machine of  claim 35 , which includes a light source supported by the housing, the light source generating light which is directed to the symbol-bearing support.  
     
     
         39 . The entertainment machine of  claim 35 , wherein the signal-generating device has a plurality of modes, each of the modes associated with at least one different symbol, each of the modes activated upon occurrence of a designated event.  
     
     
         40 . The entertainment machine of  claim 39 , wherein the designated event is selected from the group consisting of an input by an operator, an input by the player, occurrence of a game play parameter and occurrence of a non-game related parameter.  
     
     
         41 . An entertainment machine controlled by a processor, the entertainment machine operable to receive monetary value from a player, the entertainment machine comprising: 
 a housing defining at least one display zone;    a plurality of drums rotatably coupled to the housing, each of the drums having an outer surface, a portion of each of the drums being positioned adjacent to the display zone;    a plurality of signal-actuable devices, each of the signal-actuable devices connected to the outer surface of one of the drums;    a plurality of motors, each of the motors operatively coupled to one of the drums;    at least one signal-generating device operatively coupled to the processor and the signal-actuable devices;    a plurality of symbols generated by the signal-generating device and displayed by the signal-actuable devices;    a successful outcome occurring when at least one of the symbols is displayed at the display zone; and    an award available to the player when the successful outcome occurs, the award being at least partially based on the monetary value provided by the player.    
     
     
         42 . The entertainment machine of  claim 41 , wherein each of the signal-actuable devices includes a device selected from the group consisting of a Liquid Crystal Diode (LCD) device, an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) device and a flexible diode device.  
     
     
         43 . The entertainment machine of  claim 42 , wherein each of the signal-actuable devices includes an flexible diode strip extending around all or substantially all of the outer surface of one of the drums.  
     
     
         44 . The entertainment machine of  claim 41 , wherein each of the signal-generating devices has a plurality of modes, each of the modes associated with at least one different symbol, each of the modes activated upon occurrence of a designated event.  
     
     
         45 . The entertainment machine of  claim 44 , wherein the designated event is selected from the group consisting of an input by an operator, an input by the player, occurrence of a game play parameter and occurrence of a non-game related parameter.  
     
     
         46 . The entertainment machine of  claim 41 , which includes at least one light source supported by the housing, the light source generating light which is directed to each one of the signal-actuable devices.  
     
     
         47 . The entertainment machine of  claim 41 , which includes a data storage device accessible by the processor, the data storage device storing data which is associated with different displays produced by each one of the signal-actuable devices, each of said displays including a designated sequence of designated ones of the symbols.  
     
     
         48 . An entertainment machine operable to receive monetary value from a player, the entertainment machine comprising: 
 a housing defining at least one display zone;    a movable member movably coupled to the housing, the movable member having an outer surface, the outer surface having an plurality of portions positioned adjacent to the display zone;    a motor operatively coupled to the movable member;    a signal-actuable device supported by the housing adjacent to and spaced apart from the movable member, the signal-actuable device covering one of the portions of the movable member at the display zone and exposing another one of the portions of the movable member at the display zone;    a signal-generating device operatively coupled to the signal-actuable device;    a display generated by the signal-generating device, the display including a simulation of a plurality of symbols moving and then coming to a stop;    a successful outcome occurring when at least one of the symbols is displayed at the display zone; and    an award available to the player when the successful outcome occurs, the award being at least partially based on the monetary value provided by the player.    
     
     
         49 . The entertainment machine of  claim 48 , which includes a processor operatively coupled to the motor and the signal-generating device, the processor synchronizing the simulated movement of the symbols with the movement of the exposed portion of the movable member.  
     
     
         50 . The entertainment machine of  claim 48 , wherein the movable object includes a wheel or a mechanical reel.  
     
     
         51 . The entertainment machine of  claim 48 , wherein the movable object includes a drum structure, and the exposed portion includes a rim of the drum structure.  
     
     
         52 . The entertainment machine of  claim 51 , which includes a support member supported by the housing within the drum structure, the support member fixedly positioned adjacent to the display zone.  
     
     
         53 . The entertainment machine of  claim 52 , wherein the signal-actuable device includes a diode strip connected to the support member.  
     
     
         54 . The entertainment machine of  claim 53 , wherein the support member includes a light source.