Gaming display with moveable indicator and methods of use

Abstract

The present invention has a gaming apparatus that includes a display device that is adapted to display several possible game outcomes. Moveable indicators are configured to indicate at least one of the game outcomes. A controller is in communication with the display device and the moveable indicator. The controller is configured to position the moveable indicator to convey the game outcome.

1 . A gaming device comprising: 
 (A) a housing;    (B) an indicator mounted in the housing;    (C) an indicator actuator configured to move the indicator from a first position to a second position in a linear non-oscillating manner;    (D) a display device associated with the housing, the display device displaying a plurality of indicia;    (E) a display device actuator configured to move the display device; and    (F) at least one controller in communication with the display device actuator and the indicator actuator, the controller being configured to determine a game outcome, and to direct movement of the indicator from the first position to the second position and to direct movement of the display device in order to display the game outcome.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is reset to the first position before a start of a new game.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator actuator further is configured to move the indicator to a third and fourth position.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 3 , wherein the indicator is reset to the fourth position before the start of a new game.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 3 , wherein the indicator is reset to the third position before the start of a new game.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator moves in the same direction during a game.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator has a first starting position and a second starting position.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising a player input device in communication with the controller, wherein the player input device allows a player to control the movement of at least one of the indicator and the display device, wherein, after the player has activated the player input device, the controller causes at least one of the display device and the indicator to move such that the indicator moves from the first position to the second position to indicate an indicia on the display device that corresponds to the game outcome determined by the controller.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two indicators and a player input device in communication with the controller, wherein the player input device allows a player to choose which indicator displays the game outcome.  
     
     
         10 . A gaming method comprising, but not necessarily in the order shown: 
 (A) providing a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a moveable indicator and a moveable display surface, the moveable display surface comprising a plurality of indicia;    (B) allowing a player to place a wager;    (C) determining a game outcome, the game outcome corresponding to, and being conveyable by, at least one indicia appearing on the moveable display surface;    (D) moving the display device along a first path;    (E) moving the moveable indicator from a first position to a second position in a linear non-oscillating manner; and    (F) stopping the display surface, wherein in combination, the stopped display surface and the moveable indicator indicate an indicia on the moveable display surface corresponding to the game outcome.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 (A) providing a player input device;    (B) allowing the player to at least partially control the movement of the moveable indicator using the player input device.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the moveable indicator is reset to the first position after each game.  
     
     
         13 . A gaming method comprising, but not necessarily in the order shown: 
 (A) providing a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a moveable indicator and a moveable display surface, the moveable display surface comprising a plurality of indicia;    (B) allowing a player to place a wager;    (C) determining a game outcome, the game outcome corresponding to, and being conveyable by, at least one indicia appearing on the moveable display surface;    (D) moving the display device along a first path;    (E) stopping the display surface; and    (F) moving the moveable indicator from a start position to a final position in a linear non-oscillating manner, wherein in combination, the stopped display surface and the moveable indicator indicate an indicia on the moveable display surface corresponding to the game outcome.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 (A) providing a player input device;    (B) allowing the player to at least partially control the movement of the moveable indicator using the player input device.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the moveable indicator is reset to the start position after each game.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the player's input has no affect on the game outcome.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising awarding a prize to the player, the prize being represented by the indicia indicated by the moveable indicator.  
     
     
         18 . A gaming apparatus comprising: 
 (A) a video display device, the video display device being adapted to display a plurality of possible game outcomes;    (B) at least one moveable indicator configured to indicate at least one of the game outcomes; and    (C) a controller in communication with video display device and the moveable indicator, the controller configured to position the moveable indicator to convey the game outcome.    
     
     
         19 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the moveable indicator is lighted.  
     
     
         20 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a player input device, the player input device in communication with the controller, the player input device configured to allow a player to select the moveable indicator to convey the game outcome.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the plurality of possible game outcomes and the game outcome are revealed after the player selects one of the moveable indicators.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising an actuator in communication with the controller and configured to move the moveable indicators.  
     
     
         23 . A gaming method comprising, but not necessarily in the order shown: 
 (A) providing a gaming device, the gaming device comprising a moveable indicator and a display, the display having a plurality of prize positions hidden by a symbol;    (B) displaying the symbols to the player;    (C) allowing a player to place a wager;    (D) determining a game outcome, the game outcome corresponding to, and being conveyable by, at least one hidden indicia appearing in the prize position;    (E) moving the moveable indicator to point to at least one prize position; and    (F) displaying the hidden indicia at the prize position.    
     
     
         24 . The gaming method of  claim 23  further comprising, displaying non-game outcome indicia at each prize position.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming method of  claim 23  further comprising, lighting the indicator.  
     
     
         26 . The gaming method of  claim 23  further comprising, allowing a player to select one of a plurality of moveable indicators to convey the game outcome.  
     
     
         27 . The gaming method of  claim 23  further comprising, awarding a prize to the player, the prize being represented by the indicia indicated by the moveable indicator.  
     
     
         28 . The gaming method of  claim 23  further comprising, hiding the indicia using a symbol in the prize position.  
     
     
         29 . A gaming device comprising: 
 (A) display means for displaying a plurality of hidden indicia;    (B) indicator means for indicating at least one of the hidden indicia;    (C) indicator actuator means for moving the moveable indicator means; and    (D) controller means for controlling the display means and movement of indicator means, wherein the controller means is configured to position the indicator means and reveal at least one of the hidden indicia on the display such that an indicia corresponding to a game outcome is indicated by the indicator means.    
     
     
         30 . The gaming device of  claim 29  further comprising player input means in communication with the controller means, the player input means allowing a player to select an indicator from a set of at least two indicators.  
     
     
         31 . The gaming device of  claim 29  further comprising player input means in communication with the controller means, the player input means allowing a player to direct the indicator means to display an indicator.  
     
     
         32 . A gaming device comprising: 
 (A) a video display, the video display being adapted to display a plurality of prize positions, the prize positions each containing a prize indicia hidden by a symbol;    (B) a moveable indicator configured to point to at least two of the prize positions;    (C) a controller in communication with video display and the moveable indicator, the controller configured to position the moveable indicator adjacent at least one prize position;    (D) a player input device in communication with the controller, the player input device configured to allow a game player to select which prize position the moveable indicator points toward.    
     
     
         33 . The gaming device of  claim 32 , wherein the controller reveals the prize indicia hidden by the symbol after the game player selects the prize position that the moveable indicator points toward.  
     
     
         34 . The gaming device of  claim 32 , wherein the moveable indicator is an arrow.  
     
     
         35 . The gaming device of  claim 32 , wherein the moveable indicator is a changeable display.  
     
     
         36 . The gaming device of  claim 32 , wherein the moveable indicator oscillates.  
     
     
         37 . The gaming device of  claim 32 , wherein the moveable indicator does not oscillate.