Electronic inserts for a gaming apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for electronically controlling gaming machines such as poker, blackjack, slots, keno, and/or bingo. Customer information such as denomination input, maximum coin input, maximum number of coins won, pay tables, pay lines, and the like may be changed electronically with an electronic ink display. The gaming machine may be updated electronically without shutting the game down and losing income or incurring additional costs from manually replacing static display inserts on the machine.

1 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a housing;    a display unit disposed on the housing, the display unit adapted to display denomination input, maximum coin input, maximum coin jackpot, pay tables, paylines, and predetermined customer advertisements;    at least one electronic insert associated with the display unit, the electronic insert including a plurality of electronic ink elements with permanently charged particles suspended in a clear fluid, the charged particles formed in first and second types, the first type having a first color and a positive charge and the second type having a second color and a negative charge, each element having first and second electrodes for imparting an electrical charge thereto;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device, the controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor;    the controller being programmed to cause the display unit to generate a game display relating to one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo;    the controller being programmed to selectively control the electrodes to change the information displayed by the inserts while the apparatus remains operational; and    the controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the game.    
   
   
       2 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises a video display unit that is capable of generating video images.  
   
   
       3 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards to be displayed if the game comprises video poker; 
 wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels to be displayed if the game comprises video slots;    wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards to be displayed if the game comprises video blackjack;    wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers to be displayed if the game comprises video keno; and    wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a bingo grid to be displayed if the game comprises video bingo.    
   
   
       4 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein the display unit comprises at least one mechanical slot machine reel or at least one electronically simulated slot machine reel.  
   
   
       5 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electronic ink elements further comprise: 
 black particles having a negative charge and white particles having a positive charge suspended in the clear fluid, the elements being viewable when the white particles are positioned in a viewable portion of the element.    
   
   
       6 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the white particles move to the viewable portion of the element when a negative electric field is applied by the electrodes to the element and the black particles move to the viewable portion of the element when a positive electric field is applied by the electrodes to the element.  
   
   
       7 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electronic insert displays at least one of: 
 a slot machine including simulated spinning reels;    a poker game,    a blackjack game;    a keno game; and    a bingo game.    
   
   
       8 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 1 , the gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
   
   
       9 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.  
   
   
       10 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a display unit having at least one electronic insert, each electronic insert having a plurality of electronic ink elements with a first type of permanently charged particles and a second type of permanently charged particles suspended in a clear fluid, the first type of particles having a first color and a positive charge and the second type of particles having a second color and a negative charge;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device, the controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor;    the controller being programmed to receive data representing a payline selection made by a player;    the controller being programmed to cause a game display to be generated by the display unit, the game display comprising images of a plurality of slot machine symbols each of which is associated with a respective slot machine reel;    the controller being programmed to selectively change the display inserts while the apparatus remains operational; and    the controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the slots game, the controller being programmed to determine the outcome of the slots game based on a configuration of the slot machine symbols.    
   
   
       11 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the display unit comprises a video display unit that is capable of generating video images.  
   
   
       12 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the controller is programmed to cause a video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels to be displayed on the display unit.  
   
   
       13 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the display unit comprises at least one mechanical slot machine reel.  
   
   
       14 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the controller is programmed to receive payline data representing a number of paylines selected by the player.  
   
   
       15 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the first type of particles has a white color and the second type of particles has a black color.  
   
   
       16 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the element becomes viewable when the white particles are positioned in a viewable portion of the element.  
   
   
       17 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the white particles move to the viewable portion when a negative electric field is applied to the element and the black particles move to the viewable portion when a positive electric field is applied to the element.  
   
   
       18 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 10 , the gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
   
   
       19 . A gaming method, comprising: 
 displaying of one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo with an electronic display having at least one electronic insert, each electronic insert including a plurality of electronic ink elements with a first type of permanently charged particles and a second type of permanently charged particles suspended in a clear fluid, the first type of particles having a first color and a positive charge and the second type of particles having a second color and a negative charge;    determining a value payout associated with an outcome of the game represented by the video image; and    electronically changing information displayed by the electronic display inserts while the game remains operational.    
   
   
       20 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 19 , additionally comprising: 
 forming display information with the inserts using electronic ink.    
   
   
       21 . A gaming method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein the electronic ink forming step comprises: 
 forming a plurality of elements;    adding clear fluid to the elements; and    placing negatively charged black particles and positively charged white particles into the fluid, wherein the elements are viewable when white particles are positioned in a viewable portion of the element.    
   
   
       22 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 moving the white particles to the viewable portion when a negative electric field is applied to the element; and    moving the black particles to the viewable portion when a positive electric field is applied to the element.    
   
   
       23 . A method of controlling an electronic display on a gaming machine comprising: 
 supplying electrical power to a controller and the display unit having at least one electronic insert, each electronic insert including a plurality of electronic ink elements with a first type of permanently charged particles and a second type of permanently charged particles suspended in a clear fluid, the first type of particles having a first color and positive charge and the second type of particles having a second color and a negative charge;    downloading information to the electronic display;    retrieving download information for the display;    starting a write timer to determine a refresh time for the display;    determining whether the write timer has timed out;    refreshing the display after the timer has timed out;    entering a power save mode for a predetermined period of time; and    refreshing the display after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.    
   
   
       24 . A gaming apparatus, comprising: 
 a housing;    a display unit disposed on the housing, the display unit adapted to display denomination input, maximum coin input, maximum coin jackpot, pay tables, paylines, and predetermined customer advertisements;    at least one electronic insert associated with the display unit, the electronic insert including a bi-stable image, wherein the display retains the image without electrical power or backlighting;    a value input device;    a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device, the controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor;    the controller being programmed to cause the display unit to generate a game display relating to one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo;    the controller being programmed to selectively change the information displayed by the inserts while the apparatus remains operational; and    the controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the game.    
   
   
       25 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the display unit comprises a video display unit that is capable of generating video images.  
   
   
       26 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards to be displayed if the game comprises video poker; 
 wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels to be displayed if the game comprises video slots;    wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards to be displayed if the game comprises video blackjack;    wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers to be displayed if the game comprises video keno; and    wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least one electronic insert to display a video image comprising an image of a bingo grid to be displayed if the game comprises video bingo.    
   
   
       27 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the bi-stable image includes a bi-refrengent image.  
   
   
       28 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the bi-stable image includes an electronic ink image.  
   
   
       29 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the display unit comprises at least one mechanical slot machine reel or at least one electronically simulated slot machine reel.  
   
   
       30 . A gaming apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the electronic insert displays at least one of: 
 a slot machine including simulated spinning reels;    a poker game,    a blackjack game;    a keno game; and    a bingo game.    
   
   
       31 . A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in  claim 24 , the gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses.  
   
   
       32 . A gaming system as defined in  claim 32 , wherein the gaming apparatuses are interconnected via the Internet.