Method, apparatus, and program product for producing and applying a graphic simulation across multiple gaming machines

Abstract

An apparatus for producing shared image games includes a number of gaming machines, with each gaming machine having a respective video display device. The apparatus also includes a shared image display control arrangement and a shared image prize controller. The shared image display control arrangement controls the respective video display device associated with each gaming machine in the number of gaming machines to produce a shared image graphic effect such as a multi-segmented prize reel that appears to extend across the different video display devices. The shared image prize controller operates to award a shared image prize for at least one of the gaming machines. This shared image prize corresponds to a prize represented at least in part by a respective one of the reel segments displayed at the video display device of the respective gaming machine when the reel segments appear to come to a stop. For example, a given reel segment may show a prize value that is awarded to the player at the particular gaming machine, or may show a multiplier value that is applied to some value accumulated for the player at the particular gaming machine.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The Applicants claim the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 986,950 filed Nov. 9, 2007, and entitled “Method, Apparatus, and Program Product for Conducting a Game Having a Shared Image Component.” The entire content of this provisional application is incorporated herein by this reference.[0002]A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent documents or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all rights of copyright.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention is directed to a system which provides a graphic effect across multiple gaming machines to display results in a wagering game. The invention encompasses both methods and apparatus for...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]A second form of the invention includes a number of gaming machines with each respective gaming machine having a respective video display device and a respective player control arrangement similarly to the previously described embodiment. In this second form of the invention a shared image display control arrangement selectively controls the video display device associated with each gaming machine in the number of gaming machines to produce a shared image graphic effect, but the shared image graphic effect need not be a series of physically interconnected graphic elements such as a simulation of a segmented prize reel. Rather, the shared image graphic effect in this second form of the invention includes one or more distinct prize-indicating graphic elements which appear at selected ones of the video display devices. A shared image result controller in this second form of the invention awards a shared image prize for each gaming machine displaying one of the prize-indicating graphic elements at a one or more points in the shared image graphic effect, such as a conclusion of the shared image graphic effect for example. The shared image prize corresponds to a prize represented at least in part by the respective one of the prize-indicating graphic elements displayed at the video display device of the respective gaming machine at the one or more points in the shared image graphic effect.

[0016]A program product according to this second form of the invention includes shared image display program code. The shared image display program code is executable for controlling the video display device associated with each gaming machine in the number of gaming machines to produce the shared image graphic effect including one or more distinct prize-indicating graphic elements which appear at selected ones of the video display devices. The program product in this second form of the invention also includes shared image award program code executable for awarding a shared image prize for each gaming machine displaying one of the prize-indicating graphic elements at the one or more points of the shared image graphic effect.

Problems solved by technology

However, the multi-screen presentation disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,008,324 is limited in how it shows results for multiple players concurrently.

This arrangement limits the ability to provide presentations that generate excitement and interest across large numbers of gaming machines, and gaming machines arranged in diverse physical orientations.

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