AU2011218733B2

AU2011218733B2 - A jackpot display system

Info

Publication number: AU2011218733B2
Application number: AU2011218733A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Martin Stephen Lyons; Robert Linley Muir
Original assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-06-07
Filing date: 2011-09-02
Publication date: 2013-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-28
Also published as: AU2011218733A1

Abstract

Abstract A jackpot display system (10) is disclosed for a gaming system, the jackpot display system comprising a display 5 controller (14) arranged to receive jackpot data indicative of a plurality of current jackpot amounts, each jackpot amount being derived from games played on at least one gaming machine (22, 24), and a display (16). The display controller (14) is arranged to process the jackpot 10 data so as to generate display data usable by the display (16) to display information indicative of one or more jackpot amounts. 2806035_1 (GHMatters) P25735.AU.2 2/09/11 1- 22 22 I_-- 24 24 o 0 0 0 24 2 Q /22 Q 22 24 24 p 0 0 0 Jackpot 12 Jackpot controller 12' controller Display controller Fig. 3

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited Invention Title: A JACKPOT DISPLAY SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to us: IP Australia 2 2 NOV 2013 -2 RECEIVED FEP FAX A JACKPOT DISPLAY SYSTEM Field, of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to a jackpot display system. Background of the Inventi.on It is known to provide a gaming system which includes a 10 plurality of gaming machines connected together and configured such that each gaming machine contributes to a common jackpot which may be won by players of the gaming machines. In general, each common jackpot is managed by a jackpot controller which receives jackpot contribution 15 data from each gaming machine associated with the common jackpot, and outputs a jackpot amount derived from the jackpot contribution data to a display. The purpose of the display is to advertise the common jackpot to players and thereby encourage the players to play a game on the 20 gaming machines associated with the common jackpot. However, such jackpot display systems are relatively unsophisticated and inflexible. 2.5 Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a jackpot display system having a plurality of gaming machines, the jackpot display 30 system comprising: a plurality of jackpot controllers, each jackpot controller being configured to receive a plurality of Jackpot amounts from a subset of the plurality of gaming machines, to generate multiple sets of jackpot data 35 indicative of each of the received jackpot amounts; -3 a display controller arranged to receive the multiple sets of jackpot data for each of the received jackpot amounts from at least one of the plurality of jackpot controllers, and to selectively generate display data from 5 one set of the multiple sets of received jackpot data; and a display configured to display a selected one jackpot amount corresponding to the display data selectively generated, wherein the display controller comprises a memory 10 arranged to store the multiple sets of jackpot data for each jackpot amount to be displayed, the display controller being arranged to select one of the jackpot data sets from the memory depending on predefined quality and processing requirements. 15 In one arrangement, the display controller is arranged to generate display data usable by the display to simultaneously display information indicative of a plurality jackpot amounts, such as all jackpot amounts. 20 In one arrangement, the display controller is arranged to generate display data usable by the display to consecutively display information indicative of one or more of the jackpot amounts. 25 The display controller may be arranged to generate display data usable by the display to emphasise one or more jackpot amounts relative to the other jackpot amounts. In one arrangement, the display controller is arranged to 30 emphasise a jackpot amount when the jackpot amount has been won by a player of one of the plurality of gaming machines. With this arrangement, only the jackpot amount which has been won may be displayed or the jackpot amount which has been won may be displayed at a different visual 35 size relative to other displayed jackpot amounts. 40600P-1 J4MMIftm) P75735.AU,2 -4 The jackpot display system may be arranged to apply video effects to the displayed jackpot amounts, such as scaling, rotating and fading in/out as the displayed jackpot amounts change. 5 The display may be implemented using a single display device, or may be implemented using multiple display devices, each display device being dedicated to a specific area of the display. 10 In one embodiment, the jackpot display system is arranged to receive video data for selective display on the display at the same time as or intermittently with the jackpot amounts. The video data may correspond to any video 15 information such as advertising information or sporting events. The jackpot display system may be arranged to store multiple sets of video data for each jackpot amount to be 20 displayed, each set of video data being optimised to a particular display size, and the jackpot display system being arranged to select one of the video data sets depending on the size at which the jackpot amount is to be displayed. 25 In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of displaying jackpots having a display and a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising: 30 receiving a plurality of jackpot amounts at each of a plurality of jackpot controllers from a subset of the plurality of gaming machines; generating multiple sets of jackpot data indicative of each of the received jackpot amounts; 35 receiving the multiple sets of jackpot data for each of the received jackpot amounts from at least one of the plurality of jackpot controllers indicative of the generated jackpot data; 5 selectively processing the multiple sets of received jackpot data from one set of the multiple sets of received jackpot data so as to generate display data usable by the display; displaying information indicative of a selected one 10 jackpot amount corresponding to the display data selectively generated on the display; storing the multiple sets of jackpot data for each jackpot amount in a memory; and selecting one of the jackpot data sets from the 15 memory depending on predefined quality and processing requirements. Displaying information may comprise simultaneously displaying information indicative of a plurality of the 20 jackpot amounts. In one embodiment, displaying information comprises simultaneously displaying information indicative of all jackpot amounts. 25 Displaying information may comprise consecutively displaying information indicative of one or more of the jackpot amounts. 30 In one embodiment, displaying information comprises emphasising one or more jackpot amounts relative to the other jackpot amounts. A jackpot amount may be emphasised when the jackpot amount has been won by a player of one of the plurality of gaming machines- In one embodiment the method comprises displaying only a jackpot amount which has been won, or displaying the jackpot amount which has been won at a different visual size relative to other displayed jackpot amounts. 5 Video effects may be applied to the displayed jackpot amounts. In one embodiment, the method comprises scaling, rotating 10 or fading in/out the displayed jackpot amounts as the displayed jackpot amounts change. The method may comprise receiving video data, and selectively displaying video corresponding to the video 15 data on the display at the same time as or intermittently with the jackpot amounts. In one embodiment, the method comprises storing in a memory multiple sets of video data for each jackpot amount 20 to be displayed, each set of video data being optimised to a particular display size, and selecting from the memory one of the video data sets depending on the size at which the jackpot amount is to be displayed. 25 Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, 30 in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a jackpot display system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an example 35 display controller of the jackpot display system shown in Figure 1; -4806006,1 (C HMaltrm) P75730,AVja - b Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example implementation of the jackpot display system shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an 5 alternative example implementation of the jackpot display system shown in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a gaming machine suitable for use with the jackpot display system shown in Figure 1. 10 Description of an Embodiment of the Invention Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 there is shown a jackpot display system 10 for use with a gaming system of 15 the type including a plurality of gaming machines. The jackpot display system 10 coniprises a plurality of Jackpot controllers 12, each of which is associated with one or more gaming machines such that the associated 20 gaming machines contribute to a common jackpot managed by the jackpot controller 12. 4fE00..I (GHMInm) P75735.AU,2 - 6 The jackpot display system 10 also comprises a display controller 14 which is connected to the jackpot controllers 12 through a jackpot network 15. The display controller 14 is arranged to receive jackpot data 5 indicative of respective jackpot amounts from the jackpot controllers 12 and to control a display 16 so that information indicative of one or more of the jackpot amounts associated with the jackpot controllers 12 is selectively displayed. 10 In particular, the display controller 14 may be arranged to control the display 16 so as to simultaneously show jackpot amounts associated with all jackpot controllers 12, or so as to emphasize one or more of the jackpot 15 amounts, for example when one of the jackpots is won by a player by displaying only the winning jackpot amount using the entire area of the display, or by increasing the size of a jackpot which has been won relative to other jackpots. 20 For this purpose, as shown in Figure 2 the display controller 14 may include a control unit 18 which may comprise a processor, a memory 19 usable to store programs for execution by the processor, a selector 20 25 under control of the control unit 18 to select jackpot data from the jackpot network 15 which is to be shown on the display 16, and a video generator 21 under control of the control unit 18 to generate display data indicative of one or more jackpot amounts and usable by the display 16 30 to display the selected jackpot amounts. The display controller 14 may also be arranged so as to modify the number of jackpot amounts displayed, for example so as to display in sequence a single jackpot, 35 four jackpots, nine jackpots, and so on. The display controller 14 may also apply video effects such as 28060351 (GHMatters) P75735.AU.2 2/09/11 - 7 scaling, rotating and fading in/out as the displayed image changes. It will be understood that the display scheme implemented 5 by the display controller 14, in particular which jackpot amounts are displayed and the manner in which the jackpot amounts are displayed, may be selectable by a user, for example using a computing device (not shown) in communication with the display controller 14, may be 10 implemented automatically by the control unit 18 in accordance with the programs stored in the memory 19, or in any other suitable way. In the present embodiment, the display scheme implemented 15 by the display controller 14 is carried out by the video generator 21 under control of the control unit 18 based on jackpot data received from the selector 20 under control of the control unit. However, it will be understood that other arrangements are envisaged. 20 In an example implementation shown in Figure 3, four first gaming machines are shown connected to a first jackpot controller 12 and four second gaming machines 24 are shown connected to a second jackpot controller 12'. Operation 25 is such that each gaming machine 22, 24 supplies jackpot contribution data indicative of a jackpot contribution amount to a respective jackpot controller 12, 12' and the respective jackpot controllers 12, 12' use the supplied jackpot contribution data to generate jackpot data 30 indicative of a current jackpot amount which may be won by a player of a gaming machine 22,24 associated with the jackpot controllers 12,12'. The jackpot controllers 12,12' supply jackpot data 35 indicative of the respective jackpot amounts to the display controller 14 through the jackpot network 15 and the display controller 14 processes the jackpot data 28060351 (GHMatters) P75735.AU.2 2/09/11 - 8 according to any desired scheme and causes the display 16 to show one or both jackpot amounts in any desired way. For example, the display 16 may be caused to display each jackpot amount in a dedicated display region 26, to 5 alternately display the jackpot amounts on the entire display 16, or to progressively increase and decrease the sizes of the displayed jackpot amounts so that each display amount is alternately displayed in large size. 10 While the implementation shown in Figure 3 uses a single relatively large display 16 to show one or more jackpot amounts, it will be understood that other variations are possible. For example, as shown in Figure 4, a display 16 may be provided which comprises multiple display elements 15 28 with each display element 28 being arranged to display a specific portion of an image shown on the display 16. In the present embodiments, the display 16 is in the form of one or more LCD displays, although it will be 20 understood that any display device is envisaged, such as plasma screens and projectors. An example gaming machine 22 is illustrated in Figure 5. The gaming machine 22 includes a console 42 incorporating 25 a Player Marketing Module 43 and has a display 44 on which is displayed representations of a game 46 that can be played by a player. A mid-trim 50 of the gaming machine 22 houses a bank of buttons 52 for enabling a player to interact with the gaming machine, in particular during 30 gameplay. The mid-trim 50 also houses a credit input mechanism 54 which in this example includes a coin input chute 54A and a bill collector 54B. Other credit input mechanisms may also be employed, for example, a card reader for reading a smart card, debit card or credit 35 card. The PMM 43 may include a reading device (not shown) for the purpose of reading a player tracking device, for example as part of a loyalty program. The player tracking 28060351 (GHMatters) P75735.AU.2 2/09/11 - 9 device may be in the form of a card, flash drive or any other portable storage medium capable of being read by the reading device. In this example, the PMM 43 is a Sentinel III device produced by Aristocrat Technologies Pty Ltd. 5 A top box 56 may carry artwork 58, including for example pay tables and details of bonus awards and other information or images relating to the game. Further artwork and/or information may be provided on a front 10 panel 59 of the console 42. A coin tray 60 is mounted beneath the front panel 59 for dispensing cash payouts from the gaming machine 22. The display 44 is in the form of a video display unit, 15 particularly a cathode ray tube screen device. Alternatively, the display 44 may be a liquid crystal display, plasma screen, or any other suitable video display unit. The top box 56 may also include a display, for example a video display unit, which may be of the same 20 type as the display 44, or of a different type. The display 44 in this example is arranged to display representations of several reels, each reel of which has several associated symbols. Typically 3, 4 or 5 reels are 25 provided. During operation of the game, the reels first appear to rotate then stop with typically three symbols visible on each reel. Game outcomes are determined on the basis of the visible symbols together with any special functions associated with the symbols, and if a function 30 has been allocated to a reel, on the basis of the allocated function. As indicated in Figure 1, the jackpot display system 10 may be arranged so that the display controller 14 is 35 capable of receiving video information, for example from an AV source 70. The AV source 70 may supply advertising information for display on the display 16 under control of 2806035_1 (GHMattere) P75735.AU.2 2/09/11 - 10 the display controller 14, or may supply video information, for example corresponding to sporting events. In some situations, the display controller 14 may be 5 required to decode multiple streams of video data simultaneously. In order to reduce the processing load on the display controller 14, multiple sets of video data may be provided for each jackpot sequence, each set of video data being optimised to a particular size of display 10 output. Video data optimised to display at a small size has less image quality, and requires less processing power to decode and display, and as a result more video data sets can be decoded simultaneously. The display controller 14 may be arranged to automatically select the 15 optimum video data set based on quality and processing requirements. In situations wherein it is not possible to obtain jackpot data from a jackpot controller 12, a video output from an 20 existing jackpot display controller may be digitised and fed to the display controller 14. With this arrangement, the jackpot controller may dynamically cause the digitized video data to be encoded at different quality and/or size to optimise the video data for decoding performance 25 requirements. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. 30 28060351 (GHMatters) P75735.AU.2 2/09/11

Claims

1. A jackpot display system for a gaming system having a plurality of gaming machines, the jackpot display system 5 comprising: a plurality of jackpot controllers, each jackpot controller being configured to receive a plurality of jackpot amounts from a subset of the plurality of gaming machines, to generate multiple sets of jackpot data 10 indicative of each of the received jackpot amounts; a display controller arranged to receive the multiple sets of jackpot data for each of the received jackpot amounts from at least one of the plurality of jackpot controllers, and to selectively generate display data from 15 one set of the multiple sets of received jackpot data; and a display configured to display a selected one jackpot amount corresponding to the display data selectively generated; wherein the display controller comprises a memory 20 arranged to store the multiple sets of jackpot data for each jackpot amount to be displayed, the display controller being arranged to select one of the jackpot data sets from the memory depending on predefined quality and processing requirements. 25

2. A jackpot display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display controller is arranged to generate the display data usable by the display to simultaneously display information indicative of a plurality jackpot 30 amounts.

3. A jackpot display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display controller is arranged to generate display data usable by the display to simultaneously 35 display information indicative of all of the jackpot amounts . 4889008_1 (CHMnhItW) P75735.AU.2 - 12

4. A jackpot display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display controller is arranged to generate the display data usable by the display to consecutively 5 display information indicative of one or more of the jackpot amounts.

5. A jackpot display system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display controller is 10 arranged to generate the display data usable by the display to emphasise one or more jackpot amounts relative to the other jackpot amounts.

6. A jackpot display system as claimed in claim 5, 15 wherein the display controller is arranged to emphasise a jackpot amount when the jackpot amount has been won by a player of one of the plurality of gaming machines.

7. A jackpot display system as claimed in claim 6, 20 wherein the display controller is arranged to display only a jackpot amount which has been won, or to display the jackpot amount which has been won at a different visual size relative to other displayed jackpot amounts. 25

8. A jackpot display system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display controller is arranged to apply video effects to the displayed jackpot amounts. 30

9. A jackpot display system as 'claimed in claim 8, wherein the jackpot display controller is arranged to scale, rotating or fade in/out the displayed jackpot amounts as the displayed jackpot amounts change. - 13

10. A jackpot display system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display is a single display device. 5

11. A jackpot display system as claimed in any one of claims I to 9, wherein the display comprises multiple display devices, each display device corresponding to a specific area of the display 10

12. A jackpot display system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display controller is arranged to receive video data for selective display of the video data on the display at the same time as or intermittently with the jackpot amounts. 15

13. A jackpot display system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the memory is arranged to store multiple sets of video data for each jackpot amount to be displayed, each set of video data being optimised to a 20 particular display size, and the display controller being arranged to select one of the video data sets from the memory depending on the size at which the jackpot amount is to be displayed. 25

14. A method of displaying jackpots in a gaming system having a display and a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of jackpot amounts at each of a plurality of jackpot controllers from a subset of the 30 plurality of gaming machines; generating multiple sets of jackpot data indicative of each of the received jackpot amounts; receiving the multiple sets of jackpot data for each 35 of the received jackpot amounts from at least one of the 4 BBOQ,1 (CHMnnam) P75735.AU.2 plurality of jackpot controllers indicative of the generated jackpot data; selectively processing the multiple sets of received jackpot data from one set of the multiple sets of received 5 jackpot data so as to generate display data usable by the display; displaying information indicative of a selected one jackpot amount corresponding to the display data selectively generated on the display; 10 storing the multiple sets of jackpot data for each jackpot amount in a memory; and selecting one of the jackpot data sets from the memory depending on predefined quality and processing requirements. 15

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein displaying information comprises simultaneously displaying information indicative of a plurality of the jackpot amounts. 20

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein displaying information comprises simultaneously displaying information indicative of all jackpot amounts. 25

17. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein displaying information comprises consecutively displaying information indicative of one or more of the jackpot amounts.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17, 30 wherein displaying information comprises emphasising one or more jackpot amounts relative to the other jackpot amounts.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising 35 emphasising a jackpot amount when the jackpot amount has 4U88000_1 (GHMnttom) P773SM.A been won by a player of one of the plurality of gaming machines.

20. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising 5 displaying only a jackpot amount which has been won, or displaying the jackpot amount which has been won at a different visual size relative to other displayed jackpot amounts. 10

21. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 20, comprising applying video effects-to the displayed jackpot amounts.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, comprising scaling, 15 rotating or fading in/out the displayed jackpot amounts as the displayed jackpot amounts change.

23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 22, comprising receiving video data, and selectively 20 displaying video corresponding to the video data on the display at the same time as or intermittently with the jackpot amounts.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 23, 25 comprising storing in a memory multiple sets of video data for each jackpot amount to be displayed, each set of video data being optimised to a particular display size, and selecting from the memory one of the video data sets depending on the size at which the jackpot amount is to be 30 displayed.

25. A jackpot display system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 35 400?Jt9._1 (GHMntem) P75735.AU.2 -16

26. A method of displaying jackpots in a gaming system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 5