Patent Application
20090227369
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to electronic amusement devices and systems. More particularly, one embodiment is directed to an electronic amusement device wherein a display screen and an application running on the amusement device have different aspect ratios. Another embodiment is directed to an electronic amusement device wherein a screen and a bezel comprise an individual assembly. A still further embodiment is directed to an amusement system having a credit card transaction terminal separate from the amusement device.
Amusement devices having electronic games for computers and touchscreens or other types of amusement devices are generally well known in the art. Amusement devices, such as game machines, which allow a user to select games from a video display are well known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,856,787 (“Itkis”); 5,575,717 (“Houriet, Jr., et al.”); 5,743,799 (“Houriet, Jr., et al.”), the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, each of which shows a touchscreen for making a game selection from a menu of games. Such game machines or amusement devices typically operate upon input of currency (i.e., coin, token, paper money, credit/debit cards or the like) and are installed in locations such as bars, restaurants, airports, shopping malls, video arcades, casinos or the like. The game choices may include card games, sports games, games of skill, games of chance, action games, trivia games, or the like.
Electronic amusement devices have typically housed display screens following the standard television aspect ratio of 4:3. Applications, including games or the like, were therefore presented to the user on the screen in the 4:3 format, leaving no empty space. However, there has been a trend toward manufacturing display screens having a “widescreen” format, usually a ratio of 16:9 or 16:10. Despite the shift toward widescreen amusement devices, many games, especially older games, are still presented on the screen in 4:3 format. As a result, manufacturers are forced to either stretch the game picture to fit the entire screen, thereby distorting the images, or present the game in 4:3 format with empty space on either side of the screen (known as pillarboxing).
In addition, users of electronic games are generally provided with one or more physical controls, such as a joystick, keyboard, trackball, pushbuttons, or the like, for controlling play of the game. With the development of touchscreen technology, there has been a further trend toward using virtual controls, i.e., manipulatable on-screen images capable of mimicking the inputs of a joystick, trackball, or the like.
The perimeter of the touchscreen is typically surrounded by a plastic cover or bezel. The touchscreen and bezel are assembled together as separate piece. As a result, the screen and bezel have a relatively high profile. Additionally, the seal between the touchscreen and the bezel may not be water-tight, allowing fluid to seep into the space between and potentially damaging the touchscreen assembly.
It is therefore desirable to provide an amusement device capable having a widescreen display that is capable of maximizing the use of the display area without distorting application images. It is further desirable to provide an amusement device with a water-tight touchscreen display having a lower profile.
Briefly stated, various embodiments of the present invention comprise an amusement device including a display screen having a first aspect ratio and a touchscreen. The amusement device is operable by a user upon receipt by a currency input of at least one of coins, currency, and a credit card/debit card. A controller is configured to select and execute at least one application program and at least one virtual control application. The at least one application program is configured to display at least one first image on the display screen in a second aspect ratio. The at least one first image is displayed in the second aspect ratio in a first portion of the display screen. The second aspect ratio is different than the first aspect ratio. The at least one virtual control application is configured to display at least one second image in the second portion of the display screen.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right”, “left”, “lower”, and “upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the amusement device and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the above-listed words, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Additionally, the words “a” and “an”, as used in the claims and in the corresponding portions of the specification, mean “at least one.” Further, the terms “coin” or “currency” should not be construed as limiting and can be used herein to mean all forms of coin and paper currency from any country as well as proprietary tokens, game cards, credit cards, debit cards, chits, or other representative forms of credit and/or payment.
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in
For convenience, the amusement devices 10A, 10B will be referred to hereinafter simply as “amusement device 10.”
Turning now to the operation of the amusement device 10, the memory U2 stores one or more application programs, such as electronic games, a music or video jukebox program, or the like, and a system control program. However, the one or more application programs may also be stored remotely. The controller U1 controls the touchscreen display 12 based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory U2 and based upon inputs from the touchscreen display 12. As used herein, the system control program refers to all of the software functions outside of the application program files including an operating system, display control, input control, sound drivers, and the like. Other input devices which may be connected to the amusement device 10 include a pushbutton(s), a trackball or touchpad, a mouse, a joy-stick, a foot-pedal, a voice recognition system, a keypad or keyboard, and the like. But, preferably, the input device is the touchscreen display 12.
The amusement device 10 includes an operating mode and a setup mode. When the operating mode is selected, a player or user is selectively permitted to access the application programs. When the setup mode is selected, the owner/operator is permitted to make system setup adjustments. To switch from the operating mode to the setup mode, a mode selector pushbutton (hardware not shown) is provided that is typically concealed from the users. The mode selector pushbutton may be implemented as a hidden software feature, but preferably the mode selector pushbutton is a simple pushbutton that is disposed inside a housing of the amusement device 10. In the setup mode, the owner/operator may also make adjustments to the game features as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the controller U1 controls the display 12 based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory U2 and based upon inputs of the user. The display 12 preferably has a “widescreen” aspect ratio. Such ratios may include, for example, 16:9, 16:10, 1.85:1, 2.35:1, or the like. The controller U1 is configured to select and execute at least one application program. The application program is preferably configured to display at least one first image on the display 12 in a second aspect ratio different than the display 12 aspect ratio, such as 4:3.
As described above, prior art amusement devices encountered difficulties in presenting a game configured to display images in a different aspect ratio than the display screen. For example,
The control image 306 may be specific to the electronic game currently being played, that is, the control element images 307, 308 may be tailored exclusively for manipulation of the specific game. For example, the trackball image 307 may only be displayed or provided for games in which a trackball is necessary. The control image 306 may also be constantly displayed for all electronic games or other applications. For example, the trackball image 307 and pushbutton images 308 may be displayed by the amusement device 10 for all application programs, whether or not a particular control element image 307, 308 is used for the current application program.
When using a virtual input, such as a virtual trackball, it may be difficult for a user to determine that his or her hand is correctly positioned over the trackball image 307 without looking at the trackball image 307. This may hinder the user's ability to play the game. Therefore, the display 12 may preferably be provided with at least one textured element (not shown) to aid the user in determining hand placement on the touchscreen 12. The textured element may be a bump, ridge, divot, cavity, or the like in the screen 12 that enables the user to find the trackball image 307 or other element of the control image 306 somatically rather than visually.
In preferred embodiments, the control image 306 is movable to a location on the screen 300 desired by the user. For example, the control image 306 in
In accordance with the virtual control application and control image 306, the display 12 may preferably be configured to accept simultaneous input from at least two locations on the touchscreen 12. For example, a user may preferably touch the trackball image 307 and a pushbutton image 308 simultaneously and have the input from both locations on the touchscreen 12 be accepted by the controller U1. The user may thus, for example, move a game character on the display 12 (via the trackball) and fire (via the pushbutton) simultaneously within the context of the game.
The advertisement application and corresponding ad image 406 are preferably user interactive. For example, the ad image 406 includes a purchase button 409. A user may select the purchase button 409 if he or she desires to purchase the advertised product and may be presented with, for example, an internet or network ordering page. In addition, a user may be able to touch different portions of the ad image 406 to learn more about the product, view demonstrations, proceed to a shopping web site, or the like. For embodiments having interactive advertisements, the application program should be paused or halted to allow the user to proceed with researching or purchasing the product. The application program may resume once the transaction is complete.
In preferred embodiments, the ad image 406 is movable to a location on the screen 400 desired by the user. For example, the ad image 406 in
It is understood by those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the descriptions provided above. For example, the application program may be one or more of an electronic game, music or video jukebox controller, web browser, streaming media file, electronic mail or the like. Similarly, the secondary applications may include virtual control applications, advertisement applications, virtual light display applications, movies, music, web browser, electronic mail, pager, messaging, or the like. Additionally, the aspect ratio of the image displayed by the application program is not limited to 4:3, and may encompass any aspect ratio that is different from the screen aspect ratio and leaves available screen space. For example, an application program having a ratio of 2.35:1 will leave available space at the top and bottom of a 16:9 screen.
In preferred embodiments, the amusement device 10 utilizes a water-tight touchscreen display 12 having a low profile. For example,
The touch sensor 652 is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the bezel 650 using a strong front adhesive layer 654, such as an acrylic foam tape or the like. The front adhesive layer 654 preferably corresponds to the shape of the frame 650a such that the opening 650b is not obscured by the front adhesive layer 654. Similarly, a perimeter of the touch sensor 652 is preferably smaller than a perimeter of the bezel 650, leaving a portion of the front adhesive layer 654 exposed for use in, for example, affixing the assembly 600 to the amusement device 10.
A rear gasket 656 is disposed on a side of the touch sensor 652 opposite the bezel 650. The rear gasket 656 provides a seal between the touch sensor 652 and the display 12. A rear adhesive layer 658 is also affixed around a perimeter of the touch sensor 652 on the side opposite the bezel 650. The rear adhesive layer 658 may be used, for example, to affix the assembly 600 to the amusement device 10, and is preferably of the same type as the front adhesive layer 654.
The amusement device 10 may also include other functionality and features such as music jukebox, video jukebox, multimedia player, Internet browsing, broadcast media viewing, time based rental mode, non-prize tournaments, prize-based tournaments, head-to-head competitions, prize-based lotteries, ticket dispensing, prize dispensing, debit/credit card charging, phone card dispensing, e-mail, photography, placing customer orders, communicating with other amusement devices, and the like.
The amusement device 10 may also provide for remote or local access for accounting and/or bookkeeping purposes. The amusement device 10 may include a local connector for uploading to a hand-held or portable computer or removable memory for receiving accounting or other data. The amusement device 10 may include accounting and bookkeeping screens accessible by an operator through set up screens and/or through password protection.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
