Patent Application
20080153566
The present invention relates to a gaming machines and apparatus and to methods of operating a gaming machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a user interface for a gaming machine and to methods of providing a user interface on a gaming machine.
With the increase of gambling at gaming venues has come increased competition between gaming venues to obtain a larger share of the total gambling spend. Gaming venue operators have therefore continuously looked for new variations and types of games in order to attract both new and return customers to their venues.
In response to this need, suppliers of gaming devices and systems have attempted to provide the sought after variety. There has been a trend in recent years to provide increasing variations in the types of games offered on gaming machines and to provide games with more complex game play or options. Variation in the way that the games operate and are controlled requires the provision of different user interfaces for different games.
In addition, the variation in the user interface between games is a problem when multiple games are offered on a single gaming machine. This problem becomes even more apparent if the gaming apparatus is connected to a network and games can be downloaded from a game server, or played remotely, because potentially thousands of games could be available to be played at the gaming apparatus.
One solution to the problem of different games requiring a different user interface is to implement the user interface as a touch screen. When a touch screen is used, different games can display different indicia to represent the touch pads.
One problem with touch screens is that they are often not as comfortable or as easy to use as traditional push buttons. Another problem is that touch screens to date are generally not as reliable as physical push buttons and a player may experience frustration if a touch screen does not register all touches of the screen. In addition, there may be more probability of a player inadvertently touching an incorrect button when using a touch screen in comparison to when physical buttons are used, which for some games may lead to the player wagering an amount that they did not wish to risk. This may lead to the player experiencing frustration and bad will towards the gaming machine operator. A still further problem with touch screens is that they are relatively expensive to replace upon failure.
When a touch screen is used, there remains a need to provide the touch screen more effectively, at least from the player's perspective.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine including a user interface and a game controller that provides a game on the gaming machine, the game controller selectively operating in a first mode and a second mode of operation, wherein
when the game controller operates in the first mode of operation, the user interface includes a first set of buttons each implemented on a touch screen on a display and a second set of buttons each implemented as physical buttons, and
when the game controller operates in the second mode of operation, the user interface is implemented only as physical buttons.
In the first mode of operation the display may be configurable into a plurality of different configurations in which the buttons in the first set buttons are located in different configurations on the display.
In one configuration, the first set of buttons may be located near the left side of the display and in another said configuration the first set of buttons are located near the right side of the display. There may be at least two buttons in the first set of buttons and in one configuration, two of the buttons in the first set of buttons may be located near different sides of the display and in another configuration those two buttons may be located near the same side of the display. In one configuration, the first set of buttons may be located near a bottom edge of the display.
In the first mode of operation, the touch screen may implement game bet selectors and the physical buttons implement a game play activator. The game bet selectors may include a first group of selectors that are operable to select the number of outcomes on which to place a wager. A second group of selectors may be operable to select the magnitude of the wager on the selected number of outcomes. The first group of selectors and the second group of selectors may remain displayed together in each said configuration, and the first and second groups of selectors may be displayed in different locations with respect to each other in different said configurations.
The gaming machine may display on the display an icon that when pressed by a player causes the display to change configuration. Alternatively, the gaming machine may display on the display a menu from which the player can cause the display to change configuration. Alternatively, the touch screen may be operable by a player to drag the first set of buttons into said different configurations.
The gaming machine may be adapted so that a player can locate the first set of buttons at substantially any desired location within a constrained area on the display, the constrained area consisting of less than the entire area of the display. The constrained area may be an area outside of a game screen that displays symbols representing the outcome of the game. The constrained area may be an area outside of indicia that represents a credit balance on the gaming machine, a win amount resulting from a play of the game and/or a bet amount that indicates the bet made in a play of the game. The constrained area may be outside of indicia that represents a denomination of the gaming machine.
The game controller may instead or in addition move indicia that defines to one or more of a value of a credit meter of the gaming machine, a value of a win meter of the gaming machine, a value of an amount bet on the game and the denomination of the gaming machine in response to configuration of the buttons in the first set of buttons in a way that would otherwise obscure that indicia, or cause that indicia to obscure one or more buttons in the first set of buttons.
In one embodiment, the touch screen does not implement a game play activator.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine including a user interface and a game controller adapted to provide a game, wherein the user interface includes a combination of a first set of buttons comprising at least one button implemented on a touch screen on a display of the gaming console and a second set of buttons comprising at least one button implemented as a physical button on the gaming console, wherein the user interface is configurable into a plurality of different configurations in which the buttons in the first set buttons are located in different configurations on the display.
At least a portion of the first set of buttons may be displayed on the displays translucently or transparently.
The display may display a game screen in which the outcomes of the game are displayed and the first set of buttons is displayed around the game screen and wherein the game screen is displayed in the same location regardless of in which of the plurality of different configurations the display is in.
The first set of buttons may include a plurality of buttons and include all necessary buttons to enable a player to select a bet to place in the game.
The gaming machine may be adapted so that a player is able to locate the first set of buttons at substantially any desired location within a constrained area on the display, the constrained area consisting of less than the entire area of the display. The constrained area may be as described in the preceding paragraphs in relation to the first aspect of the invention.
Alternatively, or in addition, the game controller may move indicia that defines to one or more of a value of a credit meter of the gaming machine, a value of a win meter of the gaming machine, a value of an amount bet on the game and the denomination of the gaming machine in response to configuration of the buttons in the first set of buttons in a way that would otherwise obscure that indicia or cause that indicia to obscure one or more buttons in the first set of buttons.
In one embodiment, the first set of buttons does not include a game play activator.
Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Throughout the following description and in the accompanying drawings, unless stated otherwise, like reference numerals refer to like components.
In
The gaming machine 10 includes a console 12 having a display 14 on which is displayed representations of a game 16, that can be played by a player. A mid-trim 20 of the gaming machine 10 houses a bank of buttons 22 for enabling a player to play the game 16. The bank of buttons 22 of the gaming machine 10 has fourteen buttons, which is common to gaming machines at present.
The mid-trim 20 also houses a credit input mechanism 24 including a coin input chute 24A and a bill collector 24B. A top box 26 may carry artwork 28, 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 the front panel 29 of the console 12. A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash payouts from the gaming machine 10.
The display 14 shown in
a) A twenty-five line spinning reel type game, with the number of lines played selected by pressing one of the buttons 79 to 83;
b) A maximum bet of five credits per game, with the bet per line selected by pressing one of the buttons 71 to 75;
c) A feature game, the commencement of the feature game controlled by the player by pressing button 84;
d) A reserve function, which is initiated by pressing button 70;
e) An option to perform a red/black gamble following a win, the option taken by pressing button 76;
f) Game play is initiated by placing a line bet.
In addition, the bank of buttons 22A includes a collect (button 78) and take win (button 77) buttons as well as an information button 85. Therefore, the bank of buttons 22A operates in a typical and known manner for a game having the characteristics described previously herein. Further selectors may be provided using a touch screen if one is provided and if additional selectors are implemented by the game being played by the gaming console.
a) A multi-game machine, providing a choice of games, the player accessing a menu of available games by pressing button 93;
b) At least one of the games having a feature game, the commencement of the feature game controlled by the player by pressing button 96;
d) A reserve function, which is initiated by pressing button 91;
e) An option to perform a red/black gamble following a win, the option taken by pressing button 94;
f) Game play is initiated by placing a line bet.
As explained in more detail herein, if a gaming machine with the bank of buttons 22B is to play a game that is a 25 line spinning reel game with a maximum bet of five credits per line, then the game bet selection buttons would be implemented as a touch screen. For example buttons equivalent to buttons 71 to 75 and 79 to 83 of
Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the buttons provided and the functions performed by each button may vary, for example due to convention, regulations or other reasons in different jurisdictions, depending on the particular game being played or according to different manufacturer preferences or choices.
The gaming machine 100 includes a game controller 101, which in the illustrated example includes a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or other computational device 102. Instructions and data to control operation of the computational device 102 are stored in a memory 103, which is in data communication with or forms a part of the computational device 102. Typically, the gaming apparatus 100 will include both volatile and non-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with such memories being collectively represented by the memory 103. The instructions to cause the game controller 101 to implement embodiments of the present invention will be stored in the memory 103.
The game controller 101 may also include a random number generator 113, which generates a series of random numbers that determine the outcome of a series of random game events played as part of a game on the gaming machine 100.
The gaming machine 100 may include hardware meters 104 for the purposes of regulatory compliance and also include an input/output (I/O) interface 105 for communicating with the peripheral devices of the gaming apparatus 100. The input/output interface 105 and/or the peripheral devices may be intelligent devices with their own memory for instructions and data.
In the example shown in
In addition, the gaming machine 100 may include a communications interface, for example a network card 112. The network card, may for example, send status information, accounting information or other information to a central controller, server or database and receive data or commands from the central controller, server or database. As explained in more detail in relation to
One or more displays 204 may also be connected to the network 201. The displays 204 may, for example, be associated with a bank 203 of gaming devices 202. The displays 204 may be used to display representations associated with game play on the gaming devices 202, and/or used to display other representations, for example promotional or informational material.
Servers may also be connected to the network 201. For example, a game server 205 may generate game outcomes for games played on the gaming devices 202, a database management server 206 may manage the storage of game programs and associated data for downloading or access by the gaming devices 202 in a database 206A, and a jackpot server 207 may control one or more jackpots associated with the gaming devices 202.
Further servers may be provided to assist in the administration of the gaming system 200, including for example a gaming floor management server 208, and a licensing server 209 to monitor the use of licenses to particular games. An administrator terminal 210 is provided to allow an administrator to run the network 201 and the devices connected to the network.
The gaming system 200 may communicate with other gaming systems, other local networks, for example a corporate network and/or a wide area network such as the Internet through a firewall 211.
Exemplary screen shots S1 to S3 that are caused to be displayed by game programs in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are shown in
Screen display S1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the user interface provides to the player distinct buttons for each bet option. This is in contrast to providing for example, two buttons; one for increasing a wager amount and the other for decreasing a wager amount. The applicant believes that the provision of distinct buttons may give the player an optimal feeling of easy and fast control over game play.
In an alternative embodiment, the gaming apparatus may have the bank of buttons 22B and a touch screen that is separate from the display 14. In this case, the operation of the game 16 is as described for the second mode of operation, the only difference being that the button depress signal for the game selection buttons comes from a touch screen instead of a physical button. Generally speaking, the game 16 operates in the second mode of operation when the user interface of the gaming apparatus has a touch screen and has insufficient physical buttons to adequately implement the game.
The screen displays S1 to S3 all show a clock 31 and a denomination 32 of the game in addition to the game screen. Also, the game selection buttons, or at least the area surrounding the game selection buttons, are displayed so as to appear semi-transparent. This may be achieved by assigning an alpha value to the images. In this way, game selection buttons are automatically matched to a background scene B that may be provided behind the game screen G, due to the background scene being partially viewable through the game selection buttons. This may allow the software code for the game selection buttons to be readily used with multiple different game programs. The software that causes the display of the icons for the touch screen and the ability to turn this display on and off, may be contained in a self-contained piece of code. This may facilitate use of the same or similar code across multiple games.
The game screens G of different games preferably occupy the same area and location on the screen display and leave room for the game selection buttons to be displayed. This may avoid having to change the program code to resize the game screen G when a touch screen is required and allows game screens to be standardised.
Certain embodiments of the present invention will also have application to games where symbols are randomly selected and evaluated for a winning combination that are not spinning reel games. For example, certain embodiments of the present invention will also have application to card games, poker-style or otherwise, dice games, pin and ball style games and others.
In step 51, the operator of the gaming device opens a set-up menu and in step 52 the operator determines whether the gaming device is one with seven physical buttons (or other number of buttons insufficient for play of a game required to be provided on the gaming device) and a touch screen, or sixteen physical buttons. This step may be performed automatically if the gaming device stores data, or has a jumper or other hardware, that indicates its configuration. If the game is downloaded to the gaming machine, or executed remotely, the configuration of the game may be performed remotely. The gaming machine may, in response to an interrogation, send information regarding its user interface to a download server so that the appropriate configuration may be made.
If the gaming device has seven buttons, the operator selects this option in the set up menu (step 53) and then completes the other necessary set-up (step 54) and exits the set-up menu. The gaming device then displays in the appropriate place icons for the touch pads, the denomination of the game, and a clock (step 55). The display of the clock may be omitted if the relevant gaming regulations permit this.
A player plays the game in steps 56 and 57 by first using the game bet selection buttons on-screen to specify the wager that they wish to make, and hitting a physical button in the bank of buttons 22B to commence play. The player can then repeat steps 56 and 57 for each play of the game, or simply repeat step 57 if they do not wish to change their wager.
If the gaming device has sixteen buttons, the operator selects the 16 button option in the set up menu (step 58) and then completes the other set-up action in step 59 and exits the set-up menu. The denomination of the game and a clock is displayed (step 60) in the same manner as for the seven button option, but icons for the touch screen are not displayed.
A player plays the game by using game bet selection buttons in the bank of buttons 22 (step 61), after which game play may commence automatically (step 62). The player can then repeat step 61 for each play of the game. If the gaming machine has a separate “spin” button, then pressing this button commences game play.
In one embodiment the PLAY button, being the game play actuator, may be an enlarged button in comparison to any other buttons in the bank of buttons 22C. As this button is usually the most often selected button, it may also be constructed so as to be the most durable button.
In one embodiment, the touch pads 25, 25A, 26, 26A may be provided in a fixed location on the display, for example along the bottom of the screen as shown in
Referring to
In some embodiments the touch pads 25B, 26B may cycle around a plurality of different configurations each time one of the arrow icons 33, 33A, 33B or similar is selected. The arrow icon may move with the touch pads 25B, 26B, or may be independent of the touch pads 25B, 26B, for example staying in the same position. While not shown in the accompanying figures, the touch pads 25B, 26B may be able to be configured at the bottom of the screen display in a similar manner to the touch pads 25A, 25B shown in
In another embodiment, the individual buttons in the touch pads 25B, 26B may be treated individually or in sub-groups and able to be configured in different configurations.
The player may move the touch pads 25B, 26B around the screen display using alternative methods. One alternative is to allow the player to drag the touch pads 25B, 26B about the screen display. This may be achieved by providing a certain location where the player is to place his or her finger and detecting the dragging of the finger across the screen. The touch pads 25B, 26B may move with this dragging motion. Alternatively, the player may select an icon that causes a menu to be displayed that allows the various configurations of the touch pads 25B, 26B to be selected. For example, the menu may display example screen displays or abstract versions of screen displays showing the configurations.
As is apparent from
As with the embodiment shown in
The touch pads 25B, 26B interface may be implemented as a floating interface, which allows the position and/or configuration of the interface to be changed by a user or as a toolbar. The concept of floating interfaces is known in other fields of technology (such as personal computer graphical user interfaces) and may be implemented in the present field of invention using similar programming techniques.
The floating interface may, however, be constrained in its movements. For example, the player may be able to operate the touch screen 106A to position the touch pads 25B, 26B anywhere on the screen outside of the area of the game screen that displays the symbols that represent the outcome of the game. In other words, the touch pads 25B, 26B may be constrained to be locatable only over a portion of the display that is displaying a background to the game screen.
Further constraints may apply, for example the touch pads 25B, 26B may not be able to be located so as to cover a display of the value of the credit meter, the amount bet or the win meter. In other embodiments the credit meter, amount bet and/or win meter may also move to different positions on the display so as to always be visible even when the touch pads 25B, 26B are located where these values are normally or currently displayed. The gaming machine 100 may also ensure that the game denomination is always visible to the player. If a button to enter an information screen, for example a screen containing the game rules is provided as a touch pad, then this button may also always be displayed to be visible to the player regardless of the location of the touch pads 25B, 26B.
Alternatively, the gaming machine 100 may move indicia representing the credit meter or other information deemed vital or important to the play of the game if the touch pads 25B, 26B are configured in a way that would otherwise obscure that indicia or cause that indicia to obscure one or more buttons in the first set of buttons. As previously described, the game screen itself may move to some degree depending on the configuration. In another embodiment, some indicia, like the credit meter, bet amount and win meter may have a fixed location with the touch pads 25B, 26B constrained not to be located there over, and other indicia may, like a menu access icon may move.
As described previously herein, in order to assist a drag and drop operation the game controller 101 may be configured with one or more standard interface configurations and locations. Such standard configurations and locations may include, for example, a horizontally configured interface appearing along the bottom of the screen, a horizontally configured interface appearing along the top of the screen, a vertically configured interface appearing along the left hand side of the screen, a vertically configured interface appearing on the right hand side of the screen. In this context a horizontally configured interface refers to a configuration where the buttons of the interface are arranged side by side in one or more horizontal rows and a vertically configured interface refers to a configuration where the buttons of the interface are arranged side by side in one or more vertical columns. If the method of movement is a dragging action, and if a user drags the interface within a certain proximity of one of the standard locations the game controller may be configured to interpret this as an indication that the user wishes to locate the interface in that location and automatically configures and arranges the interface accordingly.
The game controller may also be configured to arrange the interface in a default configuration for situations where the user drops the interface in a non-standard location, for example somewhere not immediately adjacent an edge of the display. The default configuration may, for example, be the arrangement of the interface buttons into a relatively compact square or rectangle. This compact arrangement may be displayed in a location inside any constraints (see herein above) that may be provided.
While the above has been discussed in relation to moving the user interface as a whole, the game controller could also be configured to enable the user to move and arrange the various buttons of the interface independently of each other. For example, the game controller may allow single buttons or groups of buttons to be selected by the user and moved to a location away from the other buttons. This would allow the user, if desired, to separate the buttons of the interface and, for example, have certain buttons at the top of the screen and certain buttons at the bottom of the screen (and/or on the left of the screen, the right of the screen, a location away from the edges of the screen, or any combination of the various locations available).
While the foregoing description has been provided by way of example of certain embodiments of the present invention as presently contemplated, which utilise gaming apparatus and machines, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the present invention also may have application to internet gaming, particularly where the gaming is performed using kiosks having various button configurations and/or have application to gaming over a telecommunications network, where handsets are used to display game outcomes and receive player inputs. In particular, for handsets with a touch screen, the user interface may be implemented in part by a touch screen and for those without a touch screen the user interface may be implemented using buttons provided on the handset.
Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to integers having known equivalents, then those equivalents are hereby incorporated herein as if individually set forth.
Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that modifications and additions to the embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative useful combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006902600 | May 2006 | AU | national |
This application claims priority to and benefit as a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/749,003, filed on May 15, 2007, entitled “Configurable User Interface for a Gaming Apparatus,” which claims priority to Australian Application No. 2006902600, filed on May 16, 2006, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11749003 | May 2007 | US |
| Child | 12042201 | US |
