This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/555,379, entitled “CONTAINER-POPPING GAME,” filed Nov. 3, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates, in general, to amusement gaming, and, more particularly, to container-popping games.
Prize-dispensing arcade games, also known in the art as redemption arcade games, are popular entertainment machines that are commonly found in arcades, malls, theaters, restaurants, theme parks, and other locations with large concentrations of people. These machines typically display objects, such as stuffed animals, trinkets, electronic devices, and other desirable prizes, hanging from or affixed to mechanical arms or connectors inside a game cabinet and are clearly visible to those who pass by. Usually, these objects are offered as prizes to a player who wins or accomplishes some predetermined objective of the game. Typically, a player will insert a game credit, which may be some form of monetary credit, token, or the like to play the game. The player then plays the game and attempts to accomplish the predetermined objective in order to win the game. If the player is successful, a prize is typically immediately awarded to the player through a door or compartment in the game cabinet. When the objective is achieved, the game mechanism operates to release one of the prizes from the mechanical arm or connector to a chute or pathway that leads to this compartment in the game cabinet.
Representative embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to redemption arcade games that provide a container-popping game functionality. One or more pressure-filled containers are positioned in the game play area behind various barriers. A prize or prizes are coupled to each such container. There is also an opening or orifice in the barriers in which the orifice provides access to a corresponding container through the barrier. A player positions a moveable target arm using a game control attempting to align a piercing member attached to the target arm with a selected one of the orifices. When the player believes the piercing member is properly aligned, he or she triggers an attempt which could be triggered by pushing a button or triggered automatically when the movement of the movable arm is stopped. This trigger causes the target arm to move the piercing member toward the selected orifice. If it is properly aligned, the piercing member passes through the orifice and impacts the corresponding pressure-filled container, popping it and sending the coupled prize or prizes falling into a prize chute. If the piercing member is not properly aligned, it will impact the barrier and end the players attempt.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of this disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:
In the detailed description below, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subject matter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that claimed subject matter may be practiced through other means similar to these specific details. In other instances, methods, apparatuses or systems that would be known by one of ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not to obscure claimed subject matter. Some portions of the detailed description may be presented in terms of algorithms or symbolic representations of operations on data bits or binary digital signals stored within a computing system memory, such as a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions or representations are examples of techniques used by those of ordinary skill in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art.
An algorithm is here, and generally, considered to be a self-consistent sequence of operations or similar processing leading to a desired result. In this context, operations or processing involve physical manipulation of physical quantities. Typically, although not necessarily, such physical quantities may take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared or otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to such signals as bits, data, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, numerals or the like. It should be understood, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels. Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout this specification discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining” or the like, refer to actions or processes of a computing platform, such as a computer or a similar electronic computing device, that manipulates or transforms data represented as physical electronic or magnetic quantities within memories, registers, or other information storage devices, transmission devices, or display devices of the computing platform.
It should be noted that the various embodiments of the present disclosure may use various different types of pressure-filled containers. The examples given in many of the representative figures use balloons, such as balloons 102. However, it should be apparent that any other type of perforatable container filled with air or any other gas may be used to implement the various embodiments of the present disclosure. The container may also comprise self-healing material, such that it may be re-filled repeatedly after successful “popping” of the container to release a prize during game play.
It should further be noted that prizes may be coupled to the pressure-filled containers in any manner of different ways. As illustrated in
It should further be noted that barrier 103 may comprise any number of different materials and levels of opacity or translucency and have any number of orifices in it for the piercing needle 106 to pop the container. In one embodiment, barrier 103 may be a piece of clear Plexiglas with one orifice per container. In other embodiments barrier 103 may be a completely opaque material with multiple orifices 104 for each container with graphics drawn thereon or translucent with the characteristics of having some balloons 102 visible behind it. The various embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to a specific material or composition for barrier 103 or a specific number of orifices 104 for each balloon or container.
Pressure-filled container-popping game 10 also includes target arm 105, which is movable along an X-Y plane. Target arm 105 is coupled to horizontal track 114 and, through a drive mechanism (not shown), traverses in both directions of an X-axis. Track 114 is coupled, at both ends, to vertical tracks 115. Target arm 105 is moved in both directions of a Y-axis through another one or more drive mechanisms that move horizontal track 114 in the Y-axis directions along vertical tracks 115. A player controls the motion of target arm 105 along the X-Y plane by manipulating joystick 108. In response to the player's input to joystick 108, target arm is moved along the X-Y axis through activation of the corresponding drive mechanisms.
It should be noted that the drive mechanism illustrated in
To play pressure-filled container-popping game 10, a player manipulates joystick 108 to move target arm 105 into a position directly opposite one of orifices 104. When the player believes target arm 105 to be properly positioned and aligned, he or she activates button 109 which causes telescoping mechanism 107 of target arm 105 to extend along a Z-axis, pushing needle 106 toward one of orifices 104. If lined up correctly, needle 106 travels through orifice 104 to impact and pop the corresponding one of balloons 102. Without balloon 102 secured between container brackets 402, when balloon 102 is popped, prize 110 falls into prize chute 116. The player may then retrieve prize 110 through prize access panel 111. If target arm 105 was not properly aligned with orifice 104, needle 106 will impact barrier 103, causing telescoping mechanism to retract to its original position. Needle 106 impacting barrier 103, instead of passing through orifice 104 will be deemed a failure of the game's objective.
It should be noted that the functionality of pressure-filled container-popping game 10 is controlled by processor 117, as shown in a cut-away view in
In operation of redemption arcade game 20, the user provides input to buttons 206L and 206R to position target arm 204 such that target needle 205 is aligned directly opposite of opening 209. When the user is satisfied that target needle 205 is correctly lined up, he or she activates button 207, which triggers driver motors 212 to begin moving traverse rail 202 toward the back of game cabinet 200 on side rails 201, thus, causing target arm 204 to advance toward target barrier 208. If the user correctly aligned target needle 205 with opening 209, target needle 205 will pass through opening 209, through target barrier 208, and impacting and popping the corresponding one of balloons 210. With balloon 210 popped, the remnants fall through container bracket 404 causing the corresponding one of prizes 211 to fall into the prize chute (not shown). If the user has not correctly aligned target needle 205 with opening 209, target needle 205 will impact target barrier 208, causing target arm 204 to retract to its original position. Redemption arcade game 20 will then indicate an objective failure to the user.
In another alternative embodiment supported by
The game operates using target arm 301, which a player can move using input from joystick 321. Target arm 301 is coupled to vertical track 302. A drive mechanism (not shown) allows target arm 301 to move up and down vertical track 302 under control of the player's input through joystick 321. Vertical track 302 is coupled to horizontal tracks 303. Additional drive mechanisms (not shown) allow vertical track 302 to move from side to side of game cabinet 300 also under control of input delivered by the player using joystick 321. Thus, using joystick 321, the player can position target arm 301 in a desired position. Target arm 301 is coupled to needle 320 through telescoping component 319. The player attempts to line up needle 320 with one of the orifices in barriers 313-315, such as orifices 316-318, using joystick 321. When the player believes needle 320 to be correctly aligned, he or she activates button 322, which triggers telescoping component 319 to extend, thus, moving needle 320 toward the back of game cabinet 300. If the player has aligned target arm 301 correctly, telescoping component 319 will move needle 320 through the corresponding orifice, such as orifice 316, to impact and pop a corresponding pressure-filled container, such as balloon 310. The remnants of popped balloon 310 will fall between container brackets 402 allowing prize 307 to fall into prize chute 323, which the player can access through prize access panel 324. If the player did not correctly align target arm 301, needle 320 will impact one of barriers 313-315, such as barrier 313, and retract to its original position. Redemption arcade game 30 will then indicate to the player the unsuccessful attempt.
In addition to maximizing the number of pressure-filled containers and prizes available for game play, the layering of the rows of pressure-filled containers, including balloons 310-312, allows for varying the value of the prizes. As the distance between target arm 301 and barriers 313-315 increases, the difficulty for the player to successfully align target arm 301 with the corresponding orifice, such as orifices 316-318, also increases. Therefore, in additional embodiments of the present disclosure, the hosting entity may place more valuable prizes coupled to the pressure-filled containers in the row of layer 306, less valuable prizes coupled to the pressure-filled containers in the row of layer 305, and still less valuable prizes coupled to the pressure-filled containers in the row of the closest layer, layer 304.
Game machine 50 uses a security system in order to prevent a dishonest user from popping a pressure-filled container using means other than proper game play. Security systems may use sensors in barrier 509, such as sensors 407 (
Embodiments, or portions thereof, may be embodied in program or code segments operable upon a processor-based system (e.g., computer system or computing platform) for performing functions and operations as described herein. The program or code segments making up the various embodiments may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which may comprise any suitable medium for temporarily or permanently storing such code. Examples of the non-transitory computer-readable medium include such computer-readable media as an electronic memory circuit, a semiconductor memory device, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable ROM (EROM), flash memory, a magnetic storage device (e.g., floppy diskette), optical storage device (e.g., compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), etc.), a hard disk, and the like.
Embodiments, or portions thereof, may be embodied in a computer data signal, which may be in any suitable form for communication over a transmission medium such that it is readable for execution by a functional device (e.g., processor) for performing the operations described herein. The computer data signal may include any binary digital electronic signal that can propagate over a transmission medium such as electronic network channels, optical fibers, air, electromagnetic media, radio frequency (RF) links, and the like, and thus the data signal may be in the form of an electrical signal, optical signal, radio frequency or other wireless communication signal, etc. The code segments may, in certain embodiments, be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a satellite communication system, a cable transmission system, cell phone data/voice networks, and/or the like.
Computer system 700 also includes random access memory (RAM) 703, which may be SRAM, DRAM, SDRAM, or the like. Computer system 700 includes read-only memory (ROM) 704 which may be PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or the like. RAM 703 and ROM 704 hold user and system data and programs, as is well known in the art.
Computer system 700 also includes input/output (I/O) adapter 705, communications adapter 711, user interface adapter 708, and display adapter 709. I/O adapter 705, user interface adapter 708, and/or communications adapter 711 may, in certain embodiments, enable a user to interact with computer system 700 in order to input information.
I/O adapter 705 connects to storage device(s) 706, such as one or more of hard drive, compact disc (CD) drive, floppy disk drive, tape drive, etc., to computer system 700. The storage devices are utilized in addition to RAM 703 for the memory requirements of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Communications adapter 711 is adapted to couple computer system 700 to network 712, which may enable information to be input to and/or output from system 700 via such network 712 (e.g., the Internet or other wide-area network, a local-area network, a public or private switched telephony network, a wireless network, any combination of the foregoing). User interface adapter 708 couples user input devices, such as keyboard 713, pointing device 707, and microphone 714 and/or output devices, such as speaker(s) 715 to computer system 700. Display adapter 709 is driven by CPU 701 and/or by graphical processing unit (GPU) 716 to control the display on display device 710 to, for example, present the results of the simulation. GPU 716 may be any various number of processors dedicated to graphics processing and, as illustrated, may be made up of one or more individual graphical processors. GPU 716 processes the graphical instructions and transmits those instructions to display adapter 709. Display adapter 709 further transmits those instructions for transforming or manipulating the state of the various numbers of pixels used by display device 710 to visually present the desired information to a user. Such instructions include instructions for changing state from on to off, setting a particular color, intensity, duration, or the like. Each such instruction makes up the rendering instructions that control how and what is displayed on display device 710.
It shall be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to the architecture of system 700. For example, any suitable processor-based device or multiple such devices may be utilized for implementing the various embodiments of the present disclosure, including without limitation personal computers, laptop computers, computer workstations, multi-processor servers, and even mobile telephones. Moreover, certain embodiments may be implemented on application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. In fact, persons of ordinary skill in the art may utilize any number of suitable structures capable of executing logical operations according to the embodiments.
It should be noted that, as illustrated in the example game machine 80 configured according to one aspect of the present disclosure, prize 805 is indirectly electronically coupled to balloon 800, through bracket 801, sensor 802, and switching mechanism 803.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
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