Patent Application
20140080573
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 anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present disclosure relates generally to wagering games, as well as wagering game terminals and wagering game systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to interactive gaming display assemblies and gaming terminals with interactive display assemblies.
Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Thus, gaming manufacturers continuously strive to develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play and increased player loyalty through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
There are three primary types of wagering game machines: mechanical, electromechanical, and electronic. The original slot machine, for example, was entirely mechanical in construction, working on an elaborate configuration of springs, gears, shafts, brakes and levers. Since its introduction in the early 1960's, the electromechanical slot machine began replacing most, if not all, mechanical slot machines. Electromechanical gaming machines typically use one or more microprocessors to determine a random outcome for each play of the slot game, and electrical stepper motors to spin and stop a set of mechanical reels to reveal the outcome. The electronic gaming machine (EGM), in comparison, subsequently supplanted the mechanical reels of the electromechanical gaming machine with simulated mechanical reels generated by a video display device. In addition to slot-type wagering games, traditional table games, such as poker, blackjack, keno, and bingo, were adapted for use on EGM's.
Almost all gaming machines, whether mechanical, electromechanical or electronic, include a variety of visual attractions and displays to provide information, enhance game play, and improve the player's gaming experience. These visual attractions and displays typically include models, signs, artwork, fixed permanently-printed glass, video displays, and marquee assemblies. Many gaming machines are limited to a dedicated “primary” display and, in some instances, a top-box mounted “secondary” display or a top-box mounted marquee assembly. In most configurations, the gaming terminal's various video display devices are immovably mounted to the cabinet in a fixed location. Moreover, electronic video display devices have been limited to traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, plasma display panels, flat-screen transmissive LCD assemblies, and light emitting diode (LED) display panels, which are substantially flat, rigid and inflexible. These display assemblies offer limited interactive capabilities to players, normally being restricted to receiving inputs via an integrated touchscreen device. There may therefore be a need for more interactive gaming display devices that are not limited to these traditional types of display assemblies.
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to rotatable gaming display interfaces and gaming terminals with a rotatable display interface. Disclosed herein, for example, are interactive gaming display assemblies with a rotatable interface that overlies a primary “game” display device. The rotatable display interface is intended, in at least some aspects of the disclosed concepts, to offer to players a more realistic sense of controlling the gaming machine hardware by mapping aspects of the wagering game displayed by the primary display device to the motion imparted to the rotatable display interface by the player. As an example, the spinning of one or more symbol-bearing slot reels may be timed to coincide with the rotation of the display interface, such rotation being generated by the player physically touching and spinning the rotatable display interface. In the same vein, the player may then selectively stop (or be given the impression of stopping) one or more of the reels by manually stopping the rotation of the rotatable display interface. In addition to the basic game, aspects of bonus games, progressive games, and community games can be mapped to the rotation of the player-rotatable game display interface.
The primary display device may take on various forms, including standard mechanical slot reels, commercially available flat-screen video display panels, and curved LCD or OLED video display devices, as some non-limiting examples. The rotatable display interface may be fabricated in an assortment of different shapes from a number of different materials. As one example, the rotatable display interface may be a rotatably mounted disk, cylindrical tube, or group of rings fabricated from a polycarbonate resin thermoplastic polymer (e.g., LEXAN™ polymers available from SABIC Innovative Plastics). An optional touchscreen can be incorporated into the display assembly to receive player inputs. The touchscreen can be mounted on the primary display device, between the primary display device and the rotatable display interface, or on the rotatable display interface such that player input's can be received by the display assembly on or through the manually rotatable display interface.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a gaming machine for playing a wagering game is disclosed. The gaming machine includes a support structure, an input device configured to receive an input indicative of a wager to play the wagering game, and a primary display device configured to display randomly determined outcomes of the wagering game. The gaming machine also includes a display interface device overlying at least a portion of the primary display device. The display interface device includes a player-rotatable display interface that is rotatably mounted to the support structure and configured to be manually rotated by a player. The display interface device is operatively connected to the primary display device such that motion manually imparted to the player-rotatable display interface by a player affects one or more aspects of the wagering game displayed on the primary display device.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a gaming system for playing a wagering game is presented. The gaming system includes one or more input devices, one or more processors, one or more memory devices, and a support structure. The gaming system also includes a primary display device mounted to the support structure and configured to display randomly determined outcomes of the wagering game. A display interface device overlies at least a portion of the primary display device. The display interface device includes a player-rotatable display interface that is rotatably mounted to the support structure and configured to be manually rotated by a player. The display interface device is operatively connected to the primary display device such that motion manually imparted to the player-rotatable display interface by a player affects one or more aspects of the wagering game displayed on the primary display device.
Other aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming display assembly. The gaming display assembly includes a mounting support with a primary display device mounted to the mounting support. The primary display device is configured to display randomly determined outcomes of the wagering game. A display interface device overlies at least a portion of the primary display device. The display interface device includes a player-rotatable display interface that is rotatably mounted to the mounting support and configured to be manually rotated by a player. The display interface device is operatively connected to the primary display device such that motion manually imparted to the player-rotatable display interface by a player affects one or more aspects of the wagering game displayed by the primary display device.
Another aspect of this disclosure is directed to a wagering game terminal. The wagering game terminal includes a cabinet with support structure, and an input device configured to receive an indication of a wager to play a wagering game. A curved liquid crystal display (LCD) video display device or a curved organic light emitting diode (OLED) video display device is mounted to the support structure of the cabinet. The curved video display device is configured to display a plurality of symbol-bearing reels with symbols arranged in an array to indicate a randomly determined outcome of the wagering game. The wagering game terminal also includes a display interface device with a player-rotatable display interface. The player-rotatable display interface includes a cylindrical tube that is rotatably mounted to the support structure of the cabinet and configured to be manually rotated by a player. The curved video display device is mounted inside the cylindrical tube. The display interface device is operatively connected to the primary display device such that motion manually imparted to the cylindrical tube by a player affects the movement of one or more of the symbol-bearing reels displayed by the curved video display device.
The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the summary merely provides an exemplification of some of the novel features presented herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
While aspects of this disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. There are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail representative embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. To that extent, elements and limitations that are disclosed, for example, in the Abstract, Summary, and Detailed Description sections, but not explicitly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly or collectively, by implication, inference or otherwise. For purposes of the present detailed description, unless specifically disclaimed: the singular includes the plural and vice versa; the words “and” and “or” shall be both conjunctive and disjunctive; the word “all” means “any and all”; the word “any” means “any and all”; and the word “including” means “including without limitation.” Moreover, words of approximation, such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and the like, can be used herein in the sense of “at, near, or nearly at,” or “within 3-5% of,” or “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof, for example.
For purposes of the present detailed description, the terms “wagering games,” “gambling,” “slot game,” “casino game,” and the like include games in which a player places at risk a sum of money or other representation of value, whether or not redeemable for cash, on an event with an uncertain outcome, including without limitation those having some element of skill. In some embodiments, the wagering game may involve wagers of real money, as found with typical land-based or on-line casino games. In other embodiments, the wagering game may additionally, or alternatively, involve wagers of non-cash values, such as virtual currency, and therefore may be considered a social or casual game, such as would be typically available on a social networking web site, other web sites, across computer networks, or applications on mobile devices (e.g., phones, tablets, etc.). When provided in a social or casual game format, the wagering game may closely resemble a traditional casino game, or it may take another form that more closely resembles other types of social/casual games.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like features throughout the several views, there is shown in
The gaming terminal 10 illustrated in
Input devices, such as the touch screen 18, buttons 20, a mouse, a joystick, a gesture-sensing device, a voice-recognition device, and a virtual input device, accept player input(s) and transform the player input(s) to electronic data signals indicative of the player input(s), which correspond to an enabled feature for such input(s) at a time of activation (e.g., pressing a “Max Bet” button or soft key to indicate a player's desire to place a maximum wager to play the wagering game). The input(s), once transformed into electronic data signals, are output to a CPU for processing. The electronic data signals can be selected from a group consisting essentially of an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical charge, an optical signal, an optical element, a magnetic signal, and a magnetic element.
Turning now to
The CPU 30 is also connected to an input/output (I/O) bus 36, which can include any suitable bus technologies, such as an AGTL+ frontside bus and a PCI backside bus. The I/O bus 36 is connected to various input devices 38, output devices 40, and input/output devices 42 such as those discussed above in connection with
The external system 48 includes, in various aspects, a gaming network, other gaming terminals, a gaming server, a remote controller, communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or components, in any combination. In yet other aspects, the external system 48 may comprise a player's portable electronic device (e.g., cellular phone, electronic wallet, etc.) and the external system interface 46 is configured to facilitate wireless communication and data transfer between the portable electronic device and the CPU 30, such as by a near-field communication path operating via magnetic-field induction or a frequency-hopping spread spectrum RF signals (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.).
The gaming terminal 10 optionally communicates with the external system 48 such that the terminal operates as a thin, thick, or intermediate client. In general, a wagering game includes a random number generator (RNG) for generating a random number, game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number, and game assets (e.g., art, sound, etc.) for presenting the determined outcome to a player in an audio-visual manner. The RNG, game logic, and game assets are contained within the gaming terminal 10 (“thick client” gaming terminal), the external system 48 (“thin client” gaming terminal), or are distributed therebetween in any suitable manner (“intermediate client” gaming terminal).
The gaming terminal 10 may include additional peripheral devices or more than one of each component shown in
Referring now to
In response to receiving a wager, the reels 52 are rotated and stopped to place symbols on the reels in visual association with paylines such as paylines 58. The wagering game evaluates the displayed array of symbols on the stopped reels and provides immediate awards and bonus features in accordance with a pay table. The pay table may, for example, include “line pays” or “scatter pays.” Line pays occur when a predetermined type and number of symbols appear along an activated payline, typically in a particular order such as left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, etc. Scatter pays occur when a predetermined type and number of symbols appear anywhere in the displayed array without regard to position or paylines. Similarly, the wagering game may trigger bonus features based on one or more bonus triggering symbols appearing along an activated payline (i.e., “line trigger”) or anywhere in the displayed array (i.e., “scatter trigger”). The wagering game may also provide mystery awards and features independent of the symbols appearing in the displayed array.
In accord with various methods of conducting a wagering game on a gaming system in accord with the present concepts, the wagering game includes a game sequence in which a player makes a wager and a wagering game outcome is provided or displayed in response to the wager being received or detected. The wagering game outcome is then revealed to the player in due course following initiation of the wagering game. The method comprises the acts of conducting the wagering game using a gaming apparatus, such as the gaming terminal 10 depicted in
In the aforementioned method, for each data signal, the CPU (e.g., CPU 30) is configured to process the electronic data signal, to interpret the data signal (e.g., data signals corresponding to a wager input), and to cause further actions associated with the interpretation of the signal in accord with computer instructions relating to such further actions executed by the controller. As one example, the CPU causes the recording of a digital representation of the wager in one or more storage media (e.g., storage unit 44), the CPU, in accord with associated computer instructions, causing the changing of a state of the storage media from a first state to a second state. This change in state is, for example, effected by changing a magnetization pattern on a magnetically coated surface of a magnetic storage media or changing a magnetic state of a ferromagnetic surface of a magneto-optical disc storage media, a change in state of transistors or capacitors in a volatile or a non-volatile semiconductor memory (e.g., DRAM), etc. The noted second state of the data storage media comprises storage in the storage media of data representing the electronic data signal from the CPU (e.g., the wager in the present example). As another example, the CPU further, in accord with the execution of the instructions relating to the wagering game, causes the primary display 12, other display device, or other output device (e.g., speakers, lights, communication device, etc.) to change from a first state to at least a second state, wherein the second state of the primary display comprises a visual representation of the physical player input (e.g., an acknowledgement to a player), information relating to the physical player input (e.g., an indication of the wager amount), a game sequence, an outcome of the game sequence, or any combination thereof, wherein the game sequence in accord with the present concepts comprises acts described herein. The aforementioned executing of computer instructions relating to the wagering game is further conducted in accord with a random outcome (e.g., determined by an RNG) that is used by the CPU to determine the outcome of the game sequence, using a game logic for determining the outcome based on the randomly generated number. In at least some aspects, the CPU is configured to determine an outcome of the game sequence at least partially in response to the random parameter.
Referring now to
The illustrated gaming terminal 400 comprises a cabinet 412 for housing and/or supporting a variety of operational componentry, such as the player-input device(s) 26, main memory 32, an input/output (I/O) bus 36, output devices 40, CPU 42, memory 44, and external systems interface 58 of
The display areas may variously display information associated with base wagering games, bonus wagering games, community games, progressive games, and the like. As shown, primary display device 414 displays or otherwise visually depicts a wagering game 430, which in this instance is the slot game shown in
The secondary display device 416 may display information associated with wagering games, non-wagering games, community games, progressive games, advertisements, services, premium entertainment, text messaging, emails, alerts or announcements, broadcast information, subscription information, etc. Like the primary display device 414, the secondary display device 416 of
To provide a more interactive gaming experience to players, the gaming display assembly 450 of the gaming terminal 400 is provided with an interactive display interface device, generally designated as 452 in
The interactive display interface device 452, in at least some aspects of the disclosed concepts, offers players the perception that they are controlling aspects of the wagering game 430. By mapping aspects of the wagering game 430 displayed by the primary display device 414 to the motion imparted to the player-rotatable display interface 454 by a player, the player can feel as though they are interacting with and/or controlling the game. In particular, the display interface device 452 is operatively connected, e.g., directly or indirectly, wired or wirelessly, to the primary display device 414 such that motion manually imparted to the player-rotatable display interface 454 affects one or more aspects of the wagering game 430 displayed on the primary display device 414. In a more specific example, movement of one or more of the symbol-bearing reels 421-425 displayed by the curved video display device 414, e.g., the spinning, stopping, acceleration, deceleration, speed, etc. of one or more of the reels 421-425, is affected by the player physically rotating the player-rotatable display interface 454. The symbols on the reels 421-425 are arranged in an array, which in this embodiment is a 5×5 matrix (i.e., five rows by five columns) of symbols. Spinning and stopping the reels 421-425 reveals combinations of symbols in the array, which represent randomly selected outcomes of the wagering game 430, that are evaluated for winning symbol combinations. As such, allowing the player to control, for example, the initiation of the spinning of the reels 421-425 and/or the stopping of the reels 421-425 through manipulation of the display interface 454 gives the player the perception or “feel” that they are controlling the outcome of the wagering game 430.
In some embodiments, the player will press a finger onto the display interface 454 and slowly rotate the display interface 454 up and down (e.g., clockwise and counterclockwise in
On the rear side of the primary display device 414 is an electrical connector block 420, which may include a DVI digital monitor connector, a DVI-to-VGA connector, and an array of different Molex™ pin connectors, collectively providing power and signal transmission capabilities to the primary display device 414. The connector block 420 is communicatively coupled, for example, to a central processing unit 432, which may be similarly configured to CPU 30 of
The manually rotatable display interface 454 may be fabricated from a number of different materials and provided in an assortment of different shapes, sizes and arrangements. In the representative embodiment of
The cylindrical tube 454 extends between and is generally orthogonally oriented with respect to first and second substantially parallel support plates 462 and 464, respectively. Each support plate 462, 464 has a circular rim 463 and 465, respectively, projecting from an inside surface of the plate 462, 464. The first axial bearing 458 and, thus, a first end of the cylindrical tube 454 is supported on the first circular rim 463 of the first support plate 462, whereas the second axial bearing 460 and, thus, a second end of the cylindrical tube 454 is supported on the second circular rim 465 of the second support plate 464. An optional base plate 466 rigidly mounts the support plates 462, 464 to the support structure 413 of the housing 412. For some arrangements, the support plates 462, 464 may be mounted directly to the support structure 413, thus eliminating the need for the base plate 466, while in some embodiments the axial bearings 458, 460 may be mounted directly to the support structure 413, thus eliminating the need for the support plates 462, 464. A pair of substantially parallel cross-beams 468 and 470 extends across the backside of the primary display device 414 mounting or otherwise coupling the primary display device 414 to the support plate 462, 464. The cross-beams 468, 470 rigidly mount the primary display device 414 inside the player-rotatable display interface 454. With this arrangement, the cylindrical tube of the manually rotatable display interface 454 can be concentrically aligned with the curved video display device 414.
In the embodiment of
By using touchscreen capabilities in conjunction with the player-rotatable display interface, the gaming display assembly 450 can track both finger movement and interface movement. In so doing, the gaming display assembly 450 can offer additional player-interactive gaming features. For instance, a player can be allowed to independently move the individual reels 421-425, e.g., by tracking where the player places a finger or other appendage relative to reel array 421-425 before spinning the player-rotatable display interface 454. So, if the player presses his/her finger on the player-rotatable display interface 454 over the first reel 421, then proceeds to physically spin the display interface 454 by applying a downward force F1, the primary display device 414 will responsively depict the first reel 421 spinning. The player may then place his/her finger over the next four reels 422-425, one at a time, and sequentially re-spin the player-rotatable display interface 454 such that the primary display device 414 responsively initiates the spinning of the remaining reels 422-425. Touchscreen capabilities can also be employed to allow the player to select objects on the primary display device 414 and the player-rotatable display interface 545. For example, the gaming display assembly 450 may use frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) touchscreen technology to allow the player to select objects, such as symbols and paylines, that are printed, formed or etched onto the surface of the player-rotatable display interface 454.
As indicated above, the rotational sensing device 456 tracks the rotational position, velocity and/or acceleration of the player-rotatable display interface 454. There are various known means by which the rotational sensing device 456 can monitor these characteristics. For example, the rotational sensing device 456 may include one or more optical sensors, rotational encoders, infrared cameras, rotational transducers, or combinations thereof, to track the rotational position, rotational velocity, and rotational acceleration/deceleration of the player-rotatable display interface 454. In some embodiments, a rotational encoder includes a wheel or shaft that is mechanically coupled to the periphery of display interface 454 for common rotation therewith. The rotational encoder converts the angular position and/or speed of the display interface 454, as tracked by the wheel/shaft, into an analog or digital signal. Alternatively, an optical sensor (e.g., photosensor) can be used to track unique symbols (e.g., dots, strips, numbers, etc.) that are etched or printed on the periphery of the display interface 545. Each of the unique symbols can be associated with a specific location on the circumference of the player-rotatable display interface 454 and, thus, can correspond to a specific rotational position. Increasing the frequency of these symbols will help to increase the accuracy of tracking offered by the optical sensor. Regardless of the technology used, it is generally preferred that any latency gaps between the movement of the minimize or eliminate (track movement down to millisecond).
Turning now to
The interactive display interface device 552, in at least some aspects of the disclosed concepts, offers players the perception that they are controlling aspects of wagering game displayed on the primary display device 514. In the illustrated example, the player-rotatable display interface 554 is a transparent or semi-transparent disk, which may be fabricated from a number different materials, including those discussed above with respect to the cylindrical tube of
The interactive display interface device 652, in at least some aspects of the disclosed concepts, offers players the perception that they are controlling aspects of a wagering game displayed on the primary display device 614. The player-rotatable display interface 554 of
While many representative embodiments and exemplary modes for carrying out the present invention have been described in detail above, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/701,929, which was filed on Sep. 17, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61701929 | Sep 2012 | US |
