Patent Application
20080227527
The invention relates generally to computerized wagering game machines, and more specifically to computerized wagering game machines employing display panels having backlight intensity control.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which the claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any person of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever. Copyright 2006, WMS Gaming, Inc.
Computerized wagering games have largely replaced traditional mechanical wagering game machines such as slot machines, and are rapidly being adopted to implement computerized versions of games that are traditionally played live such as poker and blackjack. These computerized games provide many benefits to the game owner and to the gambler, including greater reliability than can be achieved with a mechanical game or human dealer, more variety, sound, and animation in presentation of a game, and a lower overall cost of production and management.
The elements of computerized wagering game systems are in many ways the same as the elements in the mechanical and table game counterparts in that they must be fair, they must provide sufficient feedback to the game player to make the game fun to play, and they must meet a variety of gaming regulations to ensure that both the machine owner and gamer are honest and fairly treated in implementing the game. Further, they must provide a gaming experience that is at least as attractive as the older mechanical gaming machine experience to the gamer, to ensure success in a competitive gaming market.
Computerized wagering games do not rely on the dealer or other game players to facilitate game play and to provide an entertaining game playing environment, but rely upon the presentation of the game and environment generated by the wagering game machine itself. Incorporation of audio and video features into wagering games to present the wagering game, to provide help, and to enhance the environment presented are therefore important elements in the attractiveness and commercial success of a computerized wagering game system. It is not uncommon for audio voices to provide instruction and help, and to provide commentary on the wagering game being played. Music and environmental effects are also played through speakers in some wagering game systems to enhance or complement a theme of the wagering game. These sounds typically accompany video presentation of the wagering game on a screen, which itself often includes animation, video, and three-dimensional graphics as part of presentation of the wagering game.
The displays were traditionally cathode ray tubes, or CRTs much like those used in standard televisions. But recently, CRT displays have given way to liquid crystal displays as the most common type of display used in new wagering game machines. While CRTs provided very good brightness and color fidelity, they were relatively large, heavy, fragile, and consumed a relatively large amount of power. LCD displays have limited brightness and contrast capabilities, and backlighting a large LCD display evenly and achieving accurate color fidelity are difficult. Other options include plasma displays, which have the color fidelity of CRTs and a small size similar to LCDs, but the contrast ratio, power consumed, and production cost are all inferior to other display technologies.
Projectors have found use in large-screen televisions, including DLP projectors using digital micromirror devices, liquid crystal display projectors, and liquid crystal on silicon projectors, as a means of producing a high-resolution, high-brightness image that is large in size. But, projectors typically must be placed a significant distance from the projection screen, making incorporation into a wagering game system a difficult challenge.
It is therefore desired to incorporate display technology into a wagering game system addressing the shortcomings of existing displays.
One example embodiment of the invention comprises a computerized wagering game system including a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a display assembly including display assemblies having a preformed image and a backlight having adjustable brightness. In one embodiment, display assembly comprises preprinted artwork or graphics, or is an illuminated object such as a button or bezel light, while the display in other embodiments comprises a display operable to display a dynamic image such as a cathode ray tube, liquid crystal display, or plasma display. Further embodiments include light sensors to sense ambient light or to measure the illumination of a backlit display, and means to adjust the backlight brightness accordingly.
In the following detailed description of example embodiments of the invention, reference is made to specific examples by way of drawings and illustrations. These examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and serve to illustrate how the invention may be applied to various purposes or embodiments. Other embodiments of the invention exist and are within the scope of the invention, and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the subject or scope of the present invention. Features or limitations of various embodiments of the invention described herein, however essential to the example embodiments in which they are incorporated, do not limit the invention as a whole, and any reference to the invention, its elements, operation, and application do not limit the invention as a whole but serve only to define these example embodiments. The following detailed description does not, therefore, limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims.
The invention in one example embodiment comprises a computerized wagering game system including a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a display assembly having a preformed image and a backlight having adjustable brightness. In one embodiment, display assembly comprises preprinted artwork or graphics, or is an illuminated object such as a button or bezel light. Further embodiments include light sensors to sense ambient light or to measure the illumination of a backlit display, and means to adjust the backlight brightness accordingly.
A game of chance is implemented using software within the wagering game, such as through instructions stored on a machine-readable medium such as a hard disk drive or nonvolatile memory. In some further example embodiments, some or all of the software stored in the wagering game machine is encrypted or is verified using a hash algorithm or encryption algorithm to ensure its authenticity and to verify that it has not been altered. The game of chance implemented via the loaded software takes various forms in different wagering game machines, including such well-known wagering games as reel slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, or hold 'em games. The wagering game is played and controlled with inputs such as various buttons 103 or via a touchscreen overlay to video screen 101. In some alternate examples, other devices such as pull arm 104 used to initiate reel spin in this reel slot machine example are employed to provide other input interfaces to the game player.
Monetary value is typically wagered on the outcome of the games, such as with tokens, coins, bills, or cards that hold monetary value. The wagered value is conveyed to the machine through a changer 105 or a secure user identification module interface 106, and winnings are returned via the returned value card or through the coin tray 107. Sound is also provided through speakers 108, typically including audio indicators of game play, such as reel spins, credit bang-ups, and environmental or other sound effects or music to provide entertainment consistent with a theme of the computerized wagering game. In some further embodiments, the wagering game machine is coupled to a network, and is operable to use its network connection to receive wagering game data, track players and monetary value associated with a player, and to perform other such functions.
The wagering game system further features an artwork display panel such a top panel 109 or lower panel 110, which are in some embodiments semi-opaque plastic or glass panels having preprinted or preformed images or graphics consistent with a theme of the wagering game, serving to identify the wagering game system and to attract wagering game players. The panels are backlit in some embodiments, such as by placing lights inside the wagering game cabinet 100 such that some of the light produced shines through the panels and makes the semi-opaque artwork appear to glow.
In some example embodiments of the invention, the lights behind display panels such as 109 are illuminated with variable intensity or brightness, such as by varying the voltage provided to an incandescent lamp, varying the number of light-emitting diodes or fluorescent display elements that are lit, varying the current provided to one or more light-emitting diodes, or varying the opacity or position of an electrically actuatable shutter placed between the light and the illuminated display. The variation in brightness is controlled in some embodiments mechanically, such as by physically moving a shutter, or is varied electronically such as by changing a setting in a configuration menu of the wagering game system.
The button labels illustrate a variety of different display objects that can be illuminated in various embodiments of the invention, including the front top display such as is shown at 109 of
Some objects, such as the mechanical reels of a mechanical reel slot machine, are in further embodiments lit in more than one way by independently controllable lights. Mechanical reels, for example, can be both backlit using a light placed behind a semi-opaque mechanical reel, and can be lit using a lamp hidden within the wagering game system cabinet but configured to illuminate the front surface of the mechanical reels. Solid objects such as the coin tray 107 are further lit via a lamp having configurable brightness in some embodiments of the invention, and for purposes of this patent application are considered to have both a preconfigured image or appearance and to be backlit as a result of their being illuminated by lamps concealed from the wagering game player's direct view within the wagering game system.
In a further embodiment, a network connection enables a remote user or software operating remotely to exercise control over the brightness of the lamps. For example, a central controller may be programmed to highlight certain machines by changing the illumination pattern of the various illuminated display elements of the wagering game system, or may be used to change the illumination patter of the wagering game systems according to the time of day or other such parameters. A wagering game facility that is brighter during daylight hours may, for example, use a network controller to increase the brightness of various lamps during the day, and to decrease the brightness of the same lamps during the night. In another example, the brightness of machines that are underplayed or not being used when a wagering game establishment becomes busy may be highlighted with brighter lamp settings. In a further embodiment, controls or settings within the wagering game machine itself can be used to vary the illumination of various lamps based on similar criteria.
A match button 202 is used in some embodiments to enable matching illumination between multiple display elements, such as between top display panel 109 and belly display panel 110 of
In an alternate embodiment, display elements such as art glass 109 or 110 are measured for opacity at manufacture, and appropriate settings are provided along with the art glass or are stored in a configuration register or table in the wagering game machine. Adjustment from these predetermined settings is permitted in some further embodiments, as lamps can get dim or vary in brightness, and replacement or repair lamp parts may not exactly match the brightness or other performance characteristics of the original parts.
The light reading will reflect the intensity of the light projected from the display object, and can be used to calibrate the amount of light given off by a specific display object relative to other objects, or to calibrate the light given off by a single object or by the system as a whole. The wagering game determines whether the brightness is correct at 304, such as by comparing the brightness to a target setting, a preconfigured setting, or another display object's brightness as measured with the light sensor. If the object's brightness is not correct, the brightness is adjusted an appropriate amount at 305, and another light reading is taken at 303. This loop repeats until the light reading is determined to be correct.
The system then determines whether another display object's backlight brightness is to be calibrated at 306, and proceeds back to 302 to calibrate the lamp brightness for the next object if calibration target objects remain. If all display objects have been calibrated, the system proceeds to 307, and completes the calibration such as by saving the new settings and exiting the calibration setup screen.
In a further embodiment, a light sensor is placed on the exterior of the game cabinet in a fixed position, and is operable to detect the ambient light conditions in the wagering game system's environment. The wagering game system is operable to read the environmental brightness from the light sensor, and to adjust the brightness of one or more backlights illuminating a display object to compensate for environmental light changes. For example, a wagering game system calibrated using the method of
A touchscreen liquid crystal display panel 405 is operable to display images such as wagering game objects and results, as well as configuration or setup information such as shown in
A light sensor 408 is also coupled to the computerized system, and is operable in various embodiments to measure light parameters such as ambient light brightness, ambient light color, and display image color. The measured light parameters are reported in one embodiment to a light controller in machine-readable form such as a digital number to the computerized wagering game system. The system is thereby able to adapt backlight parameters to compensate for changes in ambient light conditions.
In one example, a wagering game system includes a light sensor operable to measure each of ambient light brightness, ambient light color, and display image color. The brightness of a display such as the touchscreen liquid crystal display panel 405 is adjusted depending on the measured ambient light intensity, providing several benefits to the game owner and wagering game player.
First, the game will not be overly bright or so dim that it is difficult to see, as the display brightness is tailored to the particular environment of the wagering game system. The wagering game system may therefore light the liquid crystal display panel 405 with a backlight relatively strongly during the day when the wagering game environment is brighter, and make the backlight brightness dimmer during the night when the ambient light is lower. Second, the reduced brightness during periods of dim ambient light reduces power consumption and prolongs the life of the backlight system, and of the display 405 in some circumstances.
In a further example, the color of ambient light around the wagering game system is measured and the backlight color is adjusted based on the perceived ambient light color. For example, if a wagering game is in an environment with reddish yellow light of a low color temperature, showing bright blues and accurate whites on a display can appear harsh. Similarly, a backlight with a low color temperature can appear dull and lacking in color relative to ambient light that is white or blue, or that has a high color temperature. The backlight color is therefore altered based on the measured color of the ambient light, so that the light is better coordinated with the ambient light color. In various embodiments, the backlight color is varied by use of color filters, varying the brightness of differently colored backlight elements, or by any other such method.
The backlight in some embodiments is a light used to illuminate the back of a display panel, such as the light that shines behind a liquid crystal display or that provides light for a DLP or LCD projector display. In other embodiments, the backlight is a light that illuminates another surface on or around the wagering game system. For example, the backlight includes in one embodiment a light located in the wagering game machine cabinet that illuminates a part of the wagering game cabinet surrounding the touchscreen liquid crystal display 405, such that the light around the display is adjusted based on the ambient light or display light properties such as brightness or color. In another example, a static image that is illuminated form behind by a backlight is illuminated via a backlight having adjustable brightness, color, or other such parameters based on measurements taken from a light sensor such as light sensor 408 or computerized analysis of the image displayed on a dynamic display screen.
In another example, the backlight is used to illuminate the environment around the wagering game machine cabinet, such as by shining a light onto a wall behind the wagering game system or by illuminating the ground around the wagering game cabinet. The light sensor in one such embodiment measures ambient light conditions, and adjusts the light used to illuminate the area surrounding the wagering game machine according the measured ambient light conditions. In a further example, light illuminating the area around the wagering game system is based on characteristics of an image displayed on a display panel of the wagering game system, such as touchscreen display panel 405, or is based on a combination of displayed image characteristics and measured ambient light characteristics.
The various backlight display examples presented here incorporating an ambient light or displayed light sensing operation show how adjusting various light characteristics of backlights such as dynamic display backlights, static display backlights, and environmental backlights can improve performance of a wagering game machine. Excessive brightness of the backlight can be avoided, resulting in a savings in power, an increase in backlight longevity, and more ergonomically pleasing light presentation. Other examples presented here show a variety of ways in which the light intensity of lamps used to illuminate display objects such as mechanical reels, art glass, and bezels or buttons can be adjusted. They show how adjusting backlight intensity can be used to compensate for the time of day or other ambient light conditions, and how various brightness control systems and configuration methods can be used to achieve the desired brightness control.
Although specific embodiments of such wagering game systems and methods of use have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement or method which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments described. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the example embodiments of the invention described herein, and it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the full scope of equivalents thereof.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/715,905 filed Sep. 9, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US06/16933 | 5/3/2006 | WO | 00 | 3/6/2008 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60715905 | Sep 2005 | US |
