Wagering gaming device having simulated control of movement of game functional elements

• US 20040053661A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Beaulieu, Nicole M., Jones, Aaron T., Peterson, Lance R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A wagering gaming device that enables a player to affect the movement of a functional element of a game by use of a user input device. More specifically, the present invention provides a processor controlled wagering gaming device that receives input from a user input device. The user manipulates the input device in the manner in which he wishes the functional element or to move. The processor receives the information from the input device and calculates parameters. The processor moves the functional element. This sequence or feature may be employed in a primary game, bonus game or in any stand alone game.

Claims

1. A wagering gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one functional game element displayed by the display device;

at least one input device;

at least one game displayed by the display device in which a result is associated with a randomly determined position of the functional game element after it moves; and

a processor operable to control the movement of the functional game element, wherein direction, speed or distance of said the movement of the functional game element to the position is based on both the random determination of the position and on at least one parameter of how a player actuates the input device.

2. The wagering gaming device of claim 1, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of direction, speed, distance, angle, rate, quantity, and pressure of the actuation of the input device, or any combination thereof.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the user input device includes a touch screen, wherein the movement of the functional game element is affected by successive contact with at least two coordinates of the touch screen.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the input device is selected from the group consisting of a touch screen, a touch pad, a mouse, a motion detector, a button, a light pen, a keyboard, a joystick and any combination thereof.

5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the functional game element is selected from the group consisting of a die, a reel, a card, a wheel or any combination thereof.

6. A wagering gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one touch screen;

at least one functional game element displayed by the display device;

at least one game displayed by the display device in which a result is associated with a randomly determined position of the functional game element; and

a processor in communication with the display device and touch screen and operable control the movement of the functional game element to the position based on said random determination of the position and on at least one of a plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of;

(i) an amount of time from a touch of a first coordinate of the touch screen to a touch of a last coordinate of the touch screen;

(ii) a distance from a touch of a first coordinate of the touch screen and a touch of a last coordinate of the touch screen;

(iii) a speed of actuation based on the amount of time of (i) and the distance of (ii); and

(iv) a direction from a first touch of the touch screen to a last touch of the touch screen;

(v) an angle of coordinates touched on the touch screen;

(vi) a quantity of activations of the touch screen; and

(vii) a rate of activations of the touch screen.

7. The gaming device of claim 6, wherein the movement of the functional game element is based on a plurality of (i) to (vii).

8. The wagering gaming device of claim 6, wherein the parameter is based on at least one additional touch of the touch screen occurring between the first touch and last touch of the touch screen.

9. The wagering gaming device of claim 6, wherein the display device includes the touch screen.

10. The wagering gaming device of claim 6, wherein the functional game element is selected from the group consisting of a die, a reel, a card, a wheel and any combination thereof.

11. A wagering gaming device comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one functional game element displayed by the display device;

at least one game displayed by the display device in which a result is associated with the randomly determined position of the functional game element;

at least one input device; and

a processor which causes the movement of the functional game to the position element based on the random determination of the position and on at least one parameter of how a player actuates the input device, wherein the parameters are selected both group consisting of direction, distance, speed, rate, angle, quantity and pressure, and any combination thereof.

12. The wagering gaming device of claim 11, wherein the user input device is selected from the group consisting of:

a touch screen, a touch pad, a mouse, a motion sensor, a touch pad, a button, a light pen, a keyboard, a joystick or any combination thereof.

13. The wagering gaming device of claim 11, wherein the functional game element is selected from the group consisting of a die, a reel, a card, a wheel and any combination thereof.

14. The wagering gaming device of claim 11, wherein the parameters include at least two of the direction, distance, speed, rate, angle, quantity and pressure.

15. The wagering gaming device of claim 11, wherein the user input device includes a touch screen, wherein the movement of the functional game element is affected by successive contact with at least two coordinates of the touch screen.

16. A wagering gaming device comprising:

at least one display device which includes a touch screen;

at least one functional game element displayed by the display device; and

a processor operable to control the movement of the functional game element based on a parameter of how a player touches the touch screen wherein the parameter is selected from at least one of how long the player touches the touch screen, a direction the player moves a member on the touch screen, the distance at which the player moves a member on the touch screen, a speed at which the player moves a member on the touch screen, a number of times a member touches the touch screen, a rate at which the player causes a member to touch the touch screen, or an angle at which the player moves a member on the touch screen.

17. The wagering gaming device of claim 16, wherein the functional game element is selected from the group consisting of a die, a reel, a card, a wheel and any combination thereof.

18. The wagering gaming device of claim 16, wherein the functional element is a mechanical device attached to a cabinet of the gaming device.

19. A wagering gaming device comprising:

a cabinet;

at least one mechanical functional element supported by the cabinet;

at least one input device supported by the cabinet; and

a processor operable to control the movement of the mechanical functional element based on a random determination and on a parameter of how a player actuates the input device.

20. The wagering gaming device of claim 19, wherein the input device is selected from the group consisting of a touch screen, a touch pad, a mouse, a motion detector, a button, a keyboard, a light pen, a joystick and any combination thereof.

21. The wagering gaming device of claim 19, wherein the input device includes a touch screen which includes an indicator strip.

22. The wagering gaming device of claim 19, wherein the mechanical functional element is chosen from a group consisting of a mechanical wheel, a mechanical reel and any combination thereof.

23. The wagering gaming device of claim 19, wherein the mechanical functional element is located on an upper portion of the cabinet.

24. The wagering gaming device of claim 19, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of direction, distance, speed, rate, angle, quantity, pressure and any combination thereof.

25. A method for operating a wagering gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a random determination to determine a position of a functional element of a game;

(b) enabling a player to actuate an input device associated with the functional element; and

(c) moving and stopping the movement of the functional element to the position based on the random determination and a parameter of how the player actuated the input device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of enabling the player to actuate an input device includes the step of enabling a player to actuate an input device selected from the group consisting of:

a touch screen, a touch pad, a mouse, a motion detector, a touch pad, button panel, a light pen, a keyboard, a joystick and any combination thereof.

27. A method for operating a wagering gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a random determination to determine a position of a functional element of a game;

(b) enabling a player to actuate an input device associated with the functional element and calculating a movement of the functional element based on at least one parameter of how the player actuated the input device;

(c) moving the functional element based on the calculation; and

(d) stopping the movement of the functional element at the position based on the random determination.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the calculating step includes the step of calculating at least one of the distance, time, direction, speed, rate, angle quantity and pressure of player actuation of an input device.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of enabling a player to actuate an input device includes the step of enabling the player to actuate an input device selected from the group consisting of:

a touch screen, a touch pad, a mouse, a motion detector, a touch pad, a button, a light pen, a keyboard, a joystick and any combination thereof.

30. A method for operating a wagering gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a functional game element on at least one display device;

(b) enabling the player to actuate a touch screen;

(c) calculating a plurality of parameters of how the player actuated the touch screen;

(c) moving the functional game element based on a random determination and on the calculated parameters from the actuation of the touch screen.

31. The method of claim 30, which includes the step of determining a result based on a position of the functional game element after it moves.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of calculating the parameters includes the step of calculating the speed and distance of the actuation of the touch screen.

35. The method of claim 32, which includes the step of determining a result based on a position of the functional element, wherein the position of the functional game element is randomly determined.

33. A method for operating a wagering gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a functional element of game;

(b) enabling a player to actuate an input device associated with the functional element; and

(c) moving the functional element based on a random determination and at least one parameter of how a player actuates the input device.

34. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of calculating the type of movement of the functional element based on at least one of the group consisting of:

speed, pressure, distance, rate, angle, quantity and direction of the actuation of the input device and any combination thereof.

36. A method for operating a wagering gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a wheel having a plurality of symbols;

(b) enabling a player to actuate a touch screen to actuate the wheel;

(c) moving the wheel to a randomly determined position based on the randomly determined position and at least one parameter of how a player actuates the input device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

speed, distance, rate, angle, quantity and direction of the touching of the touch screen and any combination thereof.