Systems and Methods for Casino Gaming Haptics

• US 20080064499A1
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Da Costa, Henrique, Belaus, Gregory, Grant, Danny, Olien, Neil, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

Systems, methods, and products for self-contained casino gaming haptics are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system for casino gaming haptics includes a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user; an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to: generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a casino game to be displayed; receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact; determine an interaction between the contact and the image; and generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user;

an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to;

generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a casino game to be displayed;

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact;

determine an interaction between the contact and the image; and

generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to receive the display signal and display the image associated with the casino game.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive input device comprises a touch screen.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the casino game comprises one of blackjack, poker, solitaire, roulette, craps, checkers, picture match, trivia, or a slot machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of betting chips, winning chips, or losing chips.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is in communication with a remote device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the casino game from the remote device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information to the remote device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises information associated with an action or a state of the casino game.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is also in communication with a housing.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of shaking virtual dice, moving a virtual playing card, pulling a lever on a virtual slot machine, or spinning a virtual roulette wheel.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of correctly answering a trivia question, correctly identifying a difference between two similar images, or finding a word in a word search.

13. A method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a casino game;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

outputting a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device based at least in part on the interaction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the haptic effect is associated with changing a bet amount.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the haptic effect is associated with winning a game.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the haptic effect is associated with losing a game.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the casino game comprises a card game.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the haptic effect is associated with dragging a card.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the haptic effect is associated with discarding a card.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the casino game comprises craps.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the haptic effect is associated with shaking dice.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the haptic effect comprises a low frequency vibration and a high magnitude force.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the high magnitude force indicates a change in direction of the dice.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the low frequency vibration and the high magnitude force are output substantially at the same time.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the haptic effect is associated with rolling dice.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the haptic effect comprises a low frequency vibration and a pop.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the pop is output as a user removes a finger from the touch-sensitive input device.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein the casino game comprises roulette.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the haptic effect is associated with spinning a roulette wheel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibration.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the frequency of the vibration is associated with a speed of the roulette wheel.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the magnitude of the vibration is associated with a speed of the roulette wheel.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the haptic effect is associated with a roulette ball bouncing in a roulette wheel.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the haptic effect comprises a pop.

35. The method of claim 13, wherein the casino game comprises a slot machine.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the haptic effect is associated with pulling a lever.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibration.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the frequency of the vibration is associated with a displacement of the lever.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the magnitude of the vibration is associated with a displacement of the lever.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the haptic effect is associated with a spinning slot wheel.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibration.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the haptic effect comprises a high magnitude, high frequency effect.

43. The method of claim 13, wherein the casino game comprises a scratch-off game.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibration.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the vibration is associated with a rubbing motion.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the haptic effect comprises a pop.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the pop is associated with a scratch-off area being substantially completely uncovered.

48. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code comprising:

program code for displaying an image associated with a casino game;

program code for sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

program code for receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

program code for determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

program code for outputting a haptic effect based at least in part on the interaction.

49. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a touch-sensitive input device;

an actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device or the housing; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to;

receive a casino game application,

generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with the casino game application to be displayed,

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with a contact,

determine an interaction between the contact and the image,

generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect, and

transmit the actuator signal to the actuator.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein the processor receives the casino game application over a network from a server.

51. The device of claim 49, wherein the touch-sensitive input device comprises a touch-screen.

52. A method, comprising:

requesting a casino game application from a server;

receiving the casino game application;

displaying an image associated with the casino game application;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

outputting a haptic effect based to the touch-sensitive input device at least in part on the interaction.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein receiving the casino game application further comprises receiving haptic information associated with the casino game application.

54. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code comprising:

program code for requesting a casino game application from a server;

program code for receiving the casino game application;

program code for displaying an image associated with the casino game application;

program code for sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

program code for receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

program code for determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

program code for outputting a haptic effect based to the touch-sensitive input device at least in part on the interaction.