Amusement Device Having a Configurable Display for Presenting Games Having Different Aspect Ratios

• US 20090227369A1
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Merit Entertainment
• Original Assignee: Merit Entertainment
• Inventors: Higbie, Colin, Stelzer, James R.
• Application Number:
  US12/045,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20090227369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

An amusement device includes a display screen having a first aspect ratio and a currency input. The amusement device is operable by a user upon receipt by the currency input of at least one of coins, currency, and a credit card/debit card. A controller is configured to select and execute at least one application program and at least one secondary application. The at least one application program is configured to display at least one first image on the display screen in a second aspect ratio. The at least one first image is displayed in the second aspect ratio in a first portion of the display screen. The second aspect ratio is different than the first aspect ratio. The at least one secondary application is configured to display at least one second image in the second portion of the display screen.

Claims

1. An amusement device comprising:

(a) a display screen having a first aspect ratio and a touchscreen;

(b) a currency input, the amusement device being operable by a user upon receipt by the currency input of at least one of coins, currency, and a credit card/debit card; and

(c) a controller configured to select and execute at least one application program and at least one virtual control application, the at least one application program being configured to display at least one first image on the display screen in a second aspect ratio, the at least one first image being displayed in the second aspect ratio in a first portion of the display screen, the second aspect ratio being different than the first aspect ratio, the at least one virtual control application being configured to display at least one second image in the second portion of the display screen.

2. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the at least one application program is an electronic game.

3. The amusement device of claim 2, wherein the at least virtual control application is configured to manipulate the electronic game.

4. The amusement device of claim 3, wherein the virtual control application includes at least one of a virtual trackball and a virtual joystick.

5. The amusement device of claim 3, wherein the user may selectively reposition at least one displayed element of the virtual control application within the second portion of the display screen.

6. The amusement device of claim 3, wherein the display screen includes at least one textured element on the second portion of the display screen, the at least one textured element being linked with at least one displayed element of the virtual control application.

7. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen comprises a touch sensor and a bezel, the touch sensor being one of permanently and semi-permanently affixed to the bezel to form a single unit.

8. The amusement device of claim 7, wherein an adhesive layer is disposed between the touch sensor and the bezel.

9. The amusement device of claim 8, wherein the adhesive layer is an acrylic foam tape.

10. The amusement device of claim 7, wherein the touch sensor is of a projective capacitive type.

11. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the second aspect ratio is 4:

3.

12. The amusement device of claim 11, wherein the first aspect ratio is one of 16:

9, 16;

10, 1.85;

1, and 2.35;

1.

13. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the user may selectively reposition at least one of the first and second portions of the display screen with respect to the other of the first and second portions of the display screen.

14. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen permits simultaneous input from at least two different locations of the touchscreen.

15. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the virtual control application is configured to manipulate a plurality of application programs.

16. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein displayed elements of the virtual control application are based on the application program being executed by the controller.