POSITION SENSING GESTURE HAND ATTACHMENT

• US 20140018166A1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Loose, Timothy C., Guild, Charles V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,992,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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

Abstract

An attachment worn against a palm side or a back side of a metacarpus of a person'"'"'s hand. The attachment includes a flexible band or strip to which a sensing electronics module is attached that contains in a housing electronics for sensing gesture characteristics made by the wearer'"'"'s hand, including a communications interface for communicating gesture characteristic data to a system external to the hand-worn attachment. The attachment sends at least position and orientation data in real time as a gesture is made to an external system, such as a gaming terminal. Optional sensors for detecting light, acceleration, orientation, or pressure can be used to detect other gesture characteristics and/or user inputs made while wearing the attachment. The gestures and user inputs can be used to influence graphical objects displayed on one or more displays displaying a program, such as a wagering game.

Claims

1. A hand-worn attachment for sensing a gesture, comprising:

a thin flexible element configured to be worn against a metacarpus of a hand in a fixed relationship thereto, the flexible element being bendable and elongated and remaining in place relative to the hand as the hand is moved, a portion of the flexible element wrapping around a side of the metacarpus; and

a sensing electronics module coupled to the flexible element, the sensing electronics module including sensing electronics configured to detect a position and an orientation of the flexible element as the hand against which the flexible element is worn makes a gesture, the sensing electronics module further including a communications interface configured to communicate position and orientation data corresponding to the position and the orientation of the flexible element as the gesture is made.

2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the sensing electronics include a sensor responsive to a movement of one or more fingers of the hand to produce a user input signal indicative of a user input that is communicated via the communications interface.

3. The attachment of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a light sensor positioned relative to the flexible element such that the movement of the one or more fingers corresponds to a closure of the hand to block the light sensor and thereby produce the user input signal, or

wherein the sensor is a contact sensor positioned relative to the flexible element such that the movement of the one or more fingers corresponds to closure of the one or more fingers against the metacarpus to make contact with the contact sensor thereby producing the user input signal, or

wherein the sensor is a tension sensor positioned relative to the flexible element to monitor a tension or pressure applied to the flexible element as the one or more fingers move from an open position to a closed position to increase the tension or pressure sensed by the tension sensor thereby producing the user input signal, or

wherein the sensor is a switch coupled to an extension that protrudes lengthwise along at least a part of the one or more fingers such that the movement causes a state of the switch to change to cause the user input signal to be generated.

4. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the flexible element is composed of a bendable, compliant material that conforms to a back side of the metacarpus opposing a palm side of the hand, the portion of the flexible element including opposing end portions that wrap around respective opposite sides of the metacarpus.

5. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the flexible element is a band composed of an elastic material and when the sensing electronics module is worn against a palm side of the metacarpus of the hand, the sensing electronics being configured to sense a movement of one or more fingers of the hand to produce a user input signal indicative of a user input, the user input signal being transmitted by the communications interface.

6. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the sensing electronics include a wireless transducer configured to use electromagnetic signals for determining at least one of the position or the orientation of the flexible element.

7. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the sensing electronics module further includes a haptic device for imparting haptic feedback to the hand in response to haptic input signals received by the communications interface.

8. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the sensing electronics module further includes a magnetometer for determining an orientation of the flexible element, the magnetometer producing orientation data indicative of the determined orientation.

9. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the sensing electronics module further includes one or more inertial sensors that sense an acceleration movement of the flexible element and a direction of the acceleration movement.

10. The attachment of claim 1, wherein no part of the attachment contacts an extremity portion of any finger of the hand as the attachment is worn against the metacarpus when the hand is in an open palm position.

11. The attachment of claim 1, wherein all fingers of the hand are free to make other inputs when the attachment is worn on the hand.

12. A gaming system configured to conduct a wagering game comprising:

one or more input devices;

one or more display devices;

one or more processors;

an external system interface;

a hand-worn attachment for sensing a gesture, the attachment including;

a thin flexible element configured to be worn against a metacarpus of a hand in a fixed relationship thereto, the flexible element being bendable and elongated and remaining in place relative to the hand as the hand is moved, a portion of the flexible element wrapping around a side of the metacarpus, and

a sensing electronics module coupled to the flexible element, the sensing electronics module including sensing electronics configured to detect a position of the flexible element as the hand against which the flexible element is worn makes a gesture, the sensing electronics module further including a communications interface configured to communicate to the external system interface position data corresponding to the position of the flexible element as the gesture is made; and

one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one or more processors, cause the gaming system to;

receive an input, via the one or more input devices, indicative of a wager;

cause a wagering game to be displayed on the one or more display devices; and

receive the position data from the attachment as the wagering game is displayed on the one or more display devices.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the attachment further includes a haptic device for imparting haptic feedback to the hand in response to haptic input signals received by the communications interface of the attachment, the one or more memory devices further causing the gaming system to communicate via the external system interface to the communications interface of the attachment the haptic input signals as the wagering game is displayed on the one or more display devices.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the one or more memory devices further cause the gaming system to:

cause to be displayed on at least one of the one or more display devices a graphic that is part of the wagering game, where the graphic appears to move with the attachment as the gesture is made;

receive at the external system interface from the communications interface of the attachment a user input signal indicating that the gesture no longer affects the movement of the graphic, and responsive thereto, cause the graphic to appear to move in a manner that is not influenced by any gesture made by the attachment.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the user input signal is produced by the attachment detecting a transition of the hand between a closed first position and an open palm position.

16. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the one or more memory devices further cause the gaming system to:

cause to be displayed on at least one of the one or more display devices a graphic that is part of the wagering game, where the graphic appears to be grasped by the hand of the player wearing the attachment while the gesture is made;

receive at the external system interface from the communications interface of the attachment a user input signal indicating a release of the graphic from appearing to be grasped by the hand such that the gesture no longer affects the movement of the graphic, and responsive thereto, cause the graphic to appear to move in a manner that is not influenced by any gesture made by the attachment.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the user input signal is produced by the attachment detecting a transition of the hand from a closed first position to an open palm position.

18. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein the one or more memory devices further cause the gaming system to:

responsive to receiving the user input signal, receive at the external system interface from the communications interface of the attachment orientation data indicating a change in an orientation of the attachment, and responsive thereto, cause a trajectory of the graphic to appear to change in a manner corresponding to the orientation data as displayed on at least one of the one or more display devices.

19. The gaming system of claim 12, further comprising:

a second hand-worn attachment for sensing a gesture made by a second player, the second attachment including;

a thin flexible element configured to be worn against a metacarpus of a hand of the second player in a fixed relationship relative to the metacarpus of the hand of the second user, the flexible element of the second attachment being bendable and elongated and remaining in place relative to the hand of the second player as the hand of the second user is moved, a portion of the flexible element of the second attachment wrapping around a side of the metacarpus of the hand of the second player, and

a sensing electronics module coupled to the flexible element of the second attachment, the sensing electronics module of the second attachment including sensing electronics configured to detect a position of the flexible element of the second attachment as the hand of the second player against which the flexible element of the second attachment is worn makes a gesture, the sensing electronics module of the second attachment further including a communications interface configured to communicate to the external system interface position data corresponding to the position of the flexible element of the second attachment as the gesture is made by the hand of the second player;

wherein the instructions further cause the gaming system to;

cause to be displayed on at least one of the one or more display devices a graphic that is part of the wagering game and whose movement is controlled by a first player wearing the attachment and a second player wearing the second attachment; and

cause the graphic to move in a manner influenced by the position data from the attachment worn by the first player and the position data from the second attachment worn by the second player.

20. A computer-implemented method of conducting wagering games on a wagering game system, the wagering game system including one or more input devices, one or more display devices, and one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more input devices, a wager to initiate a wagering game on the wagering game system;

displaying, via at least one of the one or more display devices, a graphic that is part of the wagering game;

randomly selecting, via at least one of the one or more processors, a game outcome from a plurality of game outcomes;

receiving at an external system interface from a hand-worn attachment having a thin flexible element configured to be worn against a metacarpus of a hand in a fixed relationship thereto, position data indicating a position of the attachment in three-dimensional space; and

causing the graphic to be displayed, via at least one of the one or more display devices, so as to move in a manner corresponding to the position data received from the attachment.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein the flexible element is bendable and remains in place relative to the hand as the hand is moved, a portion of the flexible element wrapping around a side of the metacarpus, an overall length dimension of the flexible element being greater than an overall width dimension thereof.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving at the external system interface from the communications interface of the attachment a user input signal indicating that the gesture no longer affects the movement of the graphic, and responsive thereto, causing the graphic to appear to move in a manner that is not influenced by any gesture made by the attachment.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, further comprising:

portraying the graphic as appearing to be grasped by the hand of the player wearing the attachment while the gesture is made; and

receiving at the external system interface a user input signal from the attachment, indicating a release of the graphic from appearing to be grasped by the hand such that the gesture no longer affects the movement of the graphic, and responsive thereto,

causing the graphic to appear to move in a manner that is not influenced by any gesture made by the attachment.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the user input signal, receiving at the external system interface from the attachment orientation data indicating a change in an orientation of the attachment, and responsive thereto, causing a trajectory of the graphic to appear to change in a manner corresponding to the orientation data as displayed via at least one of the one or more display devices.

25. One or more physical machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via at least one of the one or more input devices, a wager to initiate a wagering game on the wagering game system;

displaying, via at least one of the one or more display devices, a graphic that is part of the wagering game;

randomly selecting, via at least one of the one or more processors, a game outcome from a plurality of game outcomes;

receiving at an external system interface from a hand-worn attachment having a thin flexible element configured to be worn against a metacarpus of a hand in a fixed relationship thereto, position data indicating a position of the attachment in three-dimensional space; and

causing the graphic to be displayed, via at least one of the one or more display devices, so as to move in a manner corresponding to the position data received from the attachment.

26. The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 25, wherein the flexible element is bendable and remains in place relative to the hand as the hand is moved, a portion of the flexible element wrapping around a side of the metacarpus, an overall length dimension of the flexible element being greater than an overall width dimension thereof.

27. The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 25, the operations further comprising:

receiving at the external system interface from the communications interface of the attachment a user input signal indicating that the gesture no longer affects the movement of the graphic, and responsive thereto, causing the graphic to appear to move in a manner that is not influenced by any gesture made by the attachment.

28. The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 25, the operations further comprising:

portraying the graphic as appearing to be grasped by the hand of the player wearing the attachment while the gesture is made; and

receiving at the external system interface a user input signal from the attachment, indicating a release of the graphic from appearing to be grasped by the hand such that the gesture no longer affects the movement of the graphic, and responsive thereto,

causing the graphic to appear to move in a manner that is not influenced by any gesture made by the attachment.

29. The one or more physical machine-readable storage media of claim 28, the operations further comprising:

responsive to receiving the user input signal, receiving at the external system interface from the attachment orientation data indicating a change in an orientation of the attachment, and responsive thereto, causing a trajectory of the graphic to appear to change in a manner corresponding to the orientation data as displayed via at least one of the one or more display devices.