METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A GAMING SYSTEM USER INTERFACE

• US 20160093143A1
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Video Gaming Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Lamb, William Douglas, Rice, Daniel William, McClearen, Victor Brent, Curbbun, Charles Stanley, Abadilla, Arvin Grande, Kranz, Matthew, Groeli, Julian, Wang, Blake Chuanlun, Chen, Jin, Leach, William John
• Granted Patent: US 10,854,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a base, a columnar pedestal extending vertically from the base, and a button deck adjustably coupled to the pedestal. The button deck includes an upper surface including a transparent touchscreen element, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a button deck body extending therebetween. At least one of the lower surface and the body include one or more transparent display elements, the one or more transparent display elements are configured to generate images of gaming machine control actuators viewable on the upper surface. The transparent touchscreen element is configured to receive touches and gestures indicating control inputs. The gaming machine also includes a player tracking card reader positioned within the button deck and accessible through a slot in a front edge of the button deck, the player tracking card reader communicatively coupled to a player tracking display area of the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a base;

a columnar pedestal extending vertically from said base, said pedestal having a cross-sectional area, a width, and a depth that are less than each of a corresponding cross-sectional area, width, and depth of said base; and

a button deck adjustably coupled to said pedestal, said button deck comprising;

an upper surface comprising a transparent touchscreen element;

a lower surface opposite said upper surface; and

a button deck body extending therebetween;

at least one of said lower surface and said body comprising one or more transparent display elements, said one or more transparent display elements configured to generate one or more images of gaming machine control actuators viewable on said upper surface, said transparent touchscreen element configured to receive from a user at least one of touches and gestures indicating control inputs to said gaming machine, the at least one of touches and gestures corresponding to the generated images; and

a player tracking card reader positioned within the button deck and accessible through a slot in a front edge of the button deck, said player tracking card reader communicatively coupled to a player tracking display area of said gaming machine.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising opaque components positioned within said button deck body, said one or more transparent display elements configured to disguise an appearance of said opaque components.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said button deck is configured to permit a user to reconfigure a layout of the generated gaming machine control actuators using a drag and drop process.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said button deck is configured to display player tracking information viewable on said upper surface.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said button deck is configured to remain transparent to a user during predetermined periods of game play.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said button deck is configured to display at least one of game-related images and video viewable on said upper surface.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said button deck is configured to display at least one of ambient images and video viewable on said upper surface.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said upper surface further comprises a wireless charger element configured to transfer energy to a battery-powered device positioned in proximity to said wireless charger element.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein said wireless charger element utilizes inductive coupling to transfer the energy.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein said wireless charger element utilizes resonant energy transfer based on oscillating magnetic fields to transfer the energy.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a game cabinet comprising:

at least one of a single video display panel, a plurality of video display panels, and a combination of mechanical reels and one or more video display panels;

a mating flange configured to releasably mount to a complementary pedestal flange positioned at an upper edge of said pedestal; and

one or more mating plugs configured to engage a complementary one or more mating plugs positioned proximate said mating flanges, said mating plugs configured to join respective signal and power conduits between said pedestal and said game cabinet.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a user interface comprising:

a value acceptor slot positioned at a rear edge of a flat receiving surface, the flat receiving surface including a graphical output device configured to indicate an expected action to a user; and

a printer slot oriented in a downward angle of about 0°

to about 90°

with respect to horizontal.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the graphical output device configured to display at least one of a static graphic item and a dynamic graphic item related to a state of said gaming machine.

14. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the graphical output device comprises at least one of an array of addressable lights and a video display panel.

15. A gaming machine comprising:

a pedestal configured to support one of a plurality of interchangeable game cabinets through a pedestal mating flange configured to engage a complementary game cabinet flange,

one or more mating plugs configured to engage a complementary one or more mating plugs positioned proximate said mating flanges, said mating plugs configured to join respective signal and power conduits between said pedestal and said game cabinet; and

a button deck adjustably coupled to said pedestal, said button deck comprising;

an upper surface comprising a transparent touchscreen element,

a lower surface opposite said upper surface; and

a button deck body extending therebetween;

at least one of said lower surface and said body comprising one or more transparent display elements, said one or more transparent display elements configured to generate one or more images of gaming machine control actuators viewable on said upper surface, said transparent touchscreen element configured to receive from a user at least one of touches and gestures indicating control inputs to said gaming machine, the at least one of touches and gestures corresponding to the generated images.

16. The gaming machine system of claim 15, a plurality of interchangeable game cabinets selectable such that one of the plurality of game cabinets is mounted to said pedestal at a time, said plurality of game cabinets comprising:

a single video display panel oriented in at least one of a portrait and a landscape orientation;

a plurality of video display panels oriented in at least one of a portrait and a landscape orientation; and

a combination of mechanical reels and one or more video display panels;

a player tracking display area of said plurality of interchangeable game cabinets configured to display player tracking information, said player tracking display area displayed on one of said video display panels.

17. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein said display area comprises at least one of a single video display panel, a plurality of video display panels, and a combination of mechanical reels and one or more video display panels.

18. The gaming machine of claim 15, further comprising a pedestal configured to couple to game cabinet through a mechanical coupling flange, signal coupling connectors, and at least one power conduit connector.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, further comprising a user interface comprising a unitary value acceptor and printer bezel, said bezel comprising a flat receiving surface configured to direct at least one of currency and vouchers into a first value acceptor slot proximate an edge of said receiving surface, said bezel comprising a second downwardly oriented printer slot positioned above said value acceptor slot and configured to direct items exiting said printer towards said receiving surface.

20. A gaming machine pedestal comprising:

a button deck adjustably coupled to said pedestal, said button deck including one or more extendable arms, each arm coupled at one end to said pedestal and at a second end to said button deck, said button deck extendable away from and towards said pedestal; and

a player tracking card reader positioned within the button deck and accessible through a slot in a front edge of the button deck.

21. The gaming machine system of claim 20, wherein said pedestal includes an actuator configured to facilitate extending said button deck away from and towards said pedestal.