Touch screen video gaming machine

• US 5,342,047 A
• Filed: 04/08/1992
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bally Gaming International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Snider, Richard E., Heidel, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US07/864,959
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 A, 273/138 R, 273/143 R, 273/85 CP, 273/85 G, 273/237, 273/269, 273/DIG. 28
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

In video lottery terminals that employ touch screens to permit a number of different games to be played on the same machine, the play of certain games can be improved by using electromechanical game buttons in conjunction with touch screen controls.

Claims

1. A video gaming machine comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of game control buttons mounted on said housing;

a plurality of machine control buttons mounted on said housing;

control means, including a memory containing a plurality of games, responsive to said game control buttons and machine control buttons for controlling the gaming machine; and

a touch screen video display operatively connected to said control means for displaying said games wherein said games include displays of game controls and machine controls for operating said games;

wherein said control means is responsive to either one of said game buttons and said displayed game controls to control at least a first one of said games.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said control means is not responsive to inputs from said game control buttons for a second of said games.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said control means is responsive to inputs from said machine control buttons for said second game.

4. The machine of claim 2 wherein said first game is a poker game and said game control buttons are hold buttons.

5. The machine of claim 4 wherein said second game is a slot machine game.

6. The machine of claim 1 wherein said game control buttons include at least two labels and wherein said control means includes selection means for selecting one of said labels to correspond to one of said games.

7. The machine of claim 6 wherein said labels include light responsive indicia and wherein said selection means includes a pair of light filters and a pair of light sources associated with each of said labels and a logic circuit connected to said light source for selectively energizing one of said light sources in each of said pairs of light sources.

8. A video gaming machine, comprising:

a computer including memory containing a plurality of games;

means for initiating execution of said games by said computer;

a touch screen display operatively associated with said computer, said touch screen display including means for generating a plurality of touch screen input signals;

a plurality of user-activated electromechanical buttons operatively associated with said computer;

wherein said computer is selectively responsive to both said buttons and said touch screen input signals to control said execution of at least one of said games.

9. The machine of claim 8 wherein said electromechanical buttons include at least two labels and wherein said control means includes selection means for selecting one of said labels to correspond to one of said games.

10. The machine of claim 9 wherein said labels include light responsive indicia and wherein said selection means includes a pair of light filters and a pair of light sources associated with each of said labels and a logic circuit connected to said light source for selectively energizing one of said light sources in each of said pairs of light sources.

11. A video gaming machine comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of game control buttons mounted on said housing;

a plurality of machine control buttons mounted on said housing;

control means, including a memory containing a plurality of games, responsive to said game control buttons and machine control buttons for controlling the gaming machine; and

a touch screen video display operatively connected to said control means for displaying said games wherein said games include displays of game controls and machine controls for operating said games;

wherein said control means is responsive to either one of said game buttons and said displayed game controls to control at least a first one of said games;

wherein said game control buttons include at least two labels and wherein said control means includes selection means for selecting one of said labels to correspond to one of said games.

12. The machine of claim 11 wherein said labels include light responsive indicia and wherein said selection means includes a pair of light filters and a pair of light sources associated with each of said labels and a logic circuit connected to said light source for selectively energizing one of said light sources in each of said pairs of light sources.