Dual mode gaming device methods and systems

• US 5,618,232 A
• Filed: 03/23/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John R. Martin 2002 Declaration of Trust
• Original Assignee: John R. Martin
• Inventors: Martin, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/409,273
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 A, 273/433, 273/434, 273/148 B, 273/DIG. 28, 364/410, 345/173, 463/16, 463/1, 463/23, 463/25, 463/29, 463/40, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/007 with under-desk displays, e.g. displays being viewable through a transparent working surface of the table or desk
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/516 connected to a local network, e.g. in a plane, hotel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• 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

Abstract

An electronic game device system is switchable between an amusement mode and a gaming or gambling mode and is useful for vehicles such as airplanes or boats which move geographically from jurisdictions where gaming is legal to jurisdictions where it is not. A GPS receiver can be used to automatically switch the system between the modes, dependent upon the vehicle position. An improved method of operating a touch screen on a CRT or LCD computer screen uses finger release as input registering, and also may use highlighting of a button being selected with an enlarged button area for any highlighted button. Mounting arrangements for mounting computer screens or monitors are also disclosed for mounting between a transparent table top in e.g. a lounge area, and for mounting in seatbacks of airplane or other vehicle seats.

Claims

1. An electronic game machine system comprising a plurality of electronic game machines, switching means provided for each electronic game machine for selectively switching the electronic game machine between a first mode and a second mode, said electronic game machine having player input controls for player input or selection during the course of a game, said electronic game machine also including scoring circuitry for automatically keeping a game score when operated in the first mode, said electronic game machine system also including a separate register positioned at a central location or at a game machine for maintaining an account balance for a player when operating in said second mode, and circuitry for incrementing or decrementing the player account balance in said register in accordance with the outcome of play on an electronic game machine operated in said second mode, and a remote system controller connected to said plurality of game machines which is operable to remotely disable said second mode when desired.

2. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the remote system controller is operated by a person to remotely disable said second mode for all of said game machines when desired.

3. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 1 which is located on a vehicle suitable for travel to a variety of geographic locations, and which system includes a navigation receiver for determining present geographic position, a stored table of geographic positions corresponding to selected jurisdictions selected in accordance with desired criteria related to the gaming laws of those jurisdictions, and a position switch control for making a comparison between present geographic position against said stored table of geographic positions to determine if the present geographic position is within said selected jurisdictions, said position switch control automatically controlling said remote system controller to remotely disable said second mode automatically when said game machine system is located at a geographic position outside of geographic positions stored in said table.

4. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said player input controls comprise a touch screen.

5. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said system includes means operable when said game machine system is operating in said second mode for accepting player input of wagers or player selected increases to an account balance through at least one of credit card debits, tokens, or cash.

6. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 5 including means operable when said game machine system is operating in said second mode for vending to a player the player'"'"'s account balance through at least one of credit card credits, tokens and cash.

7. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 1 including a visible and marked player operated input to scoring circuitry of the device system when the system is being operated in said first mode for increasing the player'"'"'s score by selected arbitrary amounts at arbitrary times as selected by the player.

8. An electronic game machine system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each electronic game machine includes a communications component interconnected with said remote system controller for communications with same, whereby a player at one of the electronic game machines can place orders for items with said remote system controller.

9. A method of utilizing electronic game machines on vehicles which move to a variety of geographic locations, comprising the steps of providing a plurality of electronic game machines with a first mode of operation wherein the game machines provide a score indicative of player performance and a second mode of operation wherein the game machines increment or decrement a register positioned at a central location or at a game machine a player account in accordance with player performance, and providing a remote system controller connected to all the plurality of electronic game machines for remotely disabling the second mode of operation of all the game machines when desired.

10. The method of claim 9 including the step of controlling the switching means by a person operating the system controller connected to all the electronic game machines.

11. The method of claim 9 including the steps of automatically determining the present geographic position of the vehicle having the electronic game machines located thereon, automatically performing a comparison between the present geographic position with known geographic positions corresponding to geographic positions selected in accordance with desired criteria relating to the gaming laws of jurisdictions at those geographic positions, and automatically controlling with the system controller disabling of the second mode of operation in accordance with the comparison when the vehicle is outside of those known and selected geographic positions.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9 including the step of providing the electronic game machines with touch screens upon which buttons can be displayed for registering player input or selection by placing or sliding a finger on a desired button, and including the further steps of displaying a plurality of buttons on the screen, with each of the plurality of buttons having visually defined boundaries on the screen, defining an enlarged sensitive area for each button having a larger area than the visually defined boundary for that button, activating the enlarged sensitive area for a particular button when a finger touch which is still touching is sensed for that button and concurrently highlighting the visually defined boundary for that button, registering a button selection for a highlighted button when the finger touch is released anywhere within the enlarged sensitive area for that highlighted button, unhighlighting a highlighted button when a finger which is still touching exits the enlarged sensitive area of a button without being released, and, when finger touch is sensed from finger placement on or finger sliding on within the visually defined boundary for a different button with the previously highlighted button being unhighlighted, highlighting that different button when finger touch is sensed from finger placement on or finger sliding on within the visually defined boundary for that different button and concurrently activating the enlarged sensitive area for that different highlighted button.

13. An electronic amusement device system comprising an electronic game machine, said electronic game machine having player input controls for player input or selection during the course of a game, said electronic game machine also including scoring circuitry for automatically keeping a game score when operated by a player, said player input controls for said electronic game machine including a visible and marked control operable at arbitrary, player-selected times by a player, to directly increment the game score as indicated by the scoring circuitry in addition to whatever score is achieved by a player as a result of game play.