System for and method of capturing a player's image for incorporation into a game

• US 7,048,630 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AMI Engineering, Joseph P. Brady
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Pascal, Andrew S., Berg, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US10/272,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463/30, 463/31, 463/43, 345/434, 345/118
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics

Abstract

A method of capturing a player'"'"'s image for incorporation into a casino game that comprises a reel or a reel simulation game including an array of frames comprises using a camera to capture the image of a player at the casino game who is located within the field of view of the camera, electronically sensing the image captured by the camera, and electronically displaying at least a portion of the electronically sensed image on a first electronic display associated with the casino game such that the displayed portion of the image is utilized within the play of the casino game at which the player is present.

Claims

1. A method of capturing players'"'"' images in real-time for incorporation into an electronic casino game comprising a reel simulation or an electronic casino card game, wherein the electronic casino game comprises multiple player capability and further comprises a playing portion associated with each player, the method comprising:

receiving a value payment from each of a plurality of players;

providing a notification to the plurality of players that their images will be captured, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a visual signal and an audible signal;

using a camera to capture real-time images of each of the players who are located within a field of view of the camera;

scanning the real-time images for facial features, wherein the facial features comprise at least one of a chin, a nose, a mouth and eyes;

rejecting the real-time images if the real-time images do not include a minimum number of facial features;

cropping the unrejected real-time images to create cropped images consisting essentially of images of players'"'"' faces without any background images;

electronically displaying in real-time at least a portion of the cropped images on a video display associated with the casino game such that the cropped image of each player'"'"'s face is combined with a video depiction of a figure to create a video character image associated with each player, wherein the video character image associated with each player comprises a video depiction of the player'"'"'s face imposed on the video depiction of the figure and is displayed in the playing portion associated with each player;

freezing the cropped images to create still images of each player; and

displaying the still images of each player on the video display.

2. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising notifying the player when the captured image will be electronically sensed via a sound signal that comprises an electronically generated human voice simulation.

3. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising electronically displaying at least a portion of the electronically sensed image on a second electronic display associated with the game.

4. A method according to claim 1, where the casino game additionally comprises a plurality of cameras.

5. A method according to claim 1, where the casino game includes a light source to provide additional light on each of the players when necessary to obtain the images of the players.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing a player to elect to have the image printed on a printer coupled to the casino game.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing the image to an image associated with a player tracking card used by the player.

8. A method of capturing a player'"'"'s image in real-time for incorporation into an electronic casino game comprising a reel simulation or an electronic casino card game, wherein the electronic casino game comprises a playing portion, the method comprising:

receiving a value payment from a player;

providing a notification to the player that his image will be captured, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a visual signal and an audible signal;

using a camera to capture real-time images of the player who is located within a field of view of the camera;

scanning the real-time images for facial features, wherein the facial features comprise at least one of a chin, a nose, a mouth and eyes;

rejecting the real-time images if the real-time images do not include a minimum number of facial features;

cropping the unrejected real-time images to create cropped images consisting essentially of images of the player'"'"'s face without any background images;

electronically displaying in real-time at least a portion of the cropped images on a video display associated with the casino game such that the cropped image of the player'"'"'s face is combined with a video depiction of a figure to create a video character image associated with the player, wherein the video character image associated with the player comprises a video depiction of the player'"'"'s face imposed on the video depiction of the figure and is displayed in the playing portion associated with each player;

freezing the cropped images to create still images of the player; and

displaying the still images on the video display.

9. A method according to claim 8, additionally comprising notifying the player when the captured image will be electronically sensed via a sound signal that comprises an electronically generated human voice simulation.

10. A method according to claim 8, additionally comprising electronically displaying at least a portion of the electronically sensed image on a second electronic display associated with the game.

11. A method according to claim 8, where the casino game additionally comprises a plurality of cameras.

12. A method according to claim 8, where the casino game includes a light source to provide additional light on each of the players when necessary to obtain the images of the players.

13. A method according to claim 8, further comprising printing the image on paper with a logo indicative of the gaming establishment.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising comparing the image to an image associated with a player tracking card used by the player.

15. A method of capturing an image of a player for incorporation into an electronic casino game comprising a reel simulation or an electronic casino card game, wherein the electronic casino game comprises a playing portion associated with a player, the method comprising:

receiving a value payment from the player;

providing a notification to the player that his images will be captured, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a visual signal and an audible signal;

using a camera to capture an image of the player who is located within a field of view of the camera;

scanning the image for facial features, wherein the facial features comprise at least one of a chin, a nose, a mouth and eyes;

rejecting the image if the image does not include a minimum number of facial features; and

electronically displaying at least a portion of an unrejected image on a video display associated with the casino game such that the unrejected image is combined with a video depiction of a figure to create a video character image comprising a video depiction of the player imposed on the video depiction of the figure and is displayed in the playing portion associated with the player.

16. A method according to claim 15, additionally comprising notifying the player when the captured image will be electronically sensed via a sound signal that comprises an electronically generated human voice simulation.

17. A method according to claim 15, where the casino game additionally comprises a plurality of cameras.

18. A method according to claim 15, where the casino game includes a light source to provide additional light on each of the players when necessary to obtain the images of the players.

19. A method according to claim 15, further comprising allowing a player to elect to have the image printed on a printer coupled to the casino game.

20. A method according to claim 15, further comprising comparing the image to an image associated with a player tracking card used by the player.