Apparatus and methods for facilitating automated play of a game machine

• US 7,828,645 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Sammon, Russell P., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/160,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25, 273/292, 273/293, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a gaming device such as a slot machine may be operated in an automated play mode in which the need for player input is reduced or eliminated. Termination of and/or changes in the automated play mode may be related to player input, other types of information about a player (or the player'"'"'s body), and/or whether a player is directing attention to play of the gaming device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate play of a game for a player in an automated mode, the game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

causing at least one sensor to determine if the player is directing attention to the gaming device based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, said at least one sensor being different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

if the determination is that the player is not directing attention to the gaming device, causing the gaming device to terminate play in the automated mode.

2. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate a game in an automated play mode for a player, the game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

causing at least one sensor to determine if the player is paying attention to the gaming device based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, the at least one sensor being different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play mode if the determination is that the player is not paying attention to the gaming device.

3. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate a game in an automated play mode, the game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

causing at least one sensor to determine if a player is directing attention to the gaming device based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, the at least one sensor being different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

causing the gaming device to prevent the player from losing during the automated play mode if the determination is that the player is not directing attention to the gaming device.

4. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate an automated play mode of a game for a player, the game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

causing at least one sensor to detect that the player is away from the gaming device based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, the at least one sensor being different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

causing the gaming device to exit automated play for a period of time during which the sensor detects that the player is away from the gaming device.

5. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate an automated play mode of a game, said game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

causing at least one sensor to determine whether a player is directing attention to the gaming device based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, the at least one sensor being different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

causing the gaming device to pause the automated play for a period of time during which the sensor detects that the player is not directing attention to the gaming device.

6. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate automated play of a game, said game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

receiving a signal from a sensor, said signal indicating that a player is not directing attention to the gaming device, said signal based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, said sensor being is different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play in response to receiving the signal from the sensor.

7. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate automated play of a game for a player, said game configured to be operated according to a signal received from one or more designated player input devices;

receiving a signal from a sensor, said signal indicating that a player is not directing attention to the gaming device, said signal based on at least one sensed physical characteristic of the player, said sensor being is different from any of the one or more designated player input devices; and

causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

9. The method of claim 7, in which the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

10. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether the player is viewing a display area of the gaming device.

11. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether the player is looking at a reel.

12. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining where the player is looking.

13. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining an orientation of a body of the player.

14. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining an orientation of a chair.

15. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether a chair has rotated.

16. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether the player is sitting.

17. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether the player is in contact with the gaming device.

18. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether the player is in a predetermined location and causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play mode if the determination is that the player is not in the predetermined location.

19. The method of claim 7, in which causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play based on the signal from the sensor comprises determining whether the player is in contact with the sensor and causing the gaming device to terminate the automated play mode if the determination is that the player is not in contact with the sensor.

20. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate an automated play session; and

causing the gaming device to receive an indication of a request by a player to opt out of at least one play of the automated play session; and

causing the gaming device to display the at least one opted-out play of the game without changing a credit balance of the player.

21. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate an automated play session at a gaming device;

causing the gaming device to receive an indication of a request by a player to prevent a wager from being placed on at least one skipped play cycle of the automated play session; and

causing the gaming device to display the at least one skipped play cycle of the automated play session without receiving any wager on the at least one skipped play cycle.

22. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate an automated play session;

causing the gaming device to initiate a first play of the automated play session, in which the first play is associated with a wager placed on the first play; and

causing the gaming device to initiate a second play of the automated play session, in which the second play is not associated with any wager placed on the second play.

23. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a gaming device to initiate an automated play mode;

enabling a player to place a wager for a first play cycle;

causing the gaming device to generate a first outcome for the first play cycle; and

causing the gaming device to generate a second outcome for a second play cycle without enabling the player to place any wager for the second play cycle.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a request from a player to generate the second outcome without a respective wager.

25. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

receiving a monetary deposit;

causing a gaming device to receive an indication of a selection by a player to initiate an automated play mode;

thereafter, causing the gaming device to initiate the automated play mode; and

causing the gaming device to exit from the initiated automated play mode upon an occurrence of an exit event.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of an indication that the player wishes to halt the automated play mode.

27. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of an indication that the player is not directing attention to the gaming device.

28. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of a signal from a sensor.

29. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of an indication that the player is not in contact with the gaming device.

30. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of a signal from an optical sensor.

31. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of an indication that no player is in proximity to the gaming device.

32. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of an indication that the player is not viewing a display area of the gaming device.

33. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of an indication that the player is not viewing a reel of the gaming device.

34. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of a signal from a weight sensor.

35. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of a signal that indicates whether the player is standing.

36. The method of claim 25, in which the exit event includes receipt of a signal that indicates that the player has turned away from the gaming device.