Wagering gaming device having simulated control of movement of game functional elements

• US 8,075,384 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jones, Aaron T., Beaulieu, Nicole M., Peterson, Lance R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL
• Application Number:
  US12/835,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20110159944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 463/7, 463/16, 463/20, 463/30
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A wagering gaming device that enables a player to affect the movement of a functional element of a game by use of a user input device. More specifically, the present invention provides a processor controlled wagering gaming device that receives input from a user input device. The user manipulates the input device in the manner in which he wishes the functional element or to move. The processor receives the information from the input device and calculates parameters. The processor moves the functional element. This sequence or feature may be employed in a primary game, bonus game or in any stand alone game.

Claims

1. A wagering gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a video display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said input devices including a touch screen disposed in front of the video display device;

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the video display device, and the plurality of input devices including the touch screen, to;

(i) receive a wager from a player;

(ii) after receiving the wager, cause the video display device to display a plurality of video reels spinning and then cause the video display device to display the plurality of video reels stopped to display a randomly determined outcome;

(iii) randomly determine a section of a plurality of different sections of a video wheel to indicate, said indication of said randomly determined section occurring after said video wheel moves, wherein a result is associated with the randomly determined section;

(iv) cause the video display device to display instructions to the player to inform the player how the player is to actuate the touch screen to control a direction of movement of the video wheel from a plurality of different directions;

(v) after the player actuates the touch screen to control the direction of movement of the video wheel, cause the video display device to display the video wheel moving and then cause the video display device to display the video wheel stopped to indicate the randomly determined section, wherein direction of the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is at least in part based on a determination of a direction at which the player actuates the touch screen; and

(vi) provide the result associated with the randomly determined section to the player.

2. The wagering gaming device of claim 1, wherein the determination of the direction at which the player actuates the touch screen is based on a direction from a first touch of the touch screen by the player to a second touch of the touch screen by the player.

3. The wagering gaming device of claim 1, wherein the determination of the direction at which the player actuates the touch screen is based on a direction from a first coordinate on the touch screen touched by the player to another different coordinate on the touch screen touched by the player.

4. The wagering gaming device of claim 1, wherein the displayed movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is also at least in part based on a determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen.

5. A wagering gaming device comprising:

a housing;

a video display device supported by the housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said input devices including a touch screen disposed in front of the video display device;

a processor;

and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the video display device, and the plurality of input devices including the touch screen, to;

(i) receive a wager from a player;

(ii) after receiving the wager, cause the video display device to display a plurality of video reels spinning and then cause the video display device to display the plurality of video reels stopped to display a randomly determined outcome;

(iii) randomly determine a section of a plurality of different sections of a video wheel to indicate, said indication of said randomly determined section occurring after said video wheel moves, wherein a result is associated with the randomly determined section;

(iv) cause the video display device to display instructions to the player to inform the player how the player is to actuate the touch screen to control a speed of movement of the video wheel from a plurality of different speeds;

(v) after the player actuates the touch screen to control the speed of movement of the video wheel, cause the video display device to display the video wheel moving and then cause the video display device to display the video wheel stopped to indicate the randomly determined section, wherein the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is based at least in part on a determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen; and

(vi) provide the result associated with the randomly determined section to the player.

6. The wagering gaming device of claim 5, wherein the determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen is based on an amount of time between the player touching the touch screen at a first point and the player touching the touch screen at a second different point.

7. The wagering gaming device of claim 5, wherein the determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen is based on an amount of time between the player touching the touch screen at a first actuation location and the player touching the touch screen at a second different actuation location.

8. The wagering gaming device of claim 5, wherein the determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen is based on an amount of time between the player touching one coordinate on the touch screen and another different coordinate on the touch screen.

9. The wagering gaming device of claim 5, wherein the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is also at least in part based on a determination of a direction at which the player actuates the touch screen.

10. A method of operating a wagering gaming device including a video display device and a plurality of input devices including a touch screen disposed in front of the video display device, said method comprising:

(i) receiving a wager from a player;

(ii) after receiving the wager, causing the video display device to display a plurality of video reels spinning and then causing the video display device to display the plurality of video reels stopped to display a randomly determined outcome;

(iii) randomly determining a section of a plurality of different sections of a video wheel to indicate, said indication of said randomly determined section occurring after said video wheel moves, wherein a result is associated with the randomly determined section;

(iv) causing the video display device to display instructions to the player to inform the player how the player is to actuate the touch screen to control a direction of movement of the video wheel from a plurality of different directions;

(v) after the player actuates the touch screen to control the direction of movement of the video wheel, causing the video display device to display the video wheel moving and then causing the video display device to display the video wheel stopped to indicate the randomly determined section, wherein direction of the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is at least in part based on a determination of a direction at which the player actuates the touch screen; and

(vi) providing the result associated with the randomly determined section to the player.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the direction at which the player actuates the touch screen is based on a direction from a first touch of the touch screen by the player to a second touch of the touch screen by the player.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the direction at which the player actuates the touch screen is based on a direction from a first coordinate on the touch screen touched by the player to another different coordinate on the touch screen touched by the player.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is also at least in part based on a determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen.

14. A method of operating a wagering gaming device including a video display device and a plurality of input devices including a touch screen disposed in front of the video display device, said method comprising:

(i) receiving a wager from a player;

(ii) after receiving the wager, causing the video display device to display a plurality of video reels spinning and then causing the video display device to display the plurality of video reels stopped to display a randomly determined outcome;

(iii) randomly determining a section of a plurality of different sections of a video wheel to indicate, said indication said randomly determined section occurring after said video wheel moves, wherein a result is associated with the randomly determined section;

(iv) causing the video display device to display instructions to the player to inform the player how the player is to actuate the touch screen to control a speed of movement of the video wheel from a plurality of different speeds;

(v) after the player actuates the touch screen to control the speed of movement of the video wheel, causing the video display device to display the video wheel moving and then causing the video display device to display the video wheel stopped to indicate the randomly determined section, wherein the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is based at least in part on a determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen; and

(vi) providing the result associated with the randomly determined section to the player.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen is based on an amount of time between the player touching the touch screen at a first point and the player touching the touch screen at a second different point.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen is based on an amount of time between the player touching the touch screen at a first actuation location and the player touching the touch screen at a second different actuation location.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determination of how fast the player actuates the touch screen is based on an amount of time between the player touching one coordinate on the touch screen and another different coordinate on the touch screen.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the movement of the video wheel to indicate the randomly determined section is also at least in part based on a determination of a direction at which the player actuates the touch screen.