Systems and methods for casino gaming haptics

• US 8,157,650 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Olien, Neil T., Da Costa, Henrique, Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, Belaus, Gregory M. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US11/855,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/20, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

Systems, methods, and products for self-contained casino gaming haptics are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system for casino gaming haptics includes a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user; an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to: generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a casino game to be displayed; receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact; determine an interaction between the contact and the image; and generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user;

an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to execute a casino game application, the casino game application configured to;

generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a card game to be displayed, the image comprising a plurality of playing cards and a discard area;

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact;

determine a first interaction between the contact and the image;

determine a selection of a first playing card of the plurality of playing cards based on the first interaction;

generate a first actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a first haptic effect;

transmit the first actuator signal to the actuator;

determine a gesture associated with the selection, wherein the gesture comprises a drag;

in response to the first playing card being dragged, generate a second actuator signal based on the gesture, the second actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a second haptic effect; and

transmit the second actuator signal to the actuator.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to receive the display signal and display the image associated with the card game.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive input device comprises a touch screen.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is in communication with a remote device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the card game from the remote device.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information to the remote device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the information comprises information associated with an action or a state of the card game.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is also in communication with a housing.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the first playing card has been discarded;

generate a third actuator signal, the third actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a third haptic effect; and

transmit the third actuator signal to the actuator.

10. A method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a card game, the image comprising a plurality of playing cards and a discard area;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining a first interaction between the contact and the image,

determining a selection of a first playing card of the plurality of playing cards based on the first interaction;

generate a first actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a first haptic effect;

transmitting the first actuator signal to the actuator;

determining a gesture associated with the selection, wherein the gesture comprises a drag;

in response to the first playing card being dragged, generating a second actuator signal based on the gesture, the second actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a second haptic effect; and

transmitting the second actuator signal to the actuator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the haptic effect is associated with changing a bet amount.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the haptic effect is associated with winning a game.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the haptic effect is associated with losing a game.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the first playing card has been dragged to the discard area;

in response to the first playing card reaching the discard area, generating a third actuator signal based on the gesture; and

transmitting the third actuator signal to the actuator.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first haptic effect comprises a pop and the second haptic effect comprises a low frequency vibration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pop is output as a user selects a card.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the second haptic effect comprises a vibration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the frequency of the vibration is associated with a speed of the drag gesture.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the magnitude of the vibration is associated with a speed of the drag gesture.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first haptic effect comprises a pop.

21. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the first playing card has been discarded;

generating a third actuator signal, the third actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a third haptic effect; and

transmitting the third actuator signal to the actuator.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the third haptic effect comprises a high magnitude, high frequency effect.

23. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving the card game from a remote device.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, when executed by a processor is configured to perform the method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a card game, the image comprising a plurality of playing cards and a discard area;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining a first interaction between the contact and the image,

determining a selection of a first playing card of the plurality of playing cards based on the first interaction;

generate a first actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a first haptic effect;

transmitting the first actuator signal to the actuator;

determining a gesture associated with the selection, wherein the gesture comprises a drag;

in response to the first playing card being dragged, generating a second actuator signal based on the gesture, the second actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a second haptic effect; and

transmitting the second actuator signal to the actuator.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the processor-executed method further comprises:

determining the first playing card has been discarded,

generating a third actuator signal, the third actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a third haptic effect; and

transmitting the third actuator signal to the actuator.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the processor-executed method further comprises receiving the card game from a remote device.

27. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a touch-sensitive input device;

an actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device or the housing; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to;

generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a slot machine game to be displayed, the image comprising a plurality of virtual slot wheels and a lever;

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with a contact,

determine a first interaction between the contact and the image,

determine a selection of the lever based on the first interaction;

generate a first actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a first haptic effect,

transmit the actuator signal to the actuator;

determine a gesture associated with the selection, wherein the gesture comprises a drag;

in response to the lever being dragged, generate a second actuator signal based on the gesture, the second actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a second haptic effect; and

transmit the second actuator signal to the actuator.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the processor receives the casino game application over a network from a server.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the touch-sensitive input device comprises a touch-screen.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to:

request a casino game application from a server; and

receive the casino game application.

31. A method, comprising:

executing a casino game application, wherein the casino game application is configured to;

display an image associated with the card game, the image comprising a plurality of virtual slot wheels and a lever;

sense a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determine a first interaction between the contact and the image, determine a selection of the lever based on the first interaction;

generate a first actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a first haptic effect;

transmit the first actuator signal to the actuator;

determine a gesture associated with the selection, wherein the gesture comprises a drag;

in response to the lever being dragged, generate a second actuator signal based on the gesture, the second actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a second haptic effect; and

transmit the second actuator signal to the actuator.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein receiving the casino game application further comprises receiving haptic information associated with the casino game application.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

requesting a casino game application from a server; and

receiving the casino game application.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, when executed by a processor is configured to perform the method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a slot machine game, the image comprising a plurality of virtual slot wheels and a lever;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining a first interaction between the contact and the image,

determining a manipulation of the lever based on the first interaction;

generating a first actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a first haptic effect;

transmitting the first actuator signal to the actuator;

determining a gesture associated with the selection, wherein the gesture comprises a drag;

in response to the lever being dragged, generating a second actuator signal based on the gesture, the second actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to output a second haptic effect; and

transmitting the second actuator signal to the actuator.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the processor-executed method further comprises:

requesting a casino game application from a server; and

receiving the casino game application.