Button panel control for a gaming machine

• US 8,177,637 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Beadell, John Leagh, Chudd, Russell, Nesemeier, Fred, Hedrick, Randy, Curbbun, Charles, Zoolakis, Andrew, Simmons, Kevin, Leach, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rowland, Steve
• Application Number:
  US11/598,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 30- 40
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

Disclosed are gaming machines, including related methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a game of chance. Peripheral devices, such as a bill acceptor and ticket printer, are consolidated in a central region of the gaming machine, behind a moveable door of the machine. Doors of the machine, including a door having a display, are moveable in directions along a longitudinal axis of the machine between open and closed positions. An adjustable button panel is moveable to a plurality of positions along the longitudinal axis, independent of the moveable doors. An array of networked displays on one or more gaming machines are controlled to simultaneously output lighting patterns, including synchronized patterns, associated with various events. Designated lighting patterns can also be output on light borders disposed around groups of buttons and other input devices on the button panel. A player interface is coupled to receive player input for setting parameters defining the audio and video presentation of game data on the machine. Contributing to the audio presentation, one or more speakers situated in an upper region of the cabinet are oriented at a downward angle.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for playing a game of chance comprising:

a cabinet;

a processor situated in the cabinet, the processor coupled to output game data related to play of a game of chance;

an input device coupled to receive indicia of credit for wagering on the game of chance;

a display coupled to receive the game data from the processor and display the game data;

a player tracking module; and

a button panel having a first plurality of input devices and a second plurality of input devices, the first plurality of input devices configured to provide player input selections associated with a first one of a plurality of stages of play of the game of chance, the second plurality of input devices configured to provide player input selections associated with a second one of the stages of play of the game of chance, a first light border disposed around the first plurality of input devices, a second light border disposed around the second plurality of input devices, the light borders coupled to the processor to be lighted with one of a plurality of preferred lighting patterns responsive to notification of one or more gaming events corresponding to respective stages of play of the game of chance, wherein the first light border is capable of being provided with a first one of the plurality of preferred lighting patterns corresponding to the first stage of play of the game of chance, indicating at the first stage of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the first plurality of input devices, wherein the second light border is capable of being provided with a second one of the plurality of preferred lighting patterns corresponding to the second stage of play of the game of chance, indicating at the second stage of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the second plurality of input devices.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the input devices include a button.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the input devices include a switch.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the input devices include a joystick.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the input devices include a touch screen.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the input devices include a display.

7. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the display includes an LCD.

8. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the display includes a color light emitting element.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the color light emitting element is a multi-color LED.

10. A method of coordinating the display of a lighting pattern to highlight one or more groups of buttons on a button panel of a gaming machine, the button panel having a first plurality of input devices and a second plurality of input devices, a first light border disposed around the first plurality of input devices, a second light border disposed around the second plurality of input devices, the method comprising:

receiving an event notification signal indicating occurrence of a gaming event, the gaming event corresponding to one of a plurality of stages of play of the game of chance;

identifying at least one of the first light border and the second light border as designated to be lighted, the light borders coupled to a processor to be lighted being responsive to the event notification;

identifying the gaming event as corresponding to one of a plurality of gaming events corresponding to one of the plurality of stages of play of the game of chance;

selecting a preferred lighting pattern associated with the identified gaming event; and

providing the preferred lighting pattern to the identified at least one light border for output to indicate at one of the plurality of stages of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the input devices corresponding to the identified light border, wherein the first light border is capable of being provided with a lighting pattern corresponding to a first one of a plurality of stages of play of the game of chance, indicating at the first stage of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the first plurality of input devices, the first plurality of input devices configured to provide player input selections associated with the first stage of play of the game of chance, wherein the second light border is capable of being provided with a lighting pattern corresponding to a second one of the stages of play of the game of chance, indicating at the second stage of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the second plurality of input devices, the second plurality of input devices configured to provide player input selections associated with the second stage of play of the game of chance.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the preferred lighting pattern is one selected from the group consisting of a color change, a color sequence, a lighting intensity change, a lighting intensity variation, a lighting sequence, a flashing light, a strobing light, and a motion.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the gaming events corresponding to respective stages of play of the game of chance are related to different stages in a game selected from the group consisting of a slot game, a poker game, a black jack game, a pachinko game, and a lottery.

13. A method of providing a personalized presentation of a lighting pattern to highlight one or more groups of buttons on a button panel of a gaming machine, the button panel having a first plurality of input devices and a second plurality of input devices, a first light border disposed around the first plurality of input devices, a second light border disposed around the second plurality of input devices, the method comprising:

receiving player identification information;

retrieving player preference data associated with the received player identification information, the player preference data including a preferred lighting pattern;

receiving an event notification signal indicating occurrence of a gaming event, the gaming event corresponding to a stage of play of the game of chance from the plurality of stages of play of the game of chance;

identifying at least one of the first light border and the second light border as designated to be lighted, the light borders coupled to a processor to be lighted being responsive to the event notification;

identifying the gaming event as corresponding to one of a plurality of gaming events corresponding to one of the plurality of stages of play of the game of chance;

selecting a preferred lighting pattern associated with the identified gaming event; and

providing the preferred lighting pattern to the identified at least one light border for output to indicate at one of the plurality of stages of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the input devices corresponding to the identified light border, wherein the first light border is capable of being provided with a lighting pattern corresponding to a first one of a plurality of stages of play of the game of chance, indicating at the first stage of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the first plurality of input devices, the first plurality of input devices configured to provide player input selections associated with the first stage of play of the game of chance, wherein the second light border is capable of being provided with a lighting pattern corresponding to a second one of the stages of play of the game of chance, indicating at the second stage of play of the game of chance that player input is requested from the second plurality of input devices, the second plurality of input devices configured to provide player input selections associated with the second stage of play of the game of chance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the preferred lighting pattern is one selected from the group consisting of a color change, a color sequence, a lighting intensity change, a lighting intensity variation, a lighting sequence, a flashing light, a strobing light, and a motion.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the player identification information is received from a player tracking card.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the gaming events corresponding to one of the plurality of stages of play of the game of chance are related to different stages in a game selected from the group consisting of a slot game, a poker game, a black jack game, a pachinko game, and a lottery.