Portable wagering game with vibrational cues and feedback mechanism

• US 8,210,942 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shimabukuro, Jorge L., Gagner, Mark B., Greenberg, Jacob C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US12/225,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 21, 463/30, 463 36- 37, 463/42, 463/46, 273/85, 273/138, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/138.A, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/148, 273/237, 273/269, 273/301, 200/5.D, 200/5.E, 200/43.18, 200/50.36, 200295-296, 200/276.1, 200/314, 200/341, 200/345, 200/412, 200/417, 200/422, 200/510, 200/520, 200/530, 345/156, 345173-174, 345178-180, 73/11.9, 73/12.3, 73/15.6, 403/15, 404/64, 744/733, 744/83.PB
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/025 adapted to a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2014 Manually operated selector [e.g., remotely controlled device, lever, push button, rotary dial, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20244 Push button

Abstract

A handheld gaming machine including one or more actuators for providing vibrational cues or feedback during play of a wagering game to indicate the occurrence of a wagering-game event, such as a change in game rules, an input of a wager, and the like. The change in game rules may include a change in the odds of winning an award during the wagering game, a change in the type of award that can be awarded during the wagering game, eligibility for bonus play, or eligibility to accumulate one or more game elements associated with the wagering game. The vibration can be consistent with a wagering-game theme and can accompany or be a substitute for concurrently played audio sounds. The actuator(s) may include a haptic device such as a haptic touchscreen that overlays the display or an electromagnetic coil acting upon an unbalanced mass.

Claims

1. A handheld gaming machine, comprising:

an input device configured to receive a wager to initiate a wagering game;

a video display configured to display the wagering game on the handheld gaming machine;

a first actuator and a second actuator positioned at opposite sides of the handheld gaming machine;

a memory storing a plurality of vibration profiles each representing a distinct combination of a vibration pattern, a vibration amplitude, or a vibration duration; and

a controller coupled to the video display and to the first and second actuators, the controller programmed to cause the wagering game to be displayed on the video display and to cause, in response to an occurrence of a wagering game event, the first actuator to vibrate according to a first of the vibration profiles and the second actuator to vibrate according to a second of the vibration profiles to produce a vibration that represents an average of the vibrations produced by the first and second actuators and that is perceived tactilely by the player as emanating from a point between the first and second actuators.

2. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the wagering-game event includes a change in game rules or the receipt of the wager by the input device.

3. The handheld gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the change in game rules comprises a change in the odds of winning an award during the wagering game.

4. The handheld gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the change in game rules comprises a change in the type of award that can be awarded during the wagering game.

5. The handheld gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the vibration indicating a change in game rules is produced independent of changes between normal game play and bonus round game play of the wagering game.

6. The handheld gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the change in game rules comprises eligibility for bonus play.

7. The handheld gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the change in game rules comprises eligibility to accumulate one or more game elements associated with the wagering game.

8. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the vibration is consistent with a theme of the wagering game, and wherein the first vibration profile vibrates the first actuator at a frequency that is out-of-phase relative to a frequency at which the second vibration profile vibrates the second actuator to produce a sensation that the vibration is moving between the first and the second actuators, the controller being further programmed to cause a graphic related to the wagering game to be displayed on the video display that moves in a synchronous manner with the moving vibration across a surface of the video display.

9. The handheld gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the theme is part of a slot wagering game and the vibration is a series of vibrations that simulate the tactile sensation of multiple reels decelerating and coming to a stop.

10. The handheld gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the theme is part of a roulette wagering game and the vibration is a series of vibrations that simulate the tactile sensation of a spinning roulette wheel.

11. The handheld gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the theme is part of a card wagering game and the vibration simulates the tactile sensation of a card being placed upon a surface.

12. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each of the firs and second actuators includes a haptic touch screen or an electromagnetic coil coupled to a movable mass.

13. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising one or more speakers, and wherein the controller is further programmed to generate sounds through the one or more speakers, the sounds and the vibration being synchronized to indicate the wagering-game event.

14. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the vibrating profile further includes information representing an axis of rotation of the first or the second actuator in three-dimensional space.

15. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the vibration pattern includes multiple frequency components.

16. The handheld gaming machine of claim 15, wherein at least some of the multiple frequency components are out-of-phase relative to one another to create the perception that the vibration is moving between the first and the second actuators.

17. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a third actuator and a fourth actuator, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth actuators are positioned at respective corners of the handled gaming machine, and wherein the controller is further programmed to cause the third actuator to vibrate according to a third of the vibration profiles and the fourth actuator to vibrate according to a fourth of the vibration profiles to produce the vibration that is perceived by the player as emanating from any point between the first, second, third, and fourth actuators.

18. The handheld gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the four actuators are rotatable about an axis in three-dimensional space.

19. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first and second actuators are coupled to a housing of the handheld gaming machine proximate a first and a second speaker, respectively.

20. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a third actuator positioned along an axis that is different from the first and second actuators.

21. The handheld gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second actuators includes a permanent magnet coupled to a movable mass.

22. A method of conducting a wagering game on a handheld gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a wager to initiate a wagering game;

displaying the wagering game on a video display of the handheld gaming machine;

storing in a memory of the handheld gaming machine a plurality of vibration profiles each representing a distinct combination of a vibration pattern, a vibration amplitude, or a vibration duration;

causing, using a controller, in response to an occurrence of a wagering game event, the first actuator to vibrate according to a first of the vibration profiles and the second actuator to vibrate according to a second of the vibration profiles to produce a vibration that represents an average of the vibrations produced by the first and second actuators and that is perceived tactilely by a player of the handheld gaming machine as emanating from a point between the first and second actuators.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the wagering-game event includes a change in game rules.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the change in game rules comprises a change in the odds of winning an award during the wagering game.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the change in game rules comprises a change in the type of award that can be awarded during the wagering game.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the vibration indicating a change in game rules is a vibration consistent with a theme of the wagering game.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the vibration indicating a change in game rules is produced independent of changes between normal game play and bonus round game play of the wagering game.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the change in game rules comprises eligibility for bonus play.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the change in game rules comprises eligibility to accumulate one or more game elements associated with the wagering game.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising generating sounds through one or more speakers on the handheld gaming machine, the sounds and the vibration being synchronized to indicate the wagering-game event.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the first vibration profile vibrates the first actuator at a frequency that is out-of-phase relative to a frequency at which the second vibration profile vibrates the second actuator to produce a sensation that the vibration is moving between the first and the second actuators, the method further comprising causing, using the controller, a graphic related to the wagering game to be displayed on the video display that moves in a synchronous manner with the moving vibration across a surface of the video display.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein the wagering-game event includes the receipt of the wager by the input device.

33. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a handheld gaming machine to perform the method of claim 22.