Push-button with integrated or adjacent moveable outcome indicator

• US 8,235,789 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/919,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 42, 273/146, 273/138
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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

Abstract

A push-button assembly for a gaming terminal implementing a wagering game is provided. The push-button assembly has a push-button actuated by a touch from a player of the wagering game. An outcome indicator indicates a randomly selected outcome in response to the push-button being actuated.

Claims

1. A push-button assembly for a gaming terminal implementing a wagering game, the push-button assembly comprising:

a push-button actuated by a touch from a player of the wagering game; and

an outcome indicator integrated within the push-button assembly, the outcome indicator being configured to indicate a randomly selected outcome responsive to an output of an outcome from a wagering game processor to the push-button assembly,

wherein the outcome indicator is a mechanical object disposed within the push-button and configured to move relative to the push-button to reveal the outcome for the mechanical object output by the wagering game processor.

2. The push-button assembly of claim 1, wherein the movable mechanical is a removable 3-dimensional object.

3. The push-button assembly of claim 1, wherein the moveable object is selected from the group consisting of:

a miniature reel, a pointer, and a pendulum.

4. The push-button assembly of claim 1, wherein the outcome indicator is a mechanical reel.

5. The push-button assembly of claim 1, wherein the outcome indicator displays a game-enhancement parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a bonus payout;

a multiplier to multiply the payout awarded based on a winning symbol combination on main reels in the wagering game;

a re-spin feature to re-spin a winning symbol combination in the wagering game to the same winning symbol combination at least one time;

an automatic nudge feature; and

a re-spin to a higher award feature to re-spin the main reels in the wagering game to a higher-paying winning symbol combination in response to the winning combination being achieved in the wagering game.

6. The push-button assembly of claim 1, further including a removable transparent enclosure positioned over the outcome indicator.

7. The push-button assembly of claim 6, further including a touch-sensitive sensor positioned on the transparent enclosure

8. The push-button assembly of claim 1, further including a transmissive LCD display for displaying a video image superimposed over the outcome indicator.

9. The push-button assembly of claim 1, wherein the outcome indicator is selected from the group consisting of:

a mechanical reel;

a keno board;

a roulette wheel;

playing cards;

a pointer;

a pendulum; and

at least one die.

14. The push-button assembly of claim 1, wherein the outcome indicator is configured to display one or more symbols selected from a plurality of symbols.

10. A method of utilizing a push-button assembly installed in a gaming terminal configured to implement a wagering game, the method comprising:

receiving a player input via a push-button of the push-button assembly;

processing the player input using a processor communicatively coupled to the push-button and operatively associated with the gaming terminal;

outputting an outcome from the processor to the push-button; and

indicating the outcome associated with the player input on a movable mechanical outcome indicator integral with the push-button assembly and disposed within the push-button.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the outcome indicator is a 3-dimensional object.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the outcome indicator includes a representation of a moveable object, the representation of the moveable object is selected from the group consisting of:

a miniature reel;

a pointer;

a pendulum;

a keno board;

a roulette wheel;

playing cards; and

at least one die.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the outcome indicator is a mechanical reel.