Action button apparatus

• US 9,336,962 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wudtke, Karl, Kelly, Bryan, Shackelford, Micheal, Bernard, Vernon, Stacey, Michael, Garofalo, John
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/163,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20090325695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,874 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/21, 463 36- 37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/52 the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/182 Illumination of the symbols or distinguishing marks H01H9/181 takes precedence

Abstract

The claimed embodiments contemplate methods, systems and apparatuses directed to an active display button. In various embodiments, an active display button may generally be a button containing one or more elements that move when the button is engaged. By example, and not limitation, these elements may include one or more reels, be they mechanical or video, or perhaps a rotating indicator. The active display button may also include lights, vibratory motors and other experience-enhancing implements. The active display button may be installed on a gaming machine and operated in conjunction with the gaming device, separate from the gaming machine on which it is installed or perhaps as part of the operation of the gaming machine.

Claims

1. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion coupled to the housing portion;

a tactile feedback mechanism coupled to the housing portion;

an active motorized display disposed within the housing portion and visible through the engagement portion, said motorized display including a rotating indicator and a plurality of indicia and configured for movement to indicate at least one of said indicia through the engagement portion and a stepper motor coupled to said motorized display to move said rotating indicator to indicate said at least one indicia; and

a switch mechanism coupled to the engagement portion;

wherein engagement of the engagement portion activates the active motorized display by a central processing unit coupled to a random number generator and in response to activation of the active display button based on a first outcome of the random number generator provides a display of the active display button, and then causes the central processing unit to activate the random number generator to modify the display of the active motorized display based on a second outcome of the random number generator.

2. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the switch mechanism is capacitively coupled to the engagement portion.

3. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the switch mechanism is inductively coupled to the engagement portion.

4. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the switch mechanism is coupled to the engagement portion by a touch sensitive member.

5. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the active motorized display comprises at least one reel provided with said plurality of indicia.

6. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion attached to the housing portion;

a tactile feedback mechanism coupled to the housing portion;

an active display disposed within the housing portion and visible through the engagement portion; and

a switch mechanism coupled to the engagement portion;

wherein engaging the engagement portion includes detecting activation of the active display button by a central processing unit coupled to a random number generator and in response to activation of the active display button provides a display of the active display button based on a first outcome of the random number generator, and then causes the central processing unit to activate the random number generator to modify the display of the active display button based on a second outcome of the random number generator.

7. The active display button as recited in claim 6 wherein the second outcome of the random number generator modifies an element of an associated gaming device.

8. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a prize award.

9. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is an amount to initiate a gaming session.

10. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is start of a bonus round.

11. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a number of wager lines.

12. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a number of spins of reels on the associated gaming device.

13. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a pay table.

14. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a payout percentage.

15. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a new game.

16. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is triggering of group play.

17. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a game meter.

18. The active display button as recited in claim 7 wherein the element is a group play score.

19. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion attached to the housing portion;

a tactile feedback mechanism coupled to the housing portion;

an active display disposed within the housing portion and visible through the engagement portion;

a switch mechanism coupled to the engagement portion; and

wherein the active display button is activated in response to initiating a game of a gaming device associated with the active display button whereupon an image displayed by the active display is determined in response to a first outcome of a random number generator;

wherein the active display button is triggered based on results of game play;

wherein engaging the engagement portion of the active display button after being triggered modifies an element of the gaming device based on an outcome of the triggering of the active display button; and

, subsequently,

wherein the active display is modified in response to a second outcome of the random number generator.

20. The active display button as recited in claim 19 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on a final result of the game.

21. The active display button as recited in claim 19 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on a scatter symbol.

22. The active display button as recited in claim 19 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on initiation of a bonus round of the gaming device.

23. The active display button as recited in claim 19 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on a signal from a remote server.