Action Button Apparatus

• US 20090325695A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Shackelford, Michael, Kelly, Bryan, Bernard, Vernon, Wudtke, Karl, Stacey, Michael, Garofalo, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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 attached 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.

2. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the engagement portion is rigidly attached to the housing portion.

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

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

5. The active display button as recited in claim 2 wherein the switch mechanism is coupled to the engagement portion by a touch sensitive member.

6. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the engagement portion is movably attached to the housing portion.

7. The active display button as recited in claim 1 wherein the active display comprises at least one of mechanical reel and a video reel.

8. The active display button as recited in 1 further comprising a vibratory motor activated when the engagement portion is engaged.

9. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion attached to the housing portion;

an active display disposed within the housing portion and visible through the engagement portion wherein the active display includes a rotating indicator; and

a switch mechanism coupled to the engagement portion.

10. The active display button as recited in claim 9 wherein the engagement portion is rigidly attached to the housing portion.

11. The active display button as recited in claim 10 wherein the switch mechanism is capacitively coupled to the engagement portion.

12. The active display button as recited in claim 10 wherein the switch mechanism is inductively coupled to the engagement portion.

13. The active display button as recited in claim 10 wherein the switch mechanism is coupled to the engagement portion by a touch sensitive member.

14. The active display button as recited in claim 9 wherein the engagement portion is movably attached to the housing portion.

15. The active display button as recited in claim 9 wherein the active display and the rotating indicator are rendered on a video display.

16. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion attached to the housing portion;

an active display disposed within the housing portion and visible through the engagement portion wherein the active display includes one or more lights; and

a switch mechanism coupled to the engagement portion.

17. The active display button as recited in claim 16 wherein the one or more lights have two or more states.

18. The active display button as recited in claim 17 wherein the two or more states comprises at least two of un-lit, fully lit, partially lit, flashing slow and flashing fast.

19. The active display button as recited in claim 17 wherein the two or more states comprises percentages of fully lit.

20. The active display button as recited in claim 16 wherein an outcome of a gaming device is at least partially influenced by the active display button.

21. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion attached 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 engaging the engagement portion comprises;

detect activation of the active display button;

conditionally modify a display of the active display button based on an outcome of a random number generator.

22. The active display button as recited in claim 21 wherein the outcome of the random number generator modifies an element of an associated gaming device.

23. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a prize award.

24. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is an amount to initiate a gaming session.

25. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is start of a bonus round.

26. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a number of wager lines.

27. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a number of spins of reels on the associated gaming device.

28. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a number of wager lines.

29. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a pay table.

30. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a payout percentage.

31. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a new game.

32. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is triggering of group play.

33. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a game meter.

34. The active display button as recited in claim 22 wherein the element is a group play score.

35. An active display button comprising:

a housing portion;

an engagement portion attached 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 engaging the engagement portion comprises;

initiate a game of a gaming device associated with the active display button;

trigger the active display button; and

modify an element of the gaming device based on an outcome of the triggering of the active display button.

36. The active display button as recited in claim 35 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on a final result of the game.

37. The active display button as recited in claim 35 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on a scatter symbol.

38. The active display button in claim 35 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on initiation of a bonus round of the gaming device.

39. The active display button as recited in claim 35 wherein the trigger of the active display button is based on a signal from a remote server.