Methods and regulated gaming machines configured for service oriented smart display buttons

• US 8,147,340 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Brunet de Courssou, Thierry, Filipour, Cameron Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Richards, N Drew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, YU-HSI DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/398,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

A regulated gaming system includes a plurality of computer nodes communicating over a network. At least one of the computer nodes includes a gaming machine, which may include a game controller and an interactivity apparatus to accept wagers from a player and to provide random outcomes while playing a game. The interactivity apparatus may include one or more video displays; a menu of available player-selectable games and one or more option buttons, the function of which changes depending upon which of the player-selectable games is selected by the player. A non-video display is associated with each option button, and is configured to indicate the status and/or the function thereof. The gaming machine includes a non-video services subscriber configured to receive, over the network, selected non-video display services to which the non-video services subscriber has subscribed from a non-video display services provider executing in one or more of the computer nodes.

Claims

1. A regulated gaming system including a plurality of computer nodes communicating over a network, at least one of the plurality of computer nodes including a gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising:

a game controller and an interactivity apparatus to accept wagers from a player and to provide random outcomes while playing a game, the interactivity apparatus including at least one video display;

a menu of available player-selectable games;

at least one option button, a function of each option button changing depending upon which of the player-selectable games is selected by the player;

a non-video display associated with each option button, the non-video display being configured to indicate at least one of a status and a function of the associated option button, and

a non-video services subscriber configured to receive, over the network, selected non-video display services to which the non-video services subscriber has subscribed from a non-video display services provider executing in at least one of the plurality of nodes, the non-video display services provider being configured to provide and consume the non-video display services to and from the non-video services subscriber independently of the game controller of the gaming machine.

2. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the non-video display is configured for data refresh rates of less than about 15 data refreshes per second.

3. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the non-video display provider is further configured to consume non-video display services from the non-video services subscriber over the computer network and to control the non-video display in accordance with the consumed non-video display services.

4. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein operation of the non-video display is independent of an activation of the option button.

5. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine further includes an interactive control services subscriber and wherein an interactive control services provider executes in at least one of the plurality of nodes to provide selected interactive control services to and control the interactive control services subscriber over the network.

6. The regulated gaming system of claim 5, wherein the interactive control services subscriber is independent of the non-video services subscriber.

7. The regulated gaming system of claim 5, further comprising a high level module that is coupled to the interactive control services subscriber and to the non-video services subscriber such that activation of the option button causes the interactive control services subscriber to communicate with the non-video services subscriber via the high level module and the non-video display services provider to consume non-video display services from the non-video services subscriber and to control the non-video display to update according to the consumed non-video display services.

8. The regulated gaining system of claim 5, wherein the interactive control services subscriber and the non-video services subscriber are combined into an interactive control and non-video services subscriber, and wherein the non-video display services provider and the interactive control services provider are combined into an interactive control and non-video display services provider that is coupled to the single interactive control and non-video services subscriber over the network.

9. The regulated gaming system of claim 5, wherein the interactive control service provider includes all necessary computer, electronics and software to provide and consume the interactive control services to and from the interactive control services subscriber.

10. The regulated gaming system of claim 9, wherein the interactive control service provider is configured to provide and consume the interactive control services independently of the game controller of the gaming machine.

11. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the non-video display is disposed at least partially over the option button.

12. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the non-video display includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

13. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the option button is configured to be controlled by the game controller.

14. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the option button includes a button housing and a button plunger, and wherein the non-video display is unattached to the button housing and unattached to the button plunger.

15. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the option button includes a button plunger, and wherein the non-video display is attached to the button plunger.

16. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine includes a front panel plate and wherein the non-video display is attached to the front panel plate, the option button being disposed at least partially over the non-video display and including an at least partially transparent portion such that the non-video display is viewable therethrough.

17. The regulated gaming system of claim 16, wherein the non-video display services provider is coupled to the front panel plate.

18. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine includes a front panel plate and wherein the option button comprises leg portions that are configured to extend through openings defined in the front panel plate, the option button including a top portion that is at least partially transparent and wherein the non-video display is coupled to an underside of the top portion such that the non-video display is viewable therethrough.

19. The regulated gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of a function and a status of the option button is also configured to change during game play of the game selected by the player.

20. A method, comprising:

providing a gaming machine in a regulated gaming system including a plurality of computer nodes communicating over a network, the gaming machine comprising;

a game controller and interactivity apparatus to accept wagers from a player and to provide random outcomes while playing a game, the interactivity apparatus including at least one video display;

a menu of available player-selectable games;

at least one option button, and

an interactive control service provider configured to control the at least one option button and to provide interactive control services over the network to an interactive control services subscriber executing in one of the plurality of computer nodes, the interactive control services provider being configured to provide and consume the interactive control services to and from the interactive control services subscriber independently of the game controller and interactivity apparatus;

a non-video display associated with each option button, the non-video display being configured to indicate at least one of a status and a function of the associated option button;

receiving a selection, from the menu of available player-selectable games, of a game from the player;

setting the function of each option button depending upon the game selected by the player;

providing non-video display services over the network to a non-video display services subscriber executing in one of the plurality of computer nodes;

subscribing to non-video display services provided by a non-video display services provider executing in one of the plurality of computer nodes;

consuming non-video display services provided by the non-video services provider over the network, and

controlling the non-video display to display at least one of a status and the set function according to the consumed non-video display services provided by the non-video services provider.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the providing step is carried out with the non-video display being configured for data refresh rates of less than about 15 data refreshes per second.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the providing step is carried out with an operation of the non-video display being independent of an activation of the option button.

23. The method of claim 20,

wherein the option button function setting step includes:

subscribing to interactive control services provided by the interactive control services provider;

providing interactive control services to the interactive control services subscriber;

consuming interactive control services provided by the interactive control services provider, and

setting at least one of the function and status of the option button according to the consumed interactive control services.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the interactive control services subscriber providing step and the non-video services subscriber providing step are carried out such that the interactive control services subscriber is independent of the non-video services subscriber.

25. The method of claim of claim 23, further comprising:

monitoring an activation state of the option button and,

upon detecting that the option button has been activated,

providing, by the interactive control services provider inside the gaming machine, interactive control services to the interactive control services subscriber executing in one of the plurality of computer nodes, indicating that the option button has been activated, and

causing the interactive control services subscriber to communicate with the non-video services subscriber and the non-video services subscriber to consume non-video display services of the gaming machine to cause the non-video display provider to control the non-video display to update in accordance with the consumed non-video display services.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaming machine providing step is carried out with the non-video display being disposed at least partially over the option button.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaming machine providing step is carried out with the non-video display including an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaming machine providing step is carried out with the option button including a button housing and a button plunger, and with the non-video display being unattached to the button housing and unattached to the button plunger.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaining machine providing step is carried out with the option button including a button plunger, and with the non-video display being attached to the button plunger.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaming machine providing step is carried out with the gaming machine including a front panel plate, with the non-video display being attached to the front panel plate, and with the option button being disposed at least partially over the non-video display and including an at least partially transparent portion such that the non-video display is viewable therethrough.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the gaming machine providing step is carried out with the gaming machine including a front panel plate and with the option button comprising leg portions that are configured to extend through openings defined in the front panel plate, the option button including a top portion that is at least partially transparent and with the non-video display being coupled to an underside of the top portion such that the non-video display is viewable therethrough.

32. The method of claim 20, further including a step of changing the function of the option button during game play of the game selected by the player.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the non-video display services providing step, the subscribing step, the consuming step and the controlling step is carried out by a non-video display services provider that includes all necessary computer, electronics and software to subscribe to, provide and consume the non-video display services to and from the non-video services subscriber.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the non-video display services provider is configured to subscribe to, provide and consume the non-video display services independently of a controller of the gaming machine.