Systems and methods for casino gaming haptics

• US 8,721,416 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Danny A., Belaus, Gregory M. G., Olien, Neil T., Cruz-Hernandez, Juan Manuel, da Costa, Henrique
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/445,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20120196664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/17, 463/20, 463/31, 463/36
• US Class Current: 463/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

Systems, methods, and products for self-contained casino gaming haptics are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system for casino gaming haptics includes a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user; an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to: generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a casino game to be displayed; receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact; determine an interaction between the contact and the image; and generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user;

an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to;

generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a casino game to be displayed;

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact;

determine an interaction between the contact and the image; and

generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of shaking virtual dice, moving a virtual playing card, pulling a lever on a virtual slot machine, or spinning a virtual roulette wheel.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to receive the display signal and display the image associated with the casino game.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive input device comprises a touch screen.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the casino game comprises one of blackjack, poker, solitaire, roulette, craps, or a slot machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of betting chips, winning chips, or losing chips.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is in communication with a remote device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the casino game from the remote device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information to the remote device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises information associated with an action or a state of the casino game.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is also in communication with a housing.

11. A system comprising:

a touch-sensitive input device configured to sense a contact from a user;

an actuator coupled to the touch-sensitive input device, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive input device and the actuator, the processor configured to;

generate a display signal configured to cause an image associated with a casino game to be displayed;

receive an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device associated with the contact;

determine an interaction between the contact and the image; and

generate an actuator signal associated with the interaction, the actuator signal configured to cause the actuator to generate a haptic effect, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of correctly answering a trivia question, correctly identifying a difference between two similar images, or finding a word in a word search.

12. A method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a casino game;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

outputting a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device based at least in part on the interaction, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of shaking virtual dice, moving a virtual playing card, pulling a lever on a virtual slot machine, or spinning a virtual roulette wheel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect is associated with changing a bet amount.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect is associated with winning a game.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the haptic effect is associated with losing a game.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the casino game comprises a card game.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the haptic effect is associated with dragging a card.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the haptic effect is associated with discarding a card.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the casino game comprises craps.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code for causing a processor to execute a method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a casino game;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

outputting a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device based at least in part on the interaction, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of shaking virtual dice, moving a virtual playing card, pulling a lever on a virtual slot machine, or spinning a virtual roulette wheel.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the haptic effect is associated with changing a bet amount.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the haptic effect is associated with winning a game.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the haptic effect is associated with losing a game.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the casino game comprises a card game.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the haptic effect is associated with dragging a card.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the haptic effect is associated with discarding a card.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the casino game comprises craps.

28. A method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a casino game;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

outputting a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device based at least in part on the interaction, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of correctly answering a trivia question, correctly identifying a difference between two similar images, or finding a word in a word search.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code for causing a processor to execute a method comprising:

displaying an image associated with a casino game;

sensing a contact with a touch-sensitive input device, the contact associated with the image;

receiving an input signal from the touch-sensitive input device, the input signal associated with the contact;

determining an interaction between the contact and the image, and

outputting a haptic effect to the touch-sensitive input device based at least in part on the interaction, wherein the haptic effect is associated with one of correctly answering a trivia question, correctly identifying a difference between two similar images, or finding a word in a word search.