Universal player control for casino game graphic assets

• US 8,814,676 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: De Courssou, Thierry Brunet, Filipour, Cameron Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/028,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20080194326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

Universal Player Controls for regulated pay computer-controlled video games afford players an efficient, intuitive method for customizing the layout and appearance of their favorite electronic games. A popup control featuring a jog wheel for fast selection and geometric control using the touch screen may be attached to each predetermined group of graphic assets allowing players to move, resize, dim, animate, temporary hide or overlap them. Predetermined presentation styles (skins) may be successively rendered. Whereas the displays on the regulated pay computer-controlled video games of the prior art were often visually cluttered and not visually appealing to adult game console players, the present Universal Player Controls enables the players to tailor the game appearance then save it in a player profile for latter retrieval.

Claims

1. A universal player control rendered on a video display of a pay-for-play or of a pay-for-wager video game for enabling a player to interactively control game parameters or game actions via player activation using a pointer, comprising:

a ring area delimited by an outer circular perimeter and an inner circular perimeter, a first continuously variable signal being generated as a function of an arc or circular motion activation within the ring area;

a central button area within the inner circular perimeter, a second continuously variable signal being generated as a function of an activation time of the central button area, and

first selection areas within the ring area, each of the first selection areas generating a third continuously variable signal as a function of an activation time thereof.

2. The universal player control of claim 1, wherein the central area is further configured to generate a fourth continuously variable signal as a function of a motion activation thereof.

3. The universal player control of claim 2, wherein the universal player control is configured to be displaced by the fourth continuously variable signal to track the motion activation of the central area, the central area following the pointer.

4. The universal player control of claim 1, further comprising second areas outside the outer circular perimeter, a fifth continuously variable signal being generated as a function of an activation time of any one of the second areas.

5. The universal player control of claim 4, wherein the second areas define longitudinal axes that extend in a radial direction outside the outer circular perimeter.

6. The universal player control of claim 1, further comprising graphic assets disposed outside the outer circular perimeter, a continuously variable graphic asset signal being generated as a function of the activation time of each activated graphic asset.

7. The universal player control of claim 6, wherein the graphic assets are disposed radially outside the outer circular perimeter.

8. The universal player control of claim 6, wherein the graphics assets include at least one of a directional symbol, a menu selection symbol, a color selection symbol, a volume control symbol, a resize symbol, a hide symbol, an un-hide symbol, and an immediate action symbol.

9. The universal player control of claim 1, further configured to control at least one of a plurality of graphic assets rendered on the video display, to selectively resize, move, hide or reveal the at least one of the plurality of graphic assets, to select a skin for the at least one of the plurality of graphic assets and to select an action from a menu of actions to operate on the at least one of the plurality of graphic assets.

10. The universal player control of claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of graphic assets rendered on the video display is controlled by a separate universal player control.

11. The universal player control of claim 9, wherein the universal player control is further configured to present the menu of actions in at least one of a vertical plane format, a list format, a fan format, a grid format and a tabular.

12. The universal player control of claim 11, wherein the menu of actions includes at least one of resize a graphics asset, minimize a graphics asset, view a paytable of the game, adjust properties of the universal player control, change skin of the game, cash out, volume control, and help.

13. The universal player control of claim 12, wherein subsequent to activating a list menu of the menu of actions presented in the list format, the first continuously variable signal controls the cursor up or down the menu list.

14. The universal player control of claim 1, wherein a volume control symbol is rendered at a location on the video display, the volume control symbol being configured such that, subsequent to being activated by the player, volume of sound delivered from speakers coupled to the video game is controlled by the first continuously variable signal.

16. The universal player control of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first continuously variable signal, the second continuously variable signal and the third continuously variable is configured to trigger different actions depending upon an actuation motion by the player.

15. The universal player control of 1, wherein at least one of the first continuously variable signal, the second continuously variable signal and the third continuously variable signal is configured to control at least one of an amplitude, a magnification, a. displacement direction of at least one of a plurality of graphic assets disposed outside of the outer circular perimeter, a scanning or a lookup through a list rendered outside of the outer circular perimeter.

17. A gaming machine, comprising:

a video display;

a universal player control rendered on the video display, the universal player control being configured to enable a player to interactively control game parameters or game actions via player activation, the universal player control comprising;

a ring area delimited by an outer circular perimeter and an inner circular perimeter, a first continuously variable signal being generated as a function of an arc or circular motion activation within the ring area;

a central button area within the inner circular perimeter, a second continuously variable signal being generated as a function of an activation time of the central button area, and

first selection areas within the ring area, each of the first selection areas generating a third continuously variable signal as a function of an activation time thereof.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the central area further generates a fourth continuously variable signal as a function of a motion activation thereof.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the universal player control is configured to be displaced by the fourth continuously variable signal to track the motion activation of the central area, the central area following the pointer.

20. The gaming machine of claim 17, further comprising second areas outside the outer circular perimeter, a fifth continuously variable signal being generated as a function of an activation time of any one of the second areas.

21. The gaming machine of claim 20, wherein the second areas define longitudinal axes that extend in a radial direction outside the outer circular perimeter.

22. The gaming machine of claim 17, further comprising graphic assets rendered on the video display and disposed outside the outer circular perimeter, a continuously variable graphic asset signal being generated as a function of the activation time of each activated graphic asset.

23. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the graphic assets are disposed radially outside the outer circular perimeter.

24. The gaming machine of claim 22, wherein the graphics assets include at least one of a directional symbol, a menu selection symbol, a color selection symbol, a volume control symbol, a resize symbol, a hide symbol, an un-hide symbol, and an immediate action symbol.

25. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the universal player control is further configured to control at least one of a plurality of graphic assets rendered on the video display, to selectively resize, move, hide or reveal the at least one of the plurality of graphic assets, to select a skin for the at least one of the plurality of graphic assets and to select an action from a menu of actions to operate on the at least one of the plurality of graphic assets.

26. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein each of a plurality of graphic assets rendered on the video display is controlled by a separate universal player control.

27. The gaming machine of claim 25, wherein the universal player control is further configured to present the menu of actions in at least one of a vertical plane format, a list format, a fan format, a grid format and a tabular.

28. The gaming machine of claim 27, wherein the menu of actions includes at least one of resize a graphics asset, minimize a graphics asset, view a paytable of the game, adjust properties of the universal player control, change skin of the game, cash out, volume control, and help.

29. The gaming machine of claim 28, wherein subsequent to activating a list menu of the menu of actions presented in the list format, the first continuously variable signal controls the cursor up or down the menu list.

30. The gaming machine of claim 17, further including a volume control symbol rendered at a location on the video display, the volume control symbol being configured such that, subsequent to being activated by the player, volume of sound delivered from speakers coupled to the video game is controlled by the first continuously variable signal.

31. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first continuously variable signal, the second continuously variable signal and the third continuously variable signal is configured to control at least one of an amplitude, a magnification, a displacement direction of at least one of a plurality of graphic assets disposed outside of the outer circular perimeter, and a scanning or a lookup through a list rendered outside of the outer circular perimeter.

32. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first continuously variable signal, the second continuously variable signal and the third continuously variable is configured to trigger different actions depending upon an actuation motion by the player.