U.S. patent application number 12/144866 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-24 for singular wagering apparatus for gaming device.
This patent application is currently assigned to ACRES-FIORE, INC.. Invention is credited to John F. Acres.
Application Number | 20090318214 12/144866 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41431801 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090318214 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Acres; John F. |
December 24, 2009 |
SINGULAR WAGERING APPARATUS FOR GAMING DEVICE
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to single
button wagering on a gaming device. A one-touch button on the
gaming device is used both to place a wager and to initiate a
gaming session. The wager can be a pre-set amount or an amount that
is determined based the individual player, the amount of credits on
the gaming device, and other conditions.
Inventors: |
Acres; John F.; (Corvallis,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARGER JOHNSON & MCCOLLOM, P.C.
210 SW MORRISON STREET, SUITE 400
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Assignee: |
ACRES-FIORE, INC.
Las Vegas
NV
|
Family ID: |
41431801 |
Appl. No.: |
12/144866 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 ;
463/25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3209 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/20 ;
463/25 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A gaming device, comprising: a cabinet; a gaming display in the
cabinet; a player interface panel associated with the gaming
device; and a one-touch button on the player interface panel,
wherein the one-touch button is configured to place a wager and
initiate a gaming session and wherein the player interface panel
does not include any wagering buttons other than the one-touch
button.
2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wager comprises a
maximum bet available on the gaming device.
3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wager comprises a
single credit.
4. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wager comprises a
total number of credits available on the gaming device.
5. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wager is specified by
a one-touch wager amount in a player account.
6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wager is specified by
a one-touch wager policy in a player account.
7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the wager is specified by
a server on a network.
8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the wager is specified by
a default wager policy on the server.
9. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the one-touch button is
further configured to initiate a bonus gaming session.
10. The gaming device of claim 9, wherein the one-touch button is
further configured to stop the bonus gaming session.
11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the one-touch button is
further configured to stop the gaming session.
12. A gaming device, comprising: a cabinet; a gaming display in the
cabinet; a player interface panel associated with the gaming
device; and a one-touch button on the player interface panel,
wherein the gaming device is configured to place a wager from
amongst a plurality of different wagers and initiate a gaming
session in response to activation of the one-touch button.
13. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of
different wagers comprise one or more of a maximum bet available on
the gaming device, a single credit, and a total number of credits
available on the gaming device.
14. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of
different wagers are specified by one or more of a one-touch wager
amount in a player account, a one-touch wager policy in a player
account, and a server on a network.
15. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the gaming device is
further configured to initiate a bonus gaming session in response
to activation of the one-touch button.
16. The gaming device of claim 15, wherein the gaming device is
further configured to stop the bonus gaming session in response to
activation of the one-touch button.
17. The gaming device of claim 12, wherein the gaming device is
further configured to stop the gaming session in response to
activation of the one-touch button.
18. The gaming device of claim 12, further comprising one or more
additional one-touch buttons, wherein the gaming device is
configured to place a fixed wager and initiate a gaming session in
response to activation of each of the additional one-touch
buttons.
19. A method of operating a gaming device, comprising: obtaining
credits on the gaming device; and pressing a one-touch button on
the gaming device, wherein pressing the one-touch button results in
placing a wager from amongst a plurality of different wagers and
initiating a gaming session.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein placing the wager comprises
placing one or more of a maximum bet available on the gaming
device, a single credit, and a total number of credits available on
the gaming device.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein placing the wager comprises
placing a wager specified by one or more of a one-touch wager
amount in a player account, a one-touch wager policy in a player
account, and a server on a network.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising pressing the
one-touch button to initiate a bonus gaming session.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising pressing the
one-touch button to stop the bonus gaming session.
24. The method of claim 19, further comprising pressing the
one-touch button to stop the gaming session.
25. The method of claim 19, further comprising: storing a one-touch
wager amount in a player account; and receiving the one-touch wager
amount at the gaming device over a network, wherein placing the
wager includes using the one-touch wager amount.
26. The method of claim 19, further comprising: storing a one-touch
wager policy in a player account; determining the one-touch wager
amount based on the one-touch wager policy; and receiving the
one-touch wager amount at the gaming device over a network, wherein
placing the wager includes using the one-touch wager amount.
27. A method of providing a gaming session on a gaming device,
comprising: receiving credits; determining a wager associated with
a one-touch button on the gaming device; receiving an activation of
the one-touch button from a player; placing the wager; and
initiating the gaming session.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the wager amount
comprises setting the wager amount as one of a maximum bet
available on the gaming device, a single credit, and a total number
of the credits.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving an amount of credits
comprises receiving identifying information from the player and
wherein determining the wager amount comprises: determining a
player account based on the identifying information; setting the
wager amount based on a one-touch wager amount specified in the
player account.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving an amount of credits
comprises receiving identifying information from the player and
wherein determining the wager amount comprises: determining a
player account based on the identifying information; setting the
wager amount based on a one-touch wager policy specified in the
player account.
31. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the wager amount
comprises receiving the wager amount from a server on a
network.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein receiving the wager amount from
the server comprises receiving a default wager from the server.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the default wager is specified
by a default wager policy on the server.
34. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving an activation of the
one-touch button from a player comprises receiving the activation
of a first one-touch button from amongst a plurality of one-touch
buttons, and wherein placing the wager comprises placing a fixed
wager associated with the first one-touch button.
35. A gaming system, comprising: one or more gaming devices; a
gaming server; a network connecting the gaming server to the one or
more gaming devices; a database connected to the gaming server; and
a one-touch button, the one-touch button configured to place a
wager from amongst a plurality of different wagers and initiate a
gaming session on at least one of the gaming devices.
36. The gaming system of claim 35, wherein the wager comprises a
one-touch wager amount specified in a player account in the
database.
37. The gaming system of claim 35, wherein the plurality of
different wagers are specified by a one-touch wager policy stored
in a player account in the database.
38. The gaming system of claim 35, wherein the at least one of the
gaming devices is configured to retrieve the wager from the gaming
server over the network.
39. The gaming system of claim 35, wherein the gaming server is
configured to transmit the wager to the at least one of the gaming
devices over the network.
40. The gaming system of claim 39, wherein the gaming server is
configured to transmit a default wager to the at least one of the
gaming devices over the network and wherein the wager comprises the
default wager.
41. The gaming system of claim 40, wherein the default wager is
specified by a default wager policy stored in the database.
42. The gaming system of claim 35, further comprising a kiosk,
wherein the kiosk is configured to modify at least one of a
one-touch wager amount and a one-touch wager policy specified in a
player account stored in the database.
43. The gaming system of claim 35, wherein the one-touch button is
disposed on a player interface panel.
44. The gaming system of claim 43, wherein the player interface
panel is connected to the at least one of the gaming devices by a
wireless connection.
45. The gaming system of claim 43, wherein the player interface
panel does not include any wagering buttons other than the
one-touch button.
46. A gaming device comprising: a game that generates a plurality
of different outcomes responsive to initiation of the game by a
player; a mechanism for receiving one of a plurality of different
possible wagers on the game; and a button operatively connected to
the game, the button being configured to provide the exclusive way
to initiate the game and to make a predefined one of the possible
wagers.
47. The gaming device of claim 46 wherein the button is configured
to provide the exclusive way to substantially simultaneously
initiate the game and to make a predefined one of the possible
wagers.
48. The gaming device of claim 47 wherein the predefined one of the
possible wagers comprises a wager preselected by a player of the
gaming device.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to a gaming device, and
more particularly to single button wagering on the gaming
device.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Playing games of chance is a popular recreational activity.
There are many types of games of chance including table games where
players wager against a live dealer such as blackjack, Pai Gow,
roulette, Baccarat. Other types of games of chance are offered as
automated machines. Examples include slots, poker, bingo, etc.
Still other types of games of chance allow players to wager against
one another, such as a poker table. In return for a wager, games of
chance generate randomly determined outcomes, some of which result
in a winning event. Games of chance are often played with wagers
having financial value but some games of chance are played with
points or other freely available currency having no fiscal
worth.
[0003] Games of chance may be played in casinos, or at home using
electronic devices or mechanical equipment. Gambling via Internet,
whether for fun or for money, is also a popular activity.
[0004] Automated gaming machines typically have several wagering
buttons that allow a player to select the amount of a wager. Such
buttons can include a "Max Bet" button to place a wager equaling
the maximum bet allowed on the machine or a "Bet One" button to
place a wager equaling a single credit. Once the wager is placed, a
player can then initiate a gaming session by pulling a handle or
pressing a button, such as a "Spin" button. In some cases, a single
button, among several buttons, can be pressed to wager a specific
amount and initiate the gaming session.
[0005] One of the problems with conventional automated gaming
machines is that the player has to study the machine and determine
which button or buttons to press in order to place a wager and
initiate the gaming session. Therefore, a player cannot simply walk
up to a machine, obtain credits, and initiate a gaming session
without some knowledge in advance of how the machine operates. This
situation can be frustrating for a novice player or a player who
does not want to spend the time necessary to become familiar with
the machine. Consequently, a need remains for a mechanism by which
a player can place a wager and initiate a gaming session without
having any knowledge of the operation of the gaming machine.
[0006] Another problem with conventional automated gaming machines
is that the player's ability to set their own wager is restricted.
For example, if the player wants to play 3 credits, the player may
have to press the "Bet One" button three times and then press the
"Spin" button to initiate the gaming session. This can become very
cumbersome for a player who intends to play for an extended period
of time on multiple machines. Consequently, a need remains for a
mechanism to allow a player to place a consistent wager and
initiate a gaming session for multiple plays, across multiple
machines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1A is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device according to embodiments of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the gaming device
illustrated in FIG. 1A.
[0009] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are detail diagrams of exemplary types
of gaming devices according to embodiments of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of networked gaming
devices according to embodiments of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device including a one-touch button, according to an
embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device including a one-touch button, according to another
embodiment of the invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate example gaming devices according
to embodiments of the invention.
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a gaming device 10 is an
electronic gaming machine. Although an electronic gaming machine or
"slot" machine is illustrated, various other types of devices may
be used to wager monetarily based credits on a game of chance in
accordance with principles of the invention. The term "electronic
gaming device" is meant to include various devices such as
electromechanical spinning-reel type slot machines, video slot
machines, and video poker machines, for instance. Other gaming
devices may include computer-based gaming machines, wireless gaming
devices, multi-player gaming stations, modified personal electronic
gaming devices (such as cell phones), personal computers,
server-based gaming terminals, and other similar devices. Although
embodiments of the invention will work with all of the gaming types
mentioned, for ease of illustration the present embodiments will be
described in reference to the electronic gaming machine 10 shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0015] The gaming device 10 includes a cabinet 15 housing
components to operate the gaming device 10. The cabinet 15 may
include a gaming display 20, a base portion 13, a top box 18, and a
player interface panel 30. The gaming display 20 may include
mechanical spinning reels (FIG. 2A), a video display (FIGS. 2B and
2C), or a combination of both spinning reels and a video display
(not shown). The gaming cabinet 15 may also include a credit meter
27 and a coin-in or bet meter 28. The credit meter 27 may indicate
the total number of credits remaining on the gaming device 10 that
are eligible to be wagered. In some embodiments, the credit meter
27 may reflect a monetary unit, such as dollars. However, it is
often preferable to have the credit meter 27 reflect a number of
`credits,` rather than a monetary unit. The bet meter 28 may
indicate the amount of credits to be wagered on a particular game.
Thus, for each game, the player transfers the amount that he or she
wants to wager from the credit meter 27 to the bet meter 28. In
some embodiments, various other meters may be present, such as
meters reflecting amounts won, amounts paid, or the like. In
embodiments where the gaming display 20 is a video monitor, the
information indicated on the credit meters may be shown on the
gaming display itself 20 (FIG. 2B).
[0016] The base portion 13 may include a lighted panel 14, a coin
return (not shown), and a gaming handle 12 operable on a partially
rotating pivot joint 11. The game handle 12 is traditionally
included on mechanical spinning-reel games, where the handle may be
pulled toward a player to initiate the spinning of reels 22 after
placement of a wager. The top box 18 may include a lighted panel
17, a video display (such as an LCD monitor), a mechanical bonus
device (not shown), and a candle light indicator 19. The player
interface panel 30 may include various devices so that a player can
interact with the gaming device 10.
[0017] The player interface panel 30 may include one or more game
buttons 32 that can be actuated by the player to cause the gaming
device 10 to perform a specific action. For example, some of the
game buttons 32 may cause the gaming device 10 to bet a credit to
be wagered during the next game, change the number of lines being
played on a multi-line game, cash out the credits remaining on the
gaming device (as indicated on the credit meter 27), or request
assistance from casino personnel, such as by lighting the candle
19. In addition, the player interface panel 30 may include one or
more game actuating buttons 33. The game actuating buttons 33 may
initiate a game with a pre-specified amount of credits. On some
gaming devices 10 a "Max Bet" game actuating button 33 may be
included that places the maximum credit wager on a game and
initiates the game. The player interface panel 30 may further
include a bill acceptor 37 and a ticket printer 38. The bill
acceptor 37 may accept and validate paper money or previously
printed tickets with a credit balance. The ticket printer 38 may
print out tickets reflecting the balance of the credits that remain
on the gaming device 10 when a player cashes out by pressing one of
the game buttons 32 programmed to cause a `cashout.` These tickets
may be inserted into other gaming machines or redeemed at a cashier
station or kiosk for cash.
[0018] The gaming device 10 may also include one or more speakers
26 to transmit auditory information or sounds to the player. The
auditory information may include specific sounds associated with
particular events that occur during game play on the gaming device
10. For example, a particularly festive sound may be played during
a large win or when a bonus is triggered. The speakers 26 may also
transmit "attract" sounds to entice nearby players when the game is
not currently being played.
[0019] The gaming device 10 may further include a secondary display
25. This secondary display 25 may be a vacuum fluorescent display
(VFD), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a
plasma screen, or the like. The secondary display 25 may show
ancillary information to the player. For example, the secondary
display 25 may show player tracking information, secondary bonus
information, advertisements, or player selectable game options.
[0020] The gaming device 10 includes a microprocessor 40 that
controls operation of the gaming device 10. If the gaming device 10
is a standalone gaming device, the microprocessor 40 may control
virtually all of the operations of the gaming devices and attached
equipment, such as operating game logic stored in memory (not
shown) as firmware, controlling the display 20 to represent the
outcome of a game, communicate with the other peripheral devices
(such as the bill acceptor 37), and orchestrating the lighting and
sound emanating from the gaming device 10. In other embodiments
where the gaming device 10 is coupled to a network 50, as described
below, the microprocessor 40 may have different tasks depending on
the setup and function of the gaming device. For example, the
microprocessor 40 may be responsible for running the base game of
the gaming device and executing instructions received over the
network 50 from a bonus server or player tracking server. In a
server-based gaming setup, the microprocessor 40 may act as a
terminal to execute instructions from a remote server that is
running game play on the gaming device.
[0021] The microprocessor 40 may be coupled to a machine
communication interface (MCI) 42 that connects the gaming device 10
to a gaming network 50. The MCI 42 may be coupled to the
microprocessor 40 through a serial connection, a parallel
connection, an optical connection, or in some cases a wireless
connection. The gaming device 10 may include memory 41 (MEM), such
as a random access memory (RAM), coupled to the microprocessor 40
and which can be used to store gaming information, such as storing
total coin-in statistics about a present or past gaming session,
which can be communicated to a remote server or database through
the MCI 42. The MCI 42 may also facilitate communication between
the network 50 and the secondary display 25 or a player tracking
unit 45 housed in the gaming cabinet 15.
[0022] The player tracking unit 45 may include an identification
device 46 and one or more buttons 47 associated with the player
tracking unit 45. The identification device 46 serves to identify a
player, by, for example, reading a player-tracking device, such as
a player tracking card that is issued by the casino to individual
players who choose to have such a card. The identification device
46 may instead, or additionally, identify players through other
methods. Player tracking systems using player tracking cards and
card readers 46 are known in the art. Briefly summarizing such a
system, a player registers with the casino prior to commencing
gaming. The casino issues a unique player-tracking card to the
player and opens a corresponding player account that is stored on a
server or host computer, described below with reference to FIG. 3.
The player account may include the player's name and mailing
address and other information of interest to the casino in
connection with marketing efforts. Prior to playing one of the
gaming devices in the casino, the player inserts the player
tracking card into the identification device 46 thus permitting the
casino to track player activity, such as amounts wagered, credits
won, and rate of play.
[0023] To induce the player to use the card and be an identified
player, the casino may award each player points proportional to the
money or credits wagered by the player. Players typically accrue
points at a rate related to the amount wagered, although other
factors may cause the casino to award the player various amounts.
The points may be displayed on the secondary display 25 or using
other methods. In conventional player tracking systems, the player
may take his or her card to a special desk in the casino where a
casino employee scans the card to determine how many accrued points
are in the player's account. The player may redeem points for
selected merchandise, meals in casino restaurants, or the like,
which each have assigned point values. In some player tracking
systems, the player may use the secondary display 25 to access
their player tracking account, such as to check a total number of
points, redeem points for various services, make changes to their
account, or download promotional credits to the gaming device 10.
In other embodiments, the identification device 46 may read other
identifying cards (such as driver licenses, credit cards, etc.) to
identify a player and match them to a corresponding player tracking
account. Although FIG. 1A shows the player tracking unit 45 with a
card reader as the identification device 46, other embodiments may
include a player tracking unit 45 with a biometric scanner, PIN
code acceptor, or other methods of identifying a player to pair the
player with their player tracking account.
[0024] During typical play on a gaming device 10, a player plays a
game by placing a wager and then initiating a gaming session. The
player may initially insert monetary bills or previously printed
tickets with a credit value into the bill acceptor 37. The player
may also put coins into a coin acceptor (not shown) or a credit
card into a card reader/authorizer (not shown). The credit meter 27
displays the numeric credit value of the money inserted dependent
on the denomination of the gaming device 10. That is, if the gaming
device 10 is a nickel slot machine and a $20 bill inserted into the
bill acceptor 37, the credit meter will reflect 400 credits or one
credit for each nickel of the inserted twenty dollars. For gaming
devices 10 that support multiple denominations, the credit meter 27
will reflect the amount of credits relative to the denomination
selected. Thus, in the above example, if a penny denomination is
selected after the $20 is inserted the credit meter will change
from 400 credits to 2000 credits.
[0025] A wager may be placed by pushing one or more of the game
buttons 32, which may be reflected on the bet meter 28. That is,
the player can generally depress a "bet one" button (one of the
buttons on the player interface panel 30, such as 32), which
transfers one credit from the credit meter 27 to the bet meter 28.
Each time the button 32 is depressed an additional single credit
transfers to the bet meter 28 up to a maximum bet that can be
placed on a single play of the electronic gaming device 10. The
gaming session may be initiated by pulling the gaming handle 12 or
depressing the spin button 33. On some gaming devices 10, a "max
bet" button (another one of the buttons 32 on the player interface
panel 30) may be depressed to wager the maximum number of credits
supported by the gaming device 10 and initiate a gaming
session.
[0026] If the gaming session does not result in any winning
combination, the process of placing a wager may be repeated by the
player. Alternatively, the player may cash out any remaining
credits on the credit meter 27 by depressing the "cash-out" button
(another button 32 on the player interface panel 30), which causes
the credits on the credit meter 27 to be paid out in the form of a
ticket through the ticket printer 38, or may be paid out in the
form of returning coins from a coin hopper (not shown) to a coin
return tray.
[0027] If instead a winning combination (win) appears on the
display 20, the award corresponding to the winning combination is
immediately applied to the credit meter 27. For example, if the
gaming device 10 is a slot machine, a winning combination of
symbols 23 may land on a played payline on reels 22. If any bonus
games are initiated, the gaming device 10 may enter into a bonus
mode or simply award the player with a bonus amount of credits that
are applied to the credit meter 27.
[0028] FIGS. 2A to 2C illustrate exemplary types of gaming devices
according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 2A illustrates an
example spinning-reel gaming machine 10A, FIG. 2B illustrates an
example video slot machine 10B, and FIG. 2C illustrates an example
video poker machine 10C.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 2A, a spinning-reel gaming machine 10A
includes a gaming display 20A having a plurality of mechanical
spinning reels 22A. Typically, spinning-reel gaming machines 10A
have three to five spinning reels 22A. Each of the spinning reels
22A has multiple symbols 23A that may be separated by blank areas
on the spinning reels 22A, although the presence of blank areas
typically depends on the number of reels 22A present in the gaming
device 10A and the number of different symbols 23A that may appear
on the spinning reels 22A. Each of the symbols 22A or blank areas
makes up a "stop" on the spinning reel 22A where the reel 22A comes
to rest after a spin. Although the spinning reels 22A of various
games 10A may have various numbers of stops, many conventional
spinning-reel gaming devices 10A have reels 22A with twenty two
stops.
[0030] During game play, the spinning reels 22A may be controlled
by stepper motors (not shown) under the direction of the
microprocessor 40 (FIG. 1A). Thus, although the spinning-reel
gaming device 10A has mechanical based spinning reels 22A, the
movement of the reels themselves is electronically controlled to
spin and stop. This electronic control is advantageous because it
allows a virtual reel strip to be stored in the memory 41 of the
gaming device 10A, where various "virtual stops" are mapped to each
physical stop on the physical reel 22A. This mapping allows the
gaming device 10A to establish greater awards and bonuses available
to the player because of the increased number of possible
combinations afforded by the virtual reel strips.
[0031] A gaming session on a spinning reel slot machine 10A
typically includes the player pressing the "bet-one" button (one of
the game buttons 32A) to wager a desired number of credits followed
by pulling the gaming handle 12 (FIGS. 1A, 1B) or pressing the spin
button 33A to spin the reels 22A. Alternatively, the player may
simply press the "max-bet" button (another one of the game buttons
32A) to both wager the maximum number of credits permitted and
initiate the spinning of the reels 22A. The spinning reels 22A may
all stop at the same time or may individually stop one after
another (typically from left to right) to build player
anticipation. Because the display 20A usually cannot be physically
modified, some spinning reel slot machines 10A include an
electronic display screen in the top box 18 (FIG. 1B), a mechanical
bonus mechanism in the top box 18, or a secondary display 25 (FIG.
1A) to execute a bonus.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 2B, a video gaming machine 10B may include
a video display 20B to display virtual spinning reels 22B and
various other gaming information 21B. The video display 20B may be
a CRT, LCD, plasma screen, or the like. It is usually preferable
that the video display 20B be a touchscreen to accept player input.
A number of symbols 23A appear on each of the virtual spinning
reels 22B. Although FIG. 2B shows five virtual spinning reels 22B,
the flexibility of the video display 20B allows for various reel
22B and game configurations. For example, some video slot games 10B
spin reels for each individual symbol position (or stop) that
appears on the video display 20B. That is, each symbol position on
the screen is independent of every other position during the gaming
sessions. In these types of games, very large numbers of pay lines
or multiple super scatter pays can be utilized since similar
symbols could appear at every symbol position on the video display
20B. On the other hand, other video slot games 10B more closely
resemble the mechanical spinning reel games where symbols that are
vertically adjacent to each other are part of the same continuous
virtual spinning reel 22B.
[0033] Because the virtual spinning reels 22B, by virtue of being
computer implemented, can have almost any number of stops on a reel
strip, it is much easier to have a greater variety of displayed
outcomes as compared to spinning-reel slot machines 10A (FIG. 2A)
that have a fixed number of physical stops on each spinning reel
22A.
[0034] With the possible increases in reel 22B numbers and
configurations over the mechanical gaming device 10A, video gaming
devices 10B often have multiple paylines 24 that may be played. By
having more paylines 24 available to play, the player may be more
likely to have a winning combination when the reels 22B stop and
the gaming session ends. However, since the player typically must
wager at least a minimum number of credits to enable each payline
24 to be eligible for winning, the overall odds of winning are not
much different, if at all, than if the player is wagering only on a
single payline. For example, in a five line game, the player may
bet one credit per payline 24 and be eligible for winning symbol
combinations that appear on any of the five played paylines 24.
This gives a total of five credits wagered and five possible
winning paylines 24. If, on the other hand, the player only wagers
one credit on one payline 24, but plays five gaming sessions, the
odds of winning would be identical as above: five credits wagered
and five possible winning paylines 24.
[0035] Because the video display 20B can easily modify the image
output by the video display 20B, bonuses, such as second screen
bonuses are relatively easy to award on the video slot game 10B.
That is, if a bonus is triggered during game play, the video
display 20B may simply store the resulting screen shot in memory
and display a bonus sequence on the video display 20B. After the
bonus sequence is completed, the video display 20B may then
retrieve the previous screen shot and information from memory, and
re-display that image.
[0036] Also, as mentioned above, the video display 20B may allow
various other game information 21B to be displayed. For example, as
shown in FIG. 2B, banner information may be displayed above the
spinning reels 22B to inform the player, perhaps, which symbol
combination is needed to trigger a bonus. Also, instead of
providing a separate credit meter 27 (FIG. 1A) and bet meter 28,
the same information can instead be displayed on the video display
20B. In addition, "soft buttons" 29B such as a "spin" button or
"help/see pays" button may be built using the touch screen video
display 20B. Such customization and ease of changing the image
shown on the display 20B adds to the flexibility of the game
10B.
[0037] Even with the improved flexibility afforded by the video
display 20B, several physical buttons 32B and 33B are usually
provided on video slot machines 10B. These buttons may include game
buttons 32B that allow a player to choose the number of paylines 24
he or she would like to play and the number of credits wagered on
each payline 24. In addition, a max bet button (one of the game
buttons 32B) allows a player to place a maximum credit wager on the
maximum number of available paylines 24 and initiate a gaming
session. A repeat bet or spin button 33B may also be used to
initiate each gaming session when the max bet button is not
used.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2C, a video poker gaming device 10C may
include a video display 20C that is physically similar to the video
display 20B shown in FIG. 2B. The video display 20C may show a
poker hand of five cards 23C and various other player information
21C including a paytable for various winning hands, as well as a
plurality of player selectable soft buttons 29C. The video display
20C may present a poker hand of five cards 23C and various other
player information 21C including a number of player selectable soft
(touch-screen) buttons 29C and a paytable for various winning
hands. Although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3C shows only
one hand of poker on the video display 20C, various other video
poker machines 10C may show several poker hands (multi-hand poker).
Typically, video poker machines 10C play "draw" poker in which a
player is dealt a hand of five cards, has the opportunity to hold
any combination of those five cards, and then draws new cards to
replace the discarded ones. All pays are usually given for winning
combinations resulting from the final hand, although some video
poker games 10C may give bonus credits for certain combinations
received on the first hand before the draw. In the example shown in
FIG. 2C a player has been dealt two aces, a three, a six, and a
nine. The video poker game 10C may provide a bonus or payout for
the player having been dealt the pair of aces, even before the
player decides what to discard in the draw. Since pairs, three of a
kind, etc. are typically needed for wins, a player would likely
hold the two aces that have been dealt and draw three cards to
replace the three, six, and nine in the hope of receiving
additional aces or other cards leading to a winning combination
with a higher award amount. After the draw and revealing of the
final hand, the video poker game 10C typically awards any credits
won to the credit meter.
[0039] The player selectable soft buttons 29C appearing on the
screen respectively correspond to each card on the video display
20C. These soft buttons 29C allow players to select specific cards
on the video display 20C such that the card corresponding to the
selected soft button is "held" before the draw. Typically, video
poker machines 10C also include physical game buttons 32C that
correspond to the cards in the hand and may be selected to hold a
corresponding card. A deal/draw button 33C may also be included to
initiate a gaming session after credits have been wagered (with a
bet button 32C, for example) and to draw any cards not held after
the first hand is displayed.
[0040] Although examples of a spinning reel slot machine 10A, a
video slot machine 10B, and a video poker machine 10C have been
illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C, gaming machines various other types of
gaming devices known in the art are contemplated and are within the
scope of the invention.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating networked gaming
devices according to embodiments of the invention. Referring to
FIG. 3, multiple electronic gaming devices (EGMs) 70, 71, 72, 73,
74, and 75 may be coupled to one another and coupled to a remote
server 80 through a network 50. For ease of understanding, gaming
devices or EGMs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 are generically referred
to as EGMs 70-75. The term EGMs 70-75, however, may refer to any
combination of one or more of EGMs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75.
Additionally, the gaming server 80 may be coupled to one or more
gaming databases 90. These gaming network 50 connections may allow
multiple gaming devices 70-75 to remain in communication with one
another during particular gaming modes such as tournament play or
remote head-to-head play. Although some of the gaming devices 70-75
coupled on the gaming network 50 may resemble the gaming devices
10, 10A, 10B, and 10C shown in FIGS. 1A-1B and 2A-2C, other coupled
gaming devices 70-75 may include differently configured gaming
devices. For example, the gaming devices 70-75 may include
traditional slot machines 75 directly coupled to the network 50,
banks of gaming devices 70 coupled to the network 50, banks of
gaming devices 70 coupled to the network through a bank controller
60, wireless handheld gaming machines 72 and cell phones 73 coupled
to the gaming network 50 through one or more wireless routers or
antennas 61, personal computers 74 coupled to the network 50
through the internet 62, and banks of gaming devices 71 coupled to
the network through one or more optical connection lines 64.
Additionally, some of the traditional gaming devices 70, 71, and 75
may include electronic gaming tables, multi-station gaming devices,
or electronic components operating in conjunction with non-gaming
components, such as automatic card readers, chip readers, and chip
counters, for example.
[0042] Gaming devices 71 coupled over an optical line 64 may be
remote gaming devices in a different location or casino. The
optical line 64 may be coupled to the gaming network 50 through an
electronic to optical signal converter 63 and may be coupled to the
gaming devices 71 through an optical to electronic signal converter
65. The banks of gaming devices 70 coupled to the network 50 may be
coupled through a bank controller 60 for compatibility purposes,
for local organization and control, or for signal buffering
purposes. The network 50 may include serial or parallel signal
transmission lines and carry data in accordance with data transfer
protocols such as Ethernet transmission lines, firewire lines, USB
lines, or other communication protocols. Although not shown in FIG.
3, substantially the entire network 50 may be made of optical lines
64 or may be a wireless network.
[0043] As mentioned above, each gaming device 70-75 may have an
individual processor 40 (FIG. 1A) and memory 41 to run and control
game play on the gaming device 70-75, or some of the gaming devices
70-75 may be terminals that are run by a remote server 80 in a
server based gaming environment. Server based gaming environments
may be advantageous to casinos by allowing fast downloading of
particular game types or themes based on casino preference or
player selection. Additionally, tournament based games, linked
games, and certain game types, such as BINGO or keno may benefit
from at least some server 80 based control.
[0044] Thus, in some embodiments, the network 50, server 80, and
database 90 may be dedicated to communications regarding specific
game or tournament play. In other embodiments, however, the network
50, server 80, and database 90 may be part of a player tracking
network. For player tracking capabilities, when a player inserts a
player tracking card in the card reader 46 (FIG. 1A), the player
tracking unit 45 sends player identification information obtained
on the card reader 46 through the MCI 42 over the network 50 to the
player tracking server 80, where the player identification
information is compared to player information records on in the
player database 90 to provide the player with information regarding
their player accounts or other features at the gaming device 10
where the player is wagering. Additionally, multiple databases 90
and/or servers 80 may be present and coupled to one or more
networks 50 to provide a variety of gaming services, such as both
game/tournament data and player tracking data.
[0045] A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
the player does not necessarily have to insert a player tracking
card into the card reader 46 in order to identify themselves to the
gaming device 10. For example, the player might have a
radio-frequency identification (RFID) device and the gaming device
10 may have an RFID receiver unit, possibly in MCI 42. The player's
RFID device can be an RFID enabled card. The RFID receiver unit can
also be located outside of the gaming device 10 so that a single
RFID receiver can serve to identify players on multiple gaming
devices.
[0046] The various systems described with reference to FIGS. 1-3
can be used in a number of ways. For instance, the systems can be
used to track data about various players. The tracked data can be
used by the casino to provide additional benefits to players, such
as extra bonuses or extra benefits such as bonus games and other
benefits as described above. These added benefits further entice
the players to play at the casino that provides the benefits.
[0047] According to some embodiments of the invention, a gaming
device 10 includes a one-touch button. The one-touch button enables
various functionality depending on the design of the gaming device
10. However, at a minimum, the one-touch button places a wager and
initiates a gaming session. In this way, the one-touch button can
be similar to the "Max Bet" button described above, except that the
one-touch button does not necessarily wager the maximum bet.
[0048] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device including a one-touch button, according to an
embodiment of the invention.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 4, the gaming device 10 includes an
associated player interface panel 30. The player interface panel 30
includes a one-touch button 34. The player interface panel 30 can
be located on the gaming device 10, in the vicinity of the gaming
device 10 (for example, on a tethered cord), or separate from the
gaming device 10. According to this embodiment, the player
interface panel 30 does not include any other buttons for wagering
(such as a "Bet One" button) or initiating a gaming session (such
as a "Spin" button). However, the player interface panel 30 may
include other buttons such as a "Cashout" button and/or a "Service"
button. When the player interface panel 30, including the one-touch
button 34, is separate from the gaming device 10, the player
interface panel 30 may be carried by a player. For example, the
player interface panel 30 can be a remote device carried by the
player that becomes associated with a gaming device 10 when the
player `aims` the remote device at the gaming device 10 and pushes
an associate button. The associate button can be the one-touch
button 34 or a separate button.
[0050] During typical play on the gaming device 10, a player
obtains credits and then presses the one-touch button. The player
may obtain credits by inserting monetary bills, previously printed
tickets with a credit value, coins, a credit card, or a player card
into gaming device 10. The player may also obtain credits by
providing some identifying information (such as a PIN) to the
gaming device 10. However obtained, the credits can then be
displayed on the credit meter 27. Once the player has obtained the
credits, a wager is placed and a gaming session is initiated simply
by pushing the one touch button 34.
[0051] The amount of the wager can depend on several factors. For
instance, if the credits obtained by the player are less than the
maximum bet available on the gaming device 10, the one-touch button
can wager all of the credits. Alternatively, the one-touch button
can wager only a single credit. If the credits obtained by the
player exceed the maximum bet available on the gaming device 10,
the one-touch button can wager credits sufficient to meet the
maximum bet or a single credit.
[0052] In the event the player has provided identifying information
to the gaming device 10 (by inserting a credit card, inserting a
player card, or entering a PIN, for example), the amount of the
wager can be a pre-determined amount set by the player. For
instance, if the player uses a player card to obtain credits, the
player card is associated with a player account, as described
above. The player account can contain data indicating the amount to
be wagered any time the player pushes a one-touch button on a
gaming device. Such data may be called a one-touch wager amount.
The one-touch wager amount can be set by the player when the player
sets up the player account or when the player obtains the player
card. Further, the one-touch wager amount can be set and/or
modified at any gaming device that has an interface for updating a
player account and at a kiosk for managing player accounts.
[0053] In detail, when the player provides the identifying
information to the gaming device 10, the gaming device 10 can query
a gaming server 80 on a network 50. The query can include the
identifying information. The gaming server 80 can respond to the
query by providing player information from the player account to
the gaming device 10. The player information can include the
one-touch wager amount. The gaming device 10 can store the player
information in the memory 41, but this is not required. Once the
gaming device 10 has the player information, the gaming device 10
can set the wager amount associated with the one-touch button to
the one-touch wager amount specified in the player account.
[0054] In addition to the one-touch wager amount, the player
account can also include a one-touch wager policy. The one-touch
wager policy can be used to establish the one-touch wager amount
for any given gaming session depending on factors identified in the
one-touch wager policy. For example, the one-touch wager policy can
indicate that if the total amount of money available in the player
account is less than a specific amount, the one-touch wager amount
will be set to a single credit, but if the total amount of money
available in the player account is greater than the specific
amount, the one-touch wager amount will be set to the maximum bet
available on the gaming device. There are many other factors that
could be used in the one-touch wager policy including, for example,
the time of day, the day of the week, trends in the total amount of
money available in the player account, and the like.
[0055] The one-touch wager policy can also be tailored to match the
perceptions and/or superstitions of the player. For example, some
players might believe that if they have had a certain number of
plays without winning, successive plays are more likely to result
in a win. The one-touch wager policy can account for such player
perceptions. Specifically, the one-touch wager policy can change
the one-touch wager amount based on: the number of previous plays
by the player without a win; the number of previous plays (by any
player) on a given machine without a win; the payout on a given
machine in a given time interval preceding the player's play;
and/or the recent payouts of neighboring machines to the one the
player is using.
[0056] The one-touch wager policy can also be used when the player
is initiating gaming sessions on multiple gaming devices using the
one-touch buttons on each of the gaming devices. For example, a
player might be initiating gaming sessions on four neighboring
gaming devices. The one-touch wager policy can specify that the
one-touch wager amount for each gaming device is one-fourth of the
player's usual one-touch wager amount. Alternatively, the one-touch
wager policy can specify that the one-touch wager amount on each
gaming device will depend on some factor specific to the gaming
device, such as proximity to the door, plays since last payout, and
the like. Finally, the one-touch wager policy can simply specify
that when the player is using multiple gaming devices, the
one-touch wager amount will be an evenly-divided fraction of a
specified amount. A person of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that there are many other possibilities available for
the one-touch wager policy to set the one-touch wager amount when
the player is using multiple gaming devices.
[0057] The server 80 and the network 50 can also be used to set the
wager amount even if the player has not provided identifying
information. For example, the server 80 may provide a default wager
amount associated with one-touch buttons on several gaming machines
connected to the network 50. Each gaming machine may query the
server 80 at periodic intervals to determine the default wager
amount to be associated with its respective one-touch button. In
this way, the server 80 can change the default wager amount
according to circumstances like the time of day or the day of the
week. Also, the server 80 could operate under a `push model` in
which default wager amounts to be associated with the gaming
machines are sent to the gaming machines without the gaming
machines querying the server 80. Using the push model, an
administrator can set the default wager amount and direct the
server 80 to update all of the gaming machines on the network 50,
or a sub-set or bank of gaming machines, with the new default wager
amount. The wager amount set by the server 80 can also be
controlled by policies that are stored at the server 80. The
policies can be used to automatically set the wager amount based on
factors such as the time of day, day of the week, number of current
gaming sessions, special events, and the like.
[0058] Using the one-touch button 34 of the present embodiment, a
player does not need to spend any time determining how to operate
the gaming device 10. The player can simply obtain credits and then
push the one-touch button to both place a wager and initiate a
gaming session.
[0059] From time to time during game play, a player may receive a
bonus. The bonus might provide a bonus gaming session on a separate
part of the gaming device 10, such as the top box 18, or it might
provide a secondary screen containing a bonus gaming session on a
video display. In some cases, the player may need to initiate the
bonus gaming session once the player has received the bonus. In
this case, the player can use the one-touch button to initiate the
bonus gaming session. Some bonus gaming sessions may also require
the player to push a button to stop the bonus gaming session. For
example, the bonus gaming session may include a spinning pointer
over a wheel of possible prizes and the player has to push a stop
button to get the pointer to stop. The one-touch button can also be
used to stop the bonus gaming session. In other words, when the
player pushes the one-touch button a first time, the bonus gaming
session initiates and when the player pushes the one-touch button a
second time, the bonus gaming session stops.
[0060] On some gaming devices, buttons can be used to both initiate
the gaming session and to stop the gaming session. For example, a
spinning-reel type slot machine may have a "Spin" button to start
the reels spinning and a "Stop" button to stop the reels. According
to embodiments of the invention, the one-touch button can be used
to both initiate the gaming session and to stop the gaming session.
Specifically, a player can press the one-touch button a first time
to place the wager and initiate the gaming session and then the
player can press the one-touch button a second time to stop the
gaming session.
[0061] Although described above as a button on the player interface
panel 30, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate
that the one-touch button could be a region of a touch screen
rather than a physical button.
[0062] As described above, the one-touch button 34 provides
advantages in simplicity of game play because the player does not
have to separately place a wager and initiate a gaming session.
However, the advantages of the one-touch button can also be
achieved when the one-touch button is combined with other wagering
buttons on a player interface panel.
[0063] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram that illustrates a
gaming device including a one-touch button, according to another
embodiment of the invention.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 5, the gaming device 10 includes a player
interface panel 30. The player interface panel 30 includes a
one-touch button 34 and wagering buttons 32. The wagering buttons
32 can include a "Bet One" button and a "Max Bet" button as well as
other types of wagering buttons. However, according to some
embodiments, the one-touch button 34 replaces the functionality of
the "Max Bet" button, and thus the "Max Bet" button is not included
on the player interface panel 30. The player interface panel 30 may
also include other buttons such as a "Cashout" button, a "Spin"
button and/or a "Service" button.
[0065] Game play on the gaming device 10 according to this
embodiment proceeds similarly to the embodiments described above
with respect to FIG. 4. However, in this case, the player can
choose to use the one-touch button 34 to place a wager and initiate
a gaming session or use the other wagering buttons to place the
wager and the "Spin" button to initiate the gaming session.
Choosing the one-touch button 34 can result in a variety of
different wager amounts being placed, as described above with
respect to FIG. 4. Also, choosing the one-touch button 34 can
result in placing a default wager. The default wager amount can be
one credit, the maximum bet available on the machine, or some other
pre-determined number of credits. The default wager amount can be
adjusted by the gaming device 10 based on the time of day, the day
of the week, and/or other factors. Also, the default wager amount
can be set by the server 80 over the network 50 so that the default
wager amounts on many different gaming devices, or banks of gaming
devices, can be changed simultaneously or over time, as described
above with respect to FIG. 4. The gaming device 10 may include an
indicator in the gaming display notifying the player of the current
status of the default wager. The default wager amount can be
managed by a default wager policy. The default wager policy can be
enforced at the server 80 or it can be enforced at the gaming
device 10. The default wager policy can set the default wager
amount according to naturally occurring events, such as the time of
day, or it can set the default wager amount based on real-time
events, such as payouts on, or in the vicinity of, gaming device
10.
[0066] According to this embodiment of the invention, even if the
player has a player account specifying a one-touch wager amount
and/or a one touch wager policy, the player can override these
wager amounts by using the wagering buttons on the gaming device
10.
[0067] The one-touch button 34 according to this embodiment can
also be used to initiate a bonus gaming session. For example, if a
player uses the other wagering buttons to initiate a gaming
session, and the player receives a bonus during the gaming session,
the player can use the one-touch button to initiate the bonus
gaming session. According to embodiments of the invention, a gaming
device includes a one-touch button either alone or in combination
with other wagering buttons. The one-touch button can be used to
place different wagers depending on the amount of credits the
player has available, data contained in the player's account,
and/or a default wager. The one-touch button causes a wager to be
placed and a gaming session to be initiated by the touch of a
single button.
[0068] A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
the player interface panel 30 can include multiple one-touch
buttons 34. Each of the one-touch buttons 34 can include an
indicator of an amount that will be wagered if the particular
one-touch button 34 is activated by a player. For example, the
gaming device 10 could include three one-touch buttons 34, with
each of the buttons configured to wager a different, pre-determined
(or fixed) amount and initiate a gaming session by a single push of
the button. One or more of the multiple one-touch buttons 34 can be
configured to place a wager as described in the embodiments
above.
[0069] Some embodiments of the invention have been described above,
and in addition, some specific details are shown for purposes of
illustrating the inventive principles. However, numerous other
arrangements may be devised in accordance with the inventive
principles of this patent disclosure. Further, well known processes
have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the
invention. Thus, while the invention is described in conjunction
with the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, it is
not limited to these embodiments or drawings. Rather, the invention
is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents
that come within the scope and spirit of the inventive principles
set out in the appended claims.
* * * * *