Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURABLE USER
INTERFACE IN A GAME OF CHANCE
Related Application Data
The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application
Serial No. 60/677,513, entitled "Device and Method for User Interface in Games
of
Chance," filed May 3, 2005 by Applicant herein.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic gaining systems and devices.
More particularly, the present invention is a method and system in which an
input
interface is reconfigurable to a primary input during the course of a game,
thereby
allowing players to input certain selections faster and easier.
Background of the Invention
User interface is a critical component to the success of an electronic gaming
system. There are two major factors that come into play. A player may be
unlikely
to even play a game whose user interface is too confusing. Similarly, a
confusing
experience, though overcome, may still leave the player feeling insecure.
Another
factor is one of ergonomics. The more effort and movement required by a player
to
continue playing, the more likely such a player will end their play session
early.
There are some techniques used in electronic gaming systems to address
these user interface concerns. One such technique would be to put user control
buttons close to one another to minimize the amount of hand or pointer
movement
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the player has to make to move between the last selection and the next one.
Another
technique is to somehow brighten, color or highlight buttons that the game
designer
wishes to encourage the player to notice and use. Another technique is to
place the
most important button in the most convenient place relative to the other
buttons. For
an electronic game with a touch-screen interface, this often would be the
right-most
position closest to the player's right hand.
These techniques, however, are limited or made more difficult by the fact
that the relative use of game buttons often changes as the game progresses
through
multiple game states. For example, the game buttons to control initial wagers
may
be essential prior to the start of a game, but unused after the play
commences. The
Hold/Discard game buttons in a draw poker game are not needed until after
wagering completes, but then become essential.
In order to take such variability of importance into account, one technique
would be to employ reconfigurable game buttons where the function and labeling
of
a given game button may be altered as the phase of the game changes. For
example,
a game may continually offer the most-used or most desirable function at the
right
edge of the control bar at the bottom of the screen, with such game button
displayed
in a distinct bright color such as gold.
In a game like Three Card Poker, the rightmost game button would change
function and label based on the step of the game. After a game has been
played, and
before the next game is begun, this game button functions as REBET. Once a bet
is
placed, the game button becomes DEAL. Once the deal begins and the player must
make play decisions, the game button is PLAY. Other play decision game
buttons,
such as FOLD, are placed proximal to the REBET/DEAL/PLAY game button to
reduce the distance between such game buttons as are typically used in
sequence,
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and hence the effort required for the player to move his cursor from where it
originally was (typically over the DEAL game button when the game is started)
to
where it needs to be for the player to input the desired selection.
Usually, the last game button input a player makes in the Three Card Poker
game is either FOLD or PLAY. If the player last chose PLAY, then the cursor
will
already be positioned for to click REBET without being moved. If the player
has
reason to believe that the cursor has not moved since clicking PLAY, the
player does
not even need to look at the position of the cursor to know it is properly
placed to
click the next game button. If the player last chose FOLD, the player will
have to
move the cursor to be positioned to subsequently click the rightmost game
button
(REBET) to continue play. The distance to move the cursor will, however, be
minimized.
As the exigencies of the game vary from game step to game step, the
expected sequence of game buttons to be selected may vary. Thus in order to
continue to improve the ergonomic efficiency of a game by minimizing cursor
movement or effort required for user input selection, it can be seen that
there is a
need in the art for a method and device which include an input device that is
reconfigurable throughout the play of a game to ease the selection of game
options
by a player. Furthermore, as the number of relevant ganie buttons may vary
between
game states, in implementations where it is technically feasible, there is a
need to be
able to reconfigure one set of game buttons to a second set of game buttons of
unlike
cardinality, e.g. 1-to-n or n-to-1.
Summary of the Invention
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The present invention is a method for dynamically reconfiguring an input
device for different input states depending upon game state. The present
invention
also includes a device with one or more reconfigurable input devices.
According to
the present invention, a single input device can have different effects during
the
course of a game. That is, according to the present invention, an input device
may
be dynamically reconfigured for different input states to provide different
input to a
game depending upon the game state of a game of chance when the input device
is
actuated.
According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, a gaming
device for conducting a game of chance with multiple game states includes an
electronic display, an input device receiving user input, and a processor in
communication with the display and the input device. The processor is adapted
to
execute instructions to conduct a game having at least two game states. Two or
more input states are correlated to different game states and the input device
is
adapted to reconfigure between the different input states. In this manner,
user input
received at the input device in a game state is interpreted by the processor
according
to the input state associated with that game state. More specifically, user
input
received at the input device in one game state is interpreted by the processor
according to the input state associated with that one game state, whereas user
input
received at the input device in a different game state is interpreted by the
processor
according to the input state associated with that different game state. It is
noted that
the present invention may include inultiple input devices, with each the input
device
adapted to reconfigure between or aanong different input states correlated to
different
game states.
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For example, in one optional embodiment, a gaming device conducts at least
one gaine of chance having a plurality of game states. The gaming device
includes
at least one input device receiving user input communicating with a processor.
The input device has at least one input button adapted to dynamically
reconfigure between at least two different input states. The input device may
include
mechanical buttons, display buttons, or the like. In one optional embodiment
including mechanical buttons, the mechanical buttons may include indicia for
each
input state and an illumination device for each indicia. In such an optional
embodiment, the processor is adapted to selectively illuminate indicia for an
input
state correlated to a game state during the game of chance.
In another optional embodiment, the input device may include at least one
display button at the display. In such an optional embodiment, the data
structure
may store a display button image for each input state and the processor
directs the
display of a display button for an input state correlated to a game state
during the
game of chance. The display buttons could take many different forms. In one
optional embodiment, the display button image for each input state is
substantially
the same dimensions when displayed on the display. In another optional
embodiment, the data structure stores at least one large display button image
and at
least two small display button images that are substantially the same
dimensions as
the large display button image when displayed simultaneously adjacent to one
another on the display.
As noted above, a processor is in communication with the one input
device(s) and a data structure communicating with the processor. The data
structure
stores correlations between the input states and the game states and
instructions
executable by the processor to conduct the game of chance. User input received
at
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the input device at one game state of the game of chance is interpreted by the
processor according to an input state correlated to that game state and user
input
received at the input device at a different game state of the game of chance
is
interpreted by the processor according to an input state correlated to that
different
game state.
In an optional embodiment, the processor is remote from the input device. In
such an optional embodiinent, the input device is in communication with a
terminal
processor. The terminal processor communicates with a terminal communication
device which, in turn; communicates with a host communication device.
Optionally,
the terminal communication device and host communication device communicate
through a computer network, such as a local area network ("LAN"), wide area
network ("WAN"), or Internet. The processor communicates with the host
coinmunication device.
The present invention also includes a method. According to an embodiment
of the present invention, a method for conducting a game of chance having a
plurality of game states includes providing an input device receiving user
input. At
least two different input states are defined with each input state associated
with
different effects in the game of chance. Each input state is correlated to at
least one
game state in the game of chance. The game of chance is conducted. User input
is
received at the input device during the game of chance. The user input effects
the
game of chance according to the effect associated with the input state
correlated to
the game state at the point when the user input is received. In this manner,
user
input received at the input device during game states correlated to different
input
states effects the game of chance differently.
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The input device could take inany different forms. In one optional
embodiment, the input device is a mechanical button including indicia for each
input
state. In such an optional embodiment, the method further includes selectively
illuminating indicia for an input state correlated to a game state during the
game of
chance.
In another optional embodiment, the input device is a display button. In such
an optional embodiment, the method further includes storing a display button
image
for each input state. A display button image is displayed for an input state
correlated
to a game state during the game of chance. Optionally, the display button
image for
each input state is substantially the same dimensions when displayed on the
display.
In another optional embodiment, at least one of the display button images is a
large
display button image and at least two of the display button images are small
display
button images that are substantially the same dimensions as the large display
button
image when displayed simultaneously adjacent to one another on the display.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 shows a state diagram of a game state transition from a single input
state to a multiple inputs state according to an optional embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIG. 2 shows a state diagram of a game state transition from a multiple
inputs state to a single input state according to an optional embodiment of
the
present invention;
FIG. 3A shows a game button configuration associated with a state according
to an optional embodiment of the present invention;
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FlU. ~313 shows a game button configuration associated with -a different state
of the game buttons of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 3C shows a game button configuration associated with a different state
of the game buttons of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4 shows a front view of a game device according to an optional
embodiment of the present invention with mechanical game buttons showing
multiple states;
FIG. 5 shows a front view of a game device according to the optional
embodiment of FIG. 4 with mechanical game buttons in a game state;
FIG. 6 shows a front view of a game device according to the optional
embodiment of FIG. 4 with mechanical game buttons in an alternate game state;
FIG. 7 shows a front view of a gaine device according to an optional
embodiinent of the invention with mechanical and display game buttons in a
game
state;
FIG. 8 shows a front view of a game device according to the optional
embodiment of FIG. 7 with mechanical and display game buttons in an alternate
game state.
Description
Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by
like numerals throughout. The present invention is a device and method for
reconfiguring an input device according to the step of a game being played. It
is
noted that the present invention could be directed for use with any game and
the
examples given below should not be construed as limiting. It is also noted
that the
present invention encompasses any form of input device including the display
and
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buttons illustrated in the figures, as well as any other form of input device
including,
but not limited to, mechanical button, display button, touchscreen,
controllers, mice,
keypads, keyboards, pointers, joysticks, or any other device receiving input
from a
user.
The present invention is a method and device directed for use for any game
of chance having at least two game states. It is noted that the game states
may be
defined in any manner. At least two input states are defined and correlated to
game
states. Input states define how input received at an input device is to be
interpreted
in the game of chance at the correlated game state. Thus, as each game state
is
reached, the input state associated with that game state is enabled and the
input
device may be reconfigured so that the input called for in the input state are
prompted.
According to the present invention, the input device is reconfigured to
receive input during the multiple steps of a game, using a single input device
or
instrumentation for multiple distinct input purposes or effects throughout the
course
of a game. More specifically, an input device is adapted to reconfigure
between at
least two different input states. Each input state is correlated to a game
state. In this
manner, user input received at the input device in any game state is
interpreted
according to the input state associated with that game state. Thus, user input
received at the input device in one game state is interpreted according to the
input
state associated with that one game state, whereas user input received at the
input
device in a different gaine state is interpreted according to the input state
associated
with that different game state.
For example, when playing a card game offering the player two or more play
choices, such as in the case of Three Card Poker having a FOLD or PLAY input
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during the play of a hand, and at least one wager input prior to commencement
of the
play of the hand, each step of play would reconfigure at least one input game
button
to facilitate the entry of such player's choice or choices as may be
associated with
the step in progress. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in optional embodiments where
it
is technically feasible, the reconfiguration may redefine a set of n game
buttons as a
set of m game buttons, where n is unequal to m.
In such an implementation, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 and discussed in
greater detail later, an interface for Three Card Poker incorporating the
present
invention could include reconfiguring mechanical game buttons 737, 738 used
for
selection of a FOLD 737 or PLAY 738 selection at a game state during the play
of a
hand (shown in FIG. 7) into mechanical game buttons 737, 738 used for
selection of
a REBET 737, 738 selection at a game state following completion of the play of
a
hand (shown in FIG. 8). Similarly, FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an optional
embodiinent
in which display game buttons 727, 728 used for selection of a FOLD 727 or
PLAY
738 selection at a game state during the play of a hand are reconfigured to a
single
display game button 827 used for selection of a REBET 827 selection at a game
state
following completion of the play of a hand. In this manner, the player could
effect a
FOLD or PLAY input during the game and a REBET input after the game without
repositioning his finger or pointing device. In an alternate optional
embodiment, the
reconfiguration could effectuate a REDEAL input which would activate a new
game
using the same wager as the prior game, combining a REBET and a DEAL input. In
an alternate optional embodiment, such as in jurisdictions which require the
player
to actively collect any prize awarded to them, the input after an award event
could be
reconfigured to permit a COLLECT input.
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It is noted that the present invention could be applied to any input device,
whether that input device is mechanical, electronic, or any other type of
input device.
Thus, even though FIGS. 4- 6 illustrate an optional embodiment in which the
input
device includes mechanical buttons, and FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an optional
embodiment in which the input device includes mechanical buttons and display
buttons, it is contemplated that other types of inputs could be used in the
present
invention, including, specifically, an optional embodiment using only display
buttons.
Referring specifically to FIGS. 4-6, the present invention could be applied to
a gaming device having mechanical game buttons that have indicia to identify
the
input state and an illumination device, such as a lamp, light, light einitting
diode
("LED"), or the like, to illuminate or highlight the indicia corresponding to
the input
state at that particular game state. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6,
the input
device could include one or more mechanical buttons with different indicia
(text
areas in this example) that can be independently lighted or highlighted to
reflect the
reconfiguration of the input device.
In alternate embodiments, not shown, a mechanical game button may change
its display of indicia, or of illumination of indicia, under computer control.
Similarly, in an alternate optional embodiment (not shown), the color of a
mechanical game button may be changed to reflect a reconfiguration of input
options. In yet another optional embodiment (not shown), the reconfiguration
status
of mechanical game buttons may be indicated on a display device in such a way
that
the player may readily determine the purpose and effect of such game buttons.
Optionally, the display area may be proximal to the game buttons. It is
contemplated
that an embodiment may include two or more input devices, such as multiple
game
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buttons, which share a similar text or display to indicate that any of these
input
devices could provide the same input. Such implementation may be effective for
implementations utilizing, for example, a PC connected to a server or the
Internet for
execution of a gaming event which employs remote processing or other
interface.
FIG. 1 illustrates a state diagram of a game state transition from a single
input state 101 to a multiple input state 102 according to an optional
embodiment of
the present invention. In this optional embodiment, the input game button
could be
reconfigurable,between utilization for a single input and utilization for
multiple
inputs. For example, in one optional embodiment, a single input game button
could
be reconfigurable to cover the size and space of multiple input game buttons
and
vice versa. After the transition, the reconfigurable input game button may be
replaced by a plurality of input game buttons. FIG. 2 shows a state diagram of
a
game state transition from a multiple input state 201 to a single input state
202
according to another optional embodiment. It is noted that the game states,
and the
corresponding input states, may be cyclical, i.e. cycle between or among two
or more
states, or may be non-cyclical, i.e. linear, branching, or the like, depending
upon the
game of chance.
Turning to FIGS. 3A-3C, an optional embodiment of dynamic
reconfiguration of an input device, in this case display buttons, to provide
input
appropriate to several different game states illustrated. Within each such
state user
an input device in the form of a display button panel 301 associated with that
state
are displayed. This embodiment includes a prewager state (shown in FIG. 3A), a
predeal state (shown in FIG. 3B), and a gaine play state (shown in FIG. 3C).
Each of
the states features a Help game button 305 in a fixed location. Thus, in this
optional
embodiment, the Help game button 305 undergoes no reconfiguration. In the
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prewager state of FIG. 3A, there is a reconfigurable REBET game button 307,
which
occupies an area substantially equivalent to the area occupied by multiple
input
game buttons, i.e. a FOLD game button 327 and PLAY game button 328, in FIG.
3C. The prewager state of FIG. 3A also includes two smaller input
game~buttons,
HELP 305 and BET 1 306. In this exaxin.ple, according to the underlying game
of
chance, the BET 1 game button 306 is only used in the prewager state of FIG.
3A,
and reconfigures in the other two states shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C to provide
no
function or effect in those game states.
Continuing with the example, the predeal state of FIG. 3B has a DEAL game
button 317 as well as a HELP game button 305. The HELP game button 305 is
carried over from the prewager state shown in FIG. 3A, and the DEAL game
button
317 in the predeal state of FIG. 3B is a reconfiguration of the REBET game
buttons
307 in the prewager state shown in FIG. 3A and occupies the same location.
Optionally, as illustrated, the reconfigurable REBET game button 307and DEAL
game button 317 may be displayed in a highlighted form to be more noticeable
to the
player.
In the optional embodiment illustrated, the location allocated to the REBET
game button 307 in the prewager state of FIG. 3A and the DEAL game button 317
in
the predeal state of FIG. 3B is reconfigured in the game play state of FIG. 3C
as two
game buttons, a FOLD game button 327 and a PLAY game button 328, along with
the HELP game button 305 which is not reconfigured between game states. That
is,
the HELP game button 305 is carried over through each gaine state in this
example.
The FOLD game button 327 and the PLAY game button 328 of the game play state
of FIG. 3C together occupy the same space as the REBET game button 307 of the
prewager state of FIG. 3A or the DEAL game button 317 of the predeal state of
FIG.
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3B. It should be noted that, while FIGS. 3A-3C show the reconfigured game
buttons occupying the same size and shape in each reconfiguration, this
limitation is
not necessary to this invention and the reconfigured game buttons could occupy
larger, smaller, or differently-shaped areas in each reconfiguration while
remaining
within the scope and spirit of this invention.
The game illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 includes two game states, a predeal state,
which includes wager information, and a game play state. FIG. 4 illustrates an
optional embodiment consisting of a gaming device 402 comprising a processor
406,
a display 404, optionally a video display, an input device comprising a
mechanical
game button pane1430, and one or more areas for identifying other game
information such as wagers 440 placed and awards 442 collected. It is noted
that in
this optional embodiment, the input device communicates with the data
processor
406 and the data processor 406 interprets user input received at the input
device
depending upon game state, as described in greater detail below. In an
optional
embodiment, the processor 406 may be in communication with a data structure
storing instructions for the conduct of the gaine of cllance along with the
input states
correlated with game states. In this manner, when a game state is reached, the
appropriate input state is used by the processor 406 to interpret user input
received at
the input device.
The mechanical game button panel 430 may include non-reconfigurable
input game buttons 431, 432, i.e. game buttons that do not have different
input states
depending upon game state, in addition to reconfigurable input galne buttons
437,
438, i.e. game buttons that do have different input states depending upon game
state.
In this optional example, one portion 451, 453 of the reconfigurable game
buttons
437, 438 display visual attributes, in this case indicia, associated with a
predeal'
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game state while another portion 452, 454 of the reconfigurable game buttons
437,
438 display indicia associated with a different post-play game state. In one
embodiment, there is includes no special lighting in or on the mechanical game
buttons 437 438 to indicate the configuration status of the game buttons. In
such an
optional embodiment, the input state could be determined by the player based
upon
game context or indicated by messaging in the game display area 408. In an
other
optional embodiment, the portion of the game buttons 437 with the visual
attribute,
e.g. indicia, color, graphic, or the like, identifying the input state is
illuminated,
highlighted, or otherwise signified during each game state associated with
that input
state.
Thus, in the optional embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, each
reconfigurable game button 437, 438 includes an illumination device, or other
illumination means, to highlight the indicia identifying the input state 551,
553, 652,
654 enabled for that game state. Specifically, in the example of FIG. 5, the
text
indicating the input state of game button 437 for FOLD 551 is highlighted and
the
text indicating the input state of game button 438 for CALL 553 is highlighted
while
the disabled REDEAL 452, 454 input states of the game buttons 437, 438 are
dimmed or unilluminated. In FIG. 6 the text indicating the input state of both
game
buttons 437, 438 for REDEAL 652, 654 are highlighted while the disabled FOLD
451 and CALL 453 input states of the game buttons 437, 438 are dimmed or
unilluminated.
In this example, the game state of FIG. 6 includes redundant game buttons
437, 438, that is, game buttons that are correlated to the same input state.
In other
words, at the game state of FIG. 6, user input received at either game button
437,
438 would be interpreted as the same user input, a REDEAL in this exanlple.
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is contrasted from the preceding game state of FIG. 5 where the game buttons
437,
428 are correlated to different input states so that user input received at
the game
buttons 437, 438 would be interpreted as different user input, a FOLD or a
CALL,
respectively, in this example. It is noted that each of these game state-input
state
correlations could be used separately or together within the scope of the
present
invention.
It is also noted that in this example, the game state of FIG. 6 occurs between
games whereas the game state of FIG. 5 occurs during a game. It is
contemplated
that game states at any point during the conduct of a game of chance, or a
series of
games of chance, and the input states may similarly receive user input during
conduct of a game of chance, or between games of chance.
An alternate optional embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 that
includes reconfigurable mechanical game buttons 737, 738 and reconfigurable
display game buttons 727, 728, 827 such as mouse fields, touchscreen buttons,
or
other displayed, rather than physical, buttons. In this optional embodiment
the
display area 704 may include an area 708 in which to display standard video
game
information and a display button panel 720 for the display and operation of
reconfigurable display game buttons 727, 728, 827. In the optional embodiment
illustrated, such display game buttons 727, 728, 827 are part of the input
device and
receive input directly by the player such as by touch, a mouse, a pointer, or
other
input. In alternate optional embodiments (not shown), such display game
buttons
might be for display only with the corresponding mechanical game buttons being
the
sole input device. In the optional embodiment illustrated, non-reconfigurable
display game buttons 721, 722, i.e. game buttons that do not change input
states
depending upon game state, may be displayed along with the reconfigurable
display
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game buttons 727, 728, 827. In alternate optional embodiments, more, or less,
display game buttons may be utilized, and such game buttons may include only
reconfigurable display game buttons, only non-reconfigurable display game
buttons,
or both.
Turning to the optional embodiinent of FIG. 7, a game state associated with
FOLD and CALL input states are enabled. Thus, in the game state of FIG. 7, the
FOLD game button 727 and the CALL game button 728 are displayed and actuating
the FOLD button 727 or CALL button 728 would be interpreted in accord with
those
input states. In FIG. 8 a different game state is illustrated in which the
FOLD button
727 and CALL button 728 has been reconfigured as a REDEAL game button 827.
This REDEAL game button 827 occupies the same screen area in the game state of
FIG. 8 as would be occupied by both the FOLD game button 727 and the CALL
game button 728 in the game state of FIG. 7. In alternate optional
embodiments, the
REDEAL gaine button 827 may be displayed to occupy the area of only the FOLD
game button 727 or the CALL game button 728, or may occupy a totally different
area instead. Such variation is within the spirit and scope of the invention
being
described.
While certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and
described it is to be understood that the present invention is subject to many
modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention presented herein.
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