Amusement devices: games – Games accessories – All video game accessories
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-24
2001-11-20
Chiu, Raleigh W. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Games accessories
All video game accessories
C273S138200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318721
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to an operation device for use with player-operable entertainment machines particularly but not exclusively coin-operated amusement machines such as a ‘fruit’ or ‘poker’ or slot machine having symbol-bearing reels rotatable behind a window, and with which a game is played involving random (or pseudo random) selection of symbol combinations after actuation of the machine with coins. An award is made (or made available) to the player in the event that a predetermined winning combination is attained.
As used herein the term coin-operated is intended to cover operation by coins, tokens, banknotes, charge or credit cards or any other means of supplying credit or monetary value.
With such machines it is often the case that players seek to increase the rate at which games are played to increase the number of opportunities for winning.
One object of the present invention is to facilitate increased rate of playing of such machines and a further object is to provide promotional opportunities.
According to the invention therefore there is provided an operation device for use with a coin-operated entertainment machine having an actuable player operable button, the operation device being attachable externally to the machine and, in use, being operable to detect when the button is actuable and in response thereto to operate the button.
With this arrangement a player operable button on a coin-operated entertainment machine may be automatically operated when the button is rendered actuable.
In this way an increased rate of play is possible. Also in so far as an externally attachable device is made available to the player, there are promotional opportunities in that the device may be, for example, provided as a gift and/or personalised or bear adverts, etc.
The operation device may be used on any suitable coin-operated entertainment machine having a player operable button but, preferably, the machine is of the kind having a simplified game having a single player operable button.
However, the operation device could also be used with a coin-operated entertainment machine having a plurality of player operable buttons.
The machine may be a reel-type machine as described above.
The (or each) player operable button may be any button to be operated by the player, for example, where the machine has one or more rotatable symbol-bearing reels which have to be brought to rest by the player, the button may be a ‘stop’ button operable arrest rotation of the or each reel. In the case of a machine where the reels are stopped by the machine control circuitry, the button may be a ‘nudge’ button which rotates the reel by a predetermined amount or a ‘hold’ button which ‘holds’ one reel stationary whilst other reels are allowed to rotate.
The button may also be a ‘gamble’ button which can be operated in the event of a win to gamble the award made available. For example, the machine may display a number of symbols indicating payout multiples (×2,×3,×4 etc.) and the player attempts to select the highest multiple (to maximise the payout) by operating the gamble button when the appropriate symbol is illuminated.
The button may also be part of a supplementary games feature.
This may be provided by a supplementary display region (which is additional to a main (reel) display region) and which may be selectively illuminated to represent movement along a track or path, eg. simulating the playing of a board game, or to represent or record the selection of numbers of other symbols, eg. simulating the playing of roulette. The button may be provided on or be part of the supplementary display region, or any other suitable part of the machine.
The button may be any kind of button such as a push button or a mechanical contact button or switch of any kind or a touch, sensitive (eg. capacity or inductive) proximity sensitive button, switch or screen.
Where the machine has more than one button, the device may be operable to operate one or a selection or all of the buttons.
Where more than one button is to be operated, a plurality of devices may be provided, interconnected in any suitable arrangement using for example an adjustable bracket arrangement. Each device may be operable to operate one or more of the buttons.
The operation device may be operable to detect when the button is actuable by any suitable sensor.
The sensor may be able to detect actuability of the button in any suitable way. The type of sensor may depend on the way in which the actuability of the button is signalled to the player.
For example, the button may incorporate a lamp which may be a light emitting diode (LED) or any other lamp or an optical passageway linking the button to a separate light source and the lamp may be illuminated to signal when the button is actuable. Accordingly, the sensor may be photosensitive.
Alternatively, a part of the machine remote from the button may signal that the button is actuable, for example, illumination of a lamp on or in a part of the machine which is remote from the button. The lamp may be located behind a window as part of an additional feature game eg. snakes and ladders or a gamble feature game as described above.
Alternatively, the sensor may be operable to detect a change in voltage or electric current etc. applied to the button or any other part of the machine when the button is rendered actuable.
The operation device may operate the button using any suitable operator means, for example, by means of a mechanical, electrical or electronic switch mechanism or a cam mechanism. Where the button is a push button, preferably the operator means is operable to push the button.
In the case of a touch or proximity sensitive button or screen, this may operate in response to detected changes in electrical, electrostatic, thermal or other characteristics. Accordingly, the operation device may operate the button by generating an appropriate electrical, electrostatic, thermal etc. signal.
Any suitable cam mechanism may be used and may comprise a cam which is rotatable between one or more positions, in at least one of which the cam presses the button. Alternatively an intermediary member may be used such as a cam follower which may be acted on by the cam to operate the button.
The cam may be driven by any suitable means, for example, by an electric motor. Where the cam is driven by a motor it may be connected to the motor by a camshaft. The cam may be an integral part of the camshaft such as a suitably shaped length of the shaft.
The cam may be any cross section, for example, oval.
Alternatively or additionally, the operation device may incorporate a solenoid-operated member to operate the button.
The solenoid and member may take any suitable form, the member being movable directly or indirectly by the solenoid. The member may, for example, be an elongate rod or plunger movable in axial alignment with the solenoid towards and away from the button. Alternatively the member may be the cam as described hereinabove.
Preferably the sensor is connected, eg. electrically, to the operator means in order that the sensor may signal the actuability of the button to the operator means.
The operator device may be powered in any suitable way, but preferably the device incorporates its own power source such as a battery.
With this arrangement the operation device can be a convenient self-contained unit requiring no connection to an external power source and there is no need, for example, to access the entertainment machine's internal circuitry.
Where a battery is provided, the operation device may also include a power indicator device such as an LED connected to the battery to indicate that power is available.
The operation device may include a housing, and any or all of the above described components may be located therein.
The housing may take any suitable form but preferably is configured so that, in use, it can be positioned on the button to locate the operator means adjacent the button.
In one embodiment the housing comprises a bridge member which straddles the button and may be supported in su
Butler Christopher
Randall Dov Liam
Chiu Raleigh W.
Gerstman George H.
IGT-UK Limited
Shaw Seyfarth
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