GB2415638A

GB2415638A - A stake placing device

Info

Publication number: GB2415638A
Application number: GB0414509A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chris Butler
Original assignee: IGT UK Ltd
Current assignee: IGT UK Ltd
Priority date: 2004-06-29
Filing date: 2004-06-29
Publication date: 2006-01-04
Also published as: GB0414509D0

Abstract

A stake device (12) is used to operate a touch screen control (11) on a betting machine (10) to place bets on a game. The stake device (12) has a storage device (16) for storing credit value linked to an external digital display (17) and a transmitter/receiver (14) via a control unit (15) housed in a pen or stylus shaped body (13). The receiver/transmitter (14) interacts with the touch screen control (11) by touch to select a stake value and at least one possible winning outcome of the game. Credit can be transmitted to and received from the machine (10) through the transmitter/receiver (14) and the storage device (16) can be updated when a bet has been placed or an award has been collected by contact between the transmitter/receiver and respective bet placing/collection areas of the touch screen control (11).

Description

24 1 5638 - 1

STAKE DEVICE FOR A BETTING MACHINE

This invention relates to a stake device for a betting machine which is an entertainment or gaming machine of the kind with which a player bets a credit value stake on the outcome of a game played with the machine and a credit value award is made available to the player in the event that the bet is successful and the outcome of the game is of a predetermined winning nature.

Betting machines of this kind may have a video display device with a touch screen whereby the machine can be operated for the placing of bets by touching identified regions of the screen.

One such touch screen betting machine is used to play a roulette game. A central display screen shows a roulette table with a rotatable wheel, and there are interconnected betting terminals with touch screens which can be operated by players to place bets. The players can place bets of different stake values on individual numbers, or groups of numbers, such as red or black numbers, odd or even numbers etc. in like manner to the conventional placing of bets on a roulette table using chips.

Prior to placing bets, players are required to establish credit at least to the value of stakes to be bet and this may be done by inserting banknotes into note-reader mechanisms of the betting terminals causing corresponding value to be transferred to a store and shown on a digital display device of - 2 the terminal.

A game is played in the usual way involving selection of a numbered compartment of the wheel with a ball impelled around the wheel whilst the wheel rotates and then comes to rest. The spinning of the wheel may be displayed solely on the central screen or additionally on the individual betting terminal screens. The rotating wheel display may be computergenerated or may be derived from an actual roulette table, located adjacent to the terminals or elsewhere, using a video camera.

At the end of a played game the machine identifies any winning bets and computes the value of corresponding awards using predetermined odds.

Award values are credited to the respective players and transferred to the players' credit value stores.

When desired a player can cash in stored credit value for example by obtaining from the betting terminal a printed voucher which can then be exchanged for money by a cashier. The player's store is then decremented to zero.

Instead of using bank notes and cash vouchers it is known to use credit cards or other magnetic cards in conjunction with card readers as stake devices for transfer of credit value.

An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative means for transfer of credit value in the context of a betting machine having a - 3 player operable touch screen.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided a stake device for a betting machine of the kind with which a player bets a credit value stake on the outcome of a game played with the machine, using a touch screen control, and a credit value award is made available to the player in the event that the bet is successful and the outcome of the game is of a predetermined winning nature, wherein said stake device is usable for operating the touch screen control and comprises storage means for storing credit value, and said device is operable to transfer said value between said storage means and the machine.

With this arrangement, the player can use the stake device as a convenient means for operating the touch screen and for storing credit value used in play of a game with the machine. This can facilitate credit value management and also provide additional entertainment or interest for the 1 5 player.

The transfer of credit value may take place solely from the stake device to the machine so that credit value in the storage means of the device is transferred to the machine to fund a stake or stakes bet on the game to be player with the machine.

Alternatively or additionally, transfer of credit value may take place from the machine to the storage means so that the value of a win - 4 corresponding to a successful bet is transferred to the storage means.

Transferred value may be specific to a game play event i.e. it may be equal to the value of a stake or stakes to be bet and/or it may be equal to the value of a win attained. Alternatively or additionally the stake device may be operable for occasional bulk transfer unrelated to a specific game play event i.e. so as to transfer stake value in advance of play of a game to fund one or more bets and/or to collect accumulated credit value from the machine.

The stake device may operate under the control of the machine such that credit value transfer occurs in a manner determined by the machine e.g. when the stake device is presented to the touch screen control.

Alternatively or additionally the stake device may incorporate controls e. g. so that transfer is initiated only after operation of a switch or other control on the stake device.

The stake device may incorporate a status display device such as an alphanumeric digital display device which is operable to provide information such as total stored credit value. Alternatively or additionally this function may be provided by a status display device on the machine which is actuated e.g. when the stake device is presented to the touch screen control.

Physically, the stake device is preferably of elongate form suited to - 5 easy manual operation e.g. being generally of the form of a pen or stylus.

With regard to transfer of value between the stake device and the machine, this may occur via the touch screen control and/or otherwise.

The stake device may incorporate a receiver and/or transmitter transducer which provides a communication link with the touch screen control so that data can be transmitted between the screen and the stake device, unidirectionally or bi-directionally. Any suitable means of communication or combination of different means of communication may be used.

Alternatively or additionally a communication link may be established between the machine and the stake device separately from the touch screen control, e.g. by means of a wireless link between a receiver and/or a transmitter of the machine and a receiver and/or transmitter of the stake device.

The betting machine of the invention may be a roulette type machine i.e. a machine in which an indicator element moves relative to a sequence of symbols and then comes to rest in relation to one such symbol to effect selection of that symbol, the player having the opportunity of betting a stake value on any symbol or different combinations of symbols. The symbols may be numbers associated with compartments around the periphery of an actual or video-simulated rotatable wheel, and the element may be an actual - 6 or video-simulated ball which runs counter to the direction of rotation of the wheel, whereby the ball falls into one compartment when the ball and a wheel come to rest. Other features may be as in the conventional game of roulette as appropriate.

Alternatively the betting machine may be any other suitable kind of entertainment or gaming machine particularly a machine with which a game of chance e.g. involving random selection of a symbol or symbols is played.

For example the machine may be a slot machine, or poker machine or fruit machine having actual or video simulated symbol bearing reels which rotate then come to rest to display a selected combination of symbols on one or more win lines.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a betting machine for use with one form of a stake device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a touch screen of a terminal of the machine of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the stake device; and Figure 4 is a block circuit diagram of the stake device.

Referring to Figure 1, this shows a betting machine for a multi-player - 7 roulette game.

A conventional roulette table 1, as indicated in Figure 1, has a rotatable wheel 2 with peripheral compartments 3 marked with the numbers 1 to 36 plus a zero or blank, half the numbers being coloured red and the other half black.

The table 1 is marked with betting area 4 comprising a grid of squares containing the numbers 1 to 36 bounded by further areas: one area for the zero or blank and others for the usual number groups: red numbers; black numbers; odd, even, etc. l O In play of a conventional roulette game, players place chips representing stake value on individual numbers, or groups of numbers on the betting area 4; and a ball 5 is impelled around the periphery of the counter rotating wheel 2 so that a number is selected when the wheel 2 and ball 5 come to rest with the ball 5 in one compartment 3.

With the betting machine shown in Figure 1, a video camera 6 is arranged over the table 1 so that a moving video image of play of the game is derived. Sensors 7 are associated with the wheel compartments 3 to provide signals which identify the number selected with the ball 5 at the end of a game.

The betting machine has a central control unit 8 connected to a large video screen 9, such as a plasma screen, and to a plurality of table top 8 terminals 10 each having a housed video screen which may be a flat (LCD or plasma) screen or a crt screen.

The video camera 6 and wheel sensors 7 are connected to the control unit 8.

The large screen 9 and the screens of the terminal 10 are each provided with touch screen controls 11 connected to the control unit 8.

That is, an electrical field is established over the surface of the screen by a field generator connected to circuitry which monitors parameters of the field with reference to corner points of the screen. In conventional manner, modification of the field by touching a point on the screen produces an output signal which identifies the x, y coordinates of that point.

Other kinds of touch screen technology can also be used.

In conjunction with the betting machine stake devices 12 are provided for use by players.

As shown in Figure 3, each stake device 12 has an elongate tubular body 13 in the form of a pen or stylus which can be easily held in the hand.

At one end, the stake device has an electromagnetic receiver/transmitter transducer 14. This is connected to an internal control unit 1 5.

Within the stake device there is also a data storage device 16, an alphanumeric digital display device 17 visible externally of the stake device, - 9 - and a power supply 18, all connected to the control unit 15.

In use, games played on the roulette table 1 are shown on the central screen 9 using the video camera 6.

Players who wish to place bets using the betting machine first purchase a stylus 12 charged with credit value. The stylus 12 may have a fixed purchase price, or the player may be given the option of selecting a credit value which the player wishes to purchase. The stylus 12 is charged with the purchased credit value using equipment (not shown) under the control of a cashier or other authorised person. That is, the stylus 12 is inserted into a machine which transfers value in the form of data to be stored in the storage device 16, via a communication interface, which may comprise the aforesaid transmitter/receiver transducer 14 which receives data via electromagnetic signals, or alternatively which may comprise a socket or wireless receiving device or the like.

Charged credit value is shown on the digital display device 17 of the stylus 12.

A player can use a charged stylus 12 to place a bet on a roulette game in the following manner.

When bets are invited at the roulette table 1, the betting area 4 of the table 1, or a computer simulation of this, is shown on the central screen 9 and/or on the screens of the terminals 10. -

Also, stake values say 50p, 1, 5, 10 are shown at areas 19 of the central screen 9 and/or the screens of the terminals 10, as indicated in Figure 2 in relation to one such terminal screen 20.

A player seated, or standing alongside one terminal 10 can then select a stake value by touching the appropriate stake value area 19, and this is then bet on a number or group of numbers by touching the appropriate position on the area 4 on the screen 20 bearing that number or group of numbers. Multiple touches on the same or different positions can be used to bet multiple stakes.

This action may be carried out on the central screen 9 or the player's terminal screen 20.

The player then touches a confirm area 21 or re-set area 22 of the screen. If the confirm area 21 is touched corresponding total staked credit value is communicated to the stylus 12. The bet is now committed and placed if the storage device 16 of the stake device 12 contains sufficient credit value for the bet. If not the bet is cancelled. The bet can also be cancelled prior to confirmation by touching the re-set area 22.

If the stake device 12 does contain sufficient credit value, the total bet value is deducted from the stored credit value.

If the bet is successful an award value is made available for collection by the player. This results in flashing of a collect area 23 on the terminal - 11 screen 20. This can now be touched by the player with the stylus 12 to cause the award value to be transferred to the stylus 12 to be added to the value stored in the storage device 16.

The arrangement is preferably such that the stylus is registered with the respective terminal 10 so that it can be ensured that award value is transferred only to the respective stylus 12 with which the winning bet was placed. Also the arrangement may be such that the touch screen control only operates with a registered stylus. Registration may be achieved by touching a registration area of the screen 20 to cause a code stored within the individual stylus 12 to be transferred to the terminal 1 1. This code may be verified each time the stylus is used.

The above described procedures require communication between the betting machine and the stylus additional to the usual touch activation of the touch screen control.

This is achieved by means of the transmitter/receiver transducer 14 which interacts with the electrical field of the touch screen e.g. by imposing a pulsed signal on the field which can be separated out and identified by the machine.

Alternatively or additionally the stylus 12 may interact with the machine separately from the touch screen control. For example the stylus 12 may incorporate a wireless transmitter and/or receiver which can - 12 communicate with a wireless transmitter and/or receiver of the machine e. g. within the respective terminal 10.

With the above arrangement, the player can place bets and collect awards in a particularly convenient and interesting manner.

When desired the stylus 12 can be returned to the cashier so that the stored credit value can be cashed in. The stylus 12 is inserted into a suitable reader which determines the stored value, prints out a record of this, and then wipes, or decrements to zero, the storage device 16.

The stylus may be usable only in relation to one betting machine, or alternatively to different betting machines which may be of the same or different kind.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the above embodiment which is described by way of

example only.

Thus, for example, the invention is not restricted to roulette betting machines. The stake device described may be used with any suitable kind of betting machine which is an entertainment or gaming machine particularly for playing a game of chance involving random selection. - 13

Claims

Claims 1. A stake device for a betting machine of the kind with which a

player bets a credit value stake on the outcome of a game played with the machine, using a touch screen control, and a credit value award is made available to the player in the event that the bet is successful and the outcome of the game is of a predetermined winning nature, wherein said stake device is usable for operating the touch screen control and comprises storage means for storing credit value, and said device is operable to transfer said value between said storage means and the machine.
2. A stake device according to claim 1 characterized in that the transfer of credit value take places solely from the stake device to the machine so that credit value in the storage means of the device is transferred to the machine to fund a stake or stakes bet on the game to be played 1 5 with the machine.
3. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that transfer of credit value takes place from the machine to the storage means so that the value of a win corresponding to a successful bet is transferred to the storage means.
4. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the transferred value is specific to a game play event. - 14
5. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the stake device is operable for occasional bulk transfer unrelated to a specific game play event so as to transfer stake value in advance of play of a game to fund one or more bets and/or to collect accumulated credit value from the machine.
6. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the stake device operates under the control of the machine such that credit value transfer occurs in a manner determined by the machine.
7. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the stake device incorporates controls so that transfer is initiated only after operation of a switch or other control on the stake device.
8. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the stake device incorporates a status display device such as an alphanumeric digital display device which is operable to provide information such as total stored credit value.
9. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that the provision of information, such as total stored credit value is provided by a status display device on the machine which is actuated when the stake device is presented to the touch screen control.
10. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in - 15 that the stake device is of elongate form suited to easy manual operation being generally of the form of a pen or stylus.
1 1. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 characterized in that the transfer of value between the stake device and the machine, occurs via the touch screen control.
12. A stake device according to claim 11 characterized in that the stake device incorporates a receiver and/or transmitter transducer which provides a communication link with the touch screen control so that data can be transmitted between the screen and the stake device, unidirectionally or bi-directionally.
13. A stake device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that a communication link is established between the machine and the stake device separately from the touch screen control, by means of a wireless link between a receiver and/or a transmitter of the machine and a receiver and/or transmitter of the stake device.
14. A betting machine of the roulette-type kind having an indicator element which moves relative to a sequence of symbols and then comes to rest in relation to one such symbol to effect selection of that symbol, the player having the opportunity of betting a stake value on any symbol or different combinations of symbols characterized in that the machine has a stake device as described in any one of claims 1 - 16 to 13.
15. A betting machine according to claim 14 characterized in that the symbols are numbers associated with compartments around the periphery of an actual or video-simulated rotatable wheel, and the element is an actual or video-simulated ball which runs counter to the direction of rotation of the wheel, whereby the ball falls into one compartment when the ball and wheel come to rest.
16. A betting machine of the entertainment or gaming machine kind on which a game of chance is played involving random selection of a symbol or symbols characterized in that the machine has a stake device as described in any one of claims 1-13.
17. A betting machine according to claim 16 characterized in that the machine is a slot machine, or poker machine or fruit machine having actual or video simulated symbol bearing reels which rotate then come to rest to display a selected combination of symbols on one or more win lines.
18. A stake device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.