E-INK BINGO DISPLAY
A system, method and computer-readable medium for implementing gaming systems and devices using portable e-ink bingo display devices. In one embodiment, an electronic game device includes a display controller adapted for generating a game face and a display assembly that displays the generated game face. The display assembly includes an electronic ink display sheet on which the generated game face is displayed, and a dauber interface that converts dauber input signals to electronic signals received by the display controller to adjust the display of the game face on the electronic ink display.
1 . An electronic game device comprising:
a display controller adapted for generating a game face; and
a display assembly that displays the generated game face, said display assembly including:
an electronic ink display sheet on which the generated game face is displayed; and
a dauber interface that converts dauber input signals to electronic signals received by said display controller to adjust the display of the game face on said electronic ink display.
2 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , wherein said display controller is adapted for generating multiple independently playable bingo game card faces.
3 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , wherein said dauber interface comprises a pressure-sensitive grid addressable to corresponding planar positions on the displayed game face.
4 . The electronic game device of claim 3 , wherein the displayed game face is a bingo game card face.
5 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication interface having transceiver and signal processing means that enable wireless communications between said display controller and a remote master game controller that issues control instructions for multiple game participants.
6 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , wherein said display assembly comprises a substantially flexible layered planar member having multiple layers including:
said electronic ink display sheet; and
an overlay sheet disposed over and covering said electronic ink display sheet, said overlay sheet forming a touch sensitive input interface for said dauber interface.
7 . The electronic game device of claim 6 , wherein said electronic ink display sheet comprises a flexible substrate sheet layer supporting a display plane layer.
8 . The electronic game device of claim 7 , wherein said display plane layer comprises:
a pair of opposing electrodes that receive display signals generated by said display controller; and
multiple electronic ink microcapsules disposed in a plane between said pair of opposing electrodes.
9 . The electronic game device of claim 8 , wherein each of said electronic ink microcapsules comprises a sealed unit containing a pigmented fluid in which multiple pigmented particles are immersed, and wherein the pigmentation of the multiple particles visually contrasts with the pigmentation of the contained fluid.
10 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , wherein said display assembly includes a winning pattern control button that is selectable using said dauber interface, wherein selection of said winning pattern control button sends a winning pattern signal prompt to a game controller.
11 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , wherein said display assembly includes an unmark control button that is selectable using said dauber interface for removing both a visual indication of and an underlying game controller recordation of an incorrectly daubed indicium on the displayed game face.
12 . The electronic game device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory device storing player information.
13 . An electronic bingo gaming system comprising:
an electronic ink display card displaying at least one bingo card face, wherein said electronic ink display card includes:
an electronic ink display sheet comprising a flexible substrate sheet layer supporting a display plane layer, wherein said display plane layer comprises:
a pair of opposing electrodes that receive display signals generated by said display controller; and
multiple electronic ink microcapsules disposed in a plane between said pair of opposing electrodes, wherein each of said electronic ink microcapsules comprises a sealed unit containing a pigmented fluid in which multiple pigmented particles are immersed, and wherein the pigmentation of the multiple particles visually contrasts with the pigmentation of the contained fluid; and
an overlay sheet disposed over and covering said electronic ink display sheet, said overlay sheet forming a pressure sensitive dauber user input interface input interface; and
a game controller having game server functionality and communicatively coupled to said electronic ink display card, wherein said game controller generates bingo game indicia calls.
14 . The electronic bingo gaming system of claim 13 , wherein said game controller further includes point-of-sale functionality for receiving and managing bingo card sales information.
15 . The electronic bingo gaming system of claim 13 , wherein said electronic ink display card further comprises a wireless communication interface for communicating with said game controller.
16 . The electronic bingo gaming system of claim 13 , wherein said electronic ink display card displays multiple independently playable bingo card faces.
17 . The electronic bingo gaming system of claim 13 , wherein said electronic ink display card further includes a portable battery power supply.
18 . The electronic bingo game system of claim 13 , further comprising a display table having display card interfaces for communicatively interfacing multiple electronic ink display cards with a local game controller.