Intelligent button for a gaming machine
View Patent ↗A game button includes an enclosure in which are mounted at least one variable display, a sensor, a memory, and any other components of the game button. The variable display is capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon. The memory is communicatively coupled with the variable display, is adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the display, and is physically located between the variable display and the sensor.
1. A gaming machine comprising:
an input device for accepting inputs from a player to play a wagering game;
a display for displaying the wagering game; and
a game button for receiving selections related to the wagering game, the game button having an enclosure for mounting components of the game button
at least one variable display located within the enclosure and capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon; and
a memory located within the enclosure and communicatively coupled with the at least one variable display, the memory adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the display, the memory being associated solely with the game button and not another game button.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the stored information is utilized by the at least one variable display of the game button, the stored information being accessed in the memory solely by the game button.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one variable display is a liquid crystal display.
4. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the memory is included in a microcontroller also including a microprocessor, the microcontroller being communicatively coupled to the at least one variable display, the microcontroller being associated solely with the game button, the microcontroller controlling the presentation of the plurality of images on the at least one variable display.
5. The gaming machine of claim 4 , wherein the microcontroller controls the presentation of the plurality of images on the at least one variable display associated with the game button and does not control the presentation of images on any display not associated with the game button.
6. The gaming machine of claim 4 , wherein the microcontroller is communicatively coupled to at least one controller selected from a group consisting of a gaming machine controller, a server controller, and a peer gaming machine controller.
7. The gaming machine of claim 6 , wherein the microcontroller communicates with the controller via a universal serial bus interface.
8. The gaming machine of claim 4 , wherein the microcontroller is communicatively coupled to a server controller, the microcontroller presenting at least one image on the at least one variable display in response to receiving a transmitted signal from the server controller.
9. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of images form a complex animation pattern.
10. A gaming machine comprising:
a value input device for receiving a wager input from a player for conducting a wagering game;
a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game in response to receiving the wager input, the randomly selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes;
a control panel having one or more game buttons, at least one of the game buttons including
an enclosure for mounting components of the game button,
at least one variable display located within the enclosure and capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon,
a sensor located within the enclosure, and
a memory located within the enclosure and communicatively coupled with the at least one variable display.
11. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the stored information is utilized solely by the at least one variable display of the game button.
12. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the memory is included in a microcontroller also including a microprocessor, the microcontroller being communicatively coupled to the at least one variable display, the microcontroller being associated solely with the game button, the microcontroller controlling the presentation of the plurality of images on the at least one variable display.
13. The gaming machine of claim 12 , wherein the microcontroller controls the presentation of the plurality of images on the at least one variable display associated with the game button and does not control the presentation of images on any display not associated with the game button.
14. The gaming machine of claim 12 , wherein the microcontroller is communicatively coupled to at least one controller selected from a group consisting of a gaming machine controller, a server controller, and a peer gaming machine controller.
15. The gaming machine of claim 14 , wherein the microcontroller communicates with the controller via a universal serial bus interface.
16. The gaming machine of claim 12 , wherein the microcontroller is communicatively coupled to a server controller, the microcontroller presenting at least one image on the at least one variable display in response to receiving a transmitted signal from the server controller.
17. The gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of images form a complex animation pattern.
18. A method for conducting a wagering game comprising:
accepting a wager input from a player via a wager input device;
in response to the wager input, displaying on a display of a gaming machine a randomly selected outcome of a plurality of outcomes;
receiving via a game button a player selection related to the wagering game;
presenting a plurality of images on at least one variable display of the game button, the variable display being located within an enclosure of the game button; and
retrieving the plurality of images from a memory communicatively coupled solely with the game button and not another game button, the memory being located within the enclosure and adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the at least one variable display of the game button.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising controlling the presentation of the plurality of images on the at least one variable display via a microcontroller that is associated solely with the game button, the microcontroller including the memory and being a dedicated microcontroller for the game button.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the microcontroller is communicatively coupled to at least one controller selected from a group consisting of a gaming machine controller, a server controller, and a peer gaming machine controller.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller communicates with the controller via a universal bus interface.
22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising presenting at least one image of the plurality of images in response to receiving a transmitted signal from a server controller, the microcontroller being communicatively coupled to the server controller.
23. The method of claim 18 , further comprising forming a complex animation pattern on the at least one variable display of the game button.