Contactless tactile feedback on gaming terminal with 3D display

1. An electronic gaming machine for providing a game to a player, the electronic gaming machine comprising:

a display comprising a display surface;

a locating sensor to generate an electronic signal based on a location of a physical player feature in a sensing space, the sensing space including a region adjacent to the display surface;

an ultrasonic emitter to emit an ultrasonic field when the ultrasonic emitter is activated, the ultrasonic field providing a pressure differential detectible by a human hand, wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers;

a processor circuit coupled to the display, the locating sensor and the ultrasonic emitter; and

a memory coupled to the processor circuit, the memory comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

identify a location of the player feature based on the electrical signal from the locating sensor;

determine a distance to the player feature based on location data generated by the locating sensor; and

control the ultrasonic emitter based on the location of the player feature to provide tactile feedback to the player by causing each of the ultrasonic transducers in the ultrasonic emitter to emit ultrasonic waves with a phase delay so that ultrasonic waves from multiple transducers arrive at the location of the player feature concurrently and by controlling a strength of an ultrasonic field associated with the ultrasonic emitter based on the distance.

2. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter is adjacent the display and is angled relative to the display such that the ultrasonic emitter faces a point which is generally above the display surface of the display.

3. The electronic gaming machine of claim 2 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter is positioned to emit an ultrasonic field that is centered about a centerline that extends overtop the display surface.

4. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the display surface is substantially rectangular comprising four sides and wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises four ultrasonic emitters and wherein each side of the display surface comprises an ultrasonic emitter positioned adjacent that side.

5. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter is located under the display such that the ultrasonic emitter faces a back side of the display and wherein the ultrasonic emitter is positioned to emit an ultrasonic field toward the display, the display comprising a thin display to permit the ultrasonic field to pass through the display and into a portion of the sensing space.

6. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the player feature comprises a player hand feature and wherein identifying the location comprises identifying a location of the player hand feature.

7. The electronic gaming machine of claim 6 wherein the player hand feature is a finger.

8. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to adjust the display based on camera data generated by a camera to provide stereoscopic three dimensional viewing.

9. The electronic gaming machine of claim 6 , wherein the location of the player hand feature is a location in a path of travel of a hand that is determined based on a trajectory-based analysis of movement of the hand.

10. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the locating sensor comprises a touchscreen or a hover-sensitive display to generate an electronic signal based on the location of a hand.

11. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising:

an orientation sensor generating an orientation signal based on an orientation of the electronic gaming machine,

wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to use the orientation signal when determining that the location of the player feature is at a location associated with an interface element displayed by the electronic gaming machine.

12. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , further comprising a mobile device housing comprising the display, the locating sensor, the ultrasonic emitter, the processor circuit, and the memory.

13. An electronic gaming machine for providing a game to a player, the electronic gaming machine comprising:

a display comprising a display surface;

a locating sensor to generate an electronic signal based on a location of a physical player feature in a sensing space, the sensing space including a region adjacent to the display surface;

an ultrasonic emitter to emit an ultrasonic field when the ultrasonic emitter is activated, the ultrasonic field providing a pressure differential detectible by a human hand, wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers;

a processor circuit coupled to the display, the locating sensor and the ultrasonic emitter; and

a memory coupled to the processor circuit, the memory comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to:

display an interface element at a first location using the display;

identify a second location of the player feature based on the electrical signal from the locating sensor;

determine that the second location of the player feature is associated with the interface element;

determine a first distance from the ultrasonic emitter to the player feature based on location data generated by the locating sensor;

determine a second distance from the second location of the player feature to the first location of the interface element; and

control the ultrasonic emitter based to provide tactile ultrasonic feedback to the player at the second location, wherein a strength of the tactile ultrasonic feedback is based on the second distance from the second location of the player feature to the first location of the interface element.

14. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 , wherein the strength of the tactile ultrasonic feedback is inversely related to the second distance from the second location of the player feature to the first location of the interface element.

15. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to increase the strength of the tactile ultrasonic feedback is as the player feature is brought closer to the first location of the interface element.

16. The electronic gaming machine of claim 13 , further comprising a mobile device housing comprising the display, the locating sensor, the ultrasonic emitter, the processor circuit, and the memory.

17. A method comprising:

generating, by a locating sensor of a gaming device, an electronic signal based on a location of a physical player feature in a sensing space, the sensing space including a region adjacent to a display surface of a display of the gaming device;

identifying, by a processor circuit of the gaming device, a location of the player feature based on the electrical signal from the locating sensor;

determining, by the processor circuit, a distance to the player feature based on location data generated by the locating sensor;

controlling, by the processor circuit, an ultrasonic emitter of the gaming device based on the location of the player feature to provide tactile feedback to the player, wherein controlling the ultrasonic emitter further comprises controlling a strength of an ultrasonic field associated with the ultrasonic emitter based on the distance; and

emitting, by the ultrasonic emitter in response to controlling the ultrasonic emitter, ultrasonic waves with a phase delay so that ultrasonic waves from multiple transducers arrive at the location of the player feature concurrently.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein emitting the ultrasonic waves further comprises emitting an ultrasonic field that is centered about a centerline that extends overtop the display surface of the gaming device.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein emitting the ultrasonic waves further comprises emitting an ultrasonic field toward a back side of the display, through the display surface, and into a portion of the sensing space.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the player feature comprises a player hand feature, and

wherein identifying the location of the player feature comprises identifying a location of the player hand feature.