Game with hand motion control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9317110-B2
Application number	US-75494407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2007
Priority date	May 29, 2007
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

In various embodiments, the motion of a wristband is used to control games.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a band formed into a loop, the loop dimensioned and having a closure designed to allow the band to be carried on a human body, and having affixed thereto for consolidated unitary motion with a part of the human body on which the band is carried:
a power source;
a motion sensor;
an electromagnetic transmitter/receiver;
at least one of an audio speaker and/or a haptics transducer; and
a processor, the processor being programmed to:
receive signals from the motion sensor that indicate a position of the band and to encode position information and to issue signals that encode gaming commands to a gambling game for regulated gaming play for value on a gaming device over the electromagnetic transmitter/receiver to a gaming device,
drive the audio speaker and/or haptics transducer to provide information to the human, the information regarding the gambling game's response to the commands;
receive a first electronic signal from the motion sensor;
determine a first command for the gambling game based on the first electronic signal;
transmit the first command to the electromagnetic transmitter; and
direct the electromagnetic transmitter to transmit the first command to the gaming device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the haptics transducer is operable to generate vibrations for perception by the human in response to an electrical signal from the processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the processor is operable to:
receive from the electromagnetic receiver instructions that have been received wirelessly by the electromagnetic receiver;
receive a second electronic signal from the motion sensor;
follow the instructions in order to determine a second command for a second gambling game based on the second electronic signal;
transmit the second command to the electromagnetic transmitter; and
direct the electromagnetic transmitter to transmit the second command to the gaming device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a switch attached to the band,
in which the switch has two stable positions, and in which the processor is operable to detect the position of the switch and to direct the electromagnetic transmitter to transmit signals only if the switch is in a first of the two stable positions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a piezoelectric sensor attached to the band.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the gaming device is programmed to receive wireless signals from a plurality of user devices at about the same time, the wireless signals communicating data identifying potential users of respective devices and availability of the potential users to use the gaming device;
the gaming device is programmed to, based on receipt of the plurality of wireless signals, display on the gaming device a message that asks at least one of the potential users to identify himself to the gaming device, and to receive input indicating a user identity, the input resolving which of the plurality of potential users is to be connected to use the gaming device.

8. An apparatus comprising:
a gaming device having:
a display screen, a processor, a wireless receiver/transmitter; and
first and second light sources mounted to be visible in a gaming region near the gaming device, the first and second light sources configured to emit light of first and second characteristics different from each other, and being spaced far enough from each other to permit angular resolution of line of sight between them in the gaming region;

a band formed into a loop, the loop dimensioned and having a closure designed to allow the band to be carried on a human body, the band having affixed thereto for consolidated unitary motion with a part of the human body on which the band is carried:
a power source, an electromagnetic transmitter/receiver designed to communicate with the gaming device's wireless receiver/transmitter, an optical sensor, and a processor attached to the band;
the processor being programmed to receive signals from the optical sensor and to resolve images of the two light sources into position information of the optical sensor relative to the two light sources, and to encode that position information into gaming commands and issue signals over the band's receiver/transmitter to the gaming device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the processor is operable to:
conduct gambling games; and
alter the course of a gambling game based on wireless signals received at the wireless receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the gaming device is programmed to receive first and second wireless signals from first and second devices, the first and second wireless signals communicating data identifying first and second potential users and availability of the first and second potential users to use the gaming device at near the same time;
the band's processor is programmed to display on the gaming device a message that asks at least one of the first and second potential users to identify himself to the gaming device, and to receive input indicating a user identity, the input resolving whether the identified user is the first or second potential user.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 :
the band having further mounted thereon at least one of an audio speaker and/or a haptics transducer; and
the processor is further programmed:
to receive signals from the motion sensor that indicate a position of the band and to encode position information and to issue signals that encode gaming commands to a gaming device over the electromagnetic transmitter/receiver to a gaming device, and
to drive the audio speaker and/or haptics transducer to provide information regarding the gambling game's response to the commands to the first user.

12. A method, comprising the steps of:
by a processor, receiving signals from a motion sensor of a human-mounted apparatus, the human-mounted apparatus being affixed to a human player, the human-mounted apparatus having a power source, the motion sensor, an electromagnetic receiver/transmitter, at least one of an audio speaker and/or a haptics transducer, and the processor, all conjoined for consolidated unitary motion with a part of the human body on which the apparatus is affixed;
by the processor, transforming the received motion sensor signals for transmission over the electromagnetic transmitter/receiver to a gaming device to command activity of a regulated gambling game for value, the gambling game being executed on the gaming device; and
by the processor, driving the audio speaker and/or haptics transducer to provide information regarding the gambling game's response to the commands to the human player.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
a first device in the gaming system has first and second light sources mounted to be visible in a gaming region near the gaming device, the first and second light sources configured to emit light of first and second characteristics different from each other, and being spaced far enough from each other to permit angular resolution of line of sight between them in the gaming region; and
the human-mounted apparatus has an optical sensor and a processor, the processor being programmed to receive signals from the optical sensor and to resolve images of the two light sources into position information of the optical sensor relative to the two light sources, and to encode that position information into gaming commands and issue signals to the gaming device.

14. The method of claim 12 , the processor being further prog

Assignees

• Lutnick Howard W
• Alderucci Dean P
• Gelman Geoffrey M
• Cfph Llc

Inventors

• Lutnick Howard W
• Alderucci Dean P
• Gelman Geoffrey M

Classifications

• A63F2300/201

  Playing authorisation given at platform level · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• A63F2300/6045

  for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• A63F2300/204

  the platform being a handheld device · CPC title