Integrating three-dimensional and two-dimensional gaming elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9646453-B2
Application number	US-201213722468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2012
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations include detecting a request to present a wagering game object via a display device capable of stereoscopic, three-dimensional visual effects. In some embodiments, the wagering game object is one of a plurality of wagering game objects. In some embodiments, the operations further include determining a virtual three-dimensional depth value based on one a degree of significance assigned to the wagering game object. The operations can further include presenting the wagering game object via the display device with a degree of three-dimensional stereoscopic depth effect that corresponds to the virtual three-dimensional depth value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a gaming system comprising:
detecting a request to present different virtual wagering game play symbols via an autostereoscopic display device capable of stereoscopic, three-dimensional visual effects, wherein each distinct symbol from the different virtual wagering game play symbols has a potential payout value that corresponds to each of a plurality of different non-zero, potential payout values specified in a pay table for a wagering game;
determining, via one or more electronic processing devices of the gaming system, a plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values for the different virtual wagering game play symbols, wherein each of the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values corresponds proportionally in three-dimensional stereoscopic depth to each one of the plurality of different non-zero, potential payout values;
electronically rendering, via one or more graphics processing devices, stereoscopic images to one or more graphics buffers, wherein the stereoscopic images depict the different virtual wagering game play symbols having different, non-zero, levels of three-dimensional stereoscopic depth effect that correspond to the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values; and
before presentation of a completed winning outcome set of game play symbols for a game play round of the wagering game, presenting, via the one or more electronic processing devices, the stereoscopic images for the different virtual wagering game play symbols via the autostereoscopic display device, wherein the different, non-zero, levels of three-dimensional stereoscopic depth effect depict the plurality of different non-zero, potential payout values that the each of the different virtual wagering game play symbols would pay out if included in the completed winning outcome set of game play symbols.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining virtual radius values associated with each of the different virtual wagering game play symbols, wherein the virtual radius values represent virtual distances from a virtual center of a virtual slot reel wheel, wherein different lengths for the virtual radius values correspond to the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values; and
depicting, as the virtual slot reel spins, changes to the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values using the virtual radius values.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values are greater than or less than a neutral depth value that represents a virtual surface of the virtual slot reel wheel, and wherein the neutral depth value corresponds to a two-dimensional, non-stereoscopic effect.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein any of the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values that are greater than the neutral depth value cause a three-dimensional effect that appears to extend outward from the virtual surface of the virtual slot reel wheel and wherein any of the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values that are less than the neutral depth value cause a three-dimensional effect that appears to be beneath the virtual surface of the virtual slot reel wheel.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the depicting the changes to the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values cause each of the different virtual wagering game play symbols to change in perspective from an observer viewpoint external to the gaming system as the different virtual wagering game play symbols move toward or away from the observer viewpoint.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the depicting the changes to the plurality of different non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values comprises depicting, using the observer viewpoint as a reference point, each of the different virtual wagering game play symbols at respective ones of the virtual distances from the virtual center of the virtual slot reel wheel as the virtual slot reel wheel moves.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the presenting comprises presenting the stereoscopic images for the different virtual wagering game play symbols via the autostereoscopic display device during a playing round of the wagering game before a game outcome is revealed for the playing round.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the detecting the request to present the different virtual wagering game play symbols via the autostereoscopic display device is in response to a user input to place a wager in the wagering game, wherein an amount for the wager is taken from a monetary value obtained via physical money input via a value input device of the gaming system, and
wherein the presenting the stereoscopic images for the different virtual wagering game play symbols further comprises revealing the game outcome, wherein a winning result for the game outcome causes a payout value redeemable via a value output device of the gaming system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values are values that depict a stereoscopic depth effect above or below a depiction of a two-dimensional plane on which additional virtual wagering game play symbols are depicted with a two-dimensional visual effect.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values for the different virtual wagering game play symbols comprises setting one of the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values that corresponds to at least one of the different virtual wagering game play symbols to be proportional to one of the different non-zero, potential payout values that corresponds to the at least one of the different virtual wagering game play symbols and to a number of pay lines to which at least one of the different virtual wagering game play symbols is assigned.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different non-zero, potential payout values correspond to values assigned to different types of symbols according to game play rules.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein separate ones of the one or more graphics buffers are associated with separate ones of the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values for the different virtual wagering game play symbols, further comprises determining a value for a game play factor other than a possible pay out value, and setting the plurality of different, non-zero, virtual three-dimensional depth values to be proportional to the different non-zero, potential payout values and to the value for the game play factor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the game play factor comprises one or more of a betting history, a betting denomination, a maximum bet value, or a cumulative amount of betting activity that has occurred within a casino for a given time period.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the game play factor comprises one or more of a player status, a player statistic, a degree of progress in a persistent-state game, a time of day, a date of a year, or an eligibility for a bonus game.

16. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more electronic processing devices of a gaming syst

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Collette Shawn C
• Detlefsen David E
• Jaffe Joel R
• Kelly sean p
• Loose Timothy C
• Massing Scott A

Classifications

• G07F17/3213 Primary

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title

• G07F17/34

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title

• G07F17/3202

  Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof · CPC title

• A63F2250/307

  stereoscopic · CPC title