GB2415641A - Dice throwing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A gaming machine comprises dice (10, fig. 1), horizontal bed 32, launcher 38 adjacent the bed for projecting the dice onto the bed, dice reading means (fig. 8), and collection means 54 for sweeping the dice back to the launcher. The dice may include a pattern of magnets in each face such that each face is distinct even when rotated (fig's 1 and 2), with the reading means comprising sensors (62, fig. 8), e.g. reed switches, arranged on a bar (60, fig. 8) which moves along the bed to scan the dice. Launcher 38 may comprise plate 42 hinged to an edge of bed 32, with plate 42 rotating around the hinge 40 from a rest position to launch the dice. Side panels 48 may border the bed, and are moveable to cause dice resting against the panels to fall flat onto the bed. The bed may include vibration sensing means (33, fig. 10) and a tilt sensor (35, fig. 10), and the machine may include a camera (82, fig. 10) to record the dice on the bed. The collection means may comprise arm or bar 54 which moves across the bed to sweep the dice into the launcher. Alternatively, the dice may be returned to the launcher by tilting the bed (not shown).

Description

GAMING MACHINE

The invention relates to a gaming machine, and in particular to a gaming machine using dice.

Dice games are popular in casinos, and machines for playing such games exist, which may be used in casinos or amusement arcades. Typically, such machines are electronic machines with a video display displaying the dice after every roll. The result of each roll is generally determined using some form of pseudo-random number detector in software. However, such electronic machines do not have the full confidence of consumers who may assume that the software can control the dice even when the dice are in fact randomly controlled.

US 6,402,141 describes an automatic dice game machine using real dice. A die thrower includes an elevator for bringing the dice to the top of a slope and ejecting them onto the slope. The dice tumble down a slope before coming to a standstill on a horizontal surface. A number of antennae are provided under the circuit for reading information provided in "code marks with digital information" embedded in the dice.

Although the patent is largely silent as to the nature of these code marks, commercial versions of the machine use radio frequency inductive device (RFID) systems with code carriers read using radio frequency, the code carrier devices being commercial devices from Pepperl and Fuchs. After each game, the dice are collected and delivered to the die thrower.

Another dice game using real dice is described in WO 02/066926. Dice fall into depressions forcing the dice to adopt a particular orientation. Sensors at the corners of the depression are used to detect magnets embedded in the corners of the faces of the dice to detect the orientation of the dice. However, this system has the disadvantage that it only works on dice located in depressions and not on dice that may fall anywhere on a horizontal surface.

There thus remains a need for an improved dice game using real dice.

According to the invention, there is provided a gaming machine according to claim 1.

The inventors have realised that it is not necessary to roll a dice down an incline with geometric features to achieve a random dice roll. instead, by launching the dice S through the air laterally onto a game bed next to the launcher, a visually appealing throw which provides excellent randomization is provided. It is easy for the player to see that the dice have not been manipulated by the machine.

Preferably the dice include a pattern of magnets in each face, the patterns of magnets on each face being distinct from one another even when rotated; and the reading means comprises a plurality of sensors arranged on a bar across the bed, the bar being moveable along the bed to scan the dice on the bed. In this way the dice may be reliably read regardless of the position in which they land.

The sensors may be a plurality of reed switches.

The launcher may include a hinged plate hinged to the edge of the bed and a border plate around the edges of the hinged plate, the launcher having a rest position in which the hinged plate extends downwards from the bed to allow the dice to rest on the hinged plate against the border plate and being actuatable to rotate the hinged plate around the hinge to project the dice onto the bed.

The gaining machine may have actuatable side panels bordering the bed, the actuatable side panels having a rest position and being actuatable to move to a actuated position to allow dice resting against the side panel and not being flat on the bed to fall flat on the bed. In this way, if a die lands cocked agamst the side panels so that it cannot be read the actuatable side panels can be actuated to cause the die to fall flat on the surface avoiding ambiguity.

The gaming machine may include a sensor for detecting vibration of the bed. The sensor may be used for detecting when the bed has ceased vibration and accordingly when reading of the dice may commence.

The gaming machine may further include a camera to record the dice on the bed. In this way, there can be two wholly independent means to record how the dice land which can be particularly important if the gaming machine is used for high-value stakes, for example in a casino.

For a better understanding of the invention, an embodiment will now be described, purely by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a die according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the identification patterns used to identify the faces of the die; l O Figure 3 shows a top perspective view of the game according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the dice throwing mechanism; Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the dice return mechanism; Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of part of the dice return mechanism; Figure 7 is an end perspective view of the embodiment; Figure 8 is a detail view of the sensor amm; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the dice de-cocking mechanism; and Figure 10 is a schematic of the control system.

Referring to Figure 1, a die 10 has a plurality of faces and is of injection molded plastics. Seven holes 12 are moulded into each face of the die to accept magnets 14.

Some of the holes are filled with magnets and others are filled with nonmagnetic dummies 16 to balance the die. Stickers 18 are provided on each face, each printed with an image 20 of spots to indicate the face of the dice.

In the embodiment described, the die 10 is a cube of side 70mm with rounded comers, and the magnets 14 are of neodymium iron and 4mm diameter by 6mm thick. These magnets produce 2000 gauss at 1.6mn1. The skilled person will appreciate that different sizes of die and magnets may be used as appropriate in individual cases.

The pattern is different on each face as indicated in Figure 2 which shows the patterns on each face using a filled circle to indicate a magnet 14 and an open circle to indicate a dummy 16. The patterns are chosen so that they are distinguishable even if the die orientation is not known. The indicated patterns give particularly accurate results.

A gaming machine using three such dice 10 is illustrated in Figure 3.

A frame 30 supports a horizontal bed 32. In the present instance, the bed 32 is made of thin webbing of thickness approximately 1.5mTn which is stretched between the sides of the frame. ATI end wall 34 and side walls 36 surround the bed 32. At the other end of the bed 32 from the end wall 34 is a hinged thrower 38. The thrower is hinged about axis 40 at the end of the bed opposite the end wall 34 and has a hinged plate 42 and border plates 44 which cooperate with the hinged plate 42 to contain and throw the dice. Dice guides 46 guide dice from the bed 32 into thrower 38. An end of game bed sensor 45 is also provided at the dice thrower end of the bed, having a light source on one side of the bed and a sensor on the opposite, for detecting dice that have not been thrown far enough by the dice thrower to be counted.

A further piezo sensor 33 is provided on the underside of the bed for measuring vibration of the bed. This sensor may be used to detect when the dice have come to rest and accordingly when measurement may commence.

Tilt sensor 35 is provided attached to the frame 30. This is used to detect anybody tilting or shaking the machine to.attempt to influence the fall of the dice.

Figure 4 illustrates the dice thrower 38 in more detail. A motor 100 drives a shaft 102 which rotates a cam 104 with edge 114. The cam 104 engages with a finger 106 on a pivot arm 108 which IS resiliently biased by spring 110. The other end of the pivot am 108 to spring 110 is connected to the hinged plate 42 by link am1 112.

In a rest position, the hinged plate 42 is hinged shghtly downwards. In use, motor 100 causes cam 104 to rotate which rotates the pivot arm 108 against the action of the spring 110. The cam is shaped so that after rotation by a certain amount the edge 114 passes finger 106 and releases finger 106. The energy stored in spring 110 now causes the pivot awn to rotate rapidly which lifts plate 42 rapidly upwards using link arm 112 to throw dice in the dice thrower through the air onto the bed 32.

In order to deal with the problem that the dice could lie against the side and end walls 34, 36 and not lie fully flat, side panels 48 (Figure 3) are provided on the side and end walls 34, 36. These are hinged about axis 50 along their tops and actuated by actuators 52. On actuation, the side panels rotate inwardly about axis 50 from their rest position m which they are angled at an angle of between 0 and 45 to cause any dice resting against them to topple over flat on the bed 32. The side panels may be actuated if a misread is indicated.

A dice return ann 54 passes laterally across between the side walls 36, moving in a slot 56 in each of the sidewalls. The slot is arranged below side panels 48 so that the arm 54 does not interfere with the operation of the side panels 48. The dice return arm 54 nominally is positioned against end wall 34 but may be slid along the slots 56 to collect dice and return them to the hinged thrower 38.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the dice collection arm assembly in more detail. A drive motor 120 drives belt 122 through link box 124. In the embodiment described, the link box 124 contains a further belt drive but the link box 124 could in other embodiments be a gear box. The dice return amm 54 is supported on sliders 126 on slide reamer 128.

The belt 122 is connected to slider 126. Stop sensors 130 are provided at each end of the slot 56.

In use, motor 120 is actuated until to bring the dice return arm 54 from its rest postion against end wall 34 back to the other end of slot 56 to collect the dice and return them to dice thrower 38.

Figure 7 shows an end view from below from the dice thrower end. Some components already described can be seen, such as the dice thrower mechanism and the dice return arm mechanism.

Reading arm 60 is arranged just under bed 32 on slide runners 69. The arm extends laterally across the bed under the bed and in contact with it. The arm 60 is shown in more detail in Figure 8. The arm 60 has sensors 62 arranged along the arm 60 at a pitch of 5mm. In the preferred embodiment the sensors 62 are reed switches and in alternative embodiments the sensors may be Hall effect sensors. The arm can move along the length of the bed driven by stepper motor 66 and belts 68, one belt being provided on each side of the apparatus, the arm 60 being connected to the belts 68.

The use of thin material for the bed 32 allows the reading arm to be close to the dice which makes reading more reliable.

Position encoder 64 attached to the motor 66 records the position of the arm 60.

The dice de-cocking mechanism is shown in more detail in Figure 9. The hinged flaps 48 are all connected to a single solenoid actuator 52, which rotates horizontal pivot plate 140 which is connected to each of the three hinged flaps 48 by pull arms 142.

Actuation of the solenoid 52 rotates the pivot plate 140 which causes all of the hinged flaps to actuate together. The flaps are moveable between an angled position and a vertical position. In the embodiment, the angle of the flaps to the vertical in the angled position is between 10 and 40 .

As shown in schematic Figure 10, the system includes computer 70 with a processor 72 and memory 74 containing code for controlling the apparatus. The code includes code 76 for actuating actuators 46, 52, for moving the collection bar 54 and for moving the reading arm 60. The computer 70 is also connected to display 80 which displays the results of the throw and which may also be used to indicate winning bets.

The computer is connected to stepper motor 66, dice thrower shaft drive motor 100, dice collection drive motor 120, end of game bed sensor 45, solenoid 52, stop sensors 130, bed vibration piezo sensor 33 and tilt sensor 35.

Camera 82 records information and the positions of the dice thrown and may be used in the event of any assertion that the dice throws were wrongly read.

In use, the solenoid 52 is actuated to move flaps 48 into the angled position. Three dice are launched from the thrower 38 onto bed 32 where they land. Sensor 33 is used to detect the vibration on landing. When the sensor 33 indicates that vibration has ceased, the dice should have landed. Thus, the use of sensor 33 can reduce the number of void games. Then, the solenoid 52 is deactivated to return flaps 48 to the vertical position.

The dice 10 should now lie flat on bed 32.

The reading and 60 is then passed under the bed 32 taking measurements every 5mm to produce a representation of the bed at a 5mm resolution both laterally and longitudinally.

If the end of game bed sensor 45 indicates that one of the dice is at the end of the game bed, the throw is void, and the computer 70 is arranged to return the dice to the thrower 38 to be rethrown. Likewise, if the tilt sensor 35 indicates that the machine was tilted or interfered with during the dice throw, the computer 70 is arranged to retune the dice to the thrower 38 to be rethrown. In either case, the computer displays a message on display 80 indicating that the throw was void.

If the measured data suggest that one of the dice may be cocked, the solenoid 52 may be reactivated to cause the side panels to move in to tip any dice resting against side panels 50 so that the dice are all resting on the bed 32.

The image data representing the magnetic fields of the detected magnets is passed to computer 70 and pattern filters are run to determine the number of dice on the table, the location of magnets and hence the uppermost face of the die. The magnet patterns have been carefully selected to allow the dice faces to be unambiguously determined even though the rotational orientation of the dice are not known. Note that the patterns detected are the patterns on the bottom face of the dice, but the software outputs the number on the visible top face for ease of subsequent processing.

The computer 70 reads the information, determines if there are any winning bets, and displays suitable messages on display apparatus 80 which displays the throw and any winning bets. An audible indication of a winning bet may also be provided.

As the skilled person will appreciate, the computer can be arranged to control any of a number of dice games, to accept bets, to pay out money on winning bets, and to carry out additional functions such as to advertise as required.

The above is only one example of a dice game according to the invention and many variants are possible.

For example, a number of displays 80 can be provided so that a number of different users can all play the game at the same time.

Instead of a dice return bar the bed may be arranged to tilt up to return dice to the launcher.

Other forms of sensor may be used to detect how the dice have landed. For example, Hall effect sensors may replace the reed switches.

Radio tags may be used on each face of each die, and the tags may be read by radio frequency transducers. Invisible dots that can be read by infra red cameras may be fixed on each face of each dice, and an infra-read camera provided to read the dice.

Bar codes may be provided to be read as in a supermarket, and again the bar codes may be invisible to the eye, for example by being infra-red sensitive.

Claims (8)

1. A gaming machine, comprising: dice; a substantially horizontal bed; a launcher adjacent to the bed for projecting the dice through the air onto the substantially horizontal bed; reading means for reading the dice; and collection means for sweeping the dice off the bed onto the launch means.

2. A gaming means according to claim 1 wherein: the dice include a pattern of magnets in each face, the patterns of magnets on each face being distinct from one another even when rotated; and the reading means comprises a plurality of sensors arranged on a bar across the bed, the bar being moveable along the bed to scan the dice on the bed.

3. A gaming means according to claim 2 wherein the sensors are a plurality of reed switches.

4. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim wherein the launcher includes a hinged plate hinged to the edge of the bed and a border plate around the edges of the hinged plate, the launcher having a rest position in which the hinged plate extends downwards from the bed to allow the dice to rest on the hinged plate against the border plate and being actuatable to rotate the hinged plate around the hinge to project the dice onto the bed.

5. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim further comprising actuatable side panels bordering the bed, the actuatable side panels being moveable laterally on actuation between first and second positions.

6. A gaming machine according to claim 5 further comprising a control system arranged to move the actuatable side panels between the first position and the second position after each throw for causing dice resting against the side panels to fall flat on the bed.

7. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim further comprising a sensor for sensing vibration of the bed.

8. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim further comprising a camera to record the dice on the bed. ]O