Game devices and machines

Abstract

 Game apparatus has a transparent enclosure (1) containing a die (2) having distinct faces (21). The die can be thrown in the enclosure to tumble freely and fall on any one of its faces (21). The floor of the enclosure has a sensing surface (31) having radiation emitters/sensors (A-E) aligned with possible locations of distinguishing spots of the die faces. By reading the die face which lands against the sensing surface (31), the orientation of the die (2) and in particular the value of its displayed upper surface can be identified and displayed electronically. Also disclosed is the use of sloping guide plates (50) to guide the die (2) down into alignment with the sensing surface. Such guides may be used also with other forms of face identification, using e.g. capacitive or inductive face identification.

Description

[0001] This specification relates to devices and machines incorporating a game in which one or more dice are involved.

[0002] In particular aspects, the disclosure is concerned with methods and devices for sensing the condition of a die automatically after the die has been thrown.

[0003] UK-A-2147510 describes a game machine incorporating a die which is read electronically. To enable reading, the die is constrained by mounting it on a vertical shaft. This spoils the effect of free tumbling which is desired with dice The value shown on the die is measured indirectly, using an indicator which rotates with the shaft.

[0004] EP A 426301 describes an amusement machine in which a die is tumbled by an upward air flow in a translucent tube. Each face of the die carries a resonant circuit of a characteristic frequency, and the die is read by identifying the resonant frequency of the downward face using a variable-frequency coil.

[0005] In this application, we describe some new developments and techniques relating to games using dice, and method and means for reading dice.

[0006] In one general aspect, this application relates to a game device which has a die enclosure, a die in the enclosure, means for throwing the die in the enclosure so as to change its orientation on a random or quasi-random basis, and means for determining the orientation or condition of the die in the enclosure after the throwing.

[0007] In one independent aspect, we propose a method of and apparatus for reading a die in which radiation reflected from a surface of the die, and most preferably that surface of the die which faces downwardly after throwing, is sensed to identify that surface and hence identify the displayed surface (usually the uppermost surface after throwing).

[0008] This may be done in various ways, depending on the nature of the die. In one technique, a sensor surface against which the thrown die lies has a plurality of radiation sensors at predetermined positions, to detect selectively whether radiation - e.g. IR or visible light - is reflected at those positions. This technique is particularly suitable for a die which has characteristic surface patterns, such as the conventional patterns of from one to six spots on surfaces of a cube. Radiation sensors are positioned at sufficient of the locations corresponding to such spots or other markings as will enable every face of the die to be distinguished.

[0009] One or more radiation emitters may also be provided, to direct radiation at the die face. In one preferred version, each sensor is associated with its own emitter. Infrared radiation is preferred, since it is harmless and does not distract the player.

[0010] In another version, faces of the die are distinguished from one another by their general reflective property rather than by a distinctive patterning thereof. For example, a die may have faces of different colours which have different reflectivities for the radiation used. The identity of the face is determined by the measured magnitude of the reflected radiation as determined by the sensor. This can be a simple device, using only a single sensor and relying on ambient radiation, or a simple illumination of the face to be sensed. The sensor may give an analogue output which can be used to give a specific identification of each die face.

[0011] Whatever the output from the sensor, it may be passed to display means giving a confirmation indication, preferably visual such as on an alphanumeric display, of the value displayed on the die's (upper) face.

[0012] For sensing as described above, and particularly where the sensing is position-dependent e.g. in relation to markings on the die surfaces, it becomes desirable to have means for positioning the die in relation to the sensor or sensors.

[0013] In another independent aspect we therefore provide dice game apparatus comprising a die contained in a die enclosure, means for throwing or tumbling the die in the enclosure and means for sensing the condition of the thrown die e.g. by sensing of radiation reflected from a surface thereof, the enclosure having an open portion for substantially free rotation of the thrown die and at least one guide to guide the falling die into alignment with a sensing portion of the means for determining the die condition.

[0014] The guide desirably guides the die to a specific location. Preferably, it also guides the die to a specific orientation relative to the sensing portion.

[0015] The preferred guide uses opposed convergent surfaces, preferably including one or more faces which are straight in section so as to orient the die rotationally (by engagement of flat surfaces thereof) as well as locating it.

[0016] In a further aspect, we provide a game machine in which a dice game as proposed above is provided in combination with means for throwing the die in response to credits converted by a player, and the sensed condition of the thrown die is used to determine an award to the player. The award may be dependent on the correctness of a prediction made by the player as to the condition of the thrown die, and/or a bet made by the player based on such a prediction. The machine may include input means for the player to input such predictions and/or bets.

[0017] In the broad aspects of the invention relating to the game device incorporating the die, it should be understood that the condition of the die may be sensed by means other than reflective radiation. Other possible modes of sensing the condition of the die include determining which face of the die is adjacent a detecting or sensing element - most preferably one on which the die rests with its lowermost face - by any one of the following.

(1) Capacitive sensing, in which a charge on the die surface, or the capacitance of the die surface itself with respect to the sensing area, is/are measured;

(2) Inductive sensing, in which a characteristic inductance associated with a certain die face is detected. Inductive coupling may be used in such a method.

(3) Resistance sensing, in which a characteristic electrical resistance associated with a die surface is determined by the sensing element.

[0018] Embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows in perspective a device for throwing and reading a die;

Figure 2 shows schematically a sensing surface of the device;

Figure 3 shows schematically the operation of a game system based on the device;

Figure 4 shows schematically the operation of a different game system, based on a different type of device, and

Figure 5 shows a coin-operated game machine.

[0019] Referring firstly to Figure 1, a dice throwing device has a chamber 1 with transparent walls, in this case an upright cylinder, in which a die 2 is contained. The top of the cylindrical chamber is closed off by a roof 11, and the base of the chamber is closed off by a floor 12 incorporating a sensing arrangement 30, a dice-throwing arrangement 40 and guides 50. The chamber 1 is large enough inside for the thrown die 2 to tumble freely in its upper part.

[0020] The die 2 is a cube of the conventional type, with its six flat faces numbered from one to six in patterns of spots, the spots on opposite faces totalling seven.

[0021] The sensor arrangement 30 has a square sensing face in the centre of the floor 12, corresponding to the size of the faces 21 of the die 2. The means 40 for throwing the die 2 comprises one or more studs, upwardly-drivable by electronic means, which strike the die to throw it up, and an inwardly-projecting resilient interfering element 41 which interferes with the die's upward flight to enhance tumbling thereof. Other means for throwing, such as a movable diaphragm under the die, may be used instead.

[0022] The guides 50 are flat plates inclined downwardly towards respective ones of the four sides of the square sensing surface 31. When the die falls to the floor of the enclosure 1 its square lower surface will thus always be guided to lie in correct alignment with the square sensor surface 31.

[0023] Fig. 2 shows the sensor surface 31. Spots on the faces of the die 2 may lie at any of nine possible positions on the square. Reflectivity at such positions is determined by individual photo-electronic sensors A to E. Such sensors are commercially available; these ones comprise an infrared emitter housed side-by-side with an infrared phototransistor in a single convenient package.

[0024] There is an operating clearance between the die surface and the sensor surface. This may be provided by projections on or by the sensor surface or on the die, or by a transparent plate between them.

[0025] Five such sensors are sufficient to read all possible conditions of the die on the sensing surface 31. The arrangement used here has sensors A, B and C arranged along one side of the square, with sensor D occupying the centre of the square and E the middle of an adjacent side. The following table shows the sensors which give a positive reading, owing to reflection of the sensor element's IR output back onto its phototransistor by the relatively highly reflective spots of the die, for all of the possible positions.

Value on Lower Die Surface	Sensors Giving Positive Reading
1	D
2	A or C
3	A+D or C+D
4	A+C
5	A+C+D
6	A+B+C or A+C+E

[0026] In this embodiment, the die 2 has white spots on a black background. However any suitable difference in reflectivity will give the desired identification.

[0027] It is of course possible to use a larger number of photosensors if desired, to introduce some redundancy into the determination.

[0028] Figure 3 shows schematically how the array of photosensors "PS" is connected to a hysteresis control "H" which is biased at a suitable threshold level to act as a comparator for the photosensor outputs and gives a clear "spot/no-spot" indication for each sensor location. The output from the comparator goes through an interface I/F to a microprocessor unit MPU, which makes the necessary correlation of the incoming data e.g. in accordance with the Table given above, and thereby determines the actual displayed (upper) value on the die. With the type of die shown, the sensed spot value initiates generation of the complementary value obtained by subtracting it from seven e.g. if 3 is sensed at the bottom surface, then the display surface must be 4. The MPU can put out this display value to a suitable display e.g. an LED, to complement the die 2 which is itself visible.

[0029] The MPU, as in a conventional games machine, can also be programmed to determine a game outcome e.g. the existence or otherwise of some award, and/or the amount of such an award, on the basis of the determined die value.

[0030] Fig. 5 shows a game machine 60 incorporating the dice throwing and reading device in a top part thereof, and having a playing console 51 including control buttons 52 for entering a player prediction about the dice outcome, an LED 53 for the confirmatory display of the die outcome, and, a pay-out pocket 54 for the paying out of any awards. Operation of the machine is initiated by insertion of credits as coins or other suitable tokens through a (per se conventional) slot 56. Initiation of the actual throwing of the die 2 may be automatic at a short interval after the prediction is entered, or directly by actuating a throwing control 57.

[0031] It will be understood that a games machine might be adapted to take a number of different forms, using other conventional game formats depending on generation of a random result.

[0032] The spotted die shown is only one possibility. A die having different-coloured faces is another possibility. Such a die can be read much more simply than the spotted die, since the differently coloured faces will have different reflectivities. Reflected light from the lowermost face can be measured by a simple photosensitive resistor (PR in Fig. 4); the analogue output from this converted to a digital value by convertor circuit (DAC) and then fed into the MPU through an interface as before. In this embodiment, accurate positioning of the die on the sensing surface is less critical, and it may be possible to dispense with the guides The MPU must of course be programmed with the die data enabling it to correlate opposite faces and thereby identify the displayed face by sensing the lowermost face.

Claims

1. Game apparatus comprising an enclosure (1), a die (2) in the enclosure, means (40,41) for tumbling the die (2) in the enclosure to fall on any one of a plurality of distinct faces (21) thereof, and sensing means (31) for Sensing radiation reflected from a said face (21) of the fallen die (2) to distinguish that face and give a corresponding output signal identifying the orientation of the fallen die (2).

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1 in which the sensing means (31) comprises a sensor surface on which the die (2) falls, the sensor surface having one or a plurality of radiation sensors (A-E).

3. Game apparatus according to claim 2 in which the faces (21) of the die (2) are mutually distinguished by different patterns of markings, the markings having reflectivity different from the face background, and plural radiation sensors (A-E) are at respective positions on the sensor surface corresponding to possible locations of those markings.

4. Game apparatus according to claim 3 in which the die (2) has six faces (21) marked with one, two, three, four, five and six reflectivity contrasting spots respectively, each spot being aligned with one of nine possible spot positions relative to the face shape.

5. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the die faces (21) are distinguished by different colours.

6. Game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the enclosure (1) has an open region for substantially free tumbling of the die (2) and guide means (50) for guiding the die (2) into alignment with the sensing means (31) as it falls.

Drawing