US-12623140-B2 - Electronic die device

Abstract

An electronic die includes a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces including a display device, an inertial measurement device, a processor circuit, and a memory including machine-readable instructions. When executed by the processor circuit, the instructions cause the processor circuit to receive a movement signal from the inertial measurement device indicative of a die-shake movement of the electronic die. The instructions further cause the processor circuit to, in response to the movement signal, cause the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display a graphical symbol.

Inventors

• Andreas BEAN
• Martin Oswald

Assignees

• IGT

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230818

Claims (19)

1. 1 . An electronic die comprising: a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces comprising a display device; an inertial measurement device; a processor circuit; and a memory comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the processor circuit to: receive a movement signal from the inertial measurement device indicative of a die-shake movement of the electronic die; select, for each face of the plurality of faces, a graphical symbol of a plurality of graphical symbols; and in response to the movement signal, cause the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display the selected graphical symbol.
2. 2 . The electronic die of claim 1 , wherein the display device of each face of the plurality of faces comprises a plurality of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), each display device being capable of selectively displaying all the graphical symbols of the plurality of graphical symbols.
3. 3 . The electronic die of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of LEDs of each display device consists of a three-by-three matrix of LEDs.
4. 4 . The electronic die of claim 3 , wherein each graphical symbol of the plurality of graphical symbols comprises a set of die pips in the range of one die pip to six die pips.
5. 5 . The electronic die of claim 2 , wherein the display device of each face of the plurality of faces comprises an Organic LED (OLED) pixel matrix.
6. 6 . The electronic die of claim 2 , wherein the graphical symbol is selected from a group comprising non-numerical symbols.
7. 7 . The electronic die of claim 6 , wherein the non-numerical symbols comprise slot symbols.
8. 8 . The electronic die of claim 7 , wherein the non-numerical symbols comprise playing card symbols.
9. 9 . The electronic die of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to: in response to the movement signal, determine a die result; receive a result signal from the inertial measurement device after the determination of the die result, the result signal indicative of an upward-facing face of the die after the die has come to rest; and cause the display device of the upward-facing face of the die to display a graphical symbol indicative of the die result.
10. 10 . The electronic die of claim 9 , further comprising a wireless communication interface, wherein the instructions further cause the wireless communication interface to transmit an indication of the die result to a gaming device.
11. 11 . The electronic die of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to: in response to the movement signal, cause the display device of each face to be blank, wherein display of the graphical symbol indicative of the die result on the upward-facing face of the die is in response to the result signal.
12. 12 . The electronic die of claim 9 , further comprising a wireless communication interface, wherein the instructions further cause the wireless communication interface to: transmit an indication of the upward-facing face of the die to a gaming device; and receive, from the gaming device, a result signal indicative of the graphical symbol, wherein display of the graphical symbol indicative of the die result on the upward-facing face of the die is in response to the result signal.
13. 13 . The electronic die of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication interface, wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to: receive a result signal from the inertial measurement device after the movement signal, the result signal indicative of an upward-facing face of the die after the die has come to rest; determine the graphical symbol displayed on the upward-facing face; and cause the communication interface to transmit an indication of the die result to a gaming device.
14. 14 . The electronic die of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor circuit to cause the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display an animation before displaying the graphical symbol.
15. 15 . The electronic die of claim 1 , further comprising a battery.
16. 16 . The electronic die of claim 13 , wherein each face comprises a wireless power antenna proximate to a surface of the face to receive a wireless power signal from a complementary wireless power antenna proximate to a gaming device surface.
17. 17 . The electronic die of claim 1 , wherein a center of gravity of the die is centered such that a likelihood of each face of the die being an upward-facing face after a die-shake movement is equal.
18. 18 . The electronic die of claim 1 , wherein a center of gravity of the die is offset from a center of the die such that a first face has a different likelihood of being an upward-facing face after a die-shake movement than a second face.
19. 19 . A system comprising: an electronic die comprising: a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces comprising a display device; an inertial measurement device; a die communication interface; a die processor circuit; and a die memory comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the die processor circuit to: receive a movement signal from the inertial measurement device indicative of a die-shake movement of the die; in response to the movement signal, select, for each face of the plurality of faces, a graphical symbol of a plurality of graphical symbols; in response to the movement signal, cause the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display the selected graphical symbol; determine the graphical symbol associated with an upward-facing face of the die; and transmit an indication of the graphical symbol associated with an upward-facing face of the die; and an electronic dice shaker device comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity, the housing comprising a transparent window between the interior cavity and an exterior of the housing; and a housing communication interface that: receives the indication of the graphical symbol from the die communication interface; and in response to receipt of the indication, provides an indication of the upward-facing face of the electronic die to a gaming device.

Description

BACKGROUND Embodiments described herein relate to game play features with wagering games, and in particular to an electronic die for a gaming device in a gaming environment, such as in a casino environment, and related devices, systems, and methods. Some wagering games, such as electronic table games, slot games and/or video poker games provided at Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) and/or other types of gaming devices in a casino environment, may include random, semi-random, or pseudo-random results, such as employing dice to generate game results. It can be difficult, however, to incorporate physical dice into an electronic wagering game while maintaining game integrity and accuracy. Accordingly, there is a need for providing more reliable die results for wagering games. BRIEF SUMMARY According to some embodiments, an electronic die includes a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces comprising a display device, an inertial measurement device, a processor circuit, and a memory comprising machine-readable instructions. When executed by the processor circuit, the instructions cause the processor circuit to receive a movement signal from the inertial measurement device indicative of a die-shake movement of the electronic die. The instructions further cause the processor circuit to, in response to the movement signal, cause the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display a graphical symbol. According to some embodiments, a system includes an electronic die comprising a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces comprising a display device, an inertial measurement device, a die communication interface, a die processor circuit, and a die memory comprising machine-readable instructions. When executed by the processor circuit, the instructions cause the die processor circuit to receive a movement signal from the inertial measurement device indicative of a die-shake movement of the die. The instructions further cause the die processor circuit to, in response to the movement signal, cause the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display a graphical symbol. The instructions further cause the die processor circuit to determine the graphical symbol associated with an upward-facing face of the die. The instructions further cause the die processor circuit to transmit an indication of the graphical symbol associated with an upward-facing face of the die. The system further comprises an electronic dice shaker device comprising a housing defining an interior cavity, the housing comprising a transparent window between the interior cavity and an exterior of the housing and a housing communication interface that receives the indication of the graphical symbol from the die communication interface, and, in response to receipt of the indication, provides an indication of the upward-facing face of the electronic die to a gaming device. According to some embodiments, a method comprises receiving, by a processor circuit of an electronic die, a movement signal from an inertial measurement device of the electronic die indicative of a die-shake movement of the electronic die, the electronic die comprises a plurality of faces, each face of the plurality of faces comprising a display device. The method further comprises, in response to the movement signal, causing, by the processor circuit, the display device of each face of the plurality of faces to display a graphical symbol. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a network configuration for a plurality of gaming devices according to some embodiments. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a gaming device that can be configured according to some embodiments. FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram illustrating an electronic configuration for a gaming device according to some embodiments. FIG. 2C is a schematic block diagram that illustrates various functional modules of a gaming device according to some embodiments. FIG. 2D is perspective view of a gaming device that can be configured according to some embodiments. FIG. 2E is a perspective view of a gaming device according to further embodiments. FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams of an electronic die using matrices of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), according to some embodiments. FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of an electronic die using Organic LED (OLED) pixel matrices, according to some embodiments. FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of electronic dice having balanced and unbalanced centers of gravity, according to some embodiments. FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of an electronic die shaker device, according to some embodiments. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating operations of systems/methods of using an electronic die shaker device, according to some embodiments. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operations of systems/methods of using an electronic die shaker device, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments