GB1579731A - Position detection of movable members of amusement machines - Google Patents

Description

(54) POSITION DETECTION OF MOVABLE MEMBERS OF AMUSEMENT MACHINES (71) We, BARCREST LIMITED a British Company of Richmond Street, Ashton-under Lyne, Lancashire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a position detecting system for detecting the position of a movable member of an amusement machine and is particularly although not exclusively concerned with the detection of the position of a movable member, such as a rotatable disc or drum, of an amusement machine which is a fruit machine. The invention is an improvement in or modification of the invention of our prior British Patent No. 1,368,622.

In said prior Patent there is disclosed amusement apparatus comprising a plurality of rotatable members, means for setting said rotatable members spinning, a source of light for each rotatable member, a plurality of photosensitive devices for each rotatable member, each rotatable member having a portion provided with means for controlling the transmission of light from the respective source of light to the respective plurality of photosensitive devices so that the position of the respective portion determines which of said devices receive light from said source, and means for combining electrical signals from said devices to produce further signals dependent on the rest positions of said rotatable members.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided an amusement machine having: a movable member having a plurality of predetermined stopping positions; a position detecting system for detecting the position of the member, said system having a plurality of first detection means spaced in the direction of movement of the member at positions corresponding to said stopping positions and a second detection means arranged to produce an electrical output signal when in predetermined relative disposition with any one of said first detection means without requiring contact between said first and second detection means and without involving the transmission of light through holes in the member between a light source and a light sensor a arranged on opposite sides of the member, said first and second detection means being arranged one movable with and the other non-movably mounted relative to the said member, whereby as said member moves through said predetermined stopping position successive output signals are produced; and an electrical evaluation circuit connected to the position detecting system capable of interpreting said successive output signals such as to identify stopping positions of the member and arranged to produce an evaluation output dependent on the relationship between an identified such stopping position and a reference position and/or a stopping position of a further movable member or members of the machine.

It is anticipated that the present invention will have particular application in the context of an amusement machine which is a gaming machine of the fruit machine type having a plurality of movable members usually in the form of discs or drums with different symbols marked around the peripheries thereof. In this case there will preferably be a respective position detecting system for each movable member and a common said evaluation circuit may be arranged to compare the outputs of the different position detecting systems so as to give a 'win' signal, for example, whenever the drums or discs come to rest with a predetermined winning combination of symbols displayed in a window of the machine.

It is however to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to this field of application and the position detecting apparatus of the invention may be used in-conjunction with any suitable kind of movable member in the context of any suitable kind of amusement machine preferably but not necessarily a gaming machine of the chance kind.

With the amusement machine of the present invention in accordance with one embodiment thereof, each said first detection means comprises a set of individual elements spaced in the direction of movement of the said member, each set having a respective one of a plurality of different distribution of said elements, and each element being arranged to give rise to the production of an output signal by said second detection means, whereby as said member moves to each said predetermined stopping position succcssive output signals are produced in a sequence corresponding to the respective said distribution of elements. Said sequential output signals for each said stopping position may be interpreted by said evaluation circuit in conjunction with timing pulses.The sequelltial output signals may be evaluated in serial form but preferably they are converted into parallel form using a shift register.

In an alternative embodiment, said evaluation circuit includes a counter or sequence detecting device which is responsive to sequential signals produced as the member moves whereby the positioning of the member in relation to a reference position thereof can be detcrmined. One position of the member may be identified as a reference position and a counter may be provided for counting output signals from said reference position.

The reference position may be a fixed position or may be the position at which the member previously stopped.

Said second detection means comprises a light source and a light sensitive device adapted to produce an electrical output when illuminated by light from said source, and the said first detection means may comprise portions of a surface having different properties with regard to reflection of said light than regions of said surface adjacent said portions, said light sensitive device being arranged for receiving light from the source by reflection from said surface. Preferably said portions are non-reflective or poorly reflective relative to said adjacent regions. Most conveniently the reflective surface may be defined by a glossy or light coloured coating or cover, for example it may be a sheet of paper and the nonreflective or poorly reflective portions may be defined by matt or dark coloured regions which may be printed.The light may be visible light or infra red and may be generated by for example filament lamps or LED devices, and the light sensitive devices may be phototransistors, photo-electric cells or any other suitable devices.

As an alternative to tlic use of a second detection means involving reflected light it is possible to use a second detection means involving the transmission or reflection of other energy beams or influences. Any suitable form of energy or influence may be involved.

Thus for example, a sound generator or ultrasonic generator may be used as the energy source in conjunction with an appropriate transducer such as a microphone or piezo electric crystal. Alternatively a magnet may be used as the source in conjunction with an oppositely arranged coil or other magnetic sensor. In these cases the movable member may have holes or other appropriately formed portions which are capable of transmitting or reflecting the energy or influence from the source to the sensor. Alternatively, elements may be provided on the movable member which are capable of influencing non-movably mounted sensors.Thus for example, regions of magnetic or magnetised material may be arranged to be 'read' by a suitable arrangement of magnetic sensors; regions of dielectric material may be arranged to modify the capacitance of appropriate sensors; or any other suitable arrangement may be employed.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of three rotatable drums of a fruit machine provided with position detecting systems; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of one of the drums; Figure 3 is a block circuit diagram of the position detecting system; Figure 4 shows output signals produced by different parts of the system; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic end view of a fruit machine drum used with a modified form of the position detecting system; and Figure 6 is a block circuit diagram of such modified system.

The position detecting system shown in Figures 1 to 4 is used in a conventional fruit machine of the kind having three drums 1 which are rotatable about a common horizontal axis and have a series of twenty symbols, representing say fruit, of a number of different kinds marked around their radially outer peripheral surfaces.

A starting mechanism is provided for the drums 1 which when actuated, as for example by inserting coins into the machine and then pulling a handle or pressing a button; causes the drums to be set in rotation. The drums may be independently rotatably mounted and may be set in rotation by application of mechanical impulses thereto by means of respective solenoid operated mechanism, or the drums may be mounted via slipping clutches on a common shaft which can be driven by an electric motor. After different respective random periods of time, the drums 1 come to rest and index mechanisms engageable with projections on the drums (not shown) are provided to ensure that each drum will stop in one of the twenty indexed positions thereof at which a symbol on the drum is displayed through a window in front of the machine .

When the drums have come to rest, if the three symbols on the three drums displayed through the window are in any one of a predetermined number of winning combinations a win mechanism is actuated to give an indi cation of the win and/or to make an appropriate payout or take other reward action.

The position of each drum 1 when it has stopped and hence the identity of the symbol thereon displayed through the window, is determined with position detecting systems for each drum.

Each position detecting system comprises a light source 3 such as a visible light or infra red emitting LED, or a filament lamp or any other suitable source, which is fixed at one side of a radially extending wall 4 of the drum 1, and two appropriate light sensitive devices 5a, 5b such as phototransistors which are fixed adjacent the source 3 on the same side of the wall 4 of the drum 1 and which are arranged to produce electrical outputs when illuminated by light from the source 3. The light source 3 and light sensitive devices 5a, 5b are arranged spaced from the drum axis with the devices 5a, 5b respectively at the radially outer and inner sides of the source 3.

The wall 4 of the drum 1 is formed from plastics material and the surface 6 thereof facing the source 3 and devices 5a, 5b is rendered reflective to the light emitted by the source 3 by appropriate formation of the surface 6 or by application of an appropriate coating or cover thereto. However twenty bars 7 which inhibit or severely reduce reflection of said light are formed on the surface of the wall 4, for example by printing with an appropriate matt black substance, around a first circumferentially extending section of the surface 6 disposed in confronting relationship with the light source 3 and light sensitive device 5a.

The bars 7 are all identical equally spaced radially extending bars and there is a further like radially extending bar 8 (Figure 2) which is provided on the surface 6 of the wall 4 at a shorter distance from the drum axis than the bars 7, which is close to and aligned with one of the bars 7, and which is disposed on a second circumferential section of the surface 6 disposed in confronting relationship with the source 3 and device 5b.

The light sensitive devices 5a, 5b are positioned in relation to the source 3 and are suitably screened relative thereto such that light emitted by the source 3 can reach the devices 5a, 5b only by reflection from the respective circumferential sections of the surface of the wall 4 which incorporate respectively the bars 7 and the bar 8. Thus, as the drum 1 rotates a light beam is reflected from the source 3 to the device 5a whenever a bar 7 is not in the appropriate reflection path, and a light beam is reflected from the source 3 to the other device 5b whenever the bar 8 is not in the other appropriate reflection path. The devices 5a, 5b therefore produce electrical impulses, corresponding to the positioning of the bars 7, 8 as shown in Figure 4.As can be seen at A in Figure 4, device 5a produces a train of twenty like equally spaced pulses and as shown at B, the device 5b produces a single pulse for each revolution of the drum.

As can be seen from Figure 3, an output signal derived from the device 5b for each drum is used to reset a respective 0 to 19 counter to zero, and subsequent pulses (from 1 to 19) from the devices 5a are recorded by the respective counters to produce output signals at a plurality of output terminals thereof (say 5 terminals in the case where a binary count is produced). When the drums stop rotating signals will be present at the output terminals which identify the positions of the drums.

The output terminals of the counters are connected to a data selection Matrix which is in turn connected to a main control unit.

The main control unit is programmed for controlling the stopping of the drums and after the drums have stopped the control unit selects data from the Matrix relating to the counter outputs in turn, interprets such data in terms of the displayed symbols, and then compares the interpreted data for the three drums in order to produce a win signal for actuating a reward mechanism in the case where a winning combination is indicated.

In a modification of the embodiment so far described, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, instead of the 20 bars 7 and the reset bar 8, there are provided, on radially inner and outer circumferential sections of the surface 6 of the wall 4 of each drum respectively a series of 100 equally spaced radial bars 10, five adjacent each of the 20 symbols, and 40 further bars 11, two adjacent each of the 20 symbols.

Each bar 11 is radially aligned with a respective one of the bars 10 and two bars 11 for each symbol have a unique disposition relative to the respective series of five bars 10. In the drawing the separate series of five bars 10 are distinguished by dotted lines extending therebetween.

A position detecting system 12, of like construction to the systems hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, is provided for each drum and has a light source 13 which in use emits light which can be reflected from the inner and outer circumferential sections incorporating the nonreflective bars 10, 11 respectively onto light sensitive devices 14, 15.

With this arrangement, as each drum rotates, the device 14 receiving reflected light from the inner circumferential section incorporating the bars 10 produces a series of like equally spaced electrical impulses whereas the device 15 produces intermittent impulses corresponding to the positioning of the bars 11.

The outputs from the devices 14, 15 are fed to inputs of a respective five section shift register 16 whereby the shift register 16 is operated on receipt of each impulse from the device 14 and records a 0 or 1 signal depen dent on whether or not at the same time an impulse is received from the device 15.

The shift register 16 for each drum therefore produces a 5-bit word for each of the 20 stopping positions of the drum, there being different such words for the stopping positions which correspond respectively to different symbols.

The 5 outputs of each shift register 16 for each drum are connected to a data selection device and then to a main control unit (not shown). The data from the shift registers 16 may be selected for parallel read out to the main control unit in response to select signals produced by the main control unit, or such data may be fed to the main control unit serially by clock pulses from the main control unit.

The use of shift registers in combination with a main control unit controlling selection of data from the registers, rather than an arrangement in which information is fed directly to a main control unit, may be advantageous in that it enables the main control unit to be used for other control and processing purposes, for example, control of drum rotation, in so far as the data can be selected when the main control unit is ready to receive and process same.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment (and the modification thereof) which are described by way of example only. Thus for example, instead of a position detecting system using a liglit source/light sensitive device any other suitable position detecting system may be employed.

A position detecting system incorporating a fixed coil adjacent a series of projections around the drum may, for example, be used, the projections acting to vary the coil induc tance. The position detecting system can also be arranged adjacent the peripheral surface 2 rather than the end wali 4 of tlie drum 1.

Still further, whilst in the embodiment de scribed with reference to Figures 1-4, there is a single bar corresponding to each symbol there may of course be more bars than sym bols. Also, with such an embodiment, the counter may be reset by a reference signal arising from one of said bars which has a greater circumferential extent than the other bars and therefore gives a pulse of longer duration, rather than using a separate refer ence bar. Alternatively, the counter need not be reset by a predeterm'ned reference signal but instead the counter may retain its count at the end of a play and at a subsequent play may continue counting.

Of course the invention is not restricted to use with thrce-drum fruit machines but may be used in any other suitable context.

Attention is directed to Patent Application No. 8506/77 (Serial No. 1,579,732) which was divided out of the present application.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An amusement machine having: a movable member having a plurality of predetermined stopping positions; a position detecting system for detecting the position of the member, said system having a plurality of first detection means spaced in the direction of movement of the member at positions corresponding to said stopping positions and a second detection means arranged to produce an electrical output signal when in predetermined relative disposition with any one of said first detection means without requiring contact between said first and second detection means and without involving the transmission of light through holes in the member between a light source and a light sensor arranged on opposite sides of the member, said first and second detection means being arranged one movable with and the other nonmovably mounted relative to the said member, whereby as said member moves through said predetermined stopping position successive output signals are produced; and an electrical evaluation circuit connected to the position detecting system capable of interpreting said successive output signals such as to identify stopping positions of the member and arranged to produce an evaluation output dependent on the relationship between an identified such stopping position and a reference position and/or a stopping position of a further movable member or members of the machine.

2. A machine according to claim 1, where- in each said first detection means comprises a set of individual elements spaced in the direction of movement of the said member, each set having a respective one of a plurality of different distributions of said elements, and each element being arranged to give rise to the production of an output signal by said second detection means, whereby as said member moves to each said predetermined stopping position successive output signals are produced in a sequence corresponding to the respective said distribution of elements.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said sequential output signals for each said stopping position are interpreted by said evaluation circuit in conjunction with timing pulses.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said timing pulses are produced by interaction of timing elements on the member with a timing element detection device fixed alongside the member.

5. A machine according to claim 1, where- in said evaluation circuit includes a counter adapted to count said output signals starting from a predetermined reference position of said member.

6. A machine according to claim 5, where- in said counter is arranged to be set in a condition at which it starts counting whenever the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (15)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. dent on whether or not at the same time an impulse is received from the device 15. The shift register 16 for each drum therefore produces a 5-bit word for each of the 20 stopping positions of the drum, there being different such words for the stopping positions which correspond respectively to different symbols. The 5 outputs of each shift register 16 for each drum are connected to a data selection device and then to a main control unit (not shown). The data from the shift registers 16 may be selected for parallel read out to the main control unit in response to select signals produced by the main control unit, or such data may be fed to the main control unit serially by clock pulses from the main control unit. The use of shift registers in combination with a main control unit controlling selection of data from the registers, rather than an arrangement in which information is fed directly to a main control unit, may be advantageous in that it enables the main control unit to be used for other control and processing purposes, for example, control of drum rotation, in so far as the data can be selected when the main control unit is ready to receive and process same. It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment (and the modification thereof) which are described by way of example only. Thus for example, instead of a position detecting system using a liglit source/light sensitive device any other suitable position detecting system may be employed. A position detecting system incorporating a fixed coil adjacent a series of projections around the drum may, for example, be used, the projections acting to vary the coil induc tance. The position detecting system can also be arranged adjacent the peripheral surface 2 rather than the end wali 4 of tlie drum 1. Still further, whilst in the embodiment de scribed with reference to Figures 1-4, there is a single bar corresponding to each symbol there may of course be more bars than sym bols. Also, with such an embodiment, the counter may be reset by a reference signal arising from one of said bars which has a greater circumferential extent than the other bars and therefore gives a pulse of longer duration, rather than using a separate refer ence bar. Alternatively, the counter need not be reset by a predeterm'ned reference signal but instead the counter may retain its count at the end of a play and at a subsequent play may continue counting. Of course the invention is not restricted to use with thrce-drum fruit machines but may be used in any other suitable context. Attention is directed to Patent Application No. 8506/77 (Serial No. 1,579,732) which was divided out of the present application. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An amusement machine having: a movable member having a plurality of predetermined stopping positions; a position detecting system for detecting the position of the member, said system having a plurality of first detection means spaced in the direction of movement of the member at positions corresponding to said stopping positions and a second detection means arranged to produce an electrical output signal when in predetermined relative disposition with any one of said first detection means without requiring contact between said first and second detection means and without involving the transmission of light through holes in the member between a light source and a light sensor arranged on opposite sides of the member, said first and second detection means being arranged one movable with and the other nonmovably mounted relative to the said member, whereby as said member moves through said predetermined stopping position successive output signals are produced; and an electrical evaluation circuit connected to the position detecting system capable of interpreting said successive output signals such as to identify stopping positions of the member and arranged to produce an evaluation output dependent on the relationship between an identified such stopping position and a reference position and/or a stopping position of a further movable member or members of the machine.

2. A machine according to claim 1, where- in each said first detection means comprises a set of individual elements spaced in the direction of movement of the said member, each set having a respective one of a plurality of different distributions of said elements, and each element being arranged to give rise to the production of an output signal by said second detection means, whereby as said member moves to each said predetermined stopping position successive output signals are produced in a sequence corresponding to the respective said distribution of elements.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said sequential output signals for each said stopping position are interpreted by said evaluation circuit in conjunction with timing pulses.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said timing pulses are produced by interaction of timing elements on the member with a timing element detection device fixed alongside the member.

5. A machine according to claim 1, where- in said evaluation circuit includes a counter adapted to count said output signals starting from a predetermined reference position of said member.

6. A machine according to claim 5, where- in said counter is arranged to be set in a condition at which it starts counting whenever the

member reaches said reference position.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said counter is set as aforesaid in response to interaction of a reference element provided on the member with a reference element detection device fixed alongside the member.

8. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said second detection means comprises a light source and a light sensitive device adapted to produce an electrical output when illuminated by light from said source, and the said first detection means comprise portions of a surface having different properties with regard to reflection of said light than regions of said surface adjacent said portions, said light sensitive device being arranged for receiving light from the source by reflection from said surface.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein said portions are non-reflective or poorly reflective relative to said adjacent regions.

10. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said second detection means comprises a source and a sensor respectively for transmitting and for receiving a form of energy other than light.

11. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the movable member is a rotatable member.

12. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said first detection means are provided on so as to be movable with the member.

13. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein there are a plurality of movable member with respective said position detecting systems but a common said evaluation circuit arranged to produce said evaluation output dependent on the relationship between identified stopping positions of all the movable members.

14. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which is a gaming machine.

15. A machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 4 or 5 and 6.