Multi-ball groove for roulette game

Abstract

The roulette game mechanism has a base, a fixed rim mounted on the base, the fixed rim having a central opening and a curved surface about which the roulette game ball travels, and a rotating roulette game wheel configured to rotate, positioned in the central opening and supported by the base. The roulette game wheel comprises a movable central cone and grooves distributed around the movable central cone, and the grooves hold one or more roulette game balls falling into the grooves from the rim. And each groove corresponds to a unique identifier on the roulette game wheel. The cone includes an edge, a motor, and a number of sub-grooves below the edge. The edge is configured to stop a roulette ball that has entered the groove. The motor is configured to raise the edge such that the roulette ball moves from the groove to the sub-groove and lower the edge when the roulette ball is in the sub-groove.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Provisional Application No. 63 / 483,233, filed February 3, 2023, and U.S. Patent Application No. 18,317,331, filed May 15, 2023, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to gaming devices, and more specifically to roulette gaming devices or systems. Background Technology

[0004] Roulette is a popular game played in arcades. In the mechanical version of the game (relative to the generated video), a roulette ball is launched into a fixed rim with a single angled circular track around a rotating roulette wheel. The rotating wheel rotates in the opposite direction to the rotating roulette ball. The roulette ball rotates around the circular track until friction between the ball and the track, combined with gravity, causes the ball to lose momentum. Once it has lost enough momentum, the roulette ball leaves the circular track and falls back onto the roulette wheel.

[0005] Between the track and the roulette wheel, the roulette ball can engage with one or more ball stops (or canoes) located between the circular track and the roulette wheel, causing the ball to bounce around. Eventually, the roulette ball will stop in one of a plurality of equally spaced slots located along the circumference of the roulette wheel. Each slot in the equally spaced slots is isolated from its adjacent slot by radially outward-positioned separators and corresponds to a specific number and color. The specific number represents the result of the game cycle that begins when the roulette ball is launched.

[0006] When the roulette ball stops, markers (or dolly) can be used to mark selection areas (or layouts) on a physical horizontal surface or display screen separate from the roulette mechanism. The dolly identifies a specific number and color on the layout corresponding to the slot in which the roulette ball stopped. The win and lose selections for that game cycle, which have been electronically or physically placed on the selection area before the selection closing time, are then determined based on the results. Once the win and lose selections are resolved, a new game cycle begins.

[0007] Because each game cycle can take a considerable amount of time from start to finish, various attempts have been made to increase the number of balls available during a single game cycle, allowing for more choices to be placed during each game cycle. US Patent Application Publication No. US2008 / 0076507 discloses a multi-ball roulette game format involving two different balls, but the system is virtual and does not disclose a mechanical system that must take into account the physical effects on the balls and the randomness that may occur in the physical system.

[0008] U.S. Patent No. 8,899,586 discloses a roulette game system having a single circular track within a roulette wheel and a ball launching system capable of launching two or more balls sequentially or substantially simultaneously onto the single circular track. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2006 / 0249899 discloses a similar roulette game system involving multiple rubber balls that fall onto two roulette-like wheels positioned below a pyramid-shaped segment, causing the balls to bounce around before landing on the wheels.

[0009] U.S. Patents 6,209,869, 6,497,409, and 6,869,259 disclose a roulette game system having a rotatable disc positioned within a fixed bowl, which extends upward and outward from a position surrounding the disc. The bowl has a steeply sloping inner surface with multiple vertically spaced, coaxial, annular grooves forming independent tracks. Each track is designed to receive and hold a ball as it moves in a circular motion around the track, but allows each ball to fall off the track when it loses a predetermined amount of momentum. An operator (or referee) manually places each ball into motion, one after another, from the lowest track to the highest, hoping that each ball in the upper track will not fall off its track until each ball in the lower track has done so, in an attempt to prevent one ball from interfering with another. The bowl's slope is steep enough that a ball leaving the upper track will not enter any of the lower tracks but will fall directly onto the rotatable disc positioned below. If the operator spins the lower ball faster than the upper ball, then the upper ball can leave its orbit before the lower ball and interfere with the lower ball.

[0010] Pokai LLC, under the name of Alfastreet Gaming, showcased a roulette machine at a trade fair. The roulette machine features 10 balls (each launched at 0.5-second intervals) that travel simultaneously on the same track with a fixed rim, and are intentionally allowed to collide with each other.

[0011] When a roulette wheel system allows multiple balls to be launched simultaneously around the rim, there is a risk that a subsequent ball will attempt to land in the same notch that a previous ball has already landed in. If this happens, the previous ball will interfere with the subsequent ball and prevent it from landing in the notch it was supposed to land in randomly. Therefore, the outcome of the game must be invalidated for the subsequent ball. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The roulette wheel mechanism has a base, a fixed rim mounted on the base, and a rotating roulette wheel. The fixed rim has a central opening and a curved surface around which the roulette balls travel. The rotating roulette wheel is configured to rotate, be positioned within the central opening, and be supported by the base. The roulette wheel includes a movable central cone and grooves distributed around the movable central cone, the grooves holding one or more roulette balls that fall from the rim into the grooves. Each groove corresponds to a unique identifier on the roulette wheel. The cone includes an edge, a motor, and several sub-grooves below the edge. The edge is configured to stop roulette balls that have entered a groove. The motor is configured to raise the edge to move the roulette balls from the grooves to the sub-grooves, and to lower the edge when the roulette balls are in the sub-grooves. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1A It is a diagram of the key forces acting on the roulette ball within the track.

[0014] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A The diagram shows the deconstruction of the key forces.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a portion of the upper region of a roulette wheel game mechanism according to an embodiment.

[0016] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of a portion of a roulette wheel mechanism, illustrating more details of the fixed rim and the multiple angled circular tracks surrounding the rotating roulette wheel.

[0017] Figure 4A This is a diagram showing the positions of two roulette balls within different tracks on a fixed rim.

[0018] Figure 4B It acts on Figure 4A A diagram showing the key forces on the two roulette balls and the corresponding wheel tilt for each ball.

[0019] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram of a roulette wheel mechanism, illustrating two balls on different tracks.

[0020] Figure 6 yes Figure 2A three-dimensional diagram of a roulette wheel mechanism, illustrating two balls in different sections of the track as the upper ball leaves its track and moves down the lower track and towards the roulette wheel.

[0021] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram of a roulette wheel mechanism, illustrating the first ball on the rotating roulette wheel and the upper ball now in the lower track.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a diagram of an embodiment having a fixed flange with multiple tracks forming a single path.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a diagram of another embodiment of a fixed flange having multiple tracks forming a single path.

[0024] Figure 10A This is a cross-sectional view of a roulette wheel with a movable cone according to an embodiment, when the edge of the cone is lowered and the roulette ball is in the groove.

[0025] Figure 10B This is a cross-sectional view of a roulette wheel with a movable cone according to an embodiment, when the edge of the cone is raised and the roulette ball in the groove has been moved to the storage position.

[0026] Figure 10C This is a cross-sectional view of a roulette wheel with a movable cone according to an embodiment, where the cone edge is lowered and the roulette ball in the groove is stored.

[0027] Figure 11A It is a cross-sectional view of a movable cone and roulette wheel according to an embodiment, with the cone edge lowered and the roulette ball in the groove stored and another ball in the adjacent groove.

[0028] Figure 11B It comes from Figure 11A A three-dimensional view of two roulette balls in adjacent grooves from different angles.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of a roulette wheel with a movable cone according to an embodiment, illustrating lighting features and a multiplier wheel on the cone.

[0030] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of a roulette wheel with a movable cone according to an embodiment, illustrating additional symbols on the roulette wheel and a multiplier wheel on the cone.

[0031] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of a movable cone and roulette wheel according to an embodiment, with the cone edge lowered and multiple roulette balls stored in sub-grooves.

[0032] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of multiple roulette-style game balls stored in a sub-groove according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 16 It comes from Figure 15 A three-dimensional view of multiple roulette balls in a groove from different angles.

[0034] Figure 17 This is a block diagram of an embodiment of the computing system. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Most roulette machines consist of a base, a cone, a fixed rim, and a rotating roulette wheel positioned in the center of the base. The roulette wheel comprises several grooves configured to hold the roulette ball. Numbers between 0 and 36 (and 00 on some roulette wheels) and colors (typically green for 0 and 00, and red and black alternating for other numbers) are assigned to each groove. The fixed rim comprises a single angled circular track in which the roulette ball is manually spun. At the start of a game cycle, usually after further selection is closed, the referee will manually spin the roulette ball in the track, or the roulette ball will be launched from the launch tube. The roulette ball rotates in the opposite direction to the rotating roulette wheel. When the roulette ball finally leaves the track, it will eventually land in one of the grooves, indicating the end of the game cycle.

[0036] Figure 1A This is a diagram of the key forces acting on the roulette ball 10 within the track 12 of the fixed rim (not shown) of the roulette mechanism (not shown). Centrifugal force F c The centrifugal force F always points directly outward from the center of rotation of the roulette ball 10, and as the ball's speed decreases due to friction along the track 12, the centrifugal force F... c The size decreases. Gravity F g It always points directly downwards and remains constant throughout the entire rotation of the roulette ball 10. Normal force F n The surface of the track 12 on which the roulette ball 10 rotates is perpendicular to the surface of the track 12. Without the roulette ball 10 and track 12, the force, especially the normal force F... n The deconstruction in Figure 1B As shown in the image. Figure 1B As shown, as long as the centrifugal force F c Exceeding the normal force F c The size of the horizontal component determines the roulette ball 10's circulation along the edge of the fixed rim.

[0037] In a traditional roulette wheel mechanism, during the phase where the roulette ball rotates around the track, the following parameters can be applied:

[0038] Initial spin time (when the roulette ball leaves the launch tube): t0 (e.g., t0 = 0.6 seconds (s))

[0039] Initial rotational speed: v0 (e.g., )

[0040] Critical spin time (when the roulette ball leaves the rim and begins to cycle more slowly): t c (For example, t) c =2.1 seconds (s)

[0041] Critical rotational speed: v0 (e.g., )

[0042] Ball mass: m (e.g., m = 9.0 grams (g))

[0043] Sphere diameter: d (d = 18 millimeters (mm))

[0044] Wheel tilt: (For example, )

[0045] Wheel diameter: 2R (e.g., 2R = 734 mm)

[0046] Average number of rotations before stopping: (e.g., 16)

[0047] Traditional methods of releasing multiple roulette balls within the same fixed rim either release the balls into the same track at the same or different times, or use completely separate tracks to prevent collisions between balls. This disclosure refers to releasing multiple roulette balls into the same fixed rim along the same or opposite paths, with an offset between each release, so that the roulette balls will cycle at different heights and thus avoid collisions. Sensors (not shown, but positioned around the rim) in the fixed rim can measure the initial rotational speed of each roulette ball at the time of launch. The initial rotational speed can vary significantly from one launch to the next. Once the initial rotational speed has been determined, the offset can be determined before the launch of the next roulette ball, as discussed further below, to ensure that there will be no collisions between the roulette balls.

[0048] Figure 2 The illustration shows a roulette wheel mechanism 20 having a fixed rim 22 and a standard roulette wheel 24. The standard roulette wheel 24 has a cone 25 and multiple grooves 27, which, as further discussed herein, are centrally located within the upper region 26 of the roulette wheel mechanism 20. Figure 3 As shown, the fixed rim can have two or more substantially flat sections, or it can be a single smooth surface that gradually steepens towards the outer edge 32. Figure 3As shown, the roulette ball 28 circulates within one of two tracks formed by the flat section 29 of the fixed rim 22. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A perspective view of the roulette wheel mechanism, illustrating more details of the fixed rim and the multiple angled circular tracks surrounding the rotating roulette wheel. More detailed views of the fixed rim 22 and the flat section 29 are shown in... Figure 3 As shown in the diagram. Flat segment 29 is highlighted with lines, indicating the angle of each flat segment and specifying each resulting track. The upper first circular track 30, or first track 30, closest to the outer edge 32, is defined by the intersection between the upper segment 33 and the middle segment 34. The lower second circular track 35, or second track 35, is defined by the intersection between the middle segment 34 and the lower segment 36.

[0049] The ball launch tube's outlet or launch point 38 is at Figure 3 As shown in the diagram. Although only a single launch point is shown, there can be two different launch points. In one embodiment, each launch point can launch each roulette ball in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the roulette wheel. In another embodiment, one launch point can launch the roulette ball in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the roulette wheel, and another launch point can launch the roulette ball in the same direction as the rotation of the roulette wheel. The launch points can be located adjacent to each other, on opposite sides of a fixed rim, or elsewhere. Launching multiple different roulette balls in different directions can create a cross-spiral effect (spirals are discussed further herein) and increase the fun and enjoyment of the game.

[0050] In this embodiment, a first roulette ball may be ejected from outlet 38 of the launch tube to land on the first track 30. The steep angle of the ramp between the upper section 33 and the middle section 34 ensures that, after losing sufficient velocity, the first ball will leave the first track and cross to the second track 35. A second roulette ball may be ejected from outlet 38 to follow the same trajectory as the first roulette ball, leaving the first track only after the first roulette ball has moved to the lower section 36 or the roulette wheel 24. The angles of intersection between the upper section 33 and the middle section 34, and between the middle section 34 and the lower section 36, can be calculated so that the two roulette balls never land on the same track simultaneously, thus ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted cycle around the fixed rim 22. The initial spin time or launch velocity of the first roulette ball can be randomly generated in a manner known in the art to ensure fair play. The launch velocity of the second roulette ball can be determined based on the measured velocity of the first roulette ball.

[0051] Figure 4A This diagram shows the position of the first roulette ball 40 on the upper first track 30 and the position of the second roulette ball 42 on the lower second track 35. Figure 4B It is acting on Figure 4A The key forces on the first and second round ball 40 and the corresponding wheel tilt angles for each ball. and The diagram illustrates this. Based on the fixed parameters described above, and assuming the final wheel camber equals the current wheel camber, the rotation phase can be divided into two rotation phases, S1 and S2, as follows:

[0052] S1:

[0053] Rotation radius: R1 (e.g., R1 = 367 mm)

[0054] Wheel tilt: (For example, )

[0055] S2:

[0056] Rotation radius: R2 (e.g., R2 = 349 mm)

[0057] Wheel tilt: (For example, )

[0058] Centrifugal force F c The following equation can be used to calculate:

[0059]

[0060] Where m is the mass of the ball, v is the current rotational speed, and r is the radius of rotation.

[0061] Horizontal normal component F c The size of ' depends only on the tilt angle of the wheel surface. It can be calculated as follows:

[0062]

[0063] To determine the critical point when a roulette ball leaves one track and reaches the lower track, or leaves the lowest track and moves towards the roulette wheel, the centrifugal force and the horizontal normal component must be equal, leading to the following calculations:

[0064] F c =F' c

[0065]

[0066] in It is the gravitational constant.

[0067] The key points in the rotation phase can be as follows:

[0068] The roulette ball leaves the launch tube (t=0).

[0069]

[0070] Roulette ball leaves S1

[0071] F c =F' c

[0072]

[0073] Roulette ball leaves S2

[0074] F c =F' c

[0075]

[0076] To ensure that the roulette balls do not collide, the first roulette ball must be at least as low as it was when it left the launch tube when the second roulette ball is released.

[0077] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram of a portion of the roulette wheel mechanism, illustrating two roulette wheels on different tracks: the first roulette wheel 50 in rotation phase S1 and the second roulette wheel 52 in rotation phase S2. Figure 6 Provide a perspective view of two identical roulette balls in different sections of the track. The first roulette ball 50 has just begun to move from the rotation phase S1 to the rotation phase S2, that is, it is leaving the upper first track 30 and moving towards the lower second track 35, while as the upper ball leaves its track and moves towards the lower track, the second roulette ball 50 leaves the rotation phase S2 and moves towards the lower section 36 and the roulette wheel 24. Figure 7 A perspective view of two identical roulette balls is provided, wherein the first roulette ball 50 has completely left the fixed rim and is now on the rotating roulette wheel 24, moving toward landing in the groove 27. The second roulette ball 52 is in the rotation stage S1 of the lower second track 35 and may be ready to move to the lower section 36.

[0078] While the above embodiments may rely on the inclination between the flat sections of the fixed rim, the fixed rim does not require the intersections between the flat sections to define the physically different tracks that the roulette ball may follow during the game cycle. Figure 8 A diagram provides an embodiment of a fixed rim 80 having multiple tracks, each track being defined by a rotational phase determined by the angular rotation of each roulette ball. The angular rotation of the roulette ball can be defined as follows:

[0079] Angular velocity:

[0080] ω=ω0*e -t / τ

[0081] Path of travel:

[0082] Δθ=ω*Δt

[0083]

[0084] To ensure the roulette balls don't collide vertically, it might be necessary to ensure the height of the first roulette ball on the fixed rim is at least the diameter of the roulette ball lower than the initial height of the second roulette ball on the fixed rim when the second roulette ball is launched. With a flatter fixed rim, the necessary separation can be more horizontal. These conditions may need to be maintained throughout the game cycle and can be verified based on sensor measurements of the roulette ball speed and separation throughout the game cycle, where both roulette balls move towards the roulette wheel at substantially the same rate. This separation assumes the height of the roulette ball on the fixed rim is directly proportional to the rotation time, i.e., h ∝ t, where h is the height of the fixed rim and t is the rotation time.

[0085] If the following values ​​are used as initial conditions for the design of a fixed rim for proper operation of a roulette wheel mechanism:

[0086] Initial rotation radius: R (e.g., R = 0.35 meters (m))

[0087] Initial rotational speed: ω0 (e.g., ω0 = 12s) -1 )

[0088] Rotational velocity constant: τ (e.g., τ = 10 s) -1 ),

[0089] The shape of the continuously curved fixed rim 80 can be as follows: Figure 8 The image shows the different numbers for the roulette balls 82, representing each ball at launch times of 0 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, and 20 seconds. At 0 seconds, the roulette ball rotates approximately 2 times per second around the fixed rim 80, decreasing to approximately 1.2 times per second at 5 seconds, approximately 0.8 times per second at 10 seconds, and significantly slowing down to approximately 0.3 times per second by 20 seconds. However, from... Figure 8 As can be seen, in an attempt to maintain the height difference between the roulette balls, the curve of the lower part of the fixed rim 80 becomes significantly flatter, thus requiring a fixed rim with a much larger radius than that of a more traditional roulette mechanism.

[0090] Figure 9This is a diagram of another embodiment of a fixed rim 90 with multiple tracks, wherein a constant distance is maintained between the centers of rotation of the roulette balls following different tracks. In this case, the height of the roulette balls on the fixed rim 90 is directly proportional to the speed of rotation. That is: h ∝ θ, where h is the height of the fixed rim and θ is the speed of rotation. Figure 9 As shown, this embodiment enables the fixed rim 90 to have a small radius while maintaining sufficient separation between the roulette balls at 0s, 5s, 10s, 15s, and 20s.

[0091] like Figure 7 As shown, when the first roulette ball 50 falls completely from the fixed rim onto the rotating roulette wheel 24, it eventually lands in one of the grooves 27. The first roulette ball 50 lands in the groove 27, where it is stopped by the cone 25 and held in place by the flange of the groove 27. If the first roulette ball 50 remains in the groove 27, the second roulette ball 52 will eventually fall from the fixed rim onto the roulette wheel and proceed toward its own groove 27. As previously mentioned herein, if the second roulette ball 52 attempts to land in the same groove 27 currently occupied by the first roulette ball, the two roulette balls will interfere with each other and cause one (i.e., determined by the first roulette ball) or both games to fail, so a solution is needed to address this issue.

[0092] Figure 10A The illustration shows a first roulette ball 50, which, during the game, is positioned in a groove 27 and rests against the edge 100 of a cone 25 in its normal position. The groove 27 may be angled downwards toward the edge 100, such that even as the roulette wheel rotates, the first roulette ball 50 tilts to rest against the edge 100. A sensor 102, located below the groove 27 or elsewhere on the roulette mechanism (e.g., on the rim), can detect the presence of the first roulette ball 50 and trigger a report or indication of the game's outcome, i.e., identifying the color (if applicable) and number or symbol of the groove where the ball rests. Figure 10B As shown, detecting the presence of the first roulette ball 50 can also cause the edge 100 of the cone 25 to be raised by a mechanical device, such as a motor, servo motor, or other known device that drives the belt and pulley, and cause the first roulette ball 50 to roll from below the edge 100 into the sub-groove for storage. Figure 10C As shown, once the first roulette ball 50 has been stored, the edge 100 of the cone 25 returns to its normal position. The raising and lowering of the edge 100 of the cone 25 can be performed quickly enough not to affect the result of the second roulette ball 52.

[0093] Alternatively, the first ball can be launched until it is already in the sub-groove below the edge 100 of the rim, before launching the second ball. In this way, the roulette wheel can stop when the first ball is in the groove. The cone can be raised and lowered to bring the first ball below the cone, then the wheel can rotate again and the next ball can be launched. This process can be repeated for multiple balls until a subsequent ball contacts a ball in one of the grooves, or a ball is in both the groove and the corresponding sub-groove.

[0094] like Figure 11A Further illustration shows that in its storage location, the first roulette ball 50 is still visible to the player, but it is separated from the second roulette ball 52 by edge 100, preventing the two roulette balls from contacting each other. Figure 11B As shown, when the roulette ball 110 is placed in the sub-groove below the cone 25, it can rest against the side groove 112 of the cone 25, where it can still be seen through the opening of the groove 27. This allows for the continued illustration of results related to the first roulette ball and the statistically independent results for both roulette balls, even if they fall into the same groove, while the second roulette ball remains on the rim or in the groove. Figure 11A As shown, there may be a trapdoor 114 at the bottom of each sub-recess 112 for the opening below each sub-recess, the trapdoor 114 sending the roulette ball back to the launch chamber below the roulette wheel.

[0095] To further enhance the roulette mechanism and make it easier for players to identify where the roulette ball has landed, illumination can be provided to light the grooves containing the ball. This illumination can be triggered by sensor 102, which detects the roulette ball in the groove. Figure 12 As shown, the illumination can be located in the bottom material of the cone 25 or the groove 120, and the associated sub-grooves can be made of a translucent material, which includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or liquid crystal displays (LCDs) beneath the material, which can change the digital wheel corresponding to the groove. Figure 12 The color of the number wheel shown (excluding the number) is, for example, from red or black to green, to indicate the groove or sub-groove for holding the roulette ball 122.

[0096] Additional enhancements include the ability to illuminate light through a crystal embedded in the turret 124 of the cone 25 during the game or when the roulette ball lands in the groove, to further indicate the outcome of each game or for some other reason. Figure 13As shown, the cone can be illuminated by a lamp, or by a multiplier wheel 126 on the cone, for use in one or more different types of games played on a roulette wheel mechanism. Different types of games can utilize a roulette wheel 130, which, by adding multiplier wheels 126 and such... Figure 13 The four additional symbols 132 shown are used to modify the standard roulette wheel 24.

[0097] Figure 14 The illustration shows an arrangement including extended sub-grooves configured to store a plurality of roulette balls. The cone 25 may include an extension 145 above a platform 140 in the rim to create spacing for storing a plurality of roulette balls within the sub-grooves. Figure 14 The illustration shows an example of two roulette balls 55 and 56 held within a sub-groove. The movable cone 25, platform 140, and extension 145 can be configured to hold additional roulette balls, such as two, three, four, etc., as desired. The sub-groove can store multiple roulette balls, such as roulette balls 55 and 60, such that their positions do not interfere with the launch of other roulette balls, nor with the randomness of the launched roulette balls landing within a single groove.

[0098] Similar to other examples discussed herein, sensor 102 can be triggered when the roulette ball 50 lands in the groove and / or contacts the edge 100 of the cone. Sensor 102 can indicate the presence of the ball, the outcome of the game, the color of the ball, etc. Information from sensor 102 can trigger movement of cone 25 to allow the roulette ball to be received into the sub-groove. The sensor can be positioned inside or on at least one of the edge, groove, or rim.

[0099] The sub-recess may include a trapdoor 114 on which roulette balls can be stored. When the trapdoor 114 is opened, the roulette balls fall into a channel to return to the launch chamber below the roulette wheel. The trapdoor 114 may be opened to receive a specified number of roulette balls stored in the sub-recess. For example, the trapdoor 114 may be opened to receive only a single ball, such as roulette ball 60, at a precise time. In other examples, the trapdoor 114 may be opened to receive multiple or all of the roulette balls stored in the sub-recess.

[0100] In some examples, the movement of cone 25 can be coordinated with the movement of trapdoor 114. This ensures that a specific number of balls remain within the sub-groove and / or creates space so that the sub-groove is capable of receiving additional roulette balls. The movement of trapdoor 114 and cone 25 can also be independent. For example, trapdoor 114 can open when additional roulette balls are needed by the launch chamber, after a period of time, or when the game ends.

[0101] Figure 15The illustration shows a perspective view of multiple balls stored within a sub-groove. In the example, the stored balls, such as roulette balls 55 and 60, remain visible to the player. Similar to other aspects discussed herein, the first roulette ball 50 can be physically separated from the roulette balls within the sub-groove via edge 100.

[0102] Figure 16 Alternative perspective views of multiple balls stored within a sub-recess are illustrated. As discussed above, the sub-recess may include a platform 140 in the rim to hold multiple roulette balls. In some examples, the platform 140 is long enough to store at least one roulette ball (e.g., roulette ball 55) within the sub-recess, as well as a roulette ball (e.g., roulette ball 50) on the opposite side of the edge 100. A trapdoor 114 may provide space for additional roulette balls (e.g., roulette ball 60) to be stored. The length, size, and configuration of these features can be adjusted as needed to store more or fewer roulette balls.

[0103] This disclosure describes specific embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. The embodiments described herein are illustrative only and not limiting. Based on the teachings herein, those skilled in the art will recognize a range of equivalents to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Most notably, other embodiments are possible, variations can be made to the embodiments described herein, and equivalents of parts, components, or steps constituting the described embodiments may exist. For clarity and brevity, certain aspects of parts or steps in some embodiments are given without excessive detail, wherein such detail is obvious to those skilled in the art based on the teachings herein, and / or wherein such detail would obscure the understanding of more relevant aspects of the embodiments.

[0104] Some of the technologies described above can be implemented on a computing device associated with a gaming device (e.g., a roulette wheel mechanism), multiple computing devices associated with multiple gaming devices, a controller communicating with a gaming device (e.g., a controller configured to synchronize with a gaming device), or multiple controllers communicating with a gaming device. Furthermore, some technologies can be distributed between the computing device and the controller. Figure 17 An exemplary block diagram of a computing system is shown, which includes hardware modules, software modules, and combinations thereof, and may be implemented as a computing device and / or a server.

[0105] In a basic configuration, a computing system may include at least a processor, system memory, storage devices, input / output peripherals, communication peripherals, and an interface bus. Instructions stored in memory can be executed by the processor to perform various methods and operations, including shooter selection and console mirroring as described above. The computing system components may reside within the gaming device, in other components of a server or network, or be distributed among certain combinations of these devices.

[0106] The interface bus is configured to communicate, transmit, and transfer data, control, and commands between various components of an electronic device. System memory and storage devices include computer-readable storage media such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), hard disk drives, optical disk drives (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, flash memory, and other tangible storage media. Any such computer-readable storage medium can be configured to store instructions or program code embodying aspects of this disclosure. Furthermore, system memory includes operating systems and application programs. The processor is configured to execute stored instructions and may include, for example, a logic processing unit, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, etc.

[0107] System memory and storage devices may also include computer-readable signal media. Computer-readable signal media may include propagated data signals embodied therein as computer-readable program code. Such propagated signals may take any of a variety of forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic, optical, or any combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media may be any computer-readable medium that is not a computer-readable storage medium, and may communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use in conjunction with a computing system.

[0108] Furthermore, input / output peripherals include user interfaces such as keyboards, screens, microphones, speakers, other input / output devices, and computing components such as digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters, graphics processing units, serial ports, parallel ports, and universal serial buses. Input / output peripherals may also include various sensors, such as light sensors, proximity sensors, GPS sensors, magnetic field sensors, altitude sensors, speed / accelerometer sensors, received signal strength indicators (RSSI), distance sensors, and other types of sensors. Input / output peripherals can be connected to the processor via any port coupled to the interface bus.

[0109] The user interface can be configured to allow users of the computing system to interact with it. For example, the computing system may include instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to generate a user interface and perform other methods and operations that the user can use to provide input to the computing system and receive output from the computing system.

[0110] The user interface can take the form of a graphical user interface presented on a screen, combined with audio transmitted from speakers and microphones and input received at a keyboard. In one embodiment, the user interface can be generated locally on the computing system. In another embodiment, the user interface can be hosted on a remote computing system and presented there. For example, a server can generate the user interface and send related information to a computing device, which in turn presents the user interface to the user. The computing device can, for example, execute a browser or an application that displays an application programming interface (API) on the server to access the user interface hosted on the server.

[0111] Finally, the communication peripherals of the computing system are configured to facilitate communication between the computing system and other computing systems (e.g., between computing devices and servers) via a communication network. Communication peripherals include, for example, network interface controllers, modems, various modulators / demodulators and encoders / decoders, wireless and wired interface cards, antennas, etc.

[0112] A communication network includes any type of network suitable for providing communication between a computing device and a server, and may include combinations of discrete networks that can use different technologies. For example, a communication network includes cellular networks, wireless network (WiFi) / broadband networks, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), telephone networks, fiber optic networks, or combinations thereof. In an example embodiment, the communication network includes the Internet and any network suitable for communicating with the Internet. The communication network can also be configured as a means for transmitting data between the computing device and the server.

[0113] The techniques described above can be embodied in code modules executed by one or more computers or computer processors, and can be fully or partially automated by these code modules. The code modules can be stored on any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or computer storage device, such as hard disk drives, solid-state storage, optical disks, and / or the like. Processes and algorithms can be implemented, partially or wholly, in dedicated circuitry. The disclosed processes and the results of process steps can be persistently or otherwise stored in any type of non-transitory computer memory, such as volatile or non-volatile memory.

[0114] In an embodiment, the roulette mechanism for a multi-ball roulette game includes a base, a rotating roulette wheel, a roulette ball launching system, and an annular fixed rim mounted on the base. The fixed rim has a central opening and an upwardly curved surface, around which one or more roulette balls travel. The rotating roulette wheel is configured to rotate in a first direction, be positioned in the central opening of the fixed rim, and be supported by the base. The roulette wheel includes a movable central cone and a plurality of grooves distributed around the periphery of the movable central cone. The grooves are configured to initially at least maintain travel from the curved surface onto the roulette wheel and enter a... One or more roulette balls in one or more grooves, each groove corresponding to a unique identifier on the roulette wheel; a movable central cone including an edge, a motor, and a plurality of sub-grooves below at least a portion of the edge; the edge is configured to stop a roulette ball that has entered a groove; the motor is configured to raise the edge to move a roulette ball from a groove to a sub-grooves and lower the edge when the roulette ball is in a sub-grooves; and a roulette ball launching system configured to launch one or more roulette balls rotating around a fixed rim in one or more of a first direction and a second direction.

[0115] In one embodiment, the edge prevents the roulette ball from contacting the subsequent roulette ball when the roulette ball is in the sub-groove and a subsequent roulette ball enters the groove.

[0116] In one embodiment, the roulette ball in the sub-groove is visible to the player using the roulette mechanism.

[0117] In one embodiment, the movable central cone is configured to rise and fall as the rotating wheel rotates in a first direction.

[0118] In one embodiment, the movable central cone is configured to rise and fall when the rotating wheel stops.

[0119] In one embodiment, the roulette wheel further includes a turret having multiple openings embedded with a translucent material, through which one or more lights within the turret can be displayed.

[0120] In one embodiment, the movable central cone includes a multiplier wheel having multiple multiplier values ​​displayed thereon, each multiplier value corresponding to one or more grooves.

[0121] In one embodiment, the movable central cone also includes illumination for highlighting each multiple.

[0122] In one embodiment, the roulette wheel also includes lighting to highlight each notch and each unique identifier.

[0123] In one embodiment, the unique identifier comprises 36 numbers and multiple symbols, and the movable central cone includes a multiplier wheel with multiple multiplier values ​​displayed thereon, each multiplier value corresponding to a unique identifier.

[0124] In one embodiment, the curved surface of the fixed rim includes one or more paths around which at least a first roulette ball and one or more additional roulette balls travel, wherein the first roulette ball is launched by a roulette ball launching system onto one or more paths to rotate around the fixed rim while moving downward toward the roulette wheel along the curved surface as the first roulette ball loses momentum, and wherein one or more additional roulette balls are launched by the roulette ball launching system onto one or more paths and do not collide with the first roulette ball or any of the additional roulette balls while traveling on one or more paths.

[0125] In one embodiment, the curved surface includes an upper track, a lower track, and multiple segments, wherein the upper track is formed between a first segment and a second segment, and the lower track is formed between a second segment and a third segment.

[0126] In the embodiment, the first, second, and third segments are substantially flat.

[0127] In one embodiment, the first roulette ball moves to the lower track before one or more additional roulette balls that have been launched onto the upper track, and the first roulette ball moves out of the lower track before one or more additional roulette balls that have moved to the lower track.

[0128] In one embodiment, the curved surface is smooth and continuously curved at a sharper angle toward the outer edge of the fixed rim, and one or more roulette balls spiral downward toward the roulette wheel along the curved surface.

[0129] In one embodiment, the roulette ball launching system includes multiple launchers, and the second direction is equal to, opposite to, or both of the first direction.

[0130] In the embodiment, each of the sub-grooves is configured to store a plurality of roulette balls.

[0131] In one embodiment, the roulette wheel mechanism further includes a sensor for detecting the presence of a roulette wheel ball in a groove, and causing a motor to raise and lower the edge to transfer the roulette wheel ball to a sub-groove.

[0132] In one embodiment, the sensor is positioned within at least one of a groove, edge, or rim.

[0133] In one embodiment, each sub-recess includes a trapdoor configured to hold the roulette ball and, when opened, to deliver the roulette ball to the roulette ball launching system.

[0134] As previously stated, the various features and processes described above can be used independently of each other or combined in various ways. All possible combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, in some implementations, certain method or process blocks may be omitted. The methods and processes described herein are not limited to any particular order, and the associated blocks or states may be performed in other suitable orders. For example, the described blocks or states may be performed in an order different from that specifically disclosed, or multiple blocks or states may be combined in a single block or state. Example blocks or states may be performed serially, in parallel, or in some other manner. Blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed example embodiments. The example systems and parts described herein may be configured differently from those described. For example, elements may be added, removed, or rearranged compared to the disclosed example embodiments.

[0135] The conditional language used herein, such as “can,” “able to,” “may,” “may,” “e.g.,” and similar terms, unless specifically stated otherwise or understood otherwise in the context in which they are used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps that are not included in other embodiments. Therefore, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that one or more embodiments require features, elements, and / or steps in any way, or that one or more embodiments must include logic for determining, with or without author input or prompting, whether such features, elements, and / or steps are included in or will be performed in any particular embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and similar terms are synonymous and used inclusively in an open-ended manner, without excluding additional elements, features, actions, operations, etc. Furthermore, the term “or” is used in its inclusive (rather than exclusive) sense such that when used, for example, to connect a series of elements, the term “or” indicates one, some, or all of the elements in the list.

[0136] This disclosure describes specific embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. The embodiments described herein are illustrative only and not limiting. Those skilled in the art will recognize, based on the teachings herein, a wide range of equivalents of the exemplary embodiments described herein are possible. Most notably, other embodiments are also possible, variations can be made to the embodiments described herein, and equivalents of parts, components, or steps constituting the described embodiments are possible. For clarity and brevity, certain aspects of components or steps of some embodiments are presented without excessive detail, wherein such detail is obvious to those skilled in the art based on the teachings herein, and / or wherein such detail would obscure the understanding of more relevant aspects of the embodiments.

[0137] The terminology and descriptions used above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations, enhancements, and modifications of the concepts described herein are possible without departing from the fundamental principles of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined only by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Roulette wheel mechanism for multi-ball roulette games, including: Base An annular fixed rim is mounted on the base, the fixed rim having a central opening and an upward curved surface, around which one or more roulette balls travel; A rotating roulette wheel is configured to rotate in a first direction and be positioned in the central opening of the fixed rim and supported by the base. The roulette wheel includes a movable central cone and a plurality of grooves distributed around the periphery of the movable central cone. The grooves are configured to initially hold at least one or more roulette balls that have traveled from the curved surface onto the roulette wheel and entered one or more of the grooves. Each groove corresponds to a unique identifier on the roulette wheel. The movable central cone includes an edge, a motor, and a plurality of sub-grooves below at least a portion of the edge. The edge is configured to stop a roulette ball that has entered a groove. The motor is configured to raise the edge so that the roulette ball moves from the groove to the sub-grooves and lower the edge when the roulette ball is in the sub-grooves. as well as A roulette ball launching system configured to launch one or more roulette balls rotating around the fixed rim in one or more of a first direction and a second direction.

2. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein when the roulette ball is in the sub-groove and a subsequent roulette ball enters the groove, the edge will prevent the roulette ball from contacting the subsequent roulette ball.

3. The roulette wheel mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the roulette ball in the sub-groove is visible to the player using the roulette wheel mechanism.

4. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein the movable central cone is configured to rise and fall as the rotating wheel rotates in the first direction.

5. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein when the rotating wheel stops, the movable central cone is configured to rise and fall.

6. The roulette wheel mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the roulette wheel further includes a turret having a plurality of openings embedded with a translucent material, wherein one or more lights within the turret can be displayed through the translucent material.

7. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein the movable central cone comprises a multiplier wheel having a plurality of multiplier values ​​displayed thereon, each multiplier value corresponding to one or more of the grooves.

8. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 7, wherein the movable central cone further includes illumination for highlighting each multiplier.

9. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein the roulette wheel further includes lighting for highlighting each groove and each unique identifier.

10. The roulette wheel game mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifier comprises 36 numbers and multiple symbols, and the movable central cone comprises a multiplier wheel having multiple multiplier values ​​displayed thereon, each multiplier value corresponding to a unique identifier.

11. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein the curved surface of the fixed rim comprises one or more paths, at least a first roulette wheel ball and one or more additional roulette wheel balls travel around the one or more paths, wherein the first roulette wheel ball is launched by the roulette wheel ball launching system onto one of the one or more paths to rotate around the fixed rim, while moving downward along the curved surface toward the roulette wheel as the first roulette wheel ball loses momentum, and wherein, The one or more additional roulette balls are launched by the roulette ball launching system onto the one or more paths, and will not collide with the first roulette ball or any additional roulette balls while traveling on the one or more paths.

12. The roulette wheel mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the curved surface includes an upper track, a lower track, and a plurality of segments, wherein the upper track is formed between a first segment and a second segment, and the lower track is formed between the second segment and a third segment.

13. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 12, wherein the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are substantially flat.

14. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 12, wherein the first roulette wheel ball moves to the lower track before the one or more additional roulette wheels launched onto the upper track, and wherein the first roulette wheel ball moves out of the lower track before the one or more additional roulette wheels that have moved to the lower track.

15. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein the curved surface is smooth and continuously curved at a sharper angle toward the outer edge of the fixed rim, and wherein one or more roulette wheels spiral downward toward the roulette wheel along the curved surface.

16. The roulette wheel game mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the roulette wheel ball launching system comprises a plurality of launchers, and wherein the second direction is equal to the first direction, opposite to the first direction, or both.

17. The roulette wheel mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each of the sub-grooves is configured to store a plurality of roulette wheels.

18. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting the presence of the roulette wheel ball in the groove, and causing the motor to raise and lower the edge to transfer the roulette wheel ball to the sub-groove.

19. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 18, wherein the sensor is positioned within at least one of the groove, the edge, or the rim.

20. The roulette wheel mechanism of claim 1, wherein each sub-recess includes a trapdoor configured to hold the roulette wheel ball and, when opened, transfer the roulette wheel ball to the roulette wheel ball launching system.

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