Roulette wheel with smart cover
AssigneeLas Vegas Sands Corp.
InventorAndrew MacDonald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method is provided for delaying an outcome of a roulette game is disclosed. Accordingly, the system includes a roulette wheel and a glass cover attached to the roulette wheel, the glass cover configured to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state in response to electrical signals. Game circuitry is configured to operate a ball release mechanism to launch a ball around an inner circumference of the roulette wheel, and to send electrical signals to the glass cover while the ball is in to change the glass cover from the transparent state to the opaque state so that the ball cannot be viewed from outside the glass cover. After the ball has stopped, signals are sent to change the glass cover from the opaque state to the transparent state, so that the ball and the outcome of the game can be viewed.
Claims17
A system for delaying an outcome of a roulette game, the system comprising:
- a roulette wheel comprising a plurality of pockets, each pocket for stationary confinement of a ball;
- a glass cover attached to the roulette wheel, the glass cover configured to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state in response to electrical signals;
- and
- game circuitry operably connected to the glass cover, the game circuitry configured to switch the glass cover from the transparent state to the opaque state and back to the transparent state at one or more predetermined events or predetermined periods during play of the roulette game, and to send a first electrical signal to the glass cover while a ball is in motion around an inner circumference of the roulette wheel to change the glass cover from the transparent state to the opaque state so that the ball cannot be viewed from outside the glass cover.
A method for delaying an outcome of a roulette game, comprising:
- launching a ball around a roulette wheel, the roulette wheel having a glass cover configured to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state in response to one or more electrical signals;
- sending a first electrical signal to the glass cover while the ball is in motion around the roulette wheel to switch switching the glass cover from the transparent state to the opaque state so that the ball cannot be viewed from outside the glass cover and back to the transparent state at one or more predetermined events or predetermined periods during play of the roulette game;
- and
- receiving an indication that the ball is no longer moving and has come to rest in one of a plurality of pockets on the roulette wheel;
- and
- sending a second electrical signal to the glass cover after the indication is received to change the glass cover from the opaque state to the transparent state, so that the ball can be viewed from outside the glass cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.