U.S. Pat. No. 10,226,696

List of reference numbers:1: support frame;2: main display region;3: secondary display region;4: first display screen;5: second display screen;6: third display screen;7: support post;8: grating-type anti-peeping structure;11: base;12: support stage;81: wall;91: main panel;92: touch panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A display system and a multiplayer game machine including the display system according to the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a top view of a multiplayer game machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the multiplayer game machine comprises a display system supported, for example, by a support stage, the display system comprises a main body and a display screen4held by the main body. As shown in theFIG. 1, the display screen4has a main display region2and at least two secondary display regions3(four secondary display regions are shown inFIG. 1). The main display region2is configured to display common information associated with a game and being viewable by all game players. The secondary display regions comprise display panels with anti-peeping devices (not shown) and are configured to display information dedicated to a certain game player.

When using the multiplayer game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention to play a game, a plurality of (at least two) players, for example, may sit or stand around the support stage or the display screen of the multiplayer game machine. Each player plays the game with his/her dedicated secondary display region. The display panel of each secondary display region3comprises an anti-peeping device to prevent other players from peeping.

Specifically, players may select a desired game, for example, through a respective secondary display region3before the game. The main display region2displays common information that relates to the selected game and is viewable by all players. A respective secondary display region in front of each player is used for displaying information dedicated to the player, and due to the anti-peeping device, each player cannot view information displayed in other secondary display regions in front of other players and dedicated to the other players. The information includes, for example, information about cards in the hands of the players.

In addition, the multiplayer game machine further comprises player instruction input devices. The input devices may be separate input devices including, for example, buttons, joy sticks or the like, or the input device may be incorporated into the secondary display regions. For example, the display screen4is a touch screen or the display panels for the secondary display regions are touch panels, such that players' instructions can be received by the display panels of secondary display regions3.

The multiplayer game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention may further comprise other components necessary to play a multiplayer game, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, a memory, or the like, which is apparent to those skilled in the art and thereby detail descriptions thereof are omitted. For example, in one example, the processor is configured to receive instructions from the input devices, and after processing, the processer determines the contents to be displayed by the display system.

Therefore, at least one of the following technical effects can be achieved with the multiplayer game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention:

1. A plurality of games can be provided for selection by players, and the players needs not to prepare game items, thereby eliminating the problems with lost or damage of the game items, and storage of various game items;

2. Players can be prevented from peeping by providing anti-peeping devices, meanwhile, the multiplayer game machine can be manufactured to be smaller in volume and thereby facilitate communications between players; and

3. Different information can be displayed in different regions of a large screen, thus there is no need to provide a plurality of display screens, thereby structural complexity and production cost can be reduced.

In the multiplayer game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in theFIG. 1, each secondary display region3may be preferably provided on a respective side of the display screen4, and the main display region2is located in a central zone of the display screen4.

Please note that the anti-peeping device may be realized in various ways. One example of the anti-peeping device is a block plate provided around a respective secondary display region and having a certain height. In another example, the anti-peeping device may comprise a grating-type anti-peeping device. The grating-type anti-peeping device may comprise a plurality of parallel gratings, each of which forms an angle relative to normal direction of respective display region or display screen, so that an allowed range of viewing angle of the respective display region or display screen can be limited within a predetermined angle range. In embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of parallel gratings may limit the allowed range of viewing angle of each secondary display region to an angle range, within which a certain player can normally view his/her dedicated information displayed in secondary display region while other players can not view such dedicated information, thereby the anti-peeping effect can be realized.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 2 and 3are schematic diagrams showing a multiplayer game machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figures, the multiplayer game machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention also comprises a display system supported, for example, by a support stage, but the display system comprises a main body and a plurality of display screens held by the main body.

In other words, the multiplayer game machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the multiplayer game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention in that, in the second embodiment, the main display region2and the secondary display regions3are provided by separate display screens respectively. For example, a main display screen5provides the main display region2, while a plurality of secondary display screens6provide the plurality of secondary display regions3respectively. According to the second embodiment, other anti-peeping means can be provided.

In one example, the secondary display screens6providing the secondary display regions3are configured to be pivotably connected to the support stage12. Therefore, the secondary display screens6can be rotated at a certain angle relative to the plane of the support stage12according to instructions or operations of game players. The angles may be adjusted so that a game player can view his/her respective secondary display screen6more comfortably. Meanwhile, since the secondary display screen6can be rotated to face to the respective game player, it is more inconvenient for other game players to view the contents or information displayed in the display screen, and thereby the anti-peeping effect may be further improved. In order to keep the secondary display screens6at desired positions, a plurality of support posts7may be provided to support the secondary display screens6respectively, as shown in theFIG. 3. Of course, the secondary display screens6may also be kept at the desired positions by other means, such as, friction hinges or the like.

In the second embodiment, the secondary display screens6may be provided with other anti-peeping devices, for example, the block plate or the grating-type anti-peeping device as described above, so as to further improve the anti-peeping effect.

In one example, allowed range of viewing angle of a secondary display region3or the secondary display screen6may be limited to a range between five degrees to ten degrees by using a grating-type anti-peeping device, so as to provide a good anti-peeping effect. The range, for example, is indicated by the included angle between two arrowed broken lines shown inFIG. 2. The angle bisector of the included angle is the normal that is perpendicular to the secondary display screen6.

In another example, as shown in theFIG. 4, each secondary display screen6may comprises a flexible display screen, the right side portion and the left side portion of which may be adjusted or warped upwards by a player, such that the display screen6is deformed into an arc-shape. Thus, the two side portions of the flexible display screen that are warped upwards may be used to block lines of sight from other players, thereby improving the anti-peeping effect.

In the first and second embodiments according to the present invention, the multiplayer game machine may further comprises a support frame1, which comprise a base11and the above support stage12. The support stage12may be in shape of a square (as shown in theFIG. 2) with the main display region2being located in a central position of the support stage12and four secondary display regions3being located adjacent to four sides of the support stage12respectively surrounding the main display region2.

In other embodiments, the multiplayer game machine may be provided with six or eight secondary display regions3as required by games. Accordingly, the support stage12of the support frame1may have a regular hexagon shape or a regular octagon shape with the main display region2being located in the central position of the support stage12and the secondary display regions3being arranged adjacent to respective sides of the support stage12surrounding the main display region2.

Embodiments of the Grating-Type Anti-Peeping Device

FIG. 5is a schematic diagram showing a grating-type anti-peeping device for the secondary display region3. As shown, the structure of the secondary display region3may comprises a main panel91and a grating-type structure8disposed above the main panel91. The grating structure8is used to provide the anti-peeping effect. The allowed range of viewing angle of the secondary display region3relates to the height of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8. Specifically, the larger the height of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8is, the smaller the allowed range of viewing angle is, or the smaller the height of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8is, the larger the allowed range of viewing angle is.

As shown inFIG. 5, the secondary display region3may further comprise a touch panel92located above the grating-type anti-peeping structure8. Therefore, the touch panel92may also acts as the player instruction input device as described above.

Preferably, the size of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8is substantially the same as that of the secondary display region3, and as shown in theFIGS. 6-8, the grating-type anti-peeping structure8may comprises a plurality of walls81arranged parallel with each other. It is to be noted that, the walls81shown inFIGS. 6-8have considerable thickness, but it is just to illustrate the wall81more clearly. The wall81may be very thin in practice so as not to adversely affect a game player viewing the information displayed in the secondary display region3.

In one example, all walls81have the same height, as shown in theFIG. 7. In another example, as shown in theFIG. 8, the heights of the walls81gradually increase from the middle of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8to two side portions of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8, so as to improve the anti-peeping effect and provide a better visibility of the secondary display region3. Since the heights of the walls81in the middle of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8are lower than those at two side portions of the grating-type anti-peeping structure8the allowed range of viewing angle of the secondary display region3is relatively larger, thereby facilitating a certain player to view the information displayed in the secondary display region3, In contrast, since the height of the walls81are higher at two side portions of the secondary display region3, a better anti-peeping effect can be provided so that other players on two sides of the certain player cannot easily view the information displayed in the secondary display region3. Moreover, usually two side portions of a secondary display region3are not used to display significant information, therefore this configuration will not adversely affected the player viewing information displayed in the secondary display region3.

Other Aspects of the Multiplayer Game Machine

In one example, the main display region2of the display screen4may also be consisted of a touch panel. Players may input instructions through the touch panel of the main display region2, and the players may control display panel of the each secondary display region3through the touch panel of the main display region2.

In other some example, the main display region2may be of a shape other than the square shape shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Moreover, the main display region2may include all other regions of the display screen4except the secondary display regions3.

In one example, enabling and disenabling of each secondary display region3may be controlled through the main display region2. Therefore, a three-player game can be played in a multiplayer game machine having, for example, four secondary display regions3, and since the unused secondary display region3can be shut off, electric energy can be saved. In addition, even if one of the secondary display regions3of a four-player game machine is damaged, players can still play a three-player game with the four-player game machine using the other three secondary display regions3. In other examples, separate control devices may be provided for independently controlling the enabling and disenabling of respective display regions, and/or the switch-on and switch-off of the multiplayer game machine.

In one example, the multiplayer game machine according to the present invention may further comprise a sound system (not shown). The sound system may provide various sounds, for example, sounds of playing card, triumphal cheers, or the like. The sound system may also provide sounds for prompting players to operate. Sounds volume can be adjusted, or the sound provided by the sound system may be received by earphones, so that the sound provided to a certain player will affect other players.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a display system, which is applicable in the multiplayer game machine as described above.

Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principle and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.