Tilt sensing in an amusement game device

Abstract

Operation of an amusement game device is controlled in part by using an accelerometer positioned with a game cabinet of the amusement game device. The accelerometer is first used to establish a reference idle position for the amusement game device. During game play of the amusement game device, it is then determined if a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed by the accelerometer exceeds a threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device. When it is determined that a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed by the accelerometer during play of the amusement game device exceeds the threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device, play of the amusement game device is caused to be inhibited in whole or in part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling operation of an amusement game device, comprising:
 using an accelerometer positioned with a game cabinet of the amusement game device to establish a reference idle position for the amusement game;   determining if a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed by the accelerometer during play of the amusement game exceeds a threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device; and   when it is determined that a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed by the accelerometer during play of the amusement game device exceeds the threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device, causing play of the amusement game device to be inhibited in whole or in part.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising causing the accelerometer to generate an interrupt signal when it is determined that a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed by the accelerometer during play of the amusement game device exceeds the threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device and causing a processing device in communication with the accelerometer to inhibit play of the amusement game device in whole or in part in response to receipt of the interrupt signal. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the amusement game device comprises a secure menuing system and wherein the method comprises accepting a first user input via the secure menuing system to cause the accelerometer to establish the reference idle position for the amusement game device. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , comprising accepting a second user input via the secure menuing system to set the threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the second user input comprises a user selected value from a predefined scale or range of threshold values. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising determining if a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed by the accelerometer indicates that the amusement game device has been moved into a tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game; determining if the amusement game device remains in the tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game for a threshold amount of time; and when it is determined that the amusement game device has been moved into a tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game device and that the amusement game device has remained in the tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game for the threshold amount of time, causing play of the amusement game device to be inhibited in whole or in part. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the amusement game device comprises a pinball machine and the tilted position comprises a changing of an angle of inclination of a playfield of the pinball machine as compared to an angle of inclination of the playfield of the pinball machine in the reference idle position. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the amusement game device comprises a pinball machine. 
     
     
         9 . An amusement game device, comprising:
 a game cabinet;   game output devices supported by the game cabinet;   game input devices supporting by the game cabinet;   a processing device supported by the game cabinet for controlling operations of the game output devices during play of the amusement game at least in part based upon signals received from the game input devices; and   an accelerometer in communication with the processing device, the accelerometer being used to establish a reference idle position for the amusement game, for determining if a force applied to the amusement game device during play of the amusement game device exceeds a threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device, and for issuing a signal to the processing device when a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed during play of the amusement game device exceeds the threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device for the purpose of causing the processing device to inhibit play of the amusement game device in whole or in part.   
     
     
         10 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the accelerometer comprises a microelectromechanical accelerometer device. 
     
     
         11 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the accelerometer generates an interrupt signal when it is determined that a force applied to the amusement game device as sensed during play of the amusement game exceeds the threshold that is set relative to the reference idle position for the amusement game device and wherein the processing device in communication with the accelerometer is caused to inhibit play of the amusement game in whole or in part in response to receipt of the interrupt signal. 
     
     
         12 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the amusement game device has a secure menuing system and wherein a first user input provided via the secure menuing system causes the accelerometer to establish the reference idle position for the amusement game device. 
     
     
         13 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein a second user input provided via the secure menuing system is used to set the threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the accelerometer determines if a force applied to the amusement game device indicates that the amusement game device has been moved into a tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game; determines if the amusement game device remains in the tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game for a threshold amount of time; and when it is determined that the amusement game has been moved into a tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game and that the amusement game device has remained in the tilted position that is different than the reference idle position for the amusement game for the threshold amount of time, causing a signal to be sent to the processing device for inhibiting play of the amusement game in whole or in part. 
     
     
         15 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the amusement game device comprises a pinball machine having a playfield and the tilted position comprises a changing of an angle of inclination of the playfield as compared to an angle of inclination of the playfield in the reference idle position. 
     
     
         16 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the amusement game device comprises a pinball machine. 
     
     
         17 . An amusement game device, comprising:
 a game cabinet;   game output devices supported by the game cabinet;   game input devices supporting by the game cabinet;   a processing device supported by the game cabinet for controlling operations of the game output devices during play of the amusement game at least in part based upon signals received from the game input devices; and   an accelerometer in communication with the processing device, the accelerometer being used to establish a reference idle position for the amusement game and being used as a virtual plumb bob during play of the amusement game device whereby forces in a plane perpendicular to straight down causes energy to be added to or subtracted from the virtual plumb bob and whereby a sensed movement of the virtual plumb bob, with energy added thereto or subtracted therefrom as a result of forces in the place perpendicular to straight down in a direction of an incident force, exceeding a threshold radius causes a tilt event interruption signal to be issued to the processing device for the purpose of causing the processing device to inhibit play of the amusement game device in whole or in part.   
     
     
         18 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the accelerometer comprises a microelectromechanical accelerometer device. 
     
     
         19 . The amusement game device as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the amusement game device has a secure menuing system and wherein a first user input provided via the secure menuing system causes the accelerometer to establish the reference idle position for the amusement game device.