US 12,125,336 B2
Electronic gaming machine providing unlockable hardware functionality
Michael Russ, Graz (AT); Sven Aurich, Schwanberg (AT); Lukas Angermayer, Graz (AT); and Thomas Trenkler, Thal (AT)
Assigned to IGT, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by IGT, Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/873,253.
Application 17/873,253 is a continuation of application No. 17/221,007, filed on Apr. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,430,285.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/008,395, filed on Apr. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0358810 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G07F 17/32 (2006.01)
CPC G07F 17/3209 (2013.01) [G07F 17/3223 (2013.01); G07F 17/3255 (2013.01); G07F 17/3262 (2013.01); G07F 17/3225 (2013.01); G07F 17/3232 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gaming device, comprising:
interface hardware comprising:
a basic user interface device available to a player while playing a game of the gaming device, the basic user interface device providing a first control input that controls the game; and
an enhanced user interface device that is unavailable to the player while playing the game until the enhanced user interface device is unlocked and, when unlocked, the enhanced user interface device provides a second control input that controls the game;
a processor coupled to the interface hardware; and
a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a progress level reached by the player while playing the game using the basic user interface device;
determine, based on the progress level reached, that a hardware-unlock option is available for the player while playing the game; and
activate, based on determining that the hardware-unlock option is available, the enhanced user interface device unlocking a functionality associated with the enhanced user interface device that is absent from the basic user interface device and that allows the player to control the game using the enhanced user interface device.