VIDEO GAMING APPARATUS FOR WAGERING WITH UNIVERSAL COMPUTERIZED CONTROLLER AND I/O INTERFACE FOR UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE

• US 20010053712A1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: MARTINEK, MICHAEL G., JACKSON, MARK D., YOSELOFF, MARK L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,935,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof

Abstract

A computerized wagering game apparatus is disclosed. The invention comprises a universal computerized game controller operable to control a computerized wagering game. The apparatus includes a video display device for providing a visual representation of a signal provided by the computerized game controller such that the video display device displays at least one visual image selected from the group consisting of a) computerized wagering game status information and b) symbol elements that change with the play of the wagering game. A communication port communicatively coupled to the computerized game controller is provided, as well as an interface assembly comprising one or more user interface devices. An I/O interface is configured to communicatively couple the interface assembly to the communication port.

A method for reconfiguring a computerized wagering game apparatus having a harness for associating memory with output devices in the apparatus is also disclosed. The method comprises a) removing an original special-purpose computerized game controller used to control a computerized wagering game from the apparatus, the original computerized game controller designed to and capable of working exclusively with a particular computerized wagering game apparatus; b) inserting a universal computerized game controller operable to control a video wagering game that can be played on the video wagering game apparatus and an I/O interface that operatively couples the universal computerized game controller to user interface devices of the wagering game apparatus; and c) sending signals from the computerized game controller through the I/O and harness to confirm proper communication between the computerized game controller and the user interface devices.

Claims

1. A computerized wagering game apparatus, comprising:

a universal computerized game controller operable to control a computerized wagering game;

a video display device providing a visual representation of a signal provided by the computerized game controller such that the video display device displays at least one visual image selected from the group consisting of a) computerized wagering game status information and b) symbol elements that change with the play of the wagering game;

a communication port communicatively coupled to the computerized game controller;

an interface assembly comprising one or more user interface devices; and

an I/O interface configured to communicatively couple the interface assembly to the communication port.

2. The computerized wagering game apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the game controller is an IBM PC-compatible computer system

3. The computerized gaming apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the communication port is selected from the group consisting of a PC serial port, PC parallel port, a PC 104 port and a USB port.

4. The computerized wagering game apparatus of

claim 1

wherein at least one of the user interface devices are selected from the group consisting of buttons, slot machine arms, touch screen coordinates and joy sticks.

5. The computerized wagering game apparatus of

claim 1

wherein at least one of the user interface devices comprises a credit management device.

6. The computerized wagering game apparatus of

claim 5

wherein the credit management device is selected from the group consisting of coin acceptors, coin recognition systems, currency acceptors, currency recognition systems, credit card readers, and smart card readers.

7. The computerized wagering game apparatus of

claim 1

wherein at least one of the user interface devices comprises a security device.

8. The computerized wagering game apparatus of

claim 7

wherein at least one of the security devices is selected from the group consisting of tilt switches, device integrity switches, and spurious electrical discharge detectors.

20. The device of

claim 1

wherein the computerized game conmprises an embedded mother board.

9. A method for reconfiguring a computerized wagering game apparatus having a harness for associating memory with output devices in the apparatus, the method comprising:

a) removing an original special-purpose computerized game controller used to control a computerized wagering game from the apparatus, the original computerized game controller designed to and capable of working exclusively with a particular computerized wagering game apparatus;

b) inserting a universal computerized game controller operable to control a video wagering game that can be played on the video wagering game apparatus and an I/O interface that operatively couples the universal computerized game controller to user interface devices of the wagering game apparatus; and

c) sending signals from the computerized game controller through the I/O and harness to confirm proper communication between the computerized game controller and the user interface devices.

10. The method of

claim 9

wherein after said sending signals, the video gaming apparatus enables a video display device associated with the video wagering game apparatus to provide a visual representation of a signal provided by the computerized game controller such that the video display device displays at least one visual image selected from the group consisting of a) computerized wagering game status information and b) symbol elements that change with the play of the wagering game.

11. The method of

claim 9

, wherein the universal computerized game apparatus is an IBM PC-compatible computer system.

12. The method of

claim 9

, wherein the I/O interface is operatively coupled to a communication port selected from the group consisting of a PC serial port, a PC parallel port, a PC 104 port and a USB port.

13. The method of

claim 9

, wherein at least one of the user interface devices is selected from the group consisting of buttons, slot machine arms, touch screen coordinates and joy sticks.

14. The method of

claim 9

, wherein at least one of the user interface devices comprises a credit management device.

15. The method of

claim 14

, wherein the credit management device is selected from the group consisting of coin acceptors, coin recognition systems, currency acceptors, currency recognition systems, credit card readers, and smart card readers.

16. The method of

claim 9

, wherein at least one of the user interface devices comprises a security device.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein at least one of the security devices is selected from the group consisting of tilt switches, device integrity switches, and spurious electrical discharge detectors.

21. The method of

claim 9

wherein the universal computerized game controller is an embedded mother board.

18. An interface adapter configured to operatively couple an interface assembly to a communication port operatively coupled to a computerized video wagering game controller comprising nonvolatile storage with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause the computer to execute a video wagering game controlled via the user interface assembly.

19. A computerized wagering game apparatus, comprising:

a universal computerized game controller operable to control a computerized wagering game;

a video display device providing a visual representation of a signal provided by the universal computerized game controller such that the video display device displays at least one visual image selected from the group consisting of a) computerized wagering game status information and b) symbol elements that change with the play of the wagering game;

a communication port communicatively coupled to the computerized game controller;

a interface assembly comprising one or more user interface devices; and

an I/O interface configured to communicatively couple the interface assembly to the communication port.