Bill stacker and hopper access technique for a gaming device

• US 20040132528A1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GTECH Germany GmbH
• Original Assignee: Atronic International GmbH (Gauselmann AG)
• Inventors: Gauselmann, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used

Abstract

In a gaming machine, unlocking a first lock enables an attendant to open the front door of the gaming machine, allowing access to the internal circuitry of the gaming machine but not allowing access to the money in the gaming machine. Unlocking a second lock enables an attendant to open a second access barrier to gain access to the money. Since access to the internal circuitry is separated from access to the money, better security control is provided.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a cabinet housing first components for operating the gaming device, the first components not including any money receptacle, the cabinet also housing at least one money receptacle;

a first access barrier, the first access barrier having a first access state and a first barrier state, the first access state providing access to only the first components but not access to any money receptacle, the first barrier state blocking access to the first components;

a second access barrier, the second access barrier having a second access state and a second barrier state, the second access state providing access to the at least one money receptacle but not access to the first components, the second barrier state blocking access to the at least one money receptacle;

a first lock for locking the first access barrier in the first barrier state and for unlocking the first access barrier to enable the first access barrier to be moved to the first access state; and

a second lock for locking the second access barrier in the second barrier state and for unlocking the second access barrier to enable the second access barrier to be moved to the second access state.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first access barrier comprises a door.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the second access barrier comprises a coin tray.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a bill stacker and a coin hopper, the second access state comprising:

a first state providing access to only the bill stacker, and a second state providing access to the coin hopper.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the second state provides access to both the bill stacker and the coin hopper.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the second access barrier is slideable laterally with respect to a front of the gaming device.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the second access barrier is slideable laterally to provide access to a bill stacker.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the second access barrier is mounted so as to be pulled away from a front of the gaming device to provide access to the at least one money receptacle.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the second access barrier is mounted on a drawer, and wherein the at least one money receptacle is mounted on the drawer.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a bill stacker and a coin hopper.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a bill stacker.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a bill stacker, the bill stacker having a third lock and a fourth lock for preventing unauthorized access to bills in the bill stacker.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a bill stacker, the device further comprising a third lock that, when in a locked state, prevents removal of the bill stacker from the gaming device and, in an unlocked state, allows removal of the bill stacker from the gaming device.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the first lock and the second lock are key locks.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the first lock and second lock are located on a side of the cabinet.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising a bill acceptor for receiving a bill inserted into the gaming device by a player and for forwarding the bill to a bill stacker.

17. The device of claim 1 further comprising a coin acceptor for receiving coins inserted into the gaming device by a player and for forwarding coins for deposit in a coin hopper.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a coin hopper, the coin hopper being coupled to the second access barrier such that moving the second access barrier away from a front of the gaming device also moves the coin hopper from a position internal to the cabinet to a position at least partially out of the cabinet to allow access to an opening in the coin hopper.

19. The device of claim 1 further comprising a manually operated latch for tilting down the second access barrier, after the second access barrier has been unlocked, to provide access to the at least one money receptacle.

20. The device of claim 1 further comprising a display screen for displaying a game.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the gaming device is a slot machine displaying spinning reels.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the first access barrier is prevented from being in the first access state when the second access barrier is in the second access state, and wherein the second access barrier is prevented from being in the second access state when the first access barrier is in the first access state.

23. A method performed on a gaming machine, the gaming machine having a cabinet housing first components for operating the gaming device, the first components not including any money receptacle, the cabinet also housing at least one money receptacle, the method comprising:

moving a first access barrier between a first access state and a first barrier state, the first access state providing access to only the first components but not access to any money receptacle, the first barrier state blocking access to the first components; and

moving a second access barrier between a second access state and a second barrier state, the second access state providing access to the at least one money receptacle but not access to the first components, the second barrier state blocking access to the at least one money receptacle.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

actuating a first lock for unlocking the first access barrier to enable the first access barrier to be moved to the first access state; and

actuating a second lock for unlocking the second access barrier to enable the second access barrier to be moved to the second access state.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein moving the second access barrier comprises sliding the second access barrier laterally to provide access to a bill stacker.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein moving the second access barrier comprises pulling the second access barrier away from a front of the gaming device to provide access to the at least one money receptacle.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the second access barrier is mounted on a drawer, and wherein the at least one money receptacle is mounted on the drawer.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the at least one money receptacle comprises a coin hopper and a bill stacker.