APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RETROFITTING CANDLE DEVICES ON A GAMING MACHINE
First Claim
1. A retrofit candle device comprising:
- an attachment interface for mounting the retrofit candle device to a gaming machine cabinet, said attachment interface compatible with an attachment interface of a legacy candle device that is being replaced;
a plurality of peripheral devices including a plurality of lighting elements;
a first legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a first wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, the first wired communication connection for sending legacy candle control commands from a game controller within the gaming machine cabinet to the legacy candle device;
a second legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a second wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said second wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to a first remote device via a first legacy network wherein the communications to the first remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the second legacy communication interface;
a first wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a remote server wherein the communications to the first remote device are sent wirelessly to the remote server bypassing a portion of the first legacy network;
a candle controller, including a processor and a memory, configured to;
1) receive legacy candle control commands from the game controller and in response control the plurality of lighting elements in accordance with the legacy candle control commands and
2) receive the communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the second legacy communication interface, encrypt the communications and send the encrypted communications via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server and
3) control the plurality of peripheral devices.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A retrofit candle device comprising:
-
an attachment interface for mounting the retrofit candle device to a gaming machine cabinet, said attachment interface compatible with an attachment interface of a legacy candle device that is being replaced; a plurality of peripheral devices including a plurality of lighting elements; a first legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a first wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, the first wired communication connection for sending legacy candle control commands from a game controller within the gaming machine cabinet to the legacy candle device; a second legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a second wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said second wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to a first remote device via a first legacy network wherein the communications to the first remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the second legacy communication interface; a first wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a remote server wherein the communications to the first remote device are sent wirelessly to the remote server bypassing a portion of the first legacy network; a candle controller, including a processor and a memory, configured to;
1) receive legacy candle control commands from the game controller and in response control the plurality of lighting elements in accordance with the legacy candle control commands and
2) receive the communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the second legacy communication interface, encrypt the communications and send the encrypted communications via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server and
3) control the plurality of peripheral devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A gaming machine comprising:
-
a gaming machine cabinet; a game controller, mounted within the gaming machine cabinet, configured to
1) control a wager-based game on the gaming machine;
2) control a legacy candle device,
3) send communications to a first remote device via a first legacy network;a retrofit candle device comprising; an attachment interface for mounting the retrofit candle device to an outside portion of the gaming machine cabinet, said attachment interface compatible with an attachment interface of the legacy candle device that is being replaced; a plurality of peripheral devices including a plurality of lighting elements; a first legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a first wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, the first wired communication connection for sending legacy candle control commands from the game controller to the legacy candle device; a second legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a second wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said second wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the first legacy network wherein the communications to the first remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the second legacy communication interface; a first wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a remote server wherein the communications to the remote device are sent wirelessly to the remote server bypassing a portion of the first legacy network; a candle controller, including a processor and a memory, configured to;
1) receive legacy candle control commands from the game controller and in response control the plurality of lighting elements in accordance with the legacy candle control commands and
2) receive the communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the second legacy communication interface, encrypt the communications and send the encrypted communications via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server and
3) control the plurality of peripheral devices. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of enhancing functions on a gaming machine including a legacy candle device, the method comprising:
-
removing the legacy candle device mounted to a gaming cabinet of the gaming machine; attaching a retrofit candle device using a mounting interface compatible with a mounting interface used by the removed legacy candle device; attaching within the gaming machine cabinet a first portion of a wiring harness of the retrofit candle device to a first communication interface associated with the legacy candle device wherein the retrofit candle device receives control commands from a game controller via the first communication interface addressed to the legacy candle device; establishing within the gaming machine cabinet a new communication pathway using a second portion of the wiring harness of the retrofit candle device wherein the new communication pathway is formed between the second portion of the wiring harness and a peripheral device that communicates with the game controller; receiving in the retrofit candle device a communication from the peripheral device or a communication from the game controller addressed to a remote server via the new communication pathway; and sending under control of the retrofit candle device via a wireless interface in the retrofit candle device a wireless communication to a remote device, said wireless communication including status information from the peripheral device or the communication from the game controller addressed to the remote server. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification