Game machine system with money-processing station
First Claim
1. A game machine system comprising:
- a plurality of game machines networked with one another and adapted to be used with a single encoded user card, each of the game machines including;
a reading device for reading an encoded user card; and
a display for displaying a credit value read from the encoded user card inserted into a corresponding reading device, the display being adapted to display the credit value in graduated form;
a safe like housing structurally separate from the plurality of game machines; and
a computer-controlled money processing device disposed in the housing and networked with the game machines, the money processing device including;
a money deposit unit adapted to receive money therethrough;
means operatively associated with the money deposit unit for storing a credit value belonging to a user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit;
a stock of user cards operatively associated with the money deposit unit, the user cards being chip cards each having a non volatile chip memory and being value coded;
an encoding device operatively associated with the stock of user cards for encoding each of the user cards with the credit value belonging to an corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit thereby creating an encoded user card;
an acquisition unit operatively associated with the money deposit unit, the means for storing and the encoding device for acquiring money deposited through the money deposit unit and allocating the credit value belonging to the corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit to both the means for storing and the encoding device for both storage of the credit value by the means for storing and encoding of the credit value onto a user card by the encoding device;
a card dispenser operatively associated with the stock of user cards and adapted to dispense encoded user cards therefrom, the reading device of each of the game machines being adapted to receive an encoded user card dispensed from the card dispenser for reading the encoded user card;
means for releasing, for use by the user, a selected one of the game machines into which an encoded user card has been received, the means for releasing being operatively connected to the reading device of each of the game machines and being responsive to a sufficient credit value read from the encoded user card by the reading device of the selected one of the game machines, the sufficient credit value corresponding to the selected one of the game machines; and
a checking device operatively connected to the means for storing for cyclically updating playing data including game statistics and credit values stored by the means for storing according to playing data transmitted from the selected one of the game machines to the means for storing as a result of use of the selected one of the game machines by the user.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A game machine system comprising a plurality of game machines networked with one another. Each of the game machines includes: a reading device for reading an encoded user card; and a display for displaying a credit value read from the encoded user card; a safe-like housing structurally separate from the game machines; and a computer-controlled money processing device disposed in the housing and networked with the game machines. The money processing device includes a money deposit unit; a money storage device; a stock of user cards in the form of chip cards each having a non volatile chip memory and being value coded; an encoding device for encoding each of the user cards with the credit value belonging to an corresponding user; an acquisition unit for acquiring money deposited through the money deposit unit and allocating the credit value belonging to the corresponding user to both the storage device and the encoding device; a card dispenser; a releasing device for releasing a selected one of the game machines into which an encoded user card has been received; and a checking device for cyclically updating playing data including game statistics and credit values.
189 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A game machine system comprising:
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a plurality of game machines networked with one another and adapted to be used with a single encoded user card, each of the game machines including; a reading device for reading an encoded user card; and a display for displaying a credit value read from the encoded user card inserted into a corresponding reading device, the display being adapted to display the credit value in graduated form; a safe like housing structurally separate from the plurality of game machines; and a computer-controlled money processing device disposed in the housing and networked with the game machines, the money processing device including; a money deposit unit adapted to receive money therethrough; means operatively associated with the money deposit unit for storing a credit value belonging to a user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit; a stock of user cards operatively associated with the money deposit unit, the user cards being chip cards each having a non volatile chip memory and being value coded; an encoding device operatively associated with the stock of user cards for encoding each of the user cards with the credit value belonging to an corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit thereby creating an encoded user card; an acquisition unit operatively associated with the money deposit unit, the means for storing and the encoding device for acquiring money deposited through the money deposit unit and allocating the credit value belonging to the corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit to both the means for storing and the encoding device for both storage of the credit value by the means for storing and encoding of the credit value onto a user card by the encoding device; a card dispenser operatively associated with the stock of user cards and adapted to dispense encoded user cards therefrom, the reading device of each of the game machines being adapted to receive an encoded user card dispensed from the card dispenser for reading the encoded user card; means for releasing, for use by the user, a selected one of the game machines into which an encoded user card has been received, the means for releasing being operatively connected to the reading device of each of the game machines and being responsive to a sufficient credit value read from the encoded user card by the reading device of the selected one of the game machines, the sufficient credit value corresponding to the selected one of the game machines; and a checking device operatively connected to the means for storing for cyclically updating playing data including game statistics and credit values stored by the means for storing according to playing data transmitted from the selected one of the game machines to the means for storing as a result of use of the selected one of the game machines by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A game machine system comprising:
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a plurality of game machines networked with one another, each of the game machines including a reading device for reading an encoded user card and a display for displaying a credit value read from the encoded user card inserted into a corresponding reading device, the game machines further being adapted to be used with a single encoded user card; a safe-like housing structurally separate from the plurality of game machines; and a computer-controlled money processing device disposed in the housing and networked with the game machines, the money processing device including; a money deposit unit adapted to receive money therethrough; means operatively associated with the money deposit unit for storing a credit value belonging to a user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit; a stock of user cards operatively associated with the money deposit unit; an encoding device operatively associated with the stock of user cards for encoding each of the user cards with the credit value belonging to an corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit thereby creating an encoded user card; an acquisition unit operatively associated with the money deposit unit, the means for storing and the encoding device for acquiring money deposited through the money deposit unit and allocating the credit value belonging to the corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit to both the means for storing and the encoding device for both storage of the credit value by the means for storing and encoding of the credit value onto a user card by the encoding device; a card dispenser operatively associated with the stock of user cards and adapted to dispense encoded user cards therefrom, the reading device of each of the game machines being adapted to receive an encoded user card dispensed from the card dispenser for reading the encoded user card; means for releasing, for use by the user, a selected one of the game machines into which an encoded user card has been received, the means for releasing being operatively connected to the reading device of each of the game machines and being responsive to a sufficient credit value read from the encoded user card by the reading device of the selected one of the game machines, the sufficient credit value corresponding to the selected one of the game machines; and means operatively connected to the means for storing for updating the credit value stored by the means for storing according to playing data transmitted from the selected one of the game machines to the means for storing as a result of use of the selected one of the game machines by the user; an internal computer operatively associated with the money processing device; an external console operatively associated with the computer; and an interface for connecting the console to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A game machine system comprising:
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a plurality of game machines networked with one another and adapted to be used with a single encoded user card, each of the game machines including; a reading device for reading an encoded user card; and a display for displaying a credit value read from the encoded user card inserted into a corresponding reading device, the display being adapted to display the credit value in graduated form; a safe-like housing structurally separate from the plurality of game machines; and a computer-controlled money processing device disposed in the housing and networked with the game machines, the money processing device including; a money deposit unit and adapted to receive money therethrough; means operatively associated with the money deposit unit for storing a credit value belonging to a user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit; a stock of user cards; an encoding device operatively associated with the stock of user cards for encoding each of the user cards with the credit value belonging to an corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit thereby creating an encoded user card; an acquisition unit operatively associated with the money deposit unit, the means for storing and the encoding device for acquiring money deposited through the money deposit unit and allocating the credit value belonging to the corresponding user based on the money deposited through the money deposit unit to both the means for storing and the encoding device for both storage of the credit value by the means for storing and encoding of the credit value onto a user card by the encoding device; a card dispenser operatively associated with the stock of user cards and adapted to dispense encoded user cards therefrom, the reading device of each of the game machines being adapted to receive an encoded user card dispensed from the card dispenser for reading the encoded user card; means for releasing, for use by the user, a selected one of the game machines into which an encoded user card has been received, the means for releasing being operatively connected to the reading device of each of the game machines and being responsive to a sufficient credit value read from the encoded user card by the reading device of the selected one of the game machines, the sufficient credit value corresponding to the selected one of the game machines; means operatively connected to the means for storing for updating the credit value stored by the means for storing according to playing data transmitted from the selected one of the game machines to the means for storing as a result of use of the selected one of the game machines by the user; a modem; and an interface for remote data transmission to a home personal computer through the modem. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification