Gaming machine including security data collection device

• US 6,641,484 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Oles, David Matthew, Rakesh, Bhakta, LeMay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/957,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 463/47, 463/46, 463/20, 463/16, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/47
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

A gaming machine includes at least one security data collection device. In one embodiment, the security data collection device includes at least one camera and/or microphone mounted to the gaming machine and adapted to collect image or audio information regarding events associated with or adjacent to the gaming machine, including events associated with the interior of the gaming machine. The security data collection devices are associated with a controller adapted to control the devices and an information storage device for storing the collected information. In one embodiment, the controller is a main gaming machine controller, and in others a controller associated with a peripheral device such as a player tracking device.

Claims

1. A gaming machine including a security system comprising:

a gaming machine housing including a door, said door movable between an open position and a closed position, said housing when said door is in said closed position defining an interior area housing one or more devices and said door in said open position permitting access to said interior area; and

at least one image collection device supported by said housing, said image collection device mounted to said door and directed at one or more times into said interior area of said housing to generate information representing at least one image of an activity associated with said interior area of said gaming machine.

2. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said information comprises at least one image of one of said one or more devices housed in said interior of said gaming machine housing.

3. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 including at least one illumination device adapted to illuminate an area where said image information is gathered.

4. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 including at least one image collection device associated with an outside of said gaming machine.

5. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein said at least one image collection device is concealed behind a panel.

6. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image collection device comprises a digital camera.

7. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image collection device is adapted to send information in accordance with a protocol selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, TCP/IP, IEEE-1394 and USB.

8. A security system for a gaming machine comprising:

at least one first image collection device mounted to said gaming machine arranged to generate information regarding activities associated with an outer portion of said gaming machine;

at least one second image collection device mounted to said gaming machine arranged to generate information regarding activities associated with an inside portion of said gaming machine;

at least one data storage device located at said gaming machine for storing image information generated by said at least one first and at least one second image collection devices; and

at least one controller, said controller adapted to control said at least one first and at least one second image collection devices.

9. The security system in accordance with claim 8 including a bus, said at least one first and at least one second image collection devices, at least one data storage device and said at least one controller associated with said bus.

10. The security system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said gaming machine includes at least one peripheral device and said at least one controller is arranged to control one or more of said peripheral devices.

11. The security system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said at least one peripheral device comprises a player tracking device and said controller comprises a player tracking device controller.

12. The security system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said generated information comprises at least one image and said system includes a data compressor adapted to compress said information representing said at least one image.

13. The security system in accordance with claim 8 including at least one audio collection device mounted to said gaming machine.

14. The security system in accordance with claim 8 including means for controlling when said generated information is stored to said at least one data storage device.

15. The security system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said means comprises computer readable program code defining one or more predetermined events.

16. A security system for a gaming machine comprising:

at least one first image collection device mounted to said gaming machine and adapted to generate information regarding activities associated with an outer portion of said gaming machine;

at least one second image collection device mounted to said gaming machine adapted to generate information regarding activities associated with an inside portion of said gaming machine;

a remote monitoring station, said remote monitoring station including at least one display for displaying one or more images represented by said information generated by said at least one first and at least one second image collection devices;

at least one controller adapted to direct said information generated by said at least one first and second image collection devices to said remote monitoring station; and

a communications link between said at least one controller of said gaming machine and said remote monitoring station by which said information may be transmitted from said gaming machine to said remote monitoring station.

17. The security system in accordance with claim 16 including at least one information storage device associated with said at least one first and at least one second image collection devices.

18. The security system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said at least one information storage device is located in an interior area of said gaming machine.

19. The security system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said at least one information storage device is located at said remote monitoring station.

20. The security system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said at least one controller is associated with a peripheral device of said gaming machine.

21. The security system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said peripheral device comprises a player tracking device.

22. The security system in accordance with claim 16 including at least one audio information collection device.

23. The security system in accordance with claim 16 including at least one data link between said at least one image collection device and said remote monitoring station.

24. The security system in accordance with claim 23 wherein said data link permits transmission of data in analog form.

25. The security system in accordance with claim 24 including at least one modulator adapted to modulate an analog signal from a plurality of image collection devices for transmission over said data link.

26. A gaming machine including at least one display and a game controller adapted to present a game at least in part with said display, said gaming machine including at least one peripheral device, said peripheral device including at least one support for connection to a support structure of the gaming machine, said peripheral device including at least one peripheral device controller and at least one security data collection device arranged to generate information regarding activities adjacent said gaming machines said image collection device controlled by said at least one peripheral device controller.

27. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 26 wherein said peripheral device comprises a player tracking device and said at least one support comprises a housing, and wherein said peripheral device includes a card reader and said peripheral controller is adapted to control said card reader.

28. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 26 wherein said peripheral device controller is associated with a player tracking network.

29. A gaming machine including a security system comprising:

a gaming machine housing including a door, said door movable between an open position and a closed position, said housing when said door is in said closed position defining an interior area housing one or more devices and said door in said open position permitting access to said interior area; and

at least one image collection device supported by said housing, said image collection device directed at one or more times towards said door and adapted to generate information representing at least one image of an activity associated with said door.

30. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 29 wherein said information represents at least one image of a portion of an interior portion of said door.

31. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 29 wherein said information represents at least one image of an area between said door and said housing when said door is in said open position.