Battery powered gaming machine security monitoring system

• US 6,773,348 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Stockdale, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/974,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/13, 463/17-20, 463/29, 463/47, 463/46, 340/855.4, 340/545.1, 340/545.2, 340/545.3, 340/555, 340/545.6, 340/556, 340/547, 340/548, 340/549, 340/825.2, 194/350-351, 194/206-207, 219/721-722, 235/381-382, 273/143.R, 273/148.R, 273/138.1, 236/8
• US Class Current: 463/29
• 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 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A disclosed battery powered security monitoring system provides a security system that monitors validation signals detected by a sensor at least twice during each oscillation of the validation signal. This technique may be applied both while the main power to the gaming machine is on and while a backup power source (e.g., a battery) is on. Preferably, the security system of this invention employs a custom integrated circuit (e.g., an end-user programmed complex programmable logic device) to perform some the security functions such as supplying the validation signal to the sensor and comparing a sensor output signal to the validation signal to determine whether access to a gaming machine device has occurred.

Claims

1. A custom integrated circuit for use in detecting access via one or more access mechanisms of a gaming machine having at least one sensor associated with each of the access mechanisms, each sensor having a sensor emitter and a sensor detector, the custom integrated circuit comprising:

(a) a source circuit providing an oscillating validation signal for controlling operation of the sensor emitter;

(b) a detection circuit for monitoring an output signal of the sensor detector by sampling the output signal at least twice within a single oscillation of the validation signal;

(c) comparison circuitry for comparing the values of the output signal sampled and the validation signal at particular times to determine when a first access mechanism has been actuated; and

(d) a storage region for storing data indicating when access has been detected by the comparison circuitry

(e) a random number storage register for storing a random number that is generated on the gaming machine and stored in the random number storage register and a second memory location on the gaming machine prior to actuation of the first access mechanism wherein the random number storage register is cleared when a first access mechanism has been actuated and wherein a comparison of a number stored in the random number storage register with the random number stored in the second memory location is used to determine when the first access mechanism has been actuated.

2. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising a power connection allowing a battery to be coupled to the custom integrated circuit such that the battery can power the source circuit, the detection circuit, and the comparison circuitry.

3. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the storage region includes a random number storage region for storing at least one random number.

4. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising a power status storage region for storing signals on the operational status of one or more power sources including a main power supply and a battery for powering the sensor.

5. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is either a programmable logic device, a field programmable gate array, or an application specific integrated circuit.

6. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising a connection to a master clock which provides a timing signal with a frequency of 30 Hz or greater.

7. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising a connection allowing a device external to the custom integrated circuit to read the contents of the storage region.

8. The custom integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the comparison circuitry compares the validation signal with the output signal from at least 7 sensors.

9. A method of monitoring an access mechanism allowing access to one or more gaming devices within a gaming machine using a sensor including sensor emitter and sensor detector that provides an output signal indicating whether the access mechanism has allowed access, the method comprising:

sending an oscillating validation signal to the sensor emitter, the validation signal controlling generation of an emitter signal at the sensor;

detecting the output signal from the sensor detector;

comparing the value of the validation signal and the value of the output signal at least twice during a single oscillation; and

indicating access to the gaming machine when compared values of the validation signal and the output signal show that access to the gaming machine feature has occurred wherein the validation signal contains an on portion that turns on the sensor emitter and an off portion that turns off the emitter, and wherein the off portion lasts for a greater length of time than the on portion.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing to a memory device a power signal indicating whether the gaming machine is using normal power or backup power.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is implemented on a custom integrated circuit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein indicating access comprises storing a signal indicating that access to the access mechanism has occurred, wherein the signal is stored in a non-volatile memory located on the custom integrated circuit.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the custom integrated circuit is a custom integrated circuit that is a programmable logic device, a field programmable gate array, or an application specific integrated circuit.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing an identical random string of numbers to two non-volatile memory locations within the gaming machine when main power is on to the gaining machine; and

clearing the random number located within one of the non-volatile memory locations when access to one or more specified access mechanisms has occurred while main power is off.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that primary power to the gaming machine is off; and

powering the sensor with battery power.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing a power signal in memory, the power signal indicating that primary power to the gaming machine is off, wherein determining that primary power to the gaming machine is off comprises evaluating the power signal in memory.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring a voltage level in a battery; and

clearing a battery status indicator stored in a non-volatile memory located on a custom integrated circuit when the battery voltage is below a defined level.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the validation signal has a frequency of at least about 30 Hz.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising inverting the validation signal prior to transmitting it to the sensor emitter, wherein a normal access state is represented by opposite values of the validation signal and to output signal.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor or a mechanical sensor.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the access mechanism is a lock, a wire, a retaining latch or a device receptor.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the access mechanism provides access to a door selected from the group consisting of a main door, a bill stacker door, a CPU security door, a belly door, a drop door, a coupon dispenser door, a printer access door, a top box access door, a token dispenser door.

23. A method of monitoring an access mechanism allowing access to one or more gaming devices within a gaming machine using a sensor including sensor emitter and sensor detector that provides an output signal indicating whether the access mechanism has allowed access, the method comprising:

sending an oscillating validation signal to the sensor emitter, the validation signal controlling generation of an emitter signal at the sensor;

detecting the output signal from the sensor detector;

comparing the value of the validation signal and the value of the output signal at least twice during a single oscillation; and

indicating access to the gaming machine when compared values of the validation signal and the output signal show that access to the gaming machine feature has occurred

storing an identical random string of numbers to two non-volatile memory locations within the gaming machine when main power is on to the gaming machine; and

clearing the random number located within one of the non-volatile memory locations when access to one or more specified access mechanisms has occurred while main power is off.

24. A method of monitoring an access mechanism allowing access to one or more gaming devices within a gaming machine using a sensor including sensor emitter and sensor detector that provides an output signal indicating whether the access mechanism has allowed access, the method comprising:

sending an oscillating validation signal to the sensor emitter, the validation signal controlling generation of an emitter signal at the sensor;

detecting the output signal from the sensor detector,

comparing the value of the validation signal and the value of the output signal at least twice during a single oscillation; and

indicating access to the gaming machine when compared values of the validation signal and the output signal show that access to the gaming machine feature has occurred

determining that primary power to the gaming machine is off;

powering the sensor with battery power; and

storing a power signal in memory, the power signal indicating that primary power to the gaming machine is off, wherein determining that primary power to the gaming machine is off comprises evaluating the power signal in memory.

25. A method of monitoring an access mechanism allowing access to one or more gaming devices within a gaming machine using a sensor including sensor emitter and sensor detector that provides an output signal indicating whether the access mechanism has allowed access, the method comprising;

sending an oscillating validation signal to the sensor emitter, the validation signal controlling generation of an emitter signal at the sensor;

detecting the output signal from the sensor detector;

comparing the value of the validation signal and the value of the output signal at least twice during a single oscillation; and

indicating access to the gaming machine when compared values of the validation signal and the output signal show that access to the gaming machine feature has occurred

monitoring a voltage level in a battery; and

clearing a battery status indicator stored in a non-volatile memory located on a custom integrated circuit when the battery voltage is below a defined level.

26. A custom integrated circuit for use in detecting access via one or more access mechanisms of a gaming machine having at least one sensor associated with each of the access mechanisms, each sensor having a sensor emitter and a sensor detector, the custom integrated circuit comprising:

(a) a source circuit providing an oscillating validation signal for controlling operation of the sensor emitter;

(b) a detection circuit for monitoring an output signal of the sensor detector by sampling the output signal at least twice within a single oscillation of the validation signal;

(c) comparison circuitry for comparing the values of the output signal sampled and the validation signal at least twice during a single oscillation to determine when a first access mechanism has been actuated;

(d) a storage region for storing data indicating when access has been detected by the comparison circuitry; and

(e) battery monitoring circuitry for monitoring a voltage level in a battery and for clearing a battery status indicator stored in a non-volatile memory in the storage region when the battery voltage level is below a defined level.

27. A custom integrated circuit for use in detecting access via one or more access mechanisms of a gaming machine having at least one sensor associated with each of the access mechanisms, each sensor having a sensor emitter and a sensor detector, the custom integrated circuit comprising:

(a) a source circuit providing an oscillating validation signal for controlling operation of the sensor emitter wherein the validation signal contains an on portion that turns on the sensor emitter and an off portion that turns off the emitter, and wherein the off portion lasts for a greater length of time than the on portion;

(b) a detection circuit for monitoring an output signal of the sensor detector by sampling the output signal at least twice within a single oscillation of the validation signal;

(c) comparison circuitry for comparing the values of the output signal sampled and the validation signal at least twice during a single oscillation to determine when a first access mechanism has been actuated;

(d) a storage region for storing data indicating when access has been detected by the comparison circuitry.