Printing and dispensing bonusing system for gaming devices

• US 6,840,860 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2000
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AIM Management, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Douglas M. Okuniewicz
• Inventors: Okuniewicz, Douglas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, A. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BINH AN DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/639,441
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463 19- 22, 463/25, 463/26, 463/30, 463/35, 463/43, 273/142.B, 273/142.R, 381/1, 381/61, 704/270, 434/185
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/08 Raffle games that can be played by a fairly large number of people A63F3/0625, A63F3/065 take precedence; lottery apparatus G07C15/00; lottery gaming stations, online lottery or bingo G07F17/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• 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 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

The present invention provides a printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices, particularly a casino gaming device, which includes at least one detection device which is adapted for connection to an electronic apparatus, the detection device operative to detect selected event occurrences on an electronic apparatus and output event occurrence notification signals upon detection of an event. An event detection sampling device is connected in information transmission connection with the detection device, the event detection sampling device operative to detect and receive event occurrence notification signals from the detection devices, analyze the received event occurrence notification signals and output event occurrence information signals including information specifying selected event occurrences. Connected in information transmission connection with the event detection sampling device is an event occurrence information signal computing device which is operative to receive and analyze the event occurrence information signals output by the event detection sampling device and upon detection of selected event occurrence information signals, output command signals for initiating operation of at least one bonus printing and dispensing device connected thereto, independent of a standard output device of the electronic gaming device and operative to accept command signals from the computing device and to print and dispense bonus information and awards resulting from selected combinations being produced by the electronic gaming device whereby an operator/player of the electronic gaming device is awarded selected bonus items and awards.

Claims

1. A printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices, said system comprising:

at least one detection means adapted for connection to an electronic apparatus, said detection means operative to detect selected event occurrences on an electronic apparatus and output event occurrence notification signals upon detection of an event;

event detection sampling means in information transmission connection with said detection means, said event detection sampling means operative to detect and receive event occurrence notification signals from said detection means, analyze said event occurrence notification signals and output event occurrence information signals including information specifying selected event occurrences;

event occurrence information signal computing means in information transmission connection with said event detection sampling means, said event occurrence information signal computing means operative to receive and analyze said selected event occurrence information signals output by said event detection sampling means and upon detection of selected event occurrence notification signals, output command signals for initiating operation of at least one bonus printing/dispensing device connected to a programmable event occurrence information signal computing device; and

said at least one bonus printing/dispensing device independent of a standard output device of the electronic gaming device and operative to accept command signals from said programmable event occurrence information signal computing device and to print and dispense bonus information and awards resulting from selected events occurring on the electronic gaming device whereby an operator/player of the electronic gaming device is awarded selected bonus information and awards.

2. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 1 wherein said detection means comprises a plurality of optical isolators.

3. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 1 wherein said event detection sampling means comprises at least one input register operative to monitor said detection means such that any event occurrence on said electronic apparatus will be detected and stored for access by said event occurrence information signal computing means.

4. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 3 wherein said event detection sampling means is operative to receive and analyze said event occurrence signals output by an electronic apparatus to determine the selected event occurrence that has occurred in an electronic apparatus, said event detection sampling means operative to store said event in data storage registers within said event detection sampling means.

5. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 4 wherein said event occurrence information signal computing means comprises a programmable microcontroller chip programmed to scan said data storage registers within said event detection sampling means and remove, identify and compare a selected event occurrence notification signal found within a selected data storage register of said event detection sampling means with an event occurrence table encoded into data storage registers within said event occurrence information signal computing means, said table corresponding to selected event occurrence information signals which in turn correspond to particular event occurrences on an electronic apparatus.

6. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 5 wherein said event occurrence information signal computing means further is operative to identify a match of an event occurrence information signal and an event occurrence number within said registers of said event occurrence information signal computing means, said event occurrence information signal computing means operative to output one of said command signals related to said event occurrence number to at least one of said connected bonus printing/dispensing device.

7. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 1 wherein said at least one bonus printing/dispensing device comprises at least one printing device operative to dispense a printed ticket or voucher representative of the selected bonus item.

8. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 1 wherein said at least one printing/dispensing device comprises at least one dispensing device which is operative to output bonus items selected from the group of coin, cash, scrip, bonus tickets, lottery tickets, scratch off tickets, complimentaries and promotional materials.

9. A printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices, said system comprising:

at least one read only detection means adapted for connection to an electronic apparatus, said detection means operative to detect selected event occurrences on an electronic apparatus and output event occurrence notification signals upon detection of an event;

event detection sampling means in information transmission connection with said read only detection means, said event detection sampling means operative to detect and receive event occurrence notification signals from said read only detection means, analyze said event occurrence notification signals and output event occurrence information signals including information specifying event occurrences;

event occurrence information signal computing means in information transmission connection with said event detection sampling means, said event occurrence information signal computing means operative to receive and analyze said event occurrence information signals output by said event detection sampling means and upon detection of selected event occurrence information signals, output command signals for initiating at least one connected output command signals for initiating at least one connected output device to perform a selected operation corresponding to said command signal; and

said at least one bonus printing/dispensing device independent of a standard output device of the electronic gaming device and operative to accept command signals from said programmable event occurrence information signal computing device and to print and dispense bonus information and awards resulting from selected events occurring on the electronic gaming device whereby an operator/player of the electronic gaming device is awarded selected bonus information and awards.

10. A printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices, said system comprising:

at least one detection means for detecting selected event occurrences on an electronic apparatus and outputting event occurrence notification signals upon detection of an event;

event detection sampling means in information transmission connection with said detection means, said event detection sampling means operative to detect and receive event occurrence notification signals from said detection means, analyze said event occurrence notification signals and output event occurrence information signals including information specifying selected event occurrences;

event occurrence information signal computing means in information transmission connection with said event detection sampling means, said event occurrence information signal computing means operative to receive and analyze said event occurrence information signals output by said event detection sampling means and upon detection of selected event occurrence information signals, output command signals for initiating operation of at least one bonus printing/dispensing device connected to a programmable event occurrence information signal computing device; and

said at least one bonus printing/dispensing device independent of a standard output device of the electronic gaming device and operative to accept command signals from said programmable event occurrence information signal computing device and to print and dispensing bonus information and awards resulting from selected events occurring in the electronic gaming device whereby an operator/player of the electronic gaming device is awarded preselected bonus information and awards.

11. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 10, where the bonus information and awards may be redeemed by the electronic gaming device.

12. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 10, where the bonus information and awards comprises merchandise.

13. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 10, where the printing/dispensing device is an integrated component of the electronic gaming device.

14. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 10, where the event occurence information signal computing means initiates a notification to the operator/player that an event has occurred.

15. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 14, where the notification is a video message.

16. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 14, where the notification occurs via the printing device.

17. The printing and dispensing bonusing system for electronic gaming devices of claim 14, where the notification occurs via the dispensing device.