Video gaming apparatus for wagering with universal computerized controller and I/O interface for unique architecture

• US 6,866,581 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wasinger, Timothy S., Kingham, David R., Jackson, Mark D., Martinek, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBURN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/847,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/24, 463/29, 463/41, 463/42, 273/138.1, 700/1, 700/11, 700/19, 709/328, 709/331, 709/332, 710/8, 710/10, 710/15, 710/17, 710/19, 710/62, 710/63, 717/1, 717/3, 326/37, 326/38
• US Class Current: 463/16
• 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 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A computerized wagering gaming system and method is disclosed. The system includes a universal computerized game system operable to control a computerized wagering game, including a controller interface and a universal controller for processing an operating system instructions. The system includes game system devices and a game translator system for translating game events between the game system devices and the universal game control system. The controller interface operates as an interface between the universal controller and the game translator system.

Claims

1. A computerized wagering gaming system comprising:

a universal game control system operable to control a plurality of different computerized wagering games including a plurality of different video based games without moving mechanical parts and different games with moving mechanical parts such as wheels or reels;

the control system comprising a controller interface and a universal controller for processing game and operating system instructions for said plurality of different games;

a plurality of game system devices; and

a game translator system for translating game events between the system devices and the universal game control system, the game translator system comprising a plurality of device drivers and receivers linked to the system devices by a first bus;

a second bus linking the translator system to the controller interface and a third bus linking the controller interface to the universal controller;

wherein the same translator system being configured for either a plurality of different video based games or a plurality of different games with moving mechanical parts; and

wherein to convert the gaming system from one video based game to another video based game or from one game with a moving part to another game with a moving part, only the system devices need be changed and to convert the gaming system from one video based game to a game with a moving part or vice versa, the game translator system would need to be changed or modified along with the system devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises an address decoder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises nonvolatile random access memory.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises read only memory for storing gaming system programs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises an identification module, having an identifier unique to the gaming system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the identification module is a silicon serial number.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal game control system further comprises a game operating system controller, including read only memory for storing gaming system operating system programs.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the game operating system controller further comprises flash memory for storing a gaming program unique to the gaming system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal controller further comprises flash memory for storing a gaming program unique to the gaming system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the flash memory includes a removable memory card.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second bus is a logic communication bus for handling logic level signals between the controller interface and the translator interface.

12. The system of claim 11, the gaming devices including a first gaming device having a game event signal type, and the game translator system operates to translate the game event between the logic level signals and the game event signal type.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the game translator system includes a driver/receiver module for operating to translate the game event between the logic level signal and the event signal type.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the driver/receiver module is a voltage converter.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the gaming system is a mechanical reel-based slot machine;

having a location sensor device and a mechanical reel device; and

wherein the game translator system includes a receiver for handling game events associated with the location sensor device and a driver for handling game events associated with the mechanical reel device.

16. A computerized wagering gaming system comprising:

a universal computerized game system operable to control a plurality of different computerized wagering games, including a plurality of different video based games without moving mechanical parts and different games with moving mechanical parts such as wheels or reels;

the control system comprising a controller interface and a universal controller for processing game and operating system instructions for said plurality of different games;

a plurality of game system devices;

a game translator system, the game translator system comprising a translator interface and a plurality of device drivers and receivers linked to at least some of the devices by a first bus;

a second bus linking the translator interface to the controller interface, a third bus linking the controller interface to the universal controller; and

a fourth bus directly linking at least one device to the universal controller;

wherein the game translator system being configured for either a plurality of different video based games or a plurality of different games with moving mechanical parts, and

wherein to convert the gaming system from one video based game to another video based game or from one game with a moving part to another game with a moving part, only the system devices need be changed and to convert the gaming system from one video based game to a game with a moving part or vice versa, the game translator system would need to be changed or modified along with the system devices.

17. A method for reconfiguring a computerized wagering game apparatus having a harness for associating memory with output devices in the apparatus, the method comprising:

removing an original special-purpose computerized game controller used to control a computerized wagering game from the apparatus, the original computerized game controller designed to and capable of working exclusively with a particular computerized wagering game apparatus;

installing a universal game control system operable to control a plurality of different computerized wagering games including a plurality of different video based games without moving mechanical parts and a plurality of games with moving mechanical parts such as wheels or reels, the control system comprising a controller interface and a universal controller for processing game and operating system instructions for said plurality of different games, a game translator system for translating game events between the output devices and the universal game control system, the game translator system comprising a plurality of device drivers and receivers linked to the output devices by a first bus, a second bus linking the translator system to the controller interface and a third bus linking the controller interface to the universal controller, wherein the game translator system being configured for either a plurality of different video based games or a plurality of different games with moving mechanical parts;

converting the gaming system from one video based game to another video based game or from one game with a moving part to another game with a moving part by changing only the output devices; and

converting the gaming system from one video based game to a game with a moving part or vice versa by changing or modifying the game translator system and the output devices.

18. A process for modifying game controls in a casino wagering system comprising:

removing a motherboard from a gaming apparatus comprising a housing, a monitor, a motherboard comprising memory for executing game rules and game rules; and

replacing the mother board with a universal game control system operable to control a plurality of different computerized wagering games including a plurality of different video based games without moving mechanical parts and a plurality of games with moving mechanical parts such as wheels or reels, the control system comprising a controller interface and a universal controller for processing game and operating system instructions for said plurality of different games, a game translator system for translating game events between the output devices and the universal game control system, the game translator system comprising a plurality of device drivers and receivers linked to the output devices by a first bus, a second bus linking the translator system to the controller interface and a third bus linking the controller interface to the universal controller, wherein the game translator system being configured for either a plurality of different video based games or a plurality of different games with moving mechanical parts.

19. The process of claim 18, further comprising operating the casino wagering system.

20. The process of claim 18, further comprising playing an existing game on the casino wagering system.

21. The process of claim 18, further comprising operating the game via a gaming operating system on the universal computerized game system, using existing gaming system devices.