Apparatus and method for retrofitting candle devices on a gaming machine

• US 8,083,592 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: LEAP Forward Gaming
• Inventors: Wells, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US12/943,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20110195786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 463/46, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 11/00 Game accessories of general use , e.g. score counters, boxes
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.

Claims

1. A retrofit candle device comprising:

a housing including a translucent portion and an opaque portion;

an attachment interface for mounting the retrofit candle device to an exterior surface of a gaming machine cabinet, said attachment interface compatible with an attachment interface of a legacy candle device that is being replaced;

a plurality of peripheral devices including a plurality of lighting elements wherein the lighting elements are disposed within the translucent portion of the housing and wherein light from the plurality of lighting elements is visible through the translucent portion when said plurality of lighting elements are activated;

a first legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a first wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, the first wired communication connection for sending legacy candle control commands from a game controller within the gaming machine cabinet to the legacy candle device;

a second legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a second wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said second wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to a first remote device via a first legacy network wherein the communications to the first remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the second legacy communication interface;

a wiring harness wherein a portion of the wiring harness, including the first legacy communication interface and the second legacy communication interface, extends from a bottom of the housing;

a first wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a remote server wherein the communications to the first remote device are sent wirelessly to the remote server bypassing a portion of the first legacy network;

a candle controller, including a processor and a memory, coupled to the wiring harness, configured to;

     1) receive legacy candle control commands from the game controller and in response control the plurality of lighting elements in accordance with the legacy candle control commands and

     2) receive the communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the second legacy communication interface, encrypt the communications and send the encrypted communications via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server and

     3) control the plurality of peripheral devices; and

a secure portion of the housing including one or more anti-tampering mechanism, said candle controller disposed within the secure portion of the housing.

2. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more antennas for sending and receiving wireless communications via the first wireless communication interface.

3. The retrofit candle device of claim 2, wherein at least one antenna is located on an outer surface of the retrofit candle device.

4. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising:

a legacy power interface for receiving power via a legacy power connection within the gaming machine cabinet for the legacy candle device.

5. The retrofit candle device of claim 4, further comprising:

power conversion circuitry for converting power received via the legacy power connection to a power format different than received via the legacy power connection.

6. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power interface for providing power to a peripheral device separate from the retrofit candle device.

7. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising a third legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a third wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said third wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to a second remote device via a second legacy network wherein the communications to the second remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the third legacy communication interface.

8. The retrofit candle device of claim 7, wherein the candle controller is further configured to receive the communications from the game controller to the second remote device via the third legacy communication interface, encrypt the communications and send the encrypted communications via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server to bypass a portion of the second legacy network.

9. The retrofit candle device of claim 8, wherein the candle controller is further configured to multiplex the communications received from the second legacy communication interface and the third legacy communication interface and send the multiplexed communications wirelessly via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server.

10. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second wireless communication interface for communicating wirelessly with a portable device proximate to the retrofit candle device.

11. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising:

a back-up power source wherein the retrofit candle device in response to a power interruption to the gaming machine is configured to transmit communications via the first wireless communication interface using the back-up power source.

12. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second communication interface for communicating with a bill acceptor coupled to the gaming machine cabinet.

13. The retrofit candle device of claim 12, wherein the candle controller is further configured to receive status information from the bill acceptor including information regarding accepted instruments and rejected instruments and to send the status information to the remote server via the first wireless interface.

14. The retrofit candle device of claim 12, wherein the candle controller is further configured to receive image data from the bill acceptor associated with accepted and rejected instruments and send the image data to the remote server via the first wireless interface.

15. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, wherein the candle controller is further configured to initialize the retrofit candle device with different numbers of stages.

16. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, wherein the candle controller is further configured to emulate a plurality of different legacy candle devices.

17. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, where the candle controller is further configured to control an output of video data to one or more of 1) a game display on which a wager-based game is displayed on the gaming machine or 2) a secondary display on the gaming machine.

18. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripheral devices further includes one or more cameras coupled to the candle controller and disposed within the housing.

19. The retofit candle device of claim 18, wherein the candle controller is further configured to send video data or still images captured from the one or more cameras to a remote device.

20. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, wherein the candle controller is further configured to communicate with a printer on the gaming machine and send a command to the printer on the gaming machine to print a ticket.

21. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, wherein the candle controller is further configured to receive operational data from 1) a value input device or 2) a value output device located on the gaming machine and send the operational data to a remote device.

22. The retrofit candle device of claim 21, wherein the operational data includes information regarding successful and unsuccessful value transactions generated using the value input device or the value output device.

23. The retrofit candle device of claim 21, wherein the candle controller is further configured to send a command instructing the value input device or the value output device on the gaming machine to perform a power reset.

24. The retrofit candle device of claim 21, wherein the candle controller is further configured to receive firmware, software or data for the value input device or the value output device from a remote device and send the firmware, the software or the data to the value input device or the value output device.

25. The retrofit candle device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripheral devices further includes a speaker.

26. A gaming machine comprising:

a gaming machine cabinet;

a game controller, mounted within the gaming machine cabinet, configured to

     1) control a wager-based game on the gaming machine;

     2) control a legacy candle device,

     3) send communications to a first remote device via a first legacy network;

a retrofit candle device comprising;

a housing including a translucent portion and an opaque portion;

an attachment interface for mounting the retrofit candle device to an exterior suface of the gaming machine cabinet, said attachment interface compatible with an attachment interface of the legacy candle device that is being replaced;

a plurality of peripheral devices including a plurality of lighting elements wherein the lighting elements are disposed within the translucent portion of the housing wherein light from the plurality of lighting elements is visible through the translucent portion when said plurality of lighting elements are activated;

a first legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a first wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, the first wired communication connection for sending legacy candle control commands from the game controller to the legacy candle device;

a second legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a second wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said second wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the first legacy network wherein the communications to the first remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the second legacy communication interface;

a wiring harness wherein a portion of the wiring harness, including the first legacy communication interface and the second legacy communication interface, extends from a bottom of the housing and into the gaming machine cabinet;

a first wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a remote server wherein the communications to the remote device are sent wirelessly to the remote server bypassing a portion of the first legacy network;

a candle controller, including a processor and a memory, coupled to the wiring harness, configured to;

     1) receive legacy candle control commands from the game controller and in response control the plurality of lighting elements in accordance with the legacy candle control commands and

     2) receive the communications from the game controller to the first remote device via the second legacy communication interface, encrypt the communications and send the encrypted communications via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server and

     3) control the plurality of peripheral devices; and

a secure portion of the housing including one or more anti-tampering mechanism, said candle controller disposed within the secure portion of the housing; and

a secure portion of the housing including one or more anti-tampering mechanism, said candle controller disposed within the secure portion of the housing.

27. The gaming machine of claim 26, wherein the retrofit candle device further comprises a third legacy communication interface for coupling the retrofit candle device to a third wired communication connection within the gaming machine cabinet, said third wired communication connection configured to transmit communications from the game controller to a second remote device via a second legacy network wherein the communications to the second remote device are routed through the retrofit candle device via the third legacy communication interface.

28. The gaming machine of claim 27, wherein the candle controller is further configured to multiplex the communications received from the second legacy communication interface and the third legacy communication interface and send the multiplexed communications wirelessly via the first wireless communication interface to the remote server.

29. A method of enhancing functions on a gaming machine including a legacy candle device, the method comprising:

removing the legacy candle device mounted to a gaming cabinet of the gaming machine;

attaching a retrofit candle device to an exterior surface of the gaming machine using a mounting interface compatible with a mounting interface used by the removed legacy candle device wherein the retrofit candle includes a housing including a translucent portion and an opaque portion wherein a plurality of lighting elements are disposed within the translucent portion of the housing such that light from the plurality of lighting elements is visible through the translucent portion when said plurality of lighting elements are activated in response to commands received from a candle controller wherein the candle controller is disposed within a secure portion of the housing including one or more anti-tampering mechanisms;

attaching within the gaming machine cabinet a first portion of a wiring harness of the retrofit candle device to a first communication interface associated with the legacy candle device wherein the candle controller is configured to receive control commands from a game controller via the first communication interface addressed to the legacy candle device wherein the control commands specify a lighting state to be implemented on the legacy candle device;

establishing within the gaming machine cabinet a new communication pathway using a second portion of the wiring harness of the retrofit candle device wherein the new communication pathway is formed between the second portion of the wiring harness and a peripheral device that communicates with the game controller;

receiving in the candle controller a communication from the peripheral device or a communication from the game controller addressed to a remote server via the new communication pathway; and

sending under control of the candle controller via a wireless interface in the retrofit candle device a wireless communication to a remote device, said wireless communication including status information from the peripheral device or the communication from the game controller addressed to the remote server.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the remote server is one of a link progressive server, a player tracking server, a wide-area progressive server or a ticket-in/ticket-out server.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising in the retrofit candle device receiving a legacy candle command from the game controller for the legacy candle device and in response generating a lighting condition on the retrofit candle device consistent with the legacy candle command.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

in the retrofit candle device generating a response to the legacy command consistent with the legacy candle device and sending the response to the game controller.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the retrofit candle device is configurable to emulate a plurality of different types of legacy candle devices.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

wherein the retrofit candle device is configured to receive a configuration command from the remote device via the wireless interface.