Chair interconnection for a gaming machine

• US 8,454,087 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Canterbury, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US11/569,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,931 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.1, 297/217.3, 297/217.4, 381/119
• US Class Current: 297/217.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 9/022 movably mounted on a working-table or the like for hairdressers A47C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49723 including reconditioning of part

Abstract

A gaming system includes a chair having an electrical connector and a gaming machine having an electrical connector, wherein the chair electrical connector is removably couplable to the gaming machine electrical connector.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a chair having an electrical connector and a first audio output mechanism for generating an audio output in response to a first electrical signal transmitted by a USB streaming audio circuit board and received through the electrical connector;

a gaming machine having a floating electrical connector removably coupleable to the chair electrical connector and a second audio output mechanism for generating an audio output in response to a second electrical signal transmitted by the USB streaming audio circuit board, the USB streaming audio circuit board disposed within the gaming machine and operably coupled to a gaming CPU, the gaming CPU configured to determine if the chair is properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine;

wherein if the gaining CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine, the gaming CPU performs one or more adjustments to the gaming machine including mixing the audio output of the gaming machine through the second audio output mechanism in a manner to compensate for the missing chair audio output through the first audio output mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the chair includes a chair coupled to a base, and wherein the chair electrical connector is at a front section of the base.

3. The system of claim 1, including a speaker mounted to the chair and coupled to the chair electrical connector.

4. The system of claim 1, including a mechanical latching mechanism on the gaming machine to mechanically latch the chair to the gaming machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the chair includes a chair mounted to a base and a base connector mounted to the base, wherein the chair electrical connector is coupled to the base connector.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating electrical connector on the gaming machine includes a blind-mate drawer connector.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gaming CPU is configured to further place the gaming machine into a tilt condition state if the gaming CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating electrical connector on the gaming machine is a plug and the electrical connector on the chair is a receptacle.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a ground wire extending from a microcontroller of the USB streaming audio circuit board to the chair electrical connector, the ground wire looped through the chair electrical connector and returned to the microcontroller, wherein the gaming CPU is configured to query the USB streaming audio circuit board for a connection status.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a chair having an electrical connector and a first audio output mechanism for generating an audio output in response to a first electrical signal transmitted by USB streaming audio circuit board;

a retention assembly mountable to a gaming machine, the retention assembly including a connector opening, the gaming machine having a second audio output mechanism for generating an audio output in response to a second electrical signal transmitted by the USB streaming audio circuit board; and

an electrical connector mounted to the retention assembly and accessible through the connector opening;

wherein the USB streaming audio circuit board is disposed within the gaming machine and operably coupled to a gaming CPU, the gaming CPU operably coupled to the electrical connecter and configured to detect if a corresponding external connector is properly electrically connected to the electrical connector, and wherein if the gaming CPU detects that the external connector is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine, the gaming CPU performs one or more adjustments to the gaming machine selected from the group consisting of placing the gaming machine into a tilt condition state and mixing the audio output of the gaming machine through the second audio output mechanism in a manner to compensate for missing external audio output through the first audio output mechanism of the chair.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the retention assembly includes a plate for mounting to the gaming machine, the plate including a plate connector opening, and a latching mechanism coupled to the plate and having a latching mechanism connector opening aligned with the plate connector opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the latching mechanism includes one or more alignment pins to guide a base of a chair when the base is mounted to a chair latching bracket.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the latching mechanism includes a spring-loaded door latch to engage a corresponding cavity on a base of a chair.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the connector is a plug connector.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the electrical connector is mounted to the retention assembly with shoulder screws to allow for a floating connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the gaming CPU is configured to place the gaming machine into the tilt condition state if the gaming CPU detects that a chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the gaming CPU mixes the audio output of the gaming machine in the manner to compensate for missing external audio output if the gaming CPU detects that a chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a chair having a first speaker for generating an audio output in response to a first electrical signal transmitted by a USB streaming audio circuit board;

a gaming machine having a second speaker for generating an audio output in response to a second electrical signal transmitted by the USB streaming audio circuit board;

a base, wherein the chair is mounted to the base;

an electrical connection running from the first speaker through the base and towards a front of the base; and

a connector coupled to the electrical connection, the connector adapted to be detachably connected to a mating floating connector on the gaming machine,

wherein the USB streaming audio circuit board is disposed within the gaming machine and operably coupled to a gaming CPU, the gaming CPU configured to determine if the chair is properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine, and wherein if the gaming CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine, the gaming CPU performs one or more adjustments to the gaming machine selected from the group consisting of placing the gaming machine into a tilt condition state and mixing the audio output of the gaming machine through the second speaker in a manner to compensate for the missing chair audio output through the first speaker.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the electrical connection includes base connection mounted to the base.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the connector on the base includes a receptacle connector.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, including a shroud movably coupled to the base and covering the connector on the base.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the gaming CPU is configured to mix the audio output of the gaming machine in the manner to compensate for the missing chair audio output if the gaming CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine.

23. A method of coupling a chair base to a gaming device, comprising:

in response to movement of the chair base to an engagement position with the gaming device, mechanically latching the chair base to the gaining device, and electrically coupling the chair base to the gaming device via a floating connector on the gaming device;

providing a first electrical signal from a USB streaming audio circuit board to a chair speaker for generating chair audio output;

providing a second electrical signal from the USB streaming audio circuit board to a gaming device speaker for generating gaming device audio output;

using a gaming CPU to determine if the chair base is properly electrically connected to the gaming device, the gaming CPU operably coupled to the USB streaming audio circuit board; and

if the chair base is not properly electrically connected to the gaming device, causing the gaming CPU to perform one or more adjustments to the gaming device including one or both of placing the gaming device into a tilt condition state or mixing the audio output of the gaming device through the gaming device speaker to compensate for missing chair audio output through the chair speaker.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein electrically coupling includes electrically coupling the chair speaker to the gaming device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein electrically coupling includes coupling a receptacle connector on the chair base to a plug connector on the gaming device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein if the chair base is not properly electrically connected to the gaming device, the gaming device goes into the tilt condition state.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein if the chair base is not properly electrically connected to the gaming device, the gaming CPU of the gaming device adjusts the audio output of the gaining device to compensate for missing chair audio output.

28. A system comprising:

a chair having an electrical connector and a first audio output mechanism for generating an audio output in response to a first electrical signal transmitted by a USB streaming audio circuit board and received through the electrical connector; and

a gaming machine having a mating electrical connector and a second audio output mechanism for generating an audio output in response to a second electrical signal transmitted by the USB streaming audio circuit board, which is disposed within the gaming machine and operably coupled to a gaming CPU, the chair electrical connector being removably coupleable to the gaming machine electrical connector, wherein the gaming CPU is configured to determine if the connector on the base is properly electrically connected to the mating connector on the gaming machine,

wherein if the gaining CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically connected to the gaming machine, the gaming CPU is configured to perform one or more adjustments to the gaming machine selected from the group consisting of placing the gaming machine into a tilt condition state and mixing the audio output of the gaming machine through the second audio output mechanism in a manner to compensate for the missing chair audio output through the first audio output mechanism.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the chair includes a speaker coupled to the electrical connector of the chair.

30. The system of claim 28, the gaming machine electrical connector includes a floating electrical connector.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the gaming machine goes into the tilt condition state if the gaming CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the gaming CPU mixes the audio output of the gaming machine in the manner to compensate for the missing chair audio output if the gaming CPU detects that the chair is not properly electrically coupled to the gaming machine.