Wireless input/output and peripheral devices on a gaming machine

• US 8,784,211 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Silva, Robert, Lundy, Chris, Olson, Garrett, Kremer, Jason, Hedrick, Joseph R., Nguyen, Binh T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leiva, Frank M
• Application Number:
  US10/661,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,967 Days
• Field of Search: 455/226.1, 455/557, 463/16, 463/1, 463/42, 370/344
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A disclosed gaming machine provides methods and apparatus for wirelessly communicating between devices within the gaming machine. The gaming machine includes a gaming machine housing to which a master gaming controller and one or more gaming peripherals can be mounted. The master gaming controller is adapted for executing a game of chance played on the gaming machine and communicating wirelessly with the one or more gaming peripherals used to play the game of chance. Furthermore, the gaming machine includes a wireless communication manager that can manage wireless communications between the master gaming controller and the gaming peripherals, between the gaming peripherals, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a gaming machine housing; and

a master gaming controller configured to execute a game of chance played on the gaming machine and to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of peripheral devices used to play the game of chance, wherein;

(a) the peripheral devices are selected from the group consisting of;

a player tracking unit, a light, a ticket printer, a card reader, a speaker, a bill validator, a ticket reader, a coin acceptor, a display panel, a key pad, a coin hopper and a button pad;

(b) the peripheral devices are mounted within the gaming machine housing;

(c) the peripheral devices are coupled to peripheral controllers; and

(d) the master gaming controller comprises a wireless communication manager executed by the master gaming controller and configured to;

(1) manage wireless communications between (i) the master gaming controller and the peripheral controllers of the peripheral devices, and (ii) the peripheral controllers of the peripheral devices; and

(2) configure a first peripheral controller coupled to a first peripheral device to communicate wirelessly with both the master gaming controller and a second different peripheral controller coupled to a second different peripheral device by assigning a communication identification key to said first peripheral controller.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein assigning a communication identification key includes assigning a global unique identifier wherein the global unique identifier is used to wirelessly communicate to and from the first peripheral controller coupled to the first peripheral device.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein assigning a communication identification key includes assigning a frequency range wherein the frequency range is used to wirelessly communicate to and from the first peripheral controller coupled to the first peripheral device.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein assigning a communication identification key includes providing a frequency hopping algorithm wherein the frequency hopping algorithm temporally assigns different frequency ranges within which to communicate to and from the first peripheral controller coupled to the first peripheral device.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein assigning a communication identification key includes assigning a formatting protocol wherein different formatting protocols are assigned to different devices within the gaming machine, and wherein the formatting protocol allows the first peripheral device coupled to said first peripheral controller to filter out wireless communications intended for other devices.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein assigning a communication identification key includes providing a spread spectrum wherein the spread spectrum provides information allowing the first peripheral device coupled to said first peripheral controller to reassemble packets received from the master gaming controller or another peripheral device, packetize communications to send to the master gaming controller or another peripheral device, or combinations thereof.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising an internal network manager configured to manage an internal wireless network implemented in the gaming machine.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein managing the internal wireless network includes counting a number of packets lost to determine a reliability rate.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the number of packets lost includes packets for which no acknowledgement was received, packets that were corrupted, or a combination thereof.

10. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein managing further includes adjusting the internal wireless network if the reliability rate exceeds a desired level.

11. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein managing the internal wireless network includes monitoring different frequency channels.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the peripheral devices includes a programmable interface, wherein the programmable interface allows interchangeability of at least one peripheral device within the gaming machine.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein wireless communications between the master gaming controller and the peripheral controllers coupled to the peripheral devices and wireless communications between the peripheral controllers coupled to the peripheral devices are confined within the gaming machine housing.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the wireless communications within the gaming machine housing are transmitted with a limited strength, range, or a combination thereof, in order to reduce cross-communication with devices external to the gaming machine.

15. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the master gaming controller and the peripheral controllers coupled to the peripheral devices communicate using a wireless communication protocol selected from the group consisting of IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, and hiperlan/2.

16. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the peripheral devices include a player tracking unit.