Radio candle mount

• US 8,814,706 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Leap Forward Gaming, Inc. (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wells, William R., Saffari, Ali, Lundy, Christopher, Paulsen, Craig A., Novotak, Andrew George Jr., Quick, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US14/027,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20140031125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 24834601-35607, 248/346.11, 463/46, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• 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 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• 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 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

An electronic gaming machine including a candle mount for securing a candle device to the gaming machine and providing wireless communication capabilities to the gaming machine is described. The candle device can include a number of stages that when activated alone or in combination with other stages convey information about the status of the gaming machine. A gaming machine with an existing candle device can be retrofitted with a candle mount that includes a wireless radio device that is operably coupled to the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A mount for coupling a candle device with an electronic gaming machine for a wager based game, the mount comprising:

a radio portion comprising one or more wireless antennas and a radio device for providing wireless communication capabilities for the electronic gaming machine, wherein the radio portion is operably coupled to the electronic gaming machine; and

a platform portion configured to be positioned under the candle device and to allow wires from the candle device to be threaded through a cabinet of the electronic gaming machine wherein the platform portion is horseshoe-shaped.

2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the radio portion is configured to be attached to the platform portion.

3. The mount of claim 1, wherein the candle device and the mount are secured to the electronic gaming machine without use of a tool.

4. The mount of claim 1, wherein one of the radio portion and the platform portion is configured to be snapped into the other of the radio portion and the platform portion.

5. The mount of claim 1, wherein the platform portion has an aperture through which the wires from the candle device can pass.

6. The mount of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the platform portion has a shape that corresponds to a shape of the candle device.

7. A method of retrofitting an electronic gaming machine for a wager based game having a candle device with a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

removing a housing of the candle device from a cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, thereby exposing an aperture in a top surface of the cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, wherein a wire from the candle device passes through the aperture in the cabinet, the wire operably connecting the candle device with the electronic gaming machine;

passing a wire from a radio portion of a radio candle mount through the aperture in the cabinet into the electronic gaming machine, wherein the radio portion comprises a wireless radio and at least one wireless antenna configured to enable wireless communication, and a wire operably connecting the wireless radio with the electronic gaming machine; and

positioning a platform portion of the radio candle mount between a bottom surface of the candle device and the top surface of the cabinet of the electronic gaming machine wherein the platform portion is horseshoe-shaped and the wire from the candle passes through an open end of the platform portion to the cabinet.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising securing the radio candle mount to the cabinet.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein securing comprises tightening screws.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the platform has an aperture through which the wire from the candle device passes.

11. A method of providing a wireless communication device for an electronic gaming machine for a wager-based game including a candle device secured to the top surface of the cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, the method comprising

removing a housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet before securing a radio candle mount;

securing the radio candle mount between the candle device and the top surface of a cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, wherein the radio candle mount comprises a wireless communication radio enclosed within a housing of the radio candle mount; and

sliding a platform portion of the radio candle mount between the candle device and the top surface of the cabinet wherein the wireless communication radio is enclosed within a radio portion of the radio candle mount.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the candle device remains operably coupled to the electronic gaming machine after removing the housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the platform portion is horseshoe-shaped and an open end of the platform portion is slid around at least one wire from the candle device to the electronic gaming machine.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the candle device is operably disconnected from the electronic gaming machine by disconnecting a wire from the candle device to the electronic gaming machine after removing the housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

threading the wire from the candle device through an aperture in the platform portion after operable disconnecting the candle device from the electronic gaming machine; and

reconnecting the wire from the candle device to the electronic gaming machine.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein removing the housing comprises loosening at least one screw.

17. A method of providing a wireless communication device for an electronic gaming machine for a wager-based game including a candle device secured to the top surface of the cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, the method comprising

removing a housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet before securing a radio candle mount;

and

securing the radio candle mount between the candle device and the top surface of a cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, wherein the radio candle mount comprises a wireless communication radio enclosed within a housing of the radio candle mount wherein the candle device remains operably coupled to the electronic gaming machine after removing the housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the platform portion is horseshoe-shaped and an open end of the platform portion is slid around at least one wire from the candle device to the electronic gaming machine.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the platform portion includes a first piece and a second piece which mate with one another to form the platform portion wherein the platform portion, when assembled using the first piece and the second piece, includes an aperture which allows a wire coupled to the candle device to pass through platform portion and into an aperture in the top surface of the cabinet.

20. A method of providing a wireless communication device for an electronic gaming machine for a wager-based game including a candle device secured to the top surface of the cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, the method comprising

removing a housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet before securing a radio candle mount wherein the candle device is operably disconnected from the electronic gaming machine by disconnecting a wire from the candle device to the electronic gaming machine after removing the housing of the candle device from the top surface of the cabinet;

securing the radio candle mount between the candle device and the top surface of a cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, wherein the radio candle mount comprises a wireless communication radio enclosed within a housing of the radio candle mount;

threading the wire from the candle device through an aperture in the platform portion after operable disconnecting the candle device from the electronic gaming machine; and

reconnecting the wire from the candle device to the electronic gaming machine.