Method and apparatus for modifying gaming machines to provide supplemental or modified functionality

• US 9,022,847 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Gaming Properties
• Original Assignee: Western Gaming Properties
• Inventors: Dabrowski, Stanley P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/185,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 25, 273/121.B, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2455 Printers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• 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 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3281 wherein game attributes are transferred between players, e.g. points, weapons, avatars
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for transferring credits from one gaming device to another via the use of coded scrip is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of accepting a cash-out command in the gaming device, scanning a magnetically manifested code uniquely identifying a scrip stored in the gaming device, transmitting a cash-out message comprising the code to a remote processor having access to a database configured to store and retrieve codes from a plurality of gaming devices, receiving a scrip dispense message from the remote processor, and dispensing the scrip. The apparatus comprises a scrip storage unit, a scrip dispensing unit having a scrip transducer for reading and recording a magnetically manifested code on a scrip retrieved from the scrip storage unit, and a processor, communicatively coupled to the scrip transducer and a remote computer having access to a database for storing and retrieving code information from the plurality of gaming devices.

Claims

1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

a gaming processor configured to generate a play of a wager-based game on the electronic gaming machine;

a cash acceptor communicatively coupled to the gaming processor configured to verify whether inserted cash is genuine and send a signal to the gaming processor indicating the cash is genuine;

a display, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor and a second processor, configured to output the wager-based game;

an input mechanism, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to accept input associated with the play of the wager-based game;

a first communication interface, communicatively coupled to the second processor, configured to receive, from the gaming processor, first data associated with the play of the wager-based game generated by the gaming processor;

a second communication interface, communicatively coupled to the second processor, configured to receive second data from a remote server; and

the second processor, separate from the gaming processor, communicatively coupled to the display, the gaming processor, and the remote server, configured to;

     1) receive the first data from the gaming processor via the first communication interface,

     2) receive the second data from the remote server via the second communication interface,

     3) determine whether to output a first signal which includes the first data or a substitute signal which includes only the second data and

     4) control output, via the display, of the first signal or the substitute signal.

2. The output system of claim 1 wherein the first data or the second data include electronic media data.

3. The output system of claim 2 wherein the electronic media data is one of electronic video data, electronic audio data or combinations thereof.

4. The output system of claim 1 wherein the second processor is further configured to generate the substitute signal including the first data and the second data and control output of the substitute signal to the output mechanism.

5. The output system of claim 1 wherein the first data includes control commands generated by the gaming processor.

6. The output system of claim 1 wherein the second data includes control commands generated by the remote server.

7. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

a gaming processor configured to generate a play of a wager-based game on the electronic gaming machine;

a cash acceptor, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to verify whether inserted cash is genuine and send a signal to the gaming processor indicating the cash is genuine;

a display, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to output the wager-based game;

an input mechanism, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, used to accept input associated with the play of the wager-based game;

a first communication interface, communicatively coupled to a second processor, configured to receive, from the gaming processor, first data associated with the play of the wager-based game generated by the gaming processor;

a second communication interface, communicatively coupled to the second processor, configured to receive second data from a remote server;

the second processor, separate from the gaming processor, communicatively coupled to the printing mechanism, the gaming processor, and the remote server, configured to;

     1) receive the first data from the gaming processor via the first communication interface,

     2) receive the second data from the remote server via the second communication interface,

     3) determine whether to output a first signal which includes the first data or a substitute signal which includes only the second data and

     4) control output, via the printing mechanism, of the first signal or the substitute signal;

and the printing mechanism.

8. The output system of claim 7 wherein the printing mechanism is used to print optically formatted data in accordance with the first signal or the substitute signal.

9. The output system of claim 7 wherein the first data includes a cash-out balance amount.

10. The output system of claim 9 wherein the first data includes a unique code associated with the cash-out balance.

11. The output system of claim 10 wherein the unique code is formatted as a bar-code wherein the bar-code is output via the printing mechanism.

12. The output system of claim 7 wherein the first data includes control commands generated by the gaming processor.

13. The output system of claim 12 wherein second processor is configured, in response to the control commands received from the gaming processor, to control printing of information to scrip and to dispense the scrip including the printed information.

14. The output system of claim 7 wherein the second data includes control commands generated by the remote server.

15. The output system of claim 14 wherein second processor is configured, in response to the control commands received from the remote server, to control printing of information to scrip and to dispense the scrip including the printed information.

16. The output system of claim 15 wherein the scrip is a printed ticket.

17. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

a gaming processor configured to generate a play of a wager-based game on the electronic gaming machine;

a cash acceptor communicatively coupled to the gaming processor configured to verify whether inserted cash is genuine and send a signal to the gaming processor indicating the cash is genuine;

a display, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to output the wager-based game;

an input mechanism, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to accept input associated with the play of the wager-based game;

an audio device, communicatively coupled to the gaming processor, configured to output audio data associated with the play of the wager-based game;

a first communication interface, communicatively coupled to a second processor, configured to receive, from the gaming processor, first audio data associated with the play of the wager-based game generated by the gaming processor;

a second communication interface, communicatively coupled to the second processor, configured to receive second audio data from a remote server;

the second processor, separate from the gaming processor, communicatively coupled to the audio device, the gaming processor, and the remote server, configured to;

     1) receive the first audio data from the gaming processor via the first communication interface,

     2) receive the second audio data from the remote server via the second communication interface,

     3) determine whether to output a first signal which includes the first audio data or a substitute signal which includes only the second audio data and

     4) control output, via the audio device, of the first signal or the substitute signal.

18. The output system of claim 17, wherein the second processor is further configured to determine whether to output the substitute signal including the first audio data and the second audio data.

19. The output system of claim 18 wherein the second processor is further configured to generate the substitute signal by combining the first audio data with the second audio data such that both the first audio data and the second audio data are audible when output.

20. The output system of claim 17 wherein the first data includes control commands generated by the gaming processor.

21. The output system of claim 17 wherein the second data includes control commands generated by the remote server.

22. The output system of claim 17 wherein the second audio data includes bonus play information.