Interchangeable overlay for amusement devices

• US 9,558,615 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMI Entertainment Network, LLC
• Original Assignee: AMI Entertainment Network, LLC
• Inventors: Maas, Michael G., Kalis, Jeffrey, Jarema, Stephen III
• Primary Examiner(s): Faragalla, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/315,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20120146893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: D21/385, D14/133, D14/173, D14/496
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

An overlay for a nonportable amusement device is provided. The nonportable amusement device has a housing, a display, a memory and a controller. The overlay includes one or more panels selectively attachable to and removable from the housing of the nonportable amusement device.

Claims

1. A nonportable amusement device comprising:

a display;

a memory;

a controller including a system control program and a communication port, the controller being electronically coupled to the memory and the display; and

a removable overlay having one or more predetermined identifiers, one or more light sources, and a controller configured to control operation of the one or more light sources, the overlay being in communication with the communication port of the amusement device controller, the system control program being configured to;

(i) detect the one or more predetermined identifiers of the overlay,

(ii) receive data associated with the one or more predetermined identifiers,

(iii) modify and control the content and colors displayed by the display of the amusement device based on data associated with the one or more predetermined identifiers, and

(iv) trigger the overlay controller to power up the light sources and cause the overlay to display a light pattern specified by the data associated with the one or more predetermined identifiers.

2. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the overlay comprises one or more panels selectively attachable to and removable from a housing of the nonportable amusement device.

3. The nonportable amusement device of claim 2, wherein the one or more panels are backlit diffuser panels and are secured to a rigid frame.

4. The nonportable amusement device of claim 3, wherein the frame is fabricated of a sheet metal and the diffuser panels comprise one or more polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate glycol.

5. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the overlay has one or more selectively modifiable visual characteristics, the one or more visual characteristics being selected from the group consisting of images, graphics, colors, lighting, text, style and design.

6. The nonportable amusement device of claim 5, wherein one or more of the visual characteristics of the overlay are controlled by the one or more light sources.

7. The nonportable amusement device of claim 2, wherein the one or more panels are made of a wood material.

8. The nonportable amusement device of claim 2, wherein the one or more panels are flexible panels.

9. The nonportable amusement device of claim 2, wherein select portions of the overlay are interchangeable.

10. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the nonportable amusement device is mounted or anchored to a wall, floor, table-top, counter-top or pole.

11. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined identifiers is one of a color, pattern, advertisement, video, and song.

12. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the overlay is connected to a serial input/output interface in the amusement device.

13. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the overlay controller includes a communication circuit which enables serial communication between the overlay and the amusement device.

14. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, wherein the overlay is attached to the housing of the amusement device by one or more securing mechanisms selected from the group consisting of hook and latch assemblies, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, and adhesives.

15. The nonportable amusement device of claim 14, wherein lateral sides of the overlay include one or more catches configured to engage with one or more corresponding latches provided on lateral sides of the housing of the amusement device.

16. The nonportable amusement device of claim 15, wherein an upper end of the overlay includes one or more protrusions configured to engage with one or more corresponding recesses formed in an upper end of the housing of the amusement device.

17. The nonportable amusement device of claim 1, further comprising a hinged front access door, wherein the overlay moves together with the front access door when attached to the housing of the amusement device.

18. A nonportable amusement device comprising:

a display;

a memory;

an amusement device controller including a system control program and a communication port, the controller being electronically coupled to the memory and the display;

a first removable overlay having a first predetermined identifier, a first light pattern, and a first controller configured to control the first light pattern;

a second removable overlay having a second predetermined identifier, a second light pattern, and a second controller configured to control the second light pattern, the first predetermined identifier being different than the second predetermined identifier and the first light pattern being different than the second light pattern,

the system control program being configured to;

(i) when the first removable overlay is mounted on the nonportable amusement device and the first controller is in communication with the amusement device controller, detect the first removable overlay, receive data associated with the first predetermined identifier, modify and control content displayed by the display of the amusement device based on data associated with the first predetermined identifier, and trigger the first controller to illuminate the first light pattern specified by the data associated with the first predetermined identifier, and

(ii) when the second removable overlay is mounted on the nonportable amusement device and the second controller is in communication with the amusement device controller, detect the second removable overlay, receive data associated with the second predetermined identifier, modify and control the content displayed by the display of the amusement device based on data associated with the second predetermined identifier, and trigger the second controller to illuminate the second light pattern specified by the data associated with the second predetermined identifier.