Amusement device shared resource system and method

• US 20050059492A1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMI Entertainment Network, LLC
• Original Assignee: Merit Industries Incorporated (AMI Entertainment Network, LLC)
• Inventors: Harwood, Malcolm J., Hedin, Dean
• Granted Patent: US 7,314,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol

Abstract

An amusement device system includes a first amusement device having a controller and a memory, a shared resource device operatively connected to the first amusement device and a second amusement device having a controller and a memory. The second amusement device is in communication with the first amusement device and is configured to access and control the shared resource device through the first amusement device.

Claims

1. An amusement device system comprising:

a first amusement device having a controller and a memory;

a shared resource device operatively connected to the first amusement device;

a second amusement device having a controller and a memory, the second amusement device being in communication with the first amusement device and being configured to access and control the shared resource device through the first amusement device.

2. The amusement device system of claim 1, wherein the shared resource is at least one of a modem, a printer, a currency acceptor, a magnetic card reader, a video display, and an input device.

3. The amusement device system of claim 2, wherein the input device is one of a trackball, a mouse, a voice-recognition system, a touchscreen, a keypad and a keyboard.

4. The amusement device system of claim 1, further comprising an audio system operatively connected to one of the first and second amusement devices.

5. The amusement device system of claim 1, wherein the second amusement device communicates to the first amusement device using a local area network or a wide area network.

6. The amusement device system of claim 1, wherein the second amusement device communicates to the first amusement device using a wireless or a hardwired communication system.

7. The amusement device system of claim 1, wherein the second amusement device communicates to the first amusement device using a point to point connection.

8. The amusement device system of claim 1, wherein the first controller runs a terminal server application upon the request of the second controller, the terminal server application being configured to accept commands to control the inputs/outputs of the first amusement device controller, the second controller controlling the shared resource device by commanding the inputs/outputs of the first amusement device using the terminal server application.

9. The amusement device system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of additional amusement devices each having a controller and a memory, each of the plurality of additional amusement devices being in communication with the first amusement device and being configured to access and control the shared resource device through the first amusement device.

10. An amusement device system comprising:

a first amusement device having a controller and a memory;

a first shared resource device operatively connected to the first amusement device;

a second amusement device having a controller and a memory, the second amusement device being in communication with the first amusement device and being configured to access and control the first shared resource device through the first amusement device; and

a second shared resource device operatively connected to the second amusement device, the first amusement device being in communication with the second amusement device and being configured to access and control the second shared resource device through the second amusement device.

11. The amusement device system of claim 10, further comprising:

a third amusement device having a controller and a memory, the third amusement device being in communication with the first and second amusement devices and being configured to access and control the first and second shared resource devices through the first and second amusement devices, respectively, individually or simultaneously.

12. The amusement device system of claim 10, wherein the second amusement device accesses and controls the first shared resource device through the first amusement device while the first amusement device simultaneously accesses and controls the second shared resource device through the second amusement device.

13. The amusement device system of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of additional amusement devices each having a controller and a memory, each of the plurality of additional amusement devices being in communication with the first and second amusement devices and being configured to access and control the first and second shared resource devices through the first and second amusement devices, respectively, individually or simultaneously.

14. A method of controlling a shared resource in a networked system of amusement devices, the networked system including at least a first amusement device having a controller and a memory, a shared resource device operatively connected to the first amusement device and a second amusement device having a controller and a memory, the second amusement device being in communication with the first amusement device and being configured to access and control the shared resource device through the first amusement device, the method comprising the steps of:

using the second controller to make a request that the first controller run a terminal server application, the terminal server application being configured to accept commands to control the inputs/outputs of the first amusement device controller,

controlling the shared resource device using the second controller by commanding the inputs/outputs of the first amusement device using the terminal server application.