US 2003/0190958 A1 · Gaming apparatus with an optical wireless system

Abstract

A casino gaming unit may include a display unit that is capable of generating video images, a value input device, a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device, an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception, and an optical communication controller coupled to the optical communication transceiver and the gaming unit controller. The gaming unit controller may comprise a processor and a memory and may allow a person to make a wager, to cause a video image representing a game to be generated on the display unit, to determine an outcome of the game, and a value payout associated with the outcome of the game. The optical communication controller may facilitate wireless data communication with an optical communication transceivers of one or more devices at locations remote from the gaming unit.

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Claims50

Dependent claims

A gaming system comprising:

a first gaming unit comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said gaming unit controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said gaming unit controller of being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game, and
said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver of said first gaming unit and said gaming unit controller of said first gaming unit, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller of said first gaming unit;
a second gaming unit comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit of said second gaming unit and said value input device of said second gaming unit, said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said second gaming unit,
said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit of said second gaming unit, said video image representing a game, and
said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
and
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver of said second gaming unit and said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller of said second gaming unit,
said optical communication controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to allow wireless data communication with said optical communication transceiver of said first gaming unit;
a routing device comprising:
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
and
a routing device controller comprising a processor and a memory,
said routing device controller being programmed to allow communication with said optical communication transceivers of said first and second gaming units.

22 more elements

A gaming system comprising:

a first gaming unit comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said gaming unit controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said gaming unit controller of being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game, and
said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver of said first gaming unit and said gaming unit controller of said first gaming unit, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller of said first gaming unit;
a second gaming unit comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit of said second gaming unit and said value input device of said second gaming unit, said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said second gaming unit,
said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit of said second gaming unit, said video image representing a game, and
said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
and
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver of said second gaming unit and said gaming unit controller of said second gaming unit, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller of said second gaming unit, said optical communication controller of said second gaming unit being programmed to allow wireless data communication with said optical communication transceiver of said first gaming unit;
a common optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception, said common optical communication transceiver being optically coupled to said optical communication transceivers of said first and second gaming units;
and
a common controller operatively coupled to said common optical communication transceiver, said common controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said common controller, said common controller being programmed to facilitate communication between said common optical communication transceiver and said optical communication transceivers of said first and second gaming units.

19 more elements

A gaming apparatus, comprising:

a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said gaming unit controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to cause a video image representing a game to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing one of the following games:
video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno or video bingo,
said video image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game comprises video poker,
said video image comprising an image of a plurality of simulated slot machine reels if said game comprises video slots,
said video image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game comprises video blackjack,
said video image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game comprises video keno,
said video image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises video bingo, and
said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
and
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver and said gaming unit controller, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller,
said optical communication controller being programmed to allow wireless data communication with an optical communication transceiver of another device at a location remote from said gaming apparatus.

13 more elements

A gaming apparatus, comprising:

a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said gaming unit controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said gaming unit controller,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to allow a person to make a payline selection,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image comprising a plurality of simulated slot machine reels of a slots game, each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said slots game, said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine said outcome of said slots game based on a configuration of said slot machine symbols;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
and
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver and said gaming unit controller, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller,
said optical communication controller being programmed to allow wireless data communication with an optical communication transceiver of another device at a location remote from said gaming apparatus.

8 more elements

A gaming apparatus, comprising:

a housing;
a plurality of rotatable slot machine reels disposed in said housing to allow play of a slots game, each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols disposed thereon;
a value input device;
a gaming unit controller operatively coupled to said slot machine reels and said value input device, said gaming unit controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said gaming unit controller,
said gaming unit controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager, and
said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said slots game, said gaming unit controller being programmed to determine said outcome of said slots game based on a configuration of said slot machine symbols;
an optical communication transceiver capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
and
an optical communication controller coupled to said optical communication transceiver and said gaming unit controller, said optical communication controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said optical communication controller,
said optical communication controller being programmed to allow wireless data communication with an optical communication transceiver of another device at a location remote from said gaming apparatus.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description10,777 words

Summary987 words

#This patent is directed to gaming apparatus, which could be either an individual gaming unit or a casino gaming network having multiple gaming units, that is capable of wireless data transmission and receipt.

#Typically, a gaming unit has been provided with a display unit that is capable of generating video images, a coin or bill acceptor, and a controller with a memory and a processor that controls the overall operation of the gaming unit. The controller was programmed to allow a person to make a wager, to cause video images to be generated on the display unit, to determine an outcome of the video gambling game, and to determine a value payout associated with the outcome of the game. The conventional gaming unit also was programmed to display video images representing a game, which included a number of user-selectable video gambling games including video poker, video blackjack, video slots, video keno, video bingo, video pachinko games, video card games, video games of chance, and combinations thereof.

#Traditionally, gaming units and/or gaming networks were interconnected using copper wire cable. Later, fiber optical cable was used to provide a stable, low loss, guided propagation path for carrying data between and among gaming units and gaming networks. Fiber optical cable was also used to connect gaming units to other gaming devices such as player tracking systems and progressive jackpot systems. Due to the nature of the both types of cabling, each segment of the copper wire cable and the fiber optic cable used in the gaming network required physical coupling to essentially fixed-position system connections such as a fixed-position connector, a floor or wall mounted receptacle, etc,. and sometimes required running through ceiling panels, along baseboards, under floor panels, and throughout other areas of the casino. Casinos reconfigure their gaming machines to accomplish various changes including, for example, the addition of new gaming machines, customer preferences, optimizing game play time, traffic patterns, etc.

Brief description of the drawings17 figures

#FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an embodiment of a gaming system in accordance with the invention;

#FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment of a gaming system in accordance with the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of one of the gaming units shown schematically in FIG. 1;

Detailed description9,396 words

#Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the legal scope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment of the invention since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the invention.

#It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ is hereby defined to mean . . .” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph.

#FIG. 1A illustrates one possible embodiment of a casino gaming system 10 in accordance with the invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the casino gaming system 10 may include a first group or network 12 of casino gaming units 20. Each of the gaming units may be operatively coupled to another gaming unit 20 via an optical wireless link 22 capable of two-way digital data exchange.

Gaming apparatus with an optical wireless system

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Gaming apparatus with an optical wireless system

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims50

Description10,777 words

Drawings

Classification6 codes

Life of this patent

Description10,777 words