Memory cartridge and information processor unit using such cartridge

An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

• a main unit;
• a frame structure mounted to the main unit;
• a cartridge tray pivotally mounted to said frame structure for rotation within a predetermined angular range between a loading and an operating position;
• means biasing said cartridge tray toward the loading position;
• means for releasably locking said cartridge tray in the operating position;
• a memory cartridge adapted to be slideably inserted into said cartridge tray when in its loading position, said memory cartridge including a case having a bottom surface, said bottom surface having a recess therein;
• and,
• security means for preventing the use of an unauthorized cartridge in said main unit, said security means including a protrusion extending upward from said frame member and positioned such that as the cartridge tray is rotated toward the operating position, the protrusion enters the recess on said bottom surface of said cartridge case and allows said cartridge and cartridge tray to assume the operating position.

An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

• a main control unit;
• a frame structure mounted to the main control unit;
• a cartridge tray pivotally mounted to said frame structure for rotation within a predetermined angular range between a loading and an operating position;
• means biasing said cartridge tray toward the loading position;
• means for releasably locking said cartridge tray in the operating position;
• a memory cartridge for operation with said main control unit and being adapted to be slideably inserted into said cartridge tray when in its loading position, said memory cartridge including a case having a bottom surface, said bottom surface having a recess therein;
• and
• security means for preventing the use of an unauthorized cartridge in said main control unit, said security means including a protrusion extending upward from said frame member and positioned such that as said cartridge tray is rotated toward the operating position, the protrusion enters said recess on said cartridge and allows said cartridge tray to assume the operating position, said security means further including substantially identical first and second data processing devices mounted in said memory cartridge and said main control unit, respectively, for executing the same predetermined authenticating program to determine authenticity of said cartridge, and control means responsive to at least one of said first and second data processing devices for disabling operation of said main control unit in accordance with the execution of said authenticating program.

An electronic gaming apparatus comprising:

• a main control unit;
• a frame structure mounted to the main control unit;
• a cartridge tray having a first end pivotally mounted to said frame structure for rotation of a second end within a predetermined angular range between a loading and an operating position, the cartridge tray having a bottom plate, a side wall, and a cartridge keying structure extending between the bottom plate and the side wall wherein the keying structure includes a substantially planar keying surface which intersects the bottom plate at a predetermined angle;
• means biasing said cartridge tray toward the loading position;
• means for releasably locking said cartridge tray in the operating position;
• a memory cartridge for operation with said main control unit and being adapted to be slideably inserted into said cartridge tray in a direction parallel to the bottom plate at said second end when said cartridge tray is in its loading position, said memory cartridge including a case having top and bottom surfaces and a printed circuit board mounted therein having exposed edge terminals at one end of said case, said bottom surface having a recess therein at an end of said case opposite the exposed edge terminals, a side surface intersecting said top surface, and said memory cartridge further having a keyed surface intersecting the side and bottom surfaces and cooperating with said keying structure to prevent an inverted insertion of the cartridge in said cartridge tray, the keying surface including a substantially planar chamfered surface which intersects the bottom surface at said predetermined angle;
• and
• security means for preventing the use of an unauthorized cartridge in said main unit, said security means including a protrusion extending upward from said frame member and positioned such that as said cartridge tray is rotated toward the operating position, said protrusion entering said recess on said cartridge and allowing said cartridge tray to assume the operating position, said security means further including substantially identical first and second data processing devices respectively mounted in said memory cartridge and said main control unit for executing the same predetermined authenticating program to determine authenticity of said cartridge, and control means responsive to at least one of said first and second data processing devices for disabling operation of said main control unit in accordance with said authenticating program.

A memory cartridge for an electronic programable gaming apparatus of the type having a cartridge receiving front loading apparatus, said memory cartridge comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a relatively flat cartridge case containing said printed circuit board and being adapted for slideable endwise insertion into and connection with a front loading apparatus, and having a connection end, a manually grippable end opposite said connection end, and top and bottom surfaces lying in substantially parallel planes and joining said connection end and grippable end, and further having first and second side surfaces joining said top and bottom surfaces, at least one of said side surfaces having a keyed surface adapted for cooperating with a front loading apparatus to prevent an inverted insertion of the cartridge therein, and said printed circuit board having a plurality of edge contacts that are substantially centered between said top and bottom surfaces and between said first and second side surfaces at said connection end so that but for said keyed surface, said cartridge and said printed circuit board therein, when inverted, would be connectable to a front loading apparatus;
• game data memory means mounted on said printed circuit board for generating data that is adapted to be communicated to the electronic gaming unit via connection therewith at said plurality of edge contacts;
• and
• data processing means mounted in said cartridge for executing a predetermined data processing program that determines authenticity of said cartridge when loaded into a front loading apparatus.

A memory cartridge receivable in a front loading apparatus of an electronic programable gaming system, said memory cartridge comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a relatively flat cartridge case containing said printed circuit board and being adapted to slideable endwise insertion into and connection with a front loading apparatus, and having a connection end, a manually grippable end opposite said connection end, and top and bottom surfaces lying in substantially parallel planes and joining said connection end and grippable end, and further having first and second side surfaces joining said top and bottom surfaces, at least one of said side surfaces having a keyed surface adapted for cooperating with a front loading apparatus to prevent an inverted insertion of the cartridge therein, and said printed circuit board having a plurality of edge contacts that are substantially centered between said top and bottom surfaces and between said first and second side surfaces at said connection end so that but for said keyed surface, said cartridge and said printed circuit board therein when inverted, would be connectable to a front loading apparatus;
• game data memory means mounted on said printed circuit board for generating data that is adapted to be communicated to the electronic gaming unit via connection therewith at said plurality of edge contacts;
• and
• said cartridge case having a recess at the manually grippable end adapted for cooperating with a protrusion on a front loading apparatus that determines authenticity of said cartridge when loading.

A memory cartridge for an electronic gaming unit having a cartridge tray pivotally mounted therein for rotation within a predetermined angular range between a cartridge loading position and a cartridge operating position, the tray including a bottom plate, side walls having offset portions, a cartridge keying structure extending between the bottom plate and one of the side walls, a low insertion force edge connector mounted near an end of the tray and a security means disposed within the gaming unit adjacent the tray to prevent the use of an unauthorized cartridge in the gaming unit, the security means including an upwardly extending protrusion, the cartridge comprising:

• a case adapted to be slideably inserted into the tray and having top and bottom surfaces and side surfaces intersecting the top surface, an insertion end having an elongated opening therein and adapted to cooperate with the edge connector, a keyed surface intersecting one side surface and the bottom surface and adapted to cooperate with the keying structure in the tray to prevent an inverted insertion of the cartridge in the tray, the bottom surface of the case including a recess disposed adjacent an end of the cartridge case opposite the insertion end and having a sufficient depth to accommodate the protrusion on the gaming unit when the tray is rotated into the operating position;
• a printed circuit board mounted within the case and having an insertion edge positioned within said opening at the insertion end of the case midway between the top and bottom surfaces and centered between the side surfaces, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed along the insertion edge and adapted for electrical interconnection with the edge connector;
• and
• game data memory means mounted in said cartridge for generating data to be communicated to the gaming unit through the electrical contacts and the edge connector.

A memory cartridge for an electronic gaming unit of the type having a cartridge tray pivotally mounted therein for rotation within a predetermined angular range between a cartridge loading position and a cartridge operating position, the tray including a bottom plate, a side wall having an offset portion, a cartridge keying structure extending between the bottom plate and the side wall, the keying structure including a bar having a substantially planar keying surface which intersects the bottom plate at a predetermined angle, a low insertion force edge connector mounted near an end of the tray and security means disposed within the gaming unit adjacent the tray to prevent the use of an unauthorized cartridge in the main unit, the security means including an upwardly extending cylindrical protrusion, the cartridge comprising:

• a case adapted to be slideably inserted into the tray and having top, bottom and side surfaces, one side surface intersecting the top surface and including an offset section which cooperates with the offset portion of the side wall of the tray to limit the insertion of the cartridge into the tray, an insertion end of said case having an elongated opening therein and adapted to engagably receive the edge connector, said case having a keyed surface intersecting the side and bottom surfaces and cooperating with the keying structure in the tray to prevent an inverted insertion of the cartridge in the tray wherein the case keyed surface includes a substantially planar chamfer which intersects the bottom surface at said predetermined angle, the bottom surface including a recess disposed adjacent and extending into an end of the cartridge case opposite said insertion end, said recess including gripping means to facilitate removal of the cartridge from the tray and having a sufficient depth to accommodate the security means protrusion when the tray is rotated into the operating position;
• a printed circuit board mounted within the cartridge case and having an insertion edge positioned within said opening at the insertion end of the case midway between the top and bottom surfaces, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed along the insertion edge and adapted for electrical interconnection with the edge connector;
• and
• game data memory means mounted on the circuit board for generating data to be communicated to the game machine through the electrical contacts and the edge connector.