Intelligent metering system
OwnerJoseph W. Cole, Michael J. Bennettinventors
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Abstract
The present invention is an intelligent metering system for currency-activated devices having an electromechanical meter. The intelligent metering system includes an inductive pickup winding associated with the electromechanical meter. An amplifier is coupled to the inductive pickup winding to boost a signal detected from the inductive pickup winding when electromechanical meter is actuated. A pulse detector, coupled to the amplifier, detects pulses, false triggerings and filters out EMF spikes. A microprocessor is coupled to the pulse detector for counting the pulses detected by the pulse detector and for storing meter data related to the counted pulses in a memory device. An interface is coupled to the microprocessor for transmitting the meter data from the memory device.
Claims15
In a gaming machine, an intelligent metering system for a coin-counting electromechanical meter of said gaming machine which meter which is configured to increment in response to an input signal thereto, comprising:
- an inductive pickup winding associated with said electromechanical meter, said pickup winding configured to detect said input signal to said electromechanical meter and create a signal in response thereto;
- an amplifier coupled to the inductive pickup winding to boost said signal generated by the inductive pickup winding created in response to said detected input signal;
- a pulse detector, coupled to the amplifier, for detecting pulses comprising said boosted signal;
- a microprocessor coupled to the pulse detector for counting the pulses detected by the pulse detector and for storing meter data related to the counted pulses in a memory device;
- and
- an interface coupled to the microprocessor for transmitting the meter data from the memory device.
A method of reading a coin-counting electromechanical meter of a gaming machine, the method comprising the steps of:
- creating an output signal with an inductive pickup winding in response to an input signal provided to said electromechanical meter associated with a coin-counting increment of said electromechanical meter;
- detecting said output signal from said inductive pickup winding;
- amplifying the output signal from the inductive pickup winding;
- detecting a pulse from the amplified signal;
- counting the detected pulses;
- storing meter data related to the counted pulses in a memory device;
- and
- transmitting the meter data from the memory device through an interface.
In combination, an electromechanical coin-counting meter of a gaming machine, said meter including a mechanical count indicator, a meter interface adapted to generate an electrical signal for causing said electromechanical meter to actuate said mechanical count indicator, and a secondary metering system, said secondary metering system including at least one pickup coil associated with said electromechanical meter, said at least one pickup coil adapted to generate a pulse in response to the activation of said electromechanical meter, and a processor adapted to count pulses generated by said at least one pickup coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.