Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including value accumulator for plural checks – Having solid state circuitry
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-12-11
Bartuska, F. J. (Department: 2167)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including value accumulator for plural checks
Having solid state circuitry
C194S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328149
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for determining the amount and value of the contents of a coin box of a coin operated machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Certain activities, such as vending and gaming, are available to the public in commercial premises dedicated to these activities. These premises contain gaming machines which operate automatically when a patron inserts coins or tokens into the machine. Gaming machines tend to amass coins or tokens rapidly, and must periodically be emptied. Since machine operation is equally feasible with coins and tokens, discussion from this point forward will refer to coins, it being understood that tokens may be substituted to similar effect.
In particular, gaming machines are available in large numbers in casinos. Large numbers of people enjoy using these machines, which may all be in use despite the number of machines available. To enable rapid reestablishment of operability after retrieval of coins, gaming machines are provided with interchangeable, removable coin collection boxes. Service personnel employed by the casino come to a gaming machine with an empty coin collection box, remove the full box, and insert the new box. The full box is then brought to a counting facility for accounting and verification of its contents.
Many boxes may be present simultaneously at the counting facility. Various schemes have been employed to enable the casino to know which box is associated with which gaming machine. These schemes use printed numbers on small pieces of paper, or serial numbers printed on the side of coin boxes. Both methods are prone to human error and mistake.
The casino may easily fail to recover all coins which theoretically are present in the coin box. Such loss may stem from either of two possibilities. One is that the bin was misaligned within its host gaming machine, so that some coins could fail to enter the box. In this case, the coins could lodge within recesses in the machine, or be retrieved and pocketed during removal of the box by dishonest personnel servicing the machine. These personnel may also remove coins from the interior of the box, even when the coins have properly entered the box.
Although casinos have automated systems utilizing the master computer for calculating a total sum which theoretically has been amassed by the machines, the system falls short of being able to pinpoint specific causes of loss. This is because large numbers of coin or token bins are received at the counting facilities, and it is not possible to identify which box was short of its calculated receipts. It is merely possible to calculate that the sum of the coins actually collected falls short of theoretical receipts. Thus the operator of the premises cannot identify poorly installed bins and dishonest employees.
A coin receiving machine having a removable coin collection box and electronic memory devices contained within both machine and box is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,643, issued to Bernd Kirberg on Oct. 15, 1991. Kirberg's device is a vending machine rather than a gaming machine, and lacks the arrangement of guiding structure assuring appropriate and reversible mating of the coin collection box within the host machine and electrical contacts found in the present invention.
Mechanical disconnection of an electronic memory device within a coin receiving machine upon removal of a coin collecting receptacle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,285, issued to Jerome Remien on Oct. 17, 1995. Remien's machine is not a gaming machine, and lacks the arrangement of guiding structure assuring appropriate and reversible mating of the coin collection box within the host machine and electrical contacts found in the present invention.
Keyed insertion of a coin collecting receptacle into a host machine is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,371,114, issued to Walter Von Stoeser on Mar. 6, 1945. Stoeser's arrangement does not allow for reversible insertion of the receptacle, as provided in the present invention. Also, Stoeser's machine is not a gaming machine, and lacks electronic memory and electrical contacts enabling communication to electronic memory, as found in the present invention.
None of the above, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention provides structural cooperation between a coin collecting box and its host machine so that the box is reversibly insertable into the host machine and so that accurate positioning of the box within the host machine is assured. In a preferred embodiment, the coin box and the cavity of the host machine are each provided with complementary grooves or projections assuring appropriate alignment of the box.
A preferred configuration of guiding members includes a low upwardly oriented projection disposed upon the flat floor of the cavity of the host machine. The coin box has a flat floor including short depending walls which partially surround and closely cooperate with the projection when the coin box is fully inserted and lowered into position. Both the projection of the host machine and the walls of the coin box are inclined, so that lowering the coin box also centers the coin box over the projection. The coin box is configured to avoid cracks and crevices into which coins may lodge, be concealed, or otherwise be lost.
The host machine and the coin box are each provided with electronic memory devices for storing information relating to the identity of each and with circuitry enabling communication between the two memory devices. Each memory device receives information relating at a minimum to the identity of its partner memory device. Therefore, when the coin box is returned to the counting facility, the operators of the casino may ascertain which coin box has been associated with which gaming machine. Other memory devices may receive information relating to coin count as well. Therefore, any shortage of coins will be attributable to the correct source of the loss, and remedial steps may then be taken. At the same time, counting and verification of other machines and coin boxes may proceed independently of a short count relating to any one particular coin box.
To enable communication between box and host machine, electrical contacts are provided in each such that they will be operable regardless of direction of insertion of the coin box into the host machine. The communication circuits completed by mating of these contacts are separable, or broken when the coin box is removed. Contact is preferably sliding in nature rather than depending upon interfering abutment. Effective contact may then ensue without requiring the extreme precision required for abutting contact.
The arrangement of the contacts reduces requirements for precision when mating. Unlike connection devices such as multipin connectors, which must be carefully aligned prior to mutual engagement, the electrical contacts act automatically, requiring no attention from the installing personnel whatsoever. Physical alignment of the coin box within the cavity of the host machine is the only requirement. Cooperation between the depending walls of the coin box and the projection of the host machine assures that it is nearly impossible to misalign the two.
The electrical contacts are disposed upon the flat upper surface of the projection of the host machine and upon the flat floor of the coin box. In an alternative to actual contact, communicable engagement may be accomplished by induction. Coils embedded within the box and the host machine on the flat surfaces will cause signals to be transferred inductively without resorting to actual contact.
According to another aspect of the invention, a mobile inventorying and collection apparatus provides for immediate inventorying of moneys collected in the coin box at an area adjacent to the host machine, and transfer of the inventoried monies to a secured receptacle on-board the mobile apparatus, preferably for later transfer t
Blad Steven J.
Dickinson Kenneth R.
Bartuska F. J.
Siemens Patent Services LC
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