Patent · US Expired

Coin acceptor including multi-state visual indicator apparatus and method

US5836818A · kind A · utility

72Cited by
79References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 20, 1995
Grant dateNov 17, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 20, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63F2003/0017
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A coin acceptor for use in accepting coins, paper currency, tokens, or magnetic cards includes a multi-state visual display for indicating the condition of the coin acceptor or an attached device. The coin acceptor finds application in connection with gambling devices including video poker games and slot machines, as well as with vending machines, arcade games, automated teller machines, and other similarly actuated devices and machines. In a preferred embodiment, the coin acceptor finds application in connection with a progressive jackpot component for a live casino table game and includes a visual display having three different states. In a first state, corresponding to jackpot wager attract or invitation, a plurality of LEDs surrounding a token slot flash sequentially to form a traveling pattern around the slot. In a second state, corresponding to jackpot wager placement, the LEDs flash simultaneously. In a third state, corresponding to jackpot wager acceptance, the LEDs remain continuously illuminated.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.