This patent application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/864,055 filed Nov. 2, 2006 and entitled “FAN CONTROL AND MONITORING IN A WAGERING GAME MACHINE” and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/911,937 filed Apr. 16, 2007 and entitled “FAN CONTROL AND MONITORING IN A WAGERING GAME MACHINE”, which applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Patents For Slot Machines Games

Rotating disks slot machine Abstract. Gaming apparatus has rotatable disks turning about a common axis of rotation and having annular bands of indicia of different diameters on faces of the disks which extend toward the axis of rotation. Justia Patents Credit/debit Monitoring Or Manipulation (e.g., Game Entry, Betting, Prize Level, Etc.) US Patent for Coinless slot machine system and method Patent (Patent # 6,048,269). 1 is a front view of the slot/ATM machine; FIG. 2 is a back view of the slot/ATM machine; FIG. 3 is a left side view of the slot/ATM machine; FIG. 4 is a right side view of the slot/ATM machine; FIG. 5 is a top view of the slot/ATM machine; and, FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the slot/ATM machine.

The invention relates generally to electronics cooling fans in wagering game machines, and more specifically to control of multiple cooling fans in computerized wagering game machines.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Copyright 2006, 2007, WMS Gaming, Inc.

Computerized wagering games have largely replaced traditional mechanical wagering game machines such as slot machines, and are rapidly being adopted to implement computerized versions of games that are traditionally played live such as poker and blackjack. These computerized games provide many benefits to the game owner and to the gambler, including greater reliability than can be achieved with a mechanical game or human dealer, more variety, sound, and animation in presentation of a game, and a lower overall cost of production and management.

The elements of computerized wagering game systems are in many ways the same as the elements in the mechanical and table game counterparts in that they must be fair, they must provide sufficient feedback to the game player to make the game fun to play, and they must meet a variety of gaming regulations to ensure that both the machine owner and gamer are honest and fairly treated in implementing the game. Further, they must provide a gaming experience that is at least as attractive as the older mechanical gaming machine experience to the gamer, to ensure success in a competitive gaming market.

Computerized wagering games do not rely on the dealer or other game players to facilitate game play and to provide an entertaining game playing environment, but rely upon the presentation of the game and environment generated by the wagering game machine itself. Incorporation of audio and video features into wagering games to present the wagering game, to provide help, and to enhance the environment presented are therefore important elements in the attractiveness and commercial success of a computerized wagering game system. It is not uncommon for audio voices to provide instruction and help, and to provide commentary on the wagering game being played. A variety of complex graphics and video capabilities are also often provided via one or more specialized graphics processors, including the ability to decode and render full motion video, and to render complex three-dimensional graphics. Specialized graphics processors are often implemented to perform such functions, so that they can be specifically tailored to graphics rendering applications, and so that the main system processor remains free to perform other tasks during graphics rendering.

Modern wagering game systems typically include a variety of types of semiconductor devices and electronics, including general purpose processors such as those found in many personal computers, graphics processors designed to provide detailed animation and three-dimensional graphics, and other sophisticated electronics devices. Such devices often produce a great deal of heat, and must be cooled to ensure proper operation. For this reason, it is not uncommon for components such as the processor or graphics processor to have a fan attached to a heatsink mounted on the semiconductor package, or for the wagering game cabinet to have a fan to expel hot air or to suck cool air into the enclosure.

But, because the wagering games operate under a variety of conditions and configurations, it is difficult to provide an optimum fan configuration. The heat generated by various components can change over time during operation, and the electronics configuration and operating environment of one machine may be different from the next. For these and other reasons, it is desirable to control the cooling functions of a wagering game machine.

One example embodiment of the invention comprises a computerized wagering game system including a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered. The wagering game also includes two or more cooling fans, and a cooling module comprising a fan controller operable to control the speed of the two or more fans via the same fan controller. In further embodiments, the speed of the two or more fans is based on the temperature observed by one or more temperature sensors coupled to the fan controller. The fan controller in some embodiments applies an algorithm to determine fan speed to improve power consumption or noise characteristics of the cooling system.

FIG. 1 shows a computerized wagering game machine, as may be used to practice some example embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wagering game machine, consistent with some example embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a cooling system within a computerized wagering game system, consistent with some example embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of operating a wagering game system, consistent with some example embodiments of the invention.

In the following detailed description of example embodiments of the invention, reference is made to specific examples by way of drawings and illustrations. These examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and serve to illustrate how the invention may be applied to various purposes or embodiments. Other embodiments of the invention exist and are within the scope of the invention, and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the subject or scope of the present invention. Features or limitations of various embodiments of the invention described herein, however essential to the example embodiments in which they are incorporated, do not limit the invention as a whole, and any reference to the invention, its elements, operation, and application do not limit the invention as a whole but serve only to define these example embodiments. The following detailed description does not, therefore, limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims.

One example embodiment of the invention comprises a computerized wagering game system including a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a cooling module comprising a fan controller operable to control the speed of the two or more fans. In further embodiments, the speed of the two or more fans is based on the temperature observed by one or more temperature sensors coupled to the fan controller. The fan controller in some embodiments applies an algorithm to determine fan speed to improve power consumption or noise characteristics of the cooling system.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computerized wagering game machine, as may be used to practice some embodiments of the present invention. The computerized gaming system shown generally at 100 is a video wagering game system, which displays information for at least one wagering game upon which monetary value can be wagered on video display 101. Video display 101 is in various embodiments a CRT display, a plasma display, an LCD display, a surface conducting electron emitter display, or any other type of display suitable for displaying electronically provided display information. In some further embodiments, additional displays such as a bonus game display or top box display 102

Patents For Slot Machines