Patent ID: 6773348
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
A custom integrated circuit for use in detecting access via one or more access mechanisms of a gaming machine having at least one sensor associated with each of the access mechanisms, each sensor having a sensor emitter and a sensor detector, the custom integrated circuit comprising:(a) a source circuit providing an oscillating validation signal for controlling operation of the sensor emitter; (b) a detection circuit for monitoring an output signal of the sensor detector by sampling the output signal at least twice within a single oscillation of the validation signal; (c) comparison circuitry for comparing the values of the output signal sampled and the validation signal at particular times to determine when a first access mechanism has been actuated; and (d) a storage region for storing data indicating when access has been detected by the comparison circuitry (e) a random number storage register for storing a random number that is generated on the gaming machine and stored in the random number storage register and a second memory location on the gaming machine prior to actuation of the first access mechanism wherein the random number storage register is cleared when a first access mechanism has been actuated and wherein a comparison of a number stored in the random number storage register with the random number stored in the second memory location is used to determine when the first access mechanism has been actuated.