Abstract:
Adapters and support members for auxiliary video display systems in gaming units are disclosed. Methods of supporting auxiliary video display systems are also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to and benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/840,530, filed Aug. 28, 2006. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The subject invention relates to consoles that house video displays. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for adapting auxiliary video displays designed for mounting onto CRT displays to mount onto flat-panel video displays.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A wide variety of video consoles exist that are designed to house or mount one or more video displays and further house and protect the electronics associated with the video display. In a casino environment, for example, wager-based video games are provided in several different basic configurations, including the upright gaming consoles that house electronics and one or more video displays and which is portable, and the bar-top gaming console that is installed within a bar and is configured to present a wager-based game to a user seated at the bar. The wager-based video game units may be configured to display any number of wager-based video games, including video poker, video slots, and keno, to name but a few.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional bar-top gaming unit  10 . The bar-top gaming unit  10  includes a plate  14  to which the user-interactive features are primarily mounted. The plate  14  is mounted on the bar surface or top  12 , and is mounted over a housing (not shown) within the bar. A CRT video display  20  is mounted and supported within the housing, or is attached to the underside of the plate  14 . A bezel  22  surrounds and supports the periphery of the CRT display  20 , and provides a seal over the CRT  20  to prevent debris and liquids from migrating into the housing. The surface of most CRT displays  20  used in bar-top units  10  have a convex curvature, and thus are not flat. The bezel  22  may further position the CRT display  20  at a slight angle towards the user to facilitate viewing of the video display  20 . The bar-top gaming unit  10  ordinarily includes most or all of the peripheral items common to upright consoles. Such peripheral items may include buttons  16 , a coin hopper  18 , lights (not shown), and bill validator  24 .  
         [0005]     Traditionally, video gaming units  10  paid out winnings in the form of coins dispensed into a coin hopper  18 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , video gaming units  110  such as that shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1  are now increasingly being modified to pay out winnings in the form of credits to a computer-readable card. The user may redeem winnings at the casino cashier or at a centralized automated kiosk. As shown in  FIG. 2 , in such modified gaming units  110 , the coin hopper may be covered over with a plate  118  or the like, and a card validator  126  is operatively connected to the electronic controller (not shown) within the housing. During use, a user inserts a computer-readable card into the card-validator  126  to initiate the game. The gaming controller or other electronics determines whether gaming credits have been purchased for the card, and the amount. This payment system is often generically referred to as a card in/card out system.  
         [0006]     Information regarding the available credits may be displayed on auxiliary video display  128 . Auxiliary video display unit  130  may be mounted at the rear of the bezel  122 , and at an angle appropriate for display to a user seated at the bar  112  in front of the gaming unit  110 . Auxiliary video display unit  128  may be mounted within housing  132  and visible through opening  133 . Housing  132  may also include a front, sides, a top surface, and a rear panel (not shown). A card validator  126  may be operatively connected to the bar-top gaming console  110  through housing  132  by way of wires (not shown) threaded through a conduit  134  attached to a side of the housing  132 . In this configuration, card validator  126  is mounted onto plate  114 , flush with the surface. Video display  128  within unit  130  may be a flat panel video display, such as an LCD display. Auxiliary video display units may be retrofitted onto CRT-type bar-top gaming units, which obviates the need for a casino to replace an entire bar-top gaming unit  110  in order to implement a card in/card out system in existing gaming consoles  110 . Player tracking systems for retrofitting bar-top gaming units having CRT displays are available from the Acres Gaming Division of IGT Corp. of Reno, Nev.  
         [0007]     Wager-based games having video displays are increasingly being designed to include flat panel displays, such as LCDs and the like, to display the game, to the exclusion of CRT displays. Flat panel displays have numerous benefits over CRT displays in gaming units, including, for example, higher quality picture quality, smaller profile, and less power consumption.  
         [0008]     A CRT display may be replaced by a flat panel display in a gaming unit without replacing the entire gaming unit. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a bar-top gaming unit  210  having a flat panel display  220  (preferably an LCD display) may include the same peripheral items as a traditional CRT. Mainly because an LCD-type flat panel display  220  requires a viewing angle of between 0 and 90 degrees depending on the specific display used, the display  220  may be positioned by a novel bezel  222  at a steeper angle than would a CRT display, and at a level above the bar top  212 . As such, a bar-top console  210  having an LCD display  220  mounted therein may include a novel bezel  222  configured to hold the flat panel display  220  at the desired angle.  
         [0009]     A bar-top gaming unit  210  having been retrofitted with a card in/card out system mounted over the CRT system generally works well to allow a casino to provide a cashless gaming unit, but such a system is not without limitations. In the event that it becomes desirable or necessary to replace the CRT display within the bar-top gaming unit shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, the card in/card out system cannot be mounted on a novel bezel  222  for a flat panel display  220  and remain in an optimal position, nor will the card validator be supported from below. This is due to the rear of the novel flat panel display bezel  222  having a greater height relative to the plate  214  than the CRT bezel. In addition, auxiliary video display housing  130 , such as that shown in  FIG. 2 , has a concave bottom side  129  in order to mount over the convex surface of the CRT bezel  122 . As such, to the extent the auxiliary video display housing  130  could be placed onto the novel flat panel display bezel  222 , the housing  130  would not lie flat along the top border  231  of the novel bezel  222 . Another problem associated with an attempt to mount the auxiliary video display housing  132  over the novel flat panel display bezel  222  is that the distance between the outer and inner edge at the top region of a CRT bezel  122  may be relatively long when compared to a flat panel display bezel, and thus the bottom surface of the auxiliary video display unit  130  that is configured to contact the top surface of the CRT bezel  122  is generally relatively deep. Thus, to the extent auxiliary video display unit  130  is placed onto novel flat panel display bezel  222 , auxiliary video display unit  130  would overlap and partially obscure the top region of flat panel display  220 . Yet another problem posed by an attempt to fit a the auxiliary video display housing  132  onto novel flat panel display bezel  222  is that, due to the increased height of the bezel rear side  235  as compared to a CRT bezel  122 , the card validator  126  that may be attached to the auxiliary video display housing  132  would project outwardly from the auxiliary video display housing  132 , and into space. Such lack of support exposes the card validator  126  and associated wiring to the possibility of a sheering force from the top, sides or bottom. There is a need, therefore, for a system to implement an auxiliary video display housing and card validator designed to mount over a CRT display onto a gaming unit having a flat panel display. The present invention fulfills these needs.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Embodiments of the invention include a gaming console configured for presenting a plurality of video displays to a user. The gaming console includes a bezel, the bezel being adapted to position and mount a flat panel video display, the bezel having a generally annular top surface with peripheral edges, the generally annular top surface having a rear portion, the bezel further including at least two sides and a back attached to peripheral edges of the bezel top surface. A support member is attached to the rear portion of the bezel top side, the support member having a top surface being adapted to engage an auxiliary video display, the support member further including a bottom surface adapted to engage at least one of the rear portion of the bezel top side and the bezel back. The gaming console may further comprise an auxiliary video display mounted to the support member top side.  
         [0011]     In other embodiments, wherein the auxiliary video display has a concave bottom surface adapted to mount over a convex surface, and wherein the auxiliary video display bottom surface and the support member top surface define a gap therebetween when the auxiliary video display is mounted on the support member top surface, and wherein the support member top surface has a front edge, the gaming console may further comprise a cover attached proximate the front edge of the support member top surface, the cover being adapted to extend over the gap between the auxiliary video display bottom surface and the support member top surface.  
         [0012]     In certain embodiments, wherein the gaming console is a bar-top or table-top console having a substantially horizontal mounting surface to which peripheral electronics and video displays may be mounted, and wherein the auxiliary video display has a housing and the auxiliary video display is elevated relative to the mounting surface, the gaming console may further comprise a card reader assembly attached to the auxiliary video display housing, the card reader extending laterally from the auxiliary video display housing, the card reader assembly including a bottom side, the card reader bottom side positioned at an elevation above the mounting surface; and a support positioned below at least a portion of the card reader bottom side, the support extending between the at least a portion of the card reader bottom side and the mounting surface. In other embodiments, wherein the gaming console is a bar-top or table-top console having a substantially horizontal mounting surface to which peripheral electronics and video displays may be mounted, the gaming console may further comprise peripheral electronics mounted to the mounting surface, wherein the peripheral electronics are configured to allow user interaction with a game implemented by the gaming console. In still other embodiments, the gaming console may further comprise a flat panel video display disposed within the bezel; and a touch screen device operatively associated with the flat panel video display, wherein the touch screen device is configured to allow user interaction with a game implemented by the gaming console.  
         [0013]     Other embodiments of the invention include a support member for mounting an auxiliary video display. The support member comprises a top surface adapted to engage and support a bottom surface of an auxiliary video display; and a bottom surface adapted to engage at least one of a top surface and a back surface of a bezel. In some embodiments, wherein the support member top surface is adapted to engage an auxiliary video display having a concave bottom surface, and wherein the support member has a front edge, the support member may also include a cover attached proximate the front edge of the support member top surface, the cover being adapted to extend over a gap between a concave auxiliary video display bottom surface and the support member top surface when an auxiliary video display having a concave bottom surface is mounted thereon. In other embodiments, the support member bottom surface may be adapted to engage a bezel for mounting a flat panel display. In still other embodiments, the support member bottom surface is adapted to engage at least one of a top surface and a back surface of a bezel for mounting a flat panel display.  
         [0014]     Methods of presenting a plurality of video displays to a user are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a bezel, the bezel being adapted to position and mount a flat panel video display, the bezel having a generally annular top surface with peripheral edges, the generally annular top surface having a rear portion, the bezel further including at least two sides and a back attached to peripheral edges of the bezel top surface; and attaching a support member to the rear portion of the bezel top side, the support member having a top surface being adapted to engage an auxiliary video display configured to mount over a CRT display bezel, the support member further including a bottom surface adapted to engage at least one of the rear portion of the bezel top side and the bezel back.  
         [0015]     In certain embodiments, the method may include providing an auxiliary video display; and mounting the auxiliary video display to the support member top side. In other embodiments, wherein the auxiliary video display has a concave bottom surface adapted to mount over a convex surface, and wherein the auxiliary video display bottom surface and the support member top surface define a gap therebetween when the auxiliary video display is mounted on the support member top surface, and wherein the support member top surface has a front edge, the method may include attaching a cover proximate the front edge of the support member top surface, the cover being adapted to extend over the gap between the auxiliary video display bottom surface and the support member top surface.  
         [0016]     In other embodiments, wherein the gaming console is a bar-top or table-top console having a substantially horizontal mounting surface to which peripheral electronics and video displays may be mounted, and wherein the auxiliary video display has a housing and the auxiliary video display is elevated relative to the mounting surface, the method may include providing a card reader assembly attached to the auxiliary video display housing, the card reader extending laterally from the auxiliary video display housing, the card reader assembly including a bottom side, the card reader bottom side positioned at an elevation above the mounting surface; providing a support positioned below at least a portion of the card reader bottom side, the support extending between the at least a portion of the card reader bottom side and the mounting surface; and supporting the card reader assembly with the support.  
         [0017]     In other embodiments of the method, wherein the gaming console is a bar-top or table-top console having a substantially horizontal mounting surface to which peripheral electronics and video displays may be mounted, the method may further include mounting peripheral electronics to the mounting surface, wherein the peripheral electronics are configured to allow user interaction with a game implemented by the gaming console. The method may also or alternately include disposing a flat panel video display within the bezel; and providing a touch screen device operatively associated with the flat panel video display, wherein the touch screen device is configured to allow user interaction with a game implemented by the gaming console.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a bar-top gaming unit with CRT display according to the prior art;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a bar-top gaming unit with CRT display and auxiliary video display according to the prior art;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a bar-top gaming unit with flat panel display;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a perspective view of a bar-top gaming unit with flat panel display, auxiliary video display, adapter and spacer according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4B  illustrates an exploded view of the bar-top gaming unit with flat panel display, auxiliary video display, adapter and spacer depicted in  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates a rear view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  illustrates a support and card validator according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     While the present invention, in one embodiment, is particularly well suited for use with bar-top gaming consoles or assemblies as described herein, the system may be used with a variety of other video consoles, such as flat-top gaming consoles.  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of the invention as implemented in a bar-top gaming unit  310  having an auxiliary video display unit  330  associated with it. Bar-top gaming unit  310  includes a flat panel display  320 , such as an LCD display, and a bezel  322  for mounting and positioning the display  320  mounted to plate  314 . Peripheral buttons  316  may be further mounted to plate  314  for interacting with a game implemented on display  320 . Alternately, display  320  may include a touch panel for allowing a user to make selections, by touching display  320 .  
         [0029]     Auxiliary video display unit  330 , in this embodiment, is configured to mount over a bezel on a CRT display, such as the auxiliary video display unit  130  shown and described with respect to  FIG. 2 . Auxiliary video display unit  330  may further include an associated card validator  326  associated with the auxiliary video display unit  330 , as previously described. Auxiliary video display unit  330  includes a bottom region having a surface  336  configured to engage a top surface of a CRT display bezel, and a surface  338  configured to engage a rear side of a CRT display bezel.  
         [0030]     Auxiliary video display unit  330  is mounted onto adapter  550 . As shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , adapter  550  is preferably configured to mount over flat panel display bezel  322  on bottom surfaces  564 ,  572 , and to secure auxiliary video display unit  330  onto top surfaces  554 ,  556 , and  558 . In one embodiment, adapter  550  includes surface  554 , which is configured to engage bottom surface  336  of auxiliary video display unit  330 . Extension  552  may be provided at a front edge of surface  554  to cover over a space between surface  554  and bottom surface of auxiliary video display unit  330  resulting from the concave configuration of bottom surface of auxiliary video display unit  330 . Extension  552  may be of any size and shape suitable for covering any open space between surface  554  and bottom surface of auxiliary video display unit  330 , and in a preferred embodiment extension  552  has a convex top edge  560 .  
         [0031]     Adapter  550  may also include surface  556  that is configured to engage bottom surface  338  of auxiliary video display unit  330 , that is configured to engage the rear side  334  of a CRT bezel. Adapter surface  558  is configured to engage bottom surface  340  of auxiliary video display unit  330 . Adapter surface  558 , when implemented over a CRT bezel, is in contact with plate  314 . Surface  558  may further include holes  568  through which fasteners may be inserted into holes (not shown) in bottom surface  340  of auxiliary video display unit  330 . Side walls  562  may be attached to the edges of either top surfaces  556  or  558  to cover any gap between bottom surface  336  of auxiliary video display unit  330  and adapter top surfaces  556 ,  558 . Holes  566  may also be disposed through vertical member  564  through which fasteners may be inserted to attach to the rear side  335  of bezel  322 .  
         [0032]     Adapter  550  may be formed of one or more pieces of material, preferably sheet metal. In a preferred embodiment, adapter  550  may include two or more pieces that are fastened together in any suitable manner, including fasteners or spot welds. The configurations of the surfaces and walls may be formed by way of bending the sheet metal according to well-known practices. Adapter  55  may be alternately unitary and formed of sheet metal, cast iron, or injection molded plastic and the like.  
         [0033]     As previously described, auxiliary video display unit  330  may optionally include card validator  326  and conduit  334 . When auxiliary video display unit  330  is installed at the height of a typical flat panel display bezel rear side  335 , bottom surface  370  of card validator  326  and conduit  334  are spaced apart from plate  314 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 8 , in an embodiment of the inventive support  380  is positioned on plate  314  and under card validator  326 , and further adjacent flat panel display bezel  322 . Flange  382  may also be included and positioned under bezel  322  to assist in securing support  380  to the plate  314 . In other embodiments, support  380  may be directly attached to plate  314  by way of fastener or spot welds or the like. Card validator  326  may be attached to support  380  by way of screws  372  or the like. Support  380  may be formed of, for example, a single piece of sheet metal that is bent and spot welded together. Support  380  may further include top  384 , sides  386 , front  388  and back  390 . According to another embodiment of the invention, the LCD of the auxiliary video display unit, such as auxiliary video display unit  328 , may be replaced by signage for displaying information, advertising and the like. Other materials and fabrication methods may also be used without departing from the scope of the invention.  
         [0034]     The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples of, the invention are described in the foregoing for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will realize. Moreover, the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead the scope of the invention is to be determined entirely by the following claims.