Patent Publication Number: US-4583082-A

Title: Optical door interlock

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to apparatus for monitoring the opening and closing of a door and is more particularly directed to an apparatus and method for detecting unauthorized opening and closing of a door. 
     In various coin-operated machines, such as slot machines, video games, pinball machines, and other games of chance, it is necessary to detect and keep track of the various times the door to the coin box and interior of the game cabinet is opened. The reason is two-fold: first, it is desirable to detect and to discourage pilfering from the coin box or tampering with the game mechanism itself to alter the game play; second, particularly with gaming devices which accept wagers, it is necessary to keep track of the door openings to maintain a proper accounting of the financial status of the gaming device. Known gaming devices typically have door interlock switches or the like which register when the door has been opened. Unfortunately, it has proven to be quite easy to defeat most door interlock switches. When the switch is defeated, it is possible to gain access to the coin box or the game mechanism without sounding any alarm and without causing a record to be made of the unauthorized door opening. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a door interlock method and apparatus for monitoring the opening and closing of a door to a secure game cabinet or the like which cannot be readily defeated by known techniques. Briefly, the door interlock apparatus comprises a radiative emitter, such as a light emitting diode or an infrared emitting diode, and a sensor which are mounted with respect to the door so as to be in optical communication with one another when the door is in closed position. The term &#34;optical communication&#34; as used herein embraces communication by infrared and ultraviolet radiation as well as by radiation in the visible spectrum. In the method of the invention the sensor is interrogated to determine whether it is receiving radiation, and if so, a first signal is provided indicating that fact. In response to the first signal, a determination is made whether the emitter and sensor are still in optical communication with one another. If they are not in optical communication, a second signal is provided to an indicator means, which provides an indication that someone has attempted to tamper with the door. 
     With this method certain attempts to circumvent the system will be easily detected. For example, if the door is in fact closed, then the sensor will of course be receiving radiation, and a first signal would be provided in accordance with the invention. However, the sensor could also be receiving radiation from a second source in an attempt to foil the system. Therefore, the invention calls for verification that the emitter and sensor are still in optical communication before concluding that the door is closed. 
     In a further of its aspects, the invention calls for periodically determining over a predetermined duration whether the above first-named signal is being provided. If the signal fails to be provided for the full predetermined duration, then a further signal is provided indicating the door is truly open. According to this aspect of the invention, the optical communication between the emitter and sensor must be interrupted for the full predetermined duration, for example, 100 milliseconds, before the method signals that the door is open. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the determination that the sensor and emitter are in optical communication is made by causing the emitter to emit characteristic pulses of light in a predetermined sequence and then monitoring whether those pulses are received by the sensor. In this way, the system cannot be foiled by replacing the emitter with a substitute light source. In another aspect of the invention, the emitter and sensor are operated at different current levels, so that the system cannot be foiled merely by shunting the emitter and sensor together. 
     In a preferred embodiment the operation and monitoring of the emitter and sensor are controlled by a microprocessor. An exposition is given hereinbelow of a suitable microprocessor control routine for implementing the method. 
     A further understanding and appreciation of the nature and advantages of the invention can be gained by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a combination block diagram and perspective view of a portion of a cabinet and apparatus for practicing the method of the invention; a portion of an interior wall and cabinet door with sensor and emitter mounted thereon is shown in perspective, and apparatus for controlling the emitter and sensor is shown in the block diagram. 
     FIG. 2 is a logic flow chart illustrating a microprocessor routine for controlling the emitter and sensor in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a portion of a door 10 and an interior wall 11 of a game cabinet. A radiative emitter 12 and sensor 13 are mounted in operative association with door 10 so as to communicate with one another when the door is in closed position. The term &#34;operative association&#34; as used herein is taken to mean that emitter 12 and sensor 13 are mounted so as to define an interruptable communication path which is interrupted when door 10 is opened. An emitter and sensor in this configuration will communicate with one another across a gap to close an electrical circuit when door 10 is closed and will cause that circuit to be broken when door 10 is opened. Configured in this manner, the emitter and sensor can be coupled to a suitable indicating circuit to monitor the opening and closing of door 10. However, this simple arrangement is easily foiled to give a false indication of a closed door. 
     The present invention adds to the above-described configuration a means for interrogating emitter 12 and sensor 13 to verify whether they are indeed in communication with one another, which can only occur when door 10 is closed. According to the invention, the verification function is provided by a first means which has a first state indicating that said sensor is receiving radiation and a second state indicating that it is not; a second means for pulsing emitter 12; a third means which monitors whether the state of the first means tracks the pulsation of emitter 12 and provides an alarm signal when it fails to track the pulsations; and a fourth means providing an indication of unauthorized opening of door 10 in response to the alarm signal. 
     In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 these means are provided by microprocessor 15, which includes input register 16, central processing unit 17, output register 18, and counter/timer 22. Sensor 13 is connected to input register 16 and provides a signal causing a status bit or flag to be set in input register 16 whenever sensor 13 is receiving radiation. Output register 18 is connected to emitter 12 and provides a signal in response to commands from CPU 17 for energizing the emitter. 
     As explained more fully hereinbelow, when the status bit is set in input register 16, indicating that sensor 13 is receiving radiation, CPU 17 provides a sequence of commands causing emitter 12 to pulse in a predetermined manner. As used herein, the term &#34;to pulse&#34; means to deenergize emitter 12 for a characteristic period, that is, to cause emitter 12 to blink. If sensor 13 fails to receive the pulsation of emitter 12, that is, if the status bit of input register 16 fails to track the pulse commands of CPU 17, then microprocessor 15 provides an alarm signal indicating that the emitter-sensor configuration has been tampered with. The alarm signal is received by indicator means 19. 
     The indicator means 19 may be provided by any of several common devices, such as a local or remote auditory alarm or a local or remote display monitor indicating unauthorized opening of the door and unauthorized entry into the cabinet. CPU 17 may also make an entry in a memory device, such as random access memory 21, recording the tampering attempt. Such alarm, display, or memory arrangements are well known to those skilled in the art. 
     The preferred embodiment also includes means for indicating when door 10 is truly open. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus further comprises counter/timer 22 included in microprocessor 15 and a second indicator means 23 for indicating that door 10 is open. On command from CPU 17, counter/timer 22 counts down a predetermined time interval when the sensor-status bit is first set in input register 16. If sensor 13 does not change its status during the predetermined time interval, that is, if the sensor-status bit is not cleared from input register 16 during the predetermined time interval, then microprocessor 15 activates indicator means 23 to signal that door 10 is truly open. If sensor 13 does change its status within the predetermined time interval, that is, if the sensor-status bit is cleared from input register 16 within the predetermined time interval, then CPU 17 commands output register 18 to pulse emitter 12 so as to verify whether emitter 12 and sensor 13 are still in optical communication with one another. 
     In the preferred embodiment radiative emitter 12 is provided by a light emitting diode which is connected directly to an output port of microprocessor 15. Sensor 13 is then provided by a phototransistor connected at its bias side to an input port of microprocessor 15. The phototransistor is operated at a level sufficiently high so as not to respond to ambient light. The light emitting diode is mounted on door 10 so that when the door is closed, the diode will be in close proximity to the phototransistor. In this manner, the light emitting diode communicates with the phototransistor only across a small air gap and can deliver a light signal of sufficient intensity to activate the phototransistor, which is not activated by ambient light levels. While the preferred embodiment illustrated here employs a light emitting diode, other types of radiative emitters can be used in the invention, for example, an infrared emitting diode. 
     Having described the general arrangement and function of apparatus for practicing the invention, the control of microprocessor 15 is now described in more detail. FIG. 2 provides a flow chart of a routine for practicing the invention, and Appendix I contains an illustrative assembly-language program. With reference to FIG. 2, upon entry into the routine emitter 12 is activated at block 31 and counter/timer 22 is initialized at block 32. At block 33, CPU 17 checks whether the sensor-status bit has been set. A cleared status bit indicates that sensor 13 is not receiving radiation and provides a preliminary indication that door 10 is open. As described above, however, CPU 17 does not signal indicator means 23 that the door is truly open unless sensor 13 fails to receive any radiation for a continuous, predetermined time interval. Thus, if upon interrogation at block 33 it is found that no sensor-status bit is set, the counter is decremented, the status of the sensor is interrogated again, and so on until the counter has counted down to zero. In the illustrative program of Appendix I the counter is set to count down a predetermined time interval of 100 milliseconds. If the counter reads zero, then at block 34 CPU 17 signals indicator means 23 that the door is open. The CPU command may be used to produce a door-open display on an appropriate monitor and to perform such other commonplace tasks as turning on a lamp within the cabinet. 
     If at any time before the loop counter 22 counts down to zero the interrogation at block 33 determines that the sensor-status flag has been set, then control shifts to block 36, which initializes the counter again in preparation for a verification loop. 
     In the verification loop CPU 17 pulses emitter 12 and verifies whether the pulses are tracked by sensor 13. At block 37 CPU 17 causes emitter 12 to be deenergized. CPU 17 then checks the state of the sensor-status bit. If the bit is still set, then CPU 17 concludes that sensor 13 is not tracking the pulsation of emitter 12 and the sensor and emitter are no longer in communication with one another. Upon the occurrence of this condition, CPU 17 provides an alarm signal at block 39 to indicator means 19. 
     If the status bit has changed its state, so as to track the leading edge of the first pulse from emitter 12, then at block 41 CPU 17 causes the emitter to be energized again. At block 42 CPU 17 checks once again the state of the sensor-status bit to ascertain whether it has tracked the trailing edge of the pulse from emitter 12. If so, the loop counter is decremented at block 43. 
     Emitter 12 is pulsed in this manner for a predetermined number of pulses as defined by the loop counter. If at any time during the verification loop the sensor-status bit fails to track the leading edge or the trailing edge of any pulse, control will shift to block 39, which provides an alarm signal indicating unauthorized tampering with the door interlock system. If the sensor-status bit successfully tracks the verification pulsations of emitter 12, then CPU 17 concludes that the door is in fact closed and returns control to block 31, which reenergizes emitter 12. In the illustrative program of Appendix I the verification loop produces a total of 10 equally spaced pulses over an elapsed time of 15 milliseconds. 
     Appendix I provides an illustrative assembly-language program listing for microprocessor 15 according to the general flow chart of FIG. 2. In that listing, the function labeled WATCHD, which stands for &#34;watch dog,&#34; provides a refresh sequence for the microprocessor hardware when the routine returns to the beginning from block 44. The function labeled WARMPU, which stands for &#34;warm power up,&#34; refreshes the sensor-status bit if the apparatus should be instantaneously turned off and on. The other instructions of the listing will be readily interpretable by those skilled in the art of microprocessor programming. It will be appreciated that the listing of Appendix I provides only an illustrative program for implementing the method of the invention, and other programs could be written by one skilled in the art for carrying out the method disclosed herein. 
     While the above provides a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure. For example, many of the software functions provided by microprocessor 15 could be implemented by well known logic gate arrays external to the microprocessor. Also, other predetermined sequences of pulses of different pulse widths and spacings or even a sequence of randomly generated pulses could be used in the verification loop. All such modifications and alternate constructions are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed herein, which is defined by the appended claims. 
     
                                           APPENDIX I                              
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SL211G; MICROBENCH 8.0.51 CROSS ASSEMBLER (V1)-176 17-AUG-82              
1.0.:.0..0.:19 DUROPN - CHECK DOOR STATUS                                 
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 1                 SBTTL  DUROPN - CHECK DOOR STATUS                      
 2              ;                                                         
 3              ;NAME - DOROPN                                            
 4              ;                                                         
 5              ;FUNCTION - CHECK DOOR OPEN INPUT, SEND DOOR OPEN CODE TO 
                CRTC, PULSE                                               
 6              ;DOOR INTEROGATE BIT WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED                  
 7              ;                                                         
 8              ;INPUTS - DOOR                                            
 9              ;                                                         
1.0.            ;OUTPUTS - DOOR                                           
11              ;                                                         
12              ;I/O - DOOR INTEROGATE(DOIN), DOOR OPEN(DIOUT),DOOR OPEN  
                LAMP(DOLMP)                                               
13              ;                                                         
14              ;CALLS - XTXDAT, LDELAY, UPCMTR                           
15              ;                                                         
16              ;DESTROYS - A, DPTR                                       
17              ;                                                         
18              ;      This routine always exits with DOOR set iff the    
                       door is open.                                      
19              ;      DIOUT (the door open LED) is always clear on       
                       exit.                                              
2.0.            ;      Note that DIOUT is inverted by hardware.           
21              ;      If the door changes from open to closed, and       
                       STMODE is clear.                                   
22              ;      we exit with a jump to PWRUP                       
23              ;      In all other cases, we exit with a RET to the      
                       calling routine.                                   
24              ;      This routine does not use a significant number of  
                       cycles unless                                      
25              ;      the door is either opening or closing.             
26              ;      DOOR is changed from closed to open if DOIN is off 
                       for 1.0..0. ms.                                    
27              ;      DOOR is changed from open to closed if we pulse    
                       DIOUT off and on                                   
28              ;      1.0. times, and DOIN pulses accordingly.           
29              ;                                                         
3.0.                                                                      
  3.0.D2                                                                  
      C.0.                                                                
         .0.2   DOROPN:                                                   
                       PUSH  2            ;Save R2 in case we destroy it  
31                                                                        
  3.0.D4                                                                  
      9.0.                                                                
         362F          MOV   DPTR, #362FH ;Set up 1.0..0. ms. timer       
32                                                                        
  3.0.D7                                                                  
      2.0.                                                                
         3B  17 CHKDO; JB    DOIN, CHDBIT ;Jump if door appears to be     
                                          closed                          
33                                                                        
  3.0.DA                                                                  
      2.0.                                                                
         .0.9                                                             
             .0.D      JB    DOOR, L$     ;Jump if door was and still is  
                                          open                            
34                                        ;Door was closed. Is it open    
                                          now?                            
35                                                                        
  3.0.DD                                                                  
      D5 82  F7        DJNZ  DPL, CHKDO   ;Check for 1.0. .0. ms.         
36                                                                        
  3.0.E.0.                                                                
      D5 83  F4        DJNZ  DPH, CHKDO   ;If door is open for 1.0..0.    
                                          ms, then. . .                   
37                                                                        
  3.0.E3                                                                  
      D2 .0.9          SET3  DOOR         ;Set door open flag             
38                                                                        
  3.0.E5                                                                  
      74 E.0.          MOV   A, #DOOROP                                   
39                                                                        
  3.0.E7                                                                  
      12 2.0.15        CALL  XTXDAT       ;Tell video that the door is    
                                          open                            
40                                                                        
  3.0.EA                                                                  
      A2 .0.9   L$:    MOV   C, DOOR                                      
41                                                                        
  3.0.EC                                                                  
      92 7.0.          MOV   DOLMP, C     ;Turn on door lamp iff door is  
                                          open                            
42                                                                        
  3.0.EE                                                                  
      D.0.                                                                
         .0.2          POP   2            ;Restore R2                     
43                                                                        
  3.0.F.0.                                                                
      22               RET                                                
44              ;                                                         
45                                                                        
  3.0.F1                                                                  
      3.0.                                                                
         .0.9                                                             
             F6 CHDBIT:                                                   
                       JNB   DOOR, L$     ;It appears that the door is    
                                          closed                          
46                                        ;Return if it was closed all    
                                          along                           
47                                                                        
  3.0.F4                                                                  
      12 3117          CALL  CHKDOR       ;Pulse DIOUT and see what       
                                          happens                         
48                                                                        
  3.0.F7                                                                  
      2.0.                                                                
         .0.9                                                             
             F.0.      JB    DOOR, L$     ;Return if the door didn&#39;t      
                                          really close                    
49                                                                        
  3.0.FA                                                                  
      9.0.                                                                
         1.0.42        MOV   DPTR, #DOORS ;The door really has been       
                                          closed!!                        
5.0.                                                                      
  3.0.FD                                                                  
      12 .0..0..0..0.G CALL  UPCMTR       ;Increment count of door opens  
51                                                                        
  31.0..0.                                                                
      2.0.                                                                
         .0.3                                                             
             E7        JB    STMODE, L$   ;Just return if in self test    
                                          mode                            
52                                                                        
  31.0.3                                                                  
      3.0.                                                                
         .0.A                                                             
             .0.7      JNB   COMODE, EXDOPN                               
                                          ;Skip delay unless in coin out  
                                          mode                            
53                                                                        
  31.0.6               LDLAY 1.0..0..0.   ;Wait one second                
54                                                                        
  31.0.D        EXDOPN:                                                   
                       MOVC --                                            
                             SP, STACK                                    
55                                                                        
  3114                                                                    
      .0.2                                                                
         2.0.BF        JMP   PWRUP        ;Restart everything             
 1              ;       Pulse the LED 1.0. times to see if the door is    
                       really closed                                      
 2              ;      CHKDOR is considered part of DOROPN. However, it   
                       is                                                 
 3              ;      called from WARMPU to make sure that DOOR is set   
                       correctly.                                         
 4                                                                        
  3117                                                                    
      7A .0.A   CHKDOR:                                                   
                       MOV   R2, #1.0.    ;We will decrement R2 until R2  
                                          until R2=.0.                    
 5                                                                        
  3119          1$:    MOVX --A, WATCHD                                   
                             ;Keep the hardware watchdog happy            
 6                                                                        
  311D                                                                    
      75 8A  .0..0.    MOV   TL.0., #.0.                                  
 7                                                                        
  312.0.                                                                  
      75 8C  E6        MOV   TH.0., #.0.E6H                               
                                          ;Roughly 8 ms                   
 8                                                                        
  3123                                                                    
      C2 8D            CLR   TF.0.                                        
 9                                                                        
  3125                                                                    
      D2 8C            SETB  TR.0.        ;Start it running               
10                                                                        
  3127                                                                    
      D2 5B            SETB  DIOUT        ;Turn off LED                   
11                                                                        
  3129                                                                    
      2.0.                                                                
         8D  1E 2$:    JB    TF.0., FAIL  ;Timeout: The door wasn&#39;t       
                                          really closed                   
12                                                                        
  312C                                                                    
      2.0.                                                                
         3B  FA        JB    DOIN, 2$     ;Wait until we see the LED turn 
                                          off                             
13                                                                        
  312F                                                                    
      E4               CLR   A                                            
14                                                                        
  313.0.                                                                  
      .0..0.    3$:    NOP                ;Make this loop last 1.5 ms     
15                                                                        
  3131                                                                    
      2.0.                                                                
         3B  F5        JB    DOIN, 2$     ;Jump if it didn&#39;t stay off     
                                          long enough                     
16                                                                        
  3134                                                                    
      D5 E.0.                                                             
             F9        DJNZ  ACC, 3$                                      
17                                                                        
  3137                                                                    
      C2 5B            CLR   DIOUT        ;Turn on LED                    
18                                                                        
  3139                                                                    
      2.0.                                                                
         8D  .0.E                                                         
                4$:    JB    TF.0., FAIL  ;Timeout: The door wasn&#39;t       
                                          really closed.                  
19                                                                        
  313C                                                                    
      3.0.                                                                
         3B  FA        JNB   DOIN, 4$     ;Wait until we see the LED turn 
                                          on                              
2.0.                                                                      
  313F                                                                    
      .0..0.    5$:    NOP                ;Make this loop last 1.5 ms     
21                                                                        
  314.0.                                                                  
      3.0.                                                                
         3B  F6        JNB   DOIN, 4$     ;Jump if it didn&#39;t stay on long 
                                          enough                          
22                                                                        
  3143                                                                    
      D5 E.0.                                                             
             F9        DJNZ  ACC, 5$                                      
23                                                                        
  3146                                                                    
      DA D1            DJNZ  R2, 1$       ;Loop for 1.0. passes           
24                                                                        
  3148                                                                    
      C2 .0.9          CLR   DOOR         ;Tell main program that door is 
                                          closed                          
25                                                                        
  314A                                                                    
      C2 BC     FAIL:  CLR   TR.0.        ;Stop the timer                 
26                                                                        
  314C                                                                    
      C2 5B            CLR   DIOUT        ;Make sure the LED is on for    
                                          next time                       
27                                                                        
  314E                                                                    
      22               RET                                                
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