Patent ID: 8162737

Claim:
A gaming machine comprising: a cabinet; a master gaming controller, enclosed within said cabinet, designed or configured to: a) control a wager-based game played on the gaming machine; b) control a photonic power source configured to provide power to a photonic-powered card coupled to the gaming machine, wherein to provide power to the photonic-powered card, the master gaming controller is configured to provide power to a photovoltaic cell of the photonic-powered card in a directional manner; c) communicate with the photonic-powered card via an optical communication interface using an optical communication protocol, wherein: to communicate with the photonic-powered card, the master gaming controller is configured to communicate bi-directionally with a logic device of the photonic-powered card; and to communicate bi-directionally with the logic device, the master gaming controller is configured to provide at least enough power to the photovoltaic cell to exceed a threshold level of power of the photovoltaic cell to cause the logic device to begin the bi-directional communication with the master gaming controller to transmit and receive gaming information; d) communicate with one or more remote servers via a network interface; a display device, coupled to the cabinet, configured to display the wager-based game; an acceptor mechanism, coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet, configured to receive the photonic-powered card in a position that allows the photonic card to: 1) receive photons emitted from the photonic power source; and 2) communicate with the master gaming controller via the optical communication interface; wherein: the photonic power source is located within an interior portion of the cabinet aligned with the acceptor mechanism; the optical communication interface is coupled to the master gaming controller and aligned with the acceptor mechanism; and the network interface is coupled to the master gaming controller; an input mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for making wagers on the wager-based game; and an output mechanism, coupled to the cabinet, for outputting cash or an indicia of credit.