U.S. Pat. No. 7,946,920

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The countertop video game terminal100shown in the Figures includes a series of structural components which form a framework for supporting the individual elements of the terminal. In particular, the framework includes a center pedestal102in combination with two column supports104and106which extend upwardly from the base portion108. A touch screen assembly110is secured to the center pedestal above the base portion and is supported either side of the center pedestal by the two column supports. A gap112and114are provided between the center pedestal and the two column supports. These column supports provide edge support for the screen assembly.

The touch screen assembly110is mounted on the center pedestal and the two column supports at a position above the bottom plate. A gap is provided below the touch screen that preferably accommodates the payment devices. Banknotes are fed to a banknote acceptor inlet120into a validator contained in the center pedestal and a coin slot return is provided at122. A coin input slot124is provided at an upper position above the touch screen assembly. The center pedestal houses the major components of the countertop video in a central region which does not extend the full width of the touch screen. The edges of the touch screen are supported to either side of the center pedestal by the column supports. With this arrangement, the outer configuration of the terminal appears to be more compacted and streamlined, while still using a large touch screen, in this case, a 17 inch touch screen although larger screens can be used.

Below the touch screen assembly is an extension126of the base that includes a low profile joystick control112in combination with left and right button actuators either side of the joystick control150.

The rear of the center pedestal, as shown inFIG. 2, is covered by the removable cover130which includes a key lock132. This cover is preferably molded plastic and is reinforced with a metal inner plate139as shown inFIG. 3. The removable cover includes an upper three way lock shown as136. This includes two pivoting arms138and140in combination with a central latch142. The pivoting arms engage two locking flanges shown as144and146inFIG. 5. The latch142engages flange147. With this arrangement, three locking points are provided at the upper part of the cover, when appropriately positioned by means of the key actuator. The lower part of the cover includes two hook members155and157which are received in the locking flanges156and158provided near the rear base of the pedestal. The hook members are inserted in these slots and firmly releasably fix the cover to the pedestal until the upper portion of the cover is released by the lock. Interior to the pedestal is a coin drop box162and a banknote storage cassette164. Each of the drop box and the cassette is removable from the center pedestal by release of the cover. These provide a simple secure arrangement for storing the funds until an owner or operator services the terminal.

The perspective view ofFIG. 6shows additional details of the internal components of the countertop video terminal with the banknote cassette and the coin drop box removed.

FIG. 7shows the power supply member172, a CPU shield member174, and the coin return shoot176. Interior to the central pedestal is the coin acceptor180.

An upper light board182is provided near the top of the terminal and produces light for projecting through translucent members184to provide further attraction to the terminal.

The perspective view ofFIGS. 20 through 25show details of the framework of the countertop video.

InFIG. 25, the skeleton of the framework is shown. A base plate102serves to support the left and right side members200and202of the center pedestal. Various ported grills are provided in the base102and various brackets attached thereto to allow cooling air to flow therethrough. The base member does include speaker mounting portions206and208that will further be described.

The side members200of the center pedestal102include a connecting panel210for receiving and supporting the screen assembly. Projecting either side of the pedestal is the screen chassis143which partially defines the two column supports104and106either side of the pedestal. These column supports are further defined by the bracket extension members220and222provided above the base member102. The screen chassis143fully supports the oversized screen assembly using the two column members and the central pedestal. This provides a robust structure and also provides a sizeable center pedestal for housing the various components of the game terminal. The center pedestal also provides room for the removable coin box and banknote cassette.

Details of the screen assembly are shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B. Various cover members have been provided on the structural frame and the screen assembly108is about to be attached to the frame. The exploded view ofFIG. 11Aillustrates the components of the screen assembly108including an outer frame bracket250, a front panel decorative frame252of a translucent material, a touch screen254, a 17 inch LCD display256and various brackets for holding the components together. The screen assembly includes a monitor gasket258that serves to secure the LCD monitor in the back cover260. A series of bolt members pass through the back cover260and engage the front frame250to maintain the screen assembly in the conditions shown inFIG. 11B. This assembly is then attached to the frame of the game terminal at a raised position relative to the base portion108as shown inFIG. 12. With this arrangement, both column supports and the center pedestal serve to secure the oversized LCD screen in a protected manner.

The translucent frame overlies the columns and light sources270and272are provided below the translucent frame and introduce light into an exterior edge of the frame and cause the light to propagate upwardly through the frame member. The translucent outer frame is also preferably etched on the rear surface to provide for some transmission of the light through the front face of the frame. The etching on the back face provides some interruption in the propagated light as it is transmitted in the length of the translucent outer frame. In addition, this frame can be made of a modified translucent material that causes some of the light traveling within the frame to pass outwardly through the front face of the frame. For example, a translucent material with a milky coloration causes some of the light to pass outwardly through the face of the frame. This arrangement provides an excellent decorative effect. In order to introduce light into the edge of the frame, the bottom edge of the frame is polished and a LED light source (270,272) is provided immediately below this polished edge. Light effectively uses the translucent member as a transmission path with partial reflection of the light through the front face of the frame. This has been found to provide a very desirable lighting of the touch screen either side thereof in a cost effective manner.

Proper selection of the translucent member and etching thereof on the rear surface as well as the particular composition of the frame allows for fine tuning of the light that will be reflected to pass out the face of the frame to provide the desired decorative lighting. This decorative lighting is preferably produced using a light emitting diode that produces blue light, although other light sources can be used. For example, it is possible to use an LED that is capable of emitting any combination of three or more colors and the operator can program the LED to emit the desired color. In this way, the operator using an operator input screen displayed on the touch screen can vary the particular lighting and the color thereof. There are also provisions for programming the changing of the emitted light as a color and/or intensity further feature to allow the operator to customize the terminal for the particular environment and enhance the player attraction mode. This light arrangement that is capable of producing red, blue and green light can be used in combination for producing other colors. This arrangement has been found to provide a cost effective means for introducing ambient lighting at the edges of the screen by providing light produced exterior to the frame to pass along an edge of the frame. This is in contrast to interior lighting at the edge of a frame or the mere provision of pot lighting behind a frame. The advantage of the present system is the transmission of light through the length of the frame by the proper introduction of the light and then the etching and/or controlled reflection of light through the front face of the frame. It is also possible to use white light or other colored light sources. It is preferred to use colored light to vary the color appearance of the translucent frame.

As clearly shown in the drawings, the center pedestal includes generally parallel side members200and202which are spaced at a distance from one another less than the width of the touch screen. This provides a generally slender center pedestal relative to the wide touch screen with the touch screen being supported by the column members either side of the pedestal. Speakers for the game terminal are provided behind the columns and are effectively protected by the columns. The light sources are provided near the base of the columns and cooperate with the frame for transmission of light upwardly through the frame.

The center pedestal includes the removable lockable cover and provides an effective enclosure for housing of the coin box and the banknote cassette.

The perspective view ofFIG. 21shows the mounting of the speakers290and292to the base member102and behind the column members. Further details are shown in the perspective view ofFIG. 22.

As shown in the partially assembled countertop view ofFIG. 13, these speakers are now fully covered by the rear covers of the column members and the enlarged base cover. Thus, the speakers are protected by the full coverage from above and the sound is projected through the slots294and296in the base portion and out the front. In this way, it is difficult to damage the speakers by throwing water or other liquid material on the terminal in its operative orientation. Sound is still allowed to pass out through the base102.

The joystick controller is of a low profile and includes a top cover which does not allow pressure on the actual joy stick actuator shown as300inFIG. 21. A control member302is provided above the joystick which is supported outwardly of the joystick such that the joystick is moved by member302but the joystick, and in particular, the sensing components at the base of the joystick are not exposed to downward pressure or abusive force asserted by a user on the control member302. Similarly, the control member provided above the joystick controller300provides protection against liquid being used to attack the joystick controller. The cover member302serves to direct this liquid exterior to the joystick controller.

The LED lights are also provided on the column and are effectively covered by the column members. The LED's themselves, are relatively robust and are protected on the columns. Once again, this particular arrangement is advantageous due to the abusive environment that the countertop video game terminal may be exposed to.

It has been found that the transmission of light along sections of the translucent frame provides an effective arrangement for visual enhancement of the game terminal. Low ambience light is provided but it can be colored and can be varied if desired by the operator to match a particular environment in which the game terminal is placed.

Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.