Coin operated game device using LEDs to provide general illumination

Abstract

A coin operated amusement game such as a pinball machine having a playing surface to which LEDs are mounted as a means for illuminating portions of the game playing surface generally.

1 . A coin operated amusement game, comprising:
 a playfield including a plurality of features which are utilized to define play of the coin operated amusement game wherein the playfield has mounted to an underside thereof a first illumination device comprised of at least one LED positioned in cooperation with the playfield to illuminate at least a portion of the playfield generally.   
   
   
       2 . The coin operated amusement game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first illumination device is illuminated in response to a control signal received via a bus architecture. 
   
   
       3 . The coin operated amusement game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the playfield supports a transparent overlay which overlays the first illumination device. 
   
   
       4 . The coin operated amusement game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first illumination device comprises a first white colored LED and a second orange colored LED. 
   
   
       5 . The coin operated amusement game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of features is illuminated by a second illumination device specifically under the control of a microprocessor in response to game play conditions. 
   
   
       6 . The coin operated amusement game as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the second illumination device comprises at least one LED. 
   
   
       7 . The coin operated amusement game as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the playfield comprises an inclined playfield of a pinball machine. 
   
   
       8 . A pinball machine, comprising:
 a downwardly sloping playfield;   a mechanism for launching a ball from a lower portion of the playfield to an upper portion of the playfield along a side of the playfield;   flipper mechanisms located at a lower end of the playfield for diverting the travel of the ball to prevent a ball from exiting the lower end of the playfield under the force of gravity where it is returned to the mechanism for launching a ball;   a plurality of features on the playfield which, when interacted with by the ball, influence scoring during game play; and   an illumination device comprised of at least one LED positioned in cooperation with the playfield to illuminate at least a portion of the playfield generally.