Cashless controller system and board

Abstract

A controller board and system for converting a cash-based game machine to a cashless, wireless system employing wireless network connectivity is disclosed. The controller board consists of a circuit board, one or more emulation circuits, a serial interface, one or more switches and a microcontroller. The controller system consists of the controller board with the serial interface connected to a display and a card reader, and a wireless communication interface for communicating with the accounts server. Said one or more emulation circuits emulate the signals of cash-based peripherals on the game machine, once the peripheral cables are reconnected from the peripheral into the emulation circuit. The user's account is identified through the card reader and the user's account is debited or credited as a result of losing or winning gameplay by the microcontroller. Changes to the account balance are encrypted and sent to a casino server by means of the wireless interface.

1 . A system for converting a game machine having one or more cash acceptors to cashless game play, comprising:
 a) a board assembly comprising
 i) a printed circuit board; 
 ii) a microcontroller; 
 iii) a network adapter adapted to communicate with a network; 
 iv) a card scanner interface; and 
 v) one or more emulation circuits adapted to emulate signals from the one or more cash acceptors; and 
   b) a card scanner electronically connected to said card scanner interface wherein said board assembly and said card scanner are connected to the game machine, and said card scanner interface is adapted to communicate with said card scanner.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , said circuit board further comprising one or more switching means which are adapted to being switched in a configuration, which configuration is related to a specific model of game machine. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said switching means is a dual in-line package switch. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more cash acceptors further comprise a coin hopper, a coin mechanism and a bill acceptor, and said one or more emulation circuits further comprise a coin hopper emulation circuit that is adapted to emulate signals sent and received by a coin hopper, a coin mechanism emulation circuit that is adapted to emulate signals sent and received by a coin mechanism, and a bill acceptor emulation circuit that is adapted to emulate signals sent and received by a bill acceptor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , said circuit board further comprising a serial port adapted to transmitting a signal to a display screen of the game machine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said network interface performs wirelessly. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said wireless communication interface uses an 802.11 wireless standard. 
     
     
         8 . A board assembly for converting a game machine to cashless game play, comprising:
 i) A printed circuit board;   ii) a microcontroller;   iii) a network adapter adapted to communicate with a network;   iv) one or more emulation circuits adapted to emulate signals from the one or more cash acceptors; and   v) a card scanner interface which is adapted to communicate with a card scanner, wherein said microcontroller, said network adapter, said one or more emulation circuits, and said card scanner are all connected to said printer circuit board.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , said circuit board further comprising one or more switching means which are adapted to being switched in a configuration, which configuration is related to a specific model of game machine. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said switching means is a dual in-line package switch. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , said circuit board further comprising a serial port adapted to transmit a display signal. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said one or more cash acceptors further comprise a coin hopper, a coin mechanism and a bill acceptor, and said one or more emulation circuits further comprise a coin hopper emulation circuit that is adapted to emulate signals sent and received by a coin hopper, a coin mechanism emulation circuit that is adapted to emulate signals sent and received by a coin mechanism, and a bill acceptor emulation circuit that is adapted to emulate signals sent and received by a bill acceptor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said network interface performs wirelessly. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said wireless communication interface uses an 802.11 wireless standard.