System for remotely crediting and billing usage of electronic entertainment machines
June 15, 2010. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesJukebox polling system Entertainment machines Video game including user visual image Video game network Illusion of skill game machine for a gaming system Poker machine communication system Video gaming system with pool prize structures Telephone access display system System for automatically reading utility meters from a remote location Remote control system for vending machines InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 538837 filed on 06/15/1990US Classes:463/25, Credit/debit monitoring or manipulation (e.g., game entry, betting, prize level, etc.)379/93.13, Amusement (e.g., game, lottery)379/102.03, Entertainmemt appliance (e.g., TV, VCR, radio, etc.)379/102.07, Having indication379/106.11, Interrogation signal463/42Network type (e.g., computer network, etc.)ExaminersPrimary: Dwyer, James L.Assistant: Chan, Jason Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesH04M 011/00G06F 015/28 AbstractA method and apparatus for remotely crediting and billing usage of a plurality of electronic entertainment machines situated at different locations. Each electronic entertainment is connected via a transmission link to a billing computer situated at a central billing location. The establishment having an electronic entertainment machine may award credit to the electronic entertainment machine by remote control after a customer has paid for credit or the user can insert money in the machine. Each electronic entertainment machine records the number of credits that have been awarded to the machine. At a predetermined time, the billing computer polls each location via the transmission link, and the electronic entertainment machine at each location transmits credit data to the billing computer. Each location is then billed for the use of their respective electronic entertainment machines as determined by the number of awarded credits. The present invention optionally includes means for remotely activating or deactivating an electronic entertainment machine from the central billing location should the need arise. Also, one machine at a location can be a master and other machines are linked to the master to provide the crediting and billing system for all the location machines.Field of SearchWith vending | |
