Monitoring system for use with amusement game devices

Abstract

A system for use in monitoring a plurality of amusement game devices is disclosed wherein individually identifiable attending personnel are employed to verify a predetermined game condition. The system is adapted for use with a computer and includes an interface unit connected to the computer and to a plurality of coupler units which are individually mounted on and interconnected with game devices. Each of the coupler units is adapted to receive a portable device for identifying individually each of the attending personnel. In the system illustrated in the drawings, that device is a transponder that locks into the coupler unit and provides informational responses to interrogation by the interface unit which sequentially polls or addresses each of the transponders. In the event a game device provides a winning condition, an operator inserts a transponder into the coupler unit of the game device that indicated the condition, which causes selective communication among the computer, coupler unit and transponder including identification of the game device, transponder, size of the winning condition and other information. The size of the winning condition is thereafter displayed on a digital readout, such as in the transponder, enabling the attending personnel to verify the condition. Once the amusement game device is then returned to playing condition, the transponder is unlocked and can be removed from the coupler unit and is available for insertion into other coupler units in response to winning conditions occurring thereon.