IP Library Granted Patent US 11,020,652
Granted Patent B1
US 11,020,652 · App. 16/531,452 · Granted Jun 1, 2021

User modifiable pinball machine

Inventors: George A. Gomez (Chicago, IL); Gary Stern (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: Stern Pinball, Inc.
A63F7/027A63F2009/247A63F2009/2491
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,020,652
App. No.
16/531,452
Granted
Jun 1, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

A modifiable pinball machine includes a processing device, a memory storing instructions executable by the processing device, a communications interface coupled to the processing device for receiving new music data from a source external to the pinball machine for storage in the memory, and a speaker coupled to the processing device for playing music retrieved from the memory. The new music data is provided with data useable by the instructions to cause the processing device to automatically retrieve from the memory the new music data in lieu of originally provisioned music data, for playing via use of the speaker, when the pinball machine is caused to operate in a predetermined operating state.

Claims (8)

1. A method of modifying a pinball machine having a processing device, a memory storing instructions executable by the processing device, original music data stored on the memory, a communications interface coupled to the processing device, and one or more speakers coupled to the processing device for playing the original music data retrieved from the memory when the pinball machine is operating in a predetermined operating state of the pinball machine, the method comprising:

receiving by the communications interface coupled to the processing device, new music data from a source external to the pinball machine;

storing by the processing device, the new music data in the memory;

associating by the processing device, the new music data with the predetermined operating state of the pinball machine;

retrieving by the processing device, the new music data from the memory, when the pinball machine is caused to operate in the predetermined operating state; and

playing via use of the one or more speakers, the new music data in lieu of the original music data that was stored on the memory and was associated with the predetermined operating state of the pinball machine when the pinball machine was manufactured.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising storing via the instructions executable by the processing device the new music data in a location in the memory at which the original music data was stored when the pinball machine was manufactured.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising modifying the instructions executable by the processing device so that a new location in the memory at which the new music data is stored will be accessed to thereby allow the new music data to be retrieved from memory when the pinball machine is caused to operate in the predetermined operating state of the pinball machine.

Assignments (4)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: FIFTH THIRD BANK, N.A.
To: STERN PINBALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 065629/0090 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2023
From: STERN PINBALL, INC.; SPHERE POINT ENTERPRISES, INC.; STERN PINBALL DOMESTIC INTERNATIONAL SALES CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 065436/0878 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2021
From: STERN PINBALL, INC.
To: FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 058597/0283 →
PATENT ASSIGNMENT AND DECLARATION Recorded Aug 5, 2019
From: GOMEZ, GEORGE A.; STERN, GARY
To: STERN PINBALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 049962/0854 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 15918564 · Mar 12, 2018