The subject matter of this application pertains to illuminated legs for pinball machines. The legs have cut outs such as text and graphics. Lights on the inner surface of the leg illuminate the cut out sections. Lights may be housed within a payload which is inserted into the leg. The lights are connected to a power source and a controller and may be synced to other lights on the pinball machine.

A method of determining duration of a play session is described herein using a ball saver. An elapsed game time is tracked and a current round of play identified. Using the current round of play and the elapsed game time, a save time is determined. Finally, an autosave for a duration equal to the save time is activated using mechanical stop, flippers, or programmatic solutions.

A later generation display device may be connected to the video output port of an older electronic device which utilized an earlier generation display such as a dot matrix display. The early generation display is replaced with the later generation display. The display device includes software which receives graphic data through the video output port and identifies which frame is currently being streamed. The display device matches the frame being streamed to a stored graphic frame having a higher resolution and/or color. The matched frame is delivered to the later generation device so that the user can experience a higher quality visual effect by retrofitting the older electronic device with the later generation display.

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.

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.

The present invention is directed at enhancing pinball gameplay through non-synchronous multiplayer competitive and cooperative play. In the primary embodiment this is achieved by treating the logic and circuitry of an individual pinball machine as a Client, that is connected to a server or Host. The Host is in bidirectional communication with the individual pinball machines or Clients. The status of the Client, such as score, progress on completing features and other game metrics may be communicated to the Host at predetermined intervals. These game metrics may be communicated by the Host to all Clients. When a gameplay objective is completed on a client, the player is presented with a gameplay choice. This choice may be to change the status of his Client or change the status of another player's Client.

A target assembly includes a target post mounted to an underside of a playfield and sized to extend through an opening in the playfield. A centering device is mounted to the target post between a first end of the target post and a second end of the target post and a centering plate secures the target post to the underside of the playfield, wherein the centerplate and the centering device form a fulcrum for the target post to pivot as a lever. Impact of a ball with any portion of the target post, and in any direction, above the playfield causes the target post to pivot about the fulcrum, where a sensing switch senses the target post movement. A biasing element coupled to the centering device biases the target post into a rest position and returns the impacted target lever towards the rest position after impact by the ball.

A display device of an amusement game is caused to present in a main screen information associated with a first one of a plurality of active game play modes of the amusement game and to present in a secondary screen information associated with a second one of the plurality of active game play modes of the amusement game. A plurality of lighted features and at least one sound generating device are controlled using instructions that are associated only with the first one of the plurality of active game play modes while input received by a plurality of game play devices, resulting from an interaction between the plurality of game play features and an object that is moving relative to a playfield of the amusement game, is used to affect play of and/or scoring of play of the amusement game using instructions that are associated with each of the plurality of active game play modes.

A display device includes: a first display unit which is a transmissive display unit; a transparent backlight formed of transparent material, provided relative to the first display unit opposite the viewing surface of the first display unit, and configured to emit light toward the first display unit; a light source configured to output object light to the transparent backlight where light from an object provided opposite the light emission plane of the transparent backlight is output toward the transparent backlight and the first display unit; and a controller configured to control the first display unit, the transparent backlight, and the light source so that light emitted from the transparent backlight shows an image on the first display unit, and so that the object light can pass through the transparent backlight and the first display unit and be output.

A presentation control device includes: a first display unit which is a transmissive display unit; a transparent backlight formed of transparent material, provided relative to the first display unit opposite the viewing surface of the first display unit, and configured to emit light toward the first display unit; a light source configured to output object light to the transparent backlight where light from an object provided opposite the light emission plane of the transparent backlight is output toward the transparent backlight and the first display unit; and a display device including a controller configured to control the first display unit, the transparent backlight, and the light source so that light emitted from the transparent backlight shows an image on the first display unit, and so that the object light can pass through the transparent backlight and the first display unit and be output.