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A disclosed gaming machine has a plurality of "gaming peripherals," each communicating with a master gaming controller via a standard peripheral interface such as the USB (Universal Serial Bus). Further, the gaming peripherals employ a standard peripheral controller and one or more specialized "peri

A disclosed gaming machine has a plurality of "gaming peripherals," each communicating with a master gaming controller via a standard peripheral interface such as the USB (Universal Serial Bus). Further, the gaming peripherals employ a standard peripheral controller and one or more specialized "peripheral devices" (e.g., the actual lights, bill validators, ticket printers, etc. that perform the specific functions of the gaming peripherals). Much of the hardware associated with the peripheral controller is identical from one gaming peripheral to the next. Only a portion of the peripheral controller hardware is specific to the different types of gaming peripherals.

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1. A gaming machine comprising:a master gaming controller that controls one or more games played on the gaming machine; a mother board connected to the master gaming controller, said mother board comprising: a root expansion hub containing a plurality of communications ports designed to connect to a

1. A gaming machine comprising:a master gaming controller that controls one or more games played on the gaming machine; a mother board connected to the master gaming controller, said mother board comprising: a root expansion hub containing a plurality of communications ports designed to connect to a peripheral communications connection; a plurality of gaming peripherals coupled to the gaming machine and in communication with the master gaming controller via communication ports in the root expansion hub, each of the plurality of gaming peripherals comprising: the peripheral communications connection, one or more peripheral devices specific to each gaming peripheral, and a peripheral controller designed or configured to control the one or more peripheral devices, the peripheral controller including (i) a control microprocessor, separate from the master gaming controller, designed or configured to control communication with the master gaming controller over the peripheral communications connection using a communication protocol, and (ii) a peripheral interface that directly connects to the one or more peripheral devices and is specific to the individual gaming peripheral; wherein the master gaming controller and each of the plurality of gaming peripherals communicate using the same communication protocol and wherein the mother board is configured to allow additional gaming peripherals to be connected to the master gaming controller via the root expansion hub without requiring that the mother board be rewired.