System and method for retrieving device information

• US 20040092314A1
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: George, Jeffrey, Huber, Doug, Huang, Zhiguo, Pochin, John-Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/661,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20040092314A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

A remote system and method are used with a gaming system. The gaming system includes at least one electronic gaming device. A host computer is coupled to the at least one electronic gaming device by a network. The host computer includes a database for maintaining information related to the at least one electronic gaming device. A remote device receives identification information input by a user. A remote network interface is coupled to the remote device for receiving the identification information from the remote device, retrieving device information from the database as a function of the identification information, and returning the device information to the remote device.

Claims

1. A remote system for use with a gaming system, the gaming system for implementing a player tracking system and having at least one electronic gaming device, a host computer coupled to the at least one electronic gaming device by a network, the host computer including a database for maintaining information related to the at least one electronic gaming device, the remote system comprising:

a remote device for receiving identification information input by a user; and

,

a remote network interface coupled to the remote device for receiving the identification information from the remote device, retrieving device information from the database as a function of the identification information, and returning the device information to the remote device.

2. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the remote device is coupled to the remote network interface by a wireless connection.

3. A remote system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the wireless connection uses an IEEE 802.11 standard.

4. A remote system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11b.

5. A remote system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11g.

6. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with the user.

7. A remote system, as set forth in claim 6, the web client for acquiring input from the user and formatting and presenting data to the user.

8. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, the remote network interface for sending a request form to the remote device.

9. A remote system, as set forth in claim 8, the request form being fillable with the identification information by the user.

10. A remote system, as set forth in claim 9, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the request form being accessible through the web client.

11. A remote system, as set forth in claim 10, the request form accepting the identification information.

12. A remote system, as set forth in claim 11, the identification information including a device number associated with the electronic gaming device.

13. A remote system, as set forth in claim 12, the remote network interface for receiving the device number and determining if the device number is valid.

14. A remote system, as set forth in claim 13, the remote network interface for retrieving the device information from the database if the identification card number is valid.

15. A remote system as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a barcode reader connected to the remote device, the barcode reader for reading the device number from a bar code on the electronic gaming device.

16. A remote system, as set forth in claim 12, the device number being input by the user.

17. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, the remote network interface coupled to the database for retrieving and storing data therein.

18. A remote system, as set forth in claim 17, the database for storing data in database tables.

19. A remote system, as set forth in claim 18, further comprising a plurality of first data object coupled to the database tables for retrieving and storing data in the database tables.

20. A remote system, as set forth in claim 19, further comprising at least one second data object coupled to the first data objects for assembling multiple first data objects into a third data object.

21. A remote system, as set forth in claim 20, the third object coupled to the remote network interface for receiving queries from the remote network interface, retrieving responsive data from the database, formatting the responsive data and returning the responsive data to the remote network interface.

22. A remote system, as set forth in claim 21, the remote network interface for receiving the responsive data and transmitting the responsive data to the remote device.

23. A remote system, as set forth in claim 22, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the remote network interface for formatting the responsive data into a hyper text mark-up language response for display by the web client.

24. A remote system, as set forth in claim 6, the web client including a plurality of servlets for providing functionality to a user.

25. A remote system, as set forth in claim 24, the web client including a login layer for identifying the user.

26. A remote system, as set forth in claim 25, the web client including a menu layer for allowing the user to navigate to and access the servlets.

27. A remote system, as set forth in claim 26, the user having an assigned type, the menu layer for allowing accessing to servlets and restricting access to servlets as a function of the assigned type.

28. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes an asset number.

29. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a denomination value.

30. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a manufacturer.

31. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a model number.

32. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a master prom.

33. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a game prom.

34. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a MAC address.

35. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a TCP/IP address.

36. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a date on floor.

37. A remote system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device information includes a value of at least one meter associated with the gaming device.

38. A method for retrieving information using a remote device for use with a gaming system, the gaming system including at least one electronic gaming device and a host computer coupled to the at least one electronic gaming device by a network, the host computer including a database for maintaining information related to the at least one gaming device, the method including the steps of:

receiving identification information at the remote device;

receiving the identification information from the remote device at the host computer; and

,

retrieving device information from the database as a function of the identification information.

39. A method, as set forth in claim 38, the gaming system having a remote network interface for coupling the remote device to the host computer, the method including the step of providing a wireless connection between the remote device and the remote network interface.

40. A method, as set forth in claim 39, wherein the wireless connection uses an IEEE 802.11 standard.

41. A method, as set forth in claim 40, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11b.

42. A method, as set forth in claim 41, wherein the wireless connection is IEEE 802.11g.

43. A method, as set forth in claim 38, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the method including the steps of:

acquiring input via the web client from the user; and

,

formatting and presenting data to the user.

44. A method, as set forth in claim 38, the method including the step of sending a request form by the remote network interface to the remote device.

45. A method, as set forth in claim 44, the request form being fillable with the identification information by a user.

46. A method, as set forth in claim 45, the request form being accessible through a web client.

47. A method, as set forth in claim 46, the method including the step of accepting by the request form the identification information.

48. A method, as set forth in claim 47, the identification information including a device number associated with the electronic gaming device.

49. A method, as set forth in claim 48, including the steps of receiving the device number by the remote network interface and determining if the device number is valid.

50. A method, as set forth in claim 49, the method including the steps of retrieving the device information from the database if the device number is valid.

51. A method as set forth in claim 48, the remote device having a barcode reader, the method including the step of reading a barcode on the gaming device using the bar code reader.

52. A method, as set forth in claim 48, including the step of inputting, by the user, the device number.

53. A method, as set forth in claim 38, the remote network interface coupled to the database for retrieving and storing data therein.

54. A method, as set forth in claim 53, the database for storing data in database tables.

55. A method, as set forth in claim 54, including the step of providing a plurality of first data object coupled to the database tables for retrieving and storing data in the database tables.

56. A method, as set forth in claim 55, including the step of providing at least one second data object coupled to the first data objects for assembling multiple first data objects into a third data object.

57. A method, as set forth in claim 56, the third object coupled to the remote network interface, the method including the step of receiving queries from the remote network interface at the third object, retrieving responsive data from the database, formatting the responsive data and returning the responsive data to the remote network interface.

58. A method, as set forth in claim 57, including the steps of receiving the responsive data and transmitting the responsive data to the remote device.

59. A method, as set forth in claim 58, the remote device having a processor and a web client for interaction with a user, the method including the step of formatting the responsive data, at the remote network interface, into a hyper text mark-up language response for display by the web client.

60. A method, as set forth in claim 59, the web client including a plurality of servlets for providing functionality to a user.

61. A method, as set forth in claim 60, the web client including a login layer for identifying the user.

62. A method, as set forth in claim 61, the web client including a menu layer for allowing the user to navigate to and access the servlets.

63. A method, as set forth in claim 62, the user having an assigned type, the menu layer for allowing accessing to servlets and restricting access to servlets as a function of the assigned type.

64. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes an asset number.

65. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a denomination value.

66. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a manufacturer.

67. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a model number.

68. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a master prom.

69. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a game prom.

70. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a MAC address.

71. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a TCP/IP address.

72. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a date on floor.

73. A method, as set forth in claim 38, wherein the device information includes a value of at least one meter associated with the gaming device.