Gaming machine maintenance system and method
First Claim
1. A handheld maintenance module comprising:
- a display unit capable of generating video images;
a wireless transceiver device capable of wireless data transmission and reception, said wireless transceiver device adapted to be wirelessly coupled to a maintenance controller; and
a module controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said wireless transceiver device, said module controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said module controller being programmed to allow a person to receive a gaming unit maintenance work order, said gaming unit maintenance work order representing a request for a repair of a gaming unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a video image representing said gaming unit maintenance work order to be displayed on said display unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a video image of one or more instructions to repair said gaming unit to be displayed, said module controller being programmed to allow said gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of said repair of said gaming unit, and said module controller being programmed to forward repair data to said maintenance controller, said repair data representing repair information generated during said repair of said gaming unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A handheld maintenance module may be provided with a display unit capable of generating video images, a wireless transceiver device capable of wireless data transmission and reception and adapted to be wirelessly coupled to a maintenance controller, and a module controller coupled to the display unit and the wireless transceiver device. The module controller may be programmed to allow a person to receive a gaming unit maintenance work order that represents a request for a repair of a gaming unit, to cause a video image representing the gaming unit maintenance work order to be displayed on the display unit, to cause a video image of one or more instructions to repair the gaming unit to be displayed, to allow the gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of the repair of the gaming unit, and to forward repair data to the maintenance controller.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A handheld maintenance module comprising:
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a display unit capable of generating video images;
a wireless transceiver device capable of wireless data transmission and reception, said wireless transceiver device adapted to be wirelessly coupled to a maintenance controller; and
a module controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said wireless transceiver device, said module controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said module controller being programmed to allow a person to receive a gaming unit maintenance work order, said gaming unit maintenance work order representing a request for a repair of a gaming unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a video image representing said gaming unit maintenance work order to be displayed on said display unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a video image of one or more instructions to repair said gaming unit to be displayed, said module controller being programmed to allow said gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of said repair of said gaming unit, and said module controller being programmed to forward repair data to said maintenance controller, said repair data representing repair information generated during said repair of said gaming unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A gaming system that allows automated gaming unit maintenance event notification, said gaming system comprising:
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a plurality of gaming units, one of said gaming units comprising;
a display unit that is capable of generating video images;
a first wireless transceiver device capable of wireless transmission of gaming unit diagnostic information;
a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said optical transceiver device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said gaming unit controller, said controller being programmed to allow a gaming person to make a wager, said controller being programmed to cause a video image to be generated on said display unit, said video image representing a game, said controller being programmed to determine, after said video image has been displayed, a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image;
a maintenance computer operatively coupled to said gaming units, said maintenance computer comprising;
a second wireless transceiver device capable of wireless data transmission and reception;
a maintenance database that stores a set of maintenance data comprising a set of gaming unit maintenance event data, a set of repair data, and a repair instruction;
a maintenance controller operatively coupled to said maintenance database, said maintenance controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said maintenance controller, said maintenance controller being programmed to generate a gaming unit maintenance work order upon receipt of a gaming unit maintenance event, said gaming unit maintenance event representing a problem with one of said gaming units, said gaming unit maintenance work order representing a request for a repair of said one gaming unit, and said maintenance controller being programmed to generate a set of data for a casino expert maintenance system, said casino expert maintenance system comprising an instruction to repair said one gaming unit;
a handheld maintenance module comprising;
a display unit capable of generating video images;
a third wireless transceiver device capable of wireless data transmission and reception, said third wireless transceiver device adapted to be wirelessly coupled to said maintenance controller;
a module controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said third wireless transceiver device, said module controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor of said module controller, said module controller being programmed to allow a repair person to receive said gaming unit maintenance work order requesting said repair of said one gaming unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a video image representing said gaming unit maintenance work order to be displayed on said display unit of said handheld maintenance module, said module controller being programmed to access said casino expert maintenance system and cause a video image of said instruction to repair to be displayed on said display unit of said handheld maintenance module, said module controller being programmed to allow said gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of said repair of said one gaming unit, and said module controller being programmed to forward a set of repair data to said maintenance controller, said set of repair data resulting from said repair of said one gaming unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A maintenance method for a gaming machine, said maintenance method comprising:
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causing a video image representing a gaming unit maintenance work order to be generated on a display unit of a handheld maintenance module in response to an occurrence of a gaming unit maintenance event in a gaming unit, said gaming unit maintenance event representing a problem with said gaming unit, said video image representing a request for a repair of a gaming unit to be generated;
enabling access to a casino expert maintenance system that provides repair instructions to repair said problem with said gaming unit;
causing a video image representing said repair instructions to be displayed on said display unit;
allowing said gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of said repair of said gaming unit;
causing repair data generated during said repair of said gaming unit to be forwarded to a maintenance controller. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A maintenance method for a first gaming machine, said maintenance method comprising:
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causing a video image representing a first gaming unit maintenance work order to be generated on a display unit of a second gaming unit in response to an occurrence of a first gaming unit maintenance event in said first gaming unit, said first gaming unit maintenance event representing a problem with said first gaming unit, said video image representing a request for a repair of said first gaming unit;
enabling access to a casino expert maintenance system that provides repair instructions to repair said problem with said first gaming unit;
causing a video image representing said repair instructions to be displayed on said display unit;
allowing said first gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of said repair of said first gaming unit;
causing repair data generated during said repair of said first gaming unit to be forwarded to a maintenance controller. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A handheld maintenance module comprising:
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a communication unit capable of generating audio signals;
a wireless transceiver device capable of wireless data transmission and reception, said wireless transceiver device adapted to be wirelessly coupled to a maintenance controller; and
a module controller operatively coupled to said communication unit and said wireless transceiver device, said module controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said module controller being programmed to allow a person to receive a gaming unit maintenance work order, said gaming unit maintenance work order representing a request for a repair of a gaming unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a first audio message representing said gaming unit maintenance work order to be generated on said communication unit, said module controller being programmed to cause a second audio message of one or more instructions to repair said gaming unit to be generated, said module controller being programmed to allow said gaming unit maintenance work order to be closed upon completion of said repair of said gaming unit, and said module controller being programmed to forward repair data to said maintenance controller, said repair data representing repair information generated during said repair of said gaming unit. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification