Methods and devices for managing gaming networks
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a gaming network, the method comprising:
- selecting a first configuration change for a first gaming machine in a gaming network;
indicating a first time for attempting to implement the first configuration change; and
implementing the first configuration change by automatically sending a signal to the first gaming machine via the gaming network.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some implementations of the invention provide methods and devices for managing gaming establishments and for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Some such implementations allow a user to configure one or more gaming machines via an easy-to-use GUI displayed on a wired or a wireless device, such as a laptop, a PDA, a work station or other host device. Gaming machine parameters that can be changed according to some implementations of the invention include game denominations, games to enable or disable, game payback percentage, deal speed, volume level and enabling or disabling a tournament. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide an event scheduler that allows a user either to cause events to occur immediately or schedule certain events to occur at a future time. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to generate activity reports highlighting configuration changes, user logins, game set additions, and/or game downloading. Novel methods and devices for authentication are also provided herein. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to manage easily game downloads to a local server and/or to each gaming machine.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a gaming network, the method comprising:
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selecting a first configuration change for a first gaming machine in a gaming network;
indicating a first time for attempting to implement the first configuration change; and
implementing the first configuration change by automatically sending a signal to the first gaming machine via the gaming network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Computer software embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer software including instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform the following steps:
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present a depiction of gaming machines in a gaming network;
indicate a present configuration of a gaming machine;
receive gaming machine configuration commands from a user; and
implement the gaming machine configuration commands by sending configuration signals to one or more gaming machines in the gaming network. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for controlling a gaming network, the apparatus comprising:
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a display device;
an input device;
at least one network interface configured for communication with a gaming network; and
a logic device, wherein the logic device is configured to control the display device to perform the following actions;
present a depiction of gaming machines in a gaming establishment; and
indicate a present configuration of each gaming machine presented;
and wherein the logic device is further configured to receive first gaming machine configuration commands from a user via the input device and to implement the commands by sending configuration signals via the network interface to one or more gaming machines in the gaming network. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for providing automated tournaments for games of chance, the method comprising:
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causing a plurality of devices in a gaming network to indicate tournament notification information regarding a tournament to be conducted;
receiving a request to enroll in the tournament transmitted from each of a first plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network;
determining whether to accept each of the requests;
sending a tournament confirmation message to each of a second plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network that transmitted a request that was accepted;
configuring each of the second plurality of gaming machines for participation in the tournament;
conducting the tournament;
awarding at least one tournament prize; and
reporting tournament outcome data, wherein the determining, sending, configuring, conducting and awarding steps are performed automatically. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of controlling a gaming network, comprising:
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determining a first rate of revenue obtained by a first gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network during a first time when the first gaming machine has a first configuration;
transmitting second configuration information to the first gaming machine via the gaming network;
configuring the first gaming machine with a second configuration according to the second configuration information; and
determining a second rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during a second time when the first gaming machine has the second configuration. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of controlling a gaming network, comprising:
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receiving revenue data from a first gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network;
determining a first rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during a first time when the first gaming machine has a first configuration;
determining a second rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during a second time when the first gaming machine has a second configuration;
determining an Nth rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during an Nth time when the first gaming machine has an Nth configuration; and
ascertaining a first optimum configuration for the first gaming machine during a first time of day, the first optimum configuration corresponding with a highest rate of revenue determined for the first gaming machine during the first time of day. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification