UDP BRODCAST FOR USER INTERFACE IN A DOWNLOAD AND CONFIGURATION GAMING METHOD

• US 20080288639A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ruppert, Ryan, Atashband, Farshld
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A modified form of the UDP multicast protocol is disclosed to implement a one-way notification method between a server and one or more clients. The UDP multicast notification method enables UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients, not broadcasted to all clients. This architecture minimizes network traffic and enhances system security, since only registered clients receive the UDP message. The configuration of the UDP multicast notification method does not require the configuration of network devices in order to support a UDP multicast. Furthermore, any number of the clients may be on a different network domain than the DCM engine.

Claims

1. A method for sending a notification message using a modified form of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast notification system in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages, the method comprising:

identifying information at a server that has potential for inclusion in a notification message;

querying a database for a list of clients that have registered for a particular type of notification by a UDP broadcast processor;

replying with a list of clients that have registered for a particular type of notification from the database;

sending notification to all clients on the list using an assigned port number from the UDP broadcast processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the clients are control panel applications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control panel applications are installed on control stations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control stations are utilized in a casino gaming environment.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the control stations are utilized for downloading and configuration of games and/or game operating systems of connected gaming devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is a Desired Configuration Monitoring (DCM) engine.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the DCM engine communicates with a database containing UDP multicast notification system data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the DCM engine includes DCM engine services, business libraries, and a data access layer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the DCM engine services include user interface notification processor and a UDP broadcast processor.

10. A method for implementing a modified form of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast notification system in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages, the method comprising:

sending a registration message to a server from a client with a client IP address in the registration message, wherein the registration message includes types of notifications desired to be received by the client;

adding the client IP address to a list in a registration message database;

requesting the port number from the server by the client; and

responding with the port number on which the client should listen by the server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the clients are control panel applications.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the control panel applications are installed on control stations.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the control stations are utilized in a casino gaming environment.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the control stations are utilized for downloading and configuration of games and/or game operating systems of connected gaming devices.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the server is a Desired Configuration Monitoring (DCM) engine.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the DCM engine communicates with a database containing UDP multicast notification system data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the DCM engine includes DCM engine services, business libraries, and a data access layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the DCM engine services include user interface notification processor and a UDP broadcast processor.

19. A method for using a modified form of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast protocol to implement a one-way notification system between a server and one or more clients in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages, the method comprising:

configuring the UDP multicast notification system without requiring configuration of network devices to support a UDP multicast;

enabling UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients without broadcasting the UDP messages to all clients in the client-server architecture; and

enabling any number of clients to be on a different network domain than the server.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the clients are control panel applications.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the control panel applications are installed on control stations.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the control stations are utilized in a casino gaming environment.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the control stations are utilized for downloading and configuration of games and/or game operating systems of connected gaming devices.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the server is a Desired Configuration Monitoring (DCM) engine.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the DCM engine communicates with a database containing UDP multicast notification system data.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the DCM engine includes DCM engine services, business libraries, and a data access layer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the DCM engine services include user interface notification processor and a UDP broadcast processor.