Database queries within a gaming machine

• US 20080305854A1
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Schlottmann, Gregory A., Graham, Jacob, Bruce, Jacob C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for querying databases maintained by electronic gaming machines (“EGMs”). The databases preferably follow a predetermined naming convention. In some such implementations, a query is written in a predetermined message field. For example, the query string may be written in a predetermined extension of the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol. An EGM (or other device) receiving a message containing such a query may extract the query from the predetermined field, parse the query, determine the requested data and return a responsive message that includes the requested data.

Claims

1. A wager gaming machine, comprising:

means for providing wagering games;

a network interface;

a memory having a database stored therein, the database comprising wager gaming data and having fields organized according to a predetermined format; and

a logic system configured to do the following;

receive a first message from a device via the network interface;

extract a query from a first predetermined portion of the first message;

parse the query to determine indicated wager gaming data;

obtain the indicated wager gaming data from the database;

form a second message comprising the indicated wager gaming data; and

send the second message to the device via the network interface.

2. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first and second messages are formatted according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol.

3. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the query comprises a Structured Query Language query.

4. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the predetermined portion comprises a predetermined extension to a protocol.

5. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the predetermined portion comprises a predetermined field.

6. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the wager gaming data comprise at least one of game usage data, wagering data, configuration data and peripheral device data.

7. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the logic system is further configured to parse the query to determine an indicated format for the indicated wager gaming data and to form the second message such that the indicated wager gaming data are provided in the indicated format.

8. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the logic system is further configured to determine a permission level of the first message and to obtain indicated wager gaming data according to the permission level.

9. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the logic system is further configured to determine new wager gaming data and update the database in the predetermined format according to the new wager gaming data.

10. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the logic system comprises at least one of a processor and a programmable logic device.

11. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the logic system is further configured to decrypt at least a portion of the first message.

12. The wager gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the logic system is further configured to encrypt at least a portion of the second message.

13. The wager gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the predetermined portion comprises a predetermined extension to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of a wager gaming machine, a first message from a device;

extracting a query from a first predetermined portion of the first message;

parsing the query to determine requested wager gaming data of a database maintained by the wager gaming machine;

obtaining the requested wager gaming data from the database;

forming a second message comprising the requested wager gaming data; and

sending the second message to the device via the network interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second messages are formatted according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the query comprises a Structured Query Language query.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined portion comprises a predetermined extension to a protocol.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined portion comprises a predetermined field.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the wager gaming data comprise at least one of game usage data, wagering data, configuration data and peripheral device data.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the parsing step comprises parsing the query to determine an indicated format for the indicated wager gaming data and wherein the forming step comprises providing the indicated wager gaming data in the indicated format.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a permission level of the first message; and

obtaining indicated wager gaming data according to the permission level.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

sending an authentication challenge to the device;

receiving a response to the authentication challenge; and

determining whether the response to the authentication challenge is adequate.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising decrypting at least a portion of the first message.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising encrypting at least a portion of the second message.

25. A method, comprising:

forming a first message according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol, the first message comprising a first query for first wager gaming machine data, the first query located in a predetermined extension of the G2S Message Protocol;

sending the first message to a first wager gaming machine; and

receiving a first responsive message from the wager gaming machine, the first responsive message including the first wager gaming machine data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first query comprises a Structured Query Language query.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

forming second through N^th messages according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol, the second through N^th messages comprising second through N^th queries for second through N^th wager gaming machine data, each of the second through N^th queries located in the predetermined extension of the G2S Message Protocol;

sending the second through N^th messages to second through N^th wager gaming machines; and

receiving second through N^th responsive messages from the second through N^th wager gaming machines, the second through N^th responsive messages including the second through N^th wager gaming machine data.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of receiving an indication to obtain the first wager gaming machine data, wherein the forming step is responsive to the indication.

29. A wager gaming machine, comprising:

means for providing wagering games;

a network interface; and

a logic system configured to do the following;

receive a first message from a device via the network interface;

extract a procedure call from a first predetermined portion of the first message; and

execute a procedure according to the procedure call.

30. The wager gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the first message is formatted according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol and wherein the first predetermined portion comprises a predetermined extension of the G2S Message Protocol.

31. The wager gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the logic system is further configured to do the following:

form a second message indicating that the procedure was executed; and

send the second message to the device via the network interface.

32. The wager gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the procedure comprises changing a configuration of the means for providing wagering games.

33. The wager gaming machine of claim 29, wherein the logic system comprises at least one of a processor and a programmable logic device.

34. A method, comprising:

forming a first message according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol, the first message comprising a first procedure call for invoking a first procedure on a first wager gaming machine, the first procedure call located in a predetermined extension of the G2S Message Protocol;

sending the first message to the first wager gaming machine; and

receiving a first responsive message from the wager gaming machine, the first responsive message indicating whether the first procedure was invoked according to the first procedure call.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first procedure is for configuring the first wager gaming machine and wherein the first responsive message indicates whether the first wager gaming machine was configured according to the first procedure call.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

forming second through N^th messages according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol, the second through N^th messages comprising second through N^th procedure calls for invoking the first procedure on second through N^th wager gaming machines, each of the second through N^th procedure calls located in the predetermined extension of the G2S Message Protocol;

sending the second through N^th messages to the second through N^th wager gaming machines; and

receiving second through N^th responsive messages from the second through N^th wager gaming machines, the second through N^th responsive messages indicating whether the first procedure was invoked according to the second through N^th procedure calls.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

forming second through N^th messages according to the Gaming Standards Association'"'"'s G2S Message Protocol, the second through N^th messages comprising second through N^th procedure calls for invoking second through N^th procedures on second through N^th wager gaming machines, each of the second through N^th procedure calls located in the predetermined extension of the G2S Message Protocol;

sending the second through N^th messages to the second through N^th wager gaming machines; and

receiving second through N^th responsive messages from the second through N^th wager gaming machines, the second through N^th responsive messages indicating whether the second through N^th procedures were invoked according to the second through N^th procedure calls.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising receiving a first indication to execute at least one wagering game on the first wager gaming machine according to predetermined instructions, wherein the forming step is responsive to the first indication.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving a first indication to configure the first wager gaming machine, wherein the forming step is responsive to the first indication.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the first procedure is for configuring the second through N^th wager gaming machines and wherein the first responsive message indicates whether the second through N^th wager gaming machines were configured according to the first procedure.