Remote Management of a Gaming Machine

• US 20080318658A1
• Filed: 08/14/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B., Sylla, Craig J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,192,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods for remote management of a gaming machine are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a host platform having a host processor controlled by a host operating system. The host platform has a host storage and a host power state, wherein the host processor is to execute instructions that includes a wagering game. The apparatus also includes a subsystem that is operable independent of the host operating system and the host power state. The subsystem includes a processor that is separate from the host processor. The subsystem also includes a nonvolatile data store that is separate from the storage of the host platform.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a host platform having a host processor controlled by a host operating system, the host platform having a host storage and a host power state, wherein the host processor is to execute instructions that includes a wagering game; and

a subsystem that is operable independent of the host operating system and the host power state, wherein the subsystem includes;

a processor that is separate from the host processor; and

a nonvolatile data store that is separate from the storage of the host platform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile storage is to store an identification of the wagering game.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile data store is to store an identification of a version of the wagering game.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile data store is to store an identification of the host platform.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host processor is to execute instructions to store a log entry in the nonvolatile data store for a loggable event in the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loggable event includes corruption of data in the storage of the host platform.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loggable event includes an installation of a new version of the host operating system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loggable even includes an award above a monetary amount in the wagering game.

9. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request, from a game server, for discovery for inventory of assets in a gaming machine having a host platform;

retrieving a list of inventory of assets from a data store in a subsystem that is independent of a power state or an operating system state of the host platform; and

transmitting the list of inventory of assets back to the game server.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein retrieving the list of inventory of assets comprises retrieving the list of inventory assets during a time when the power state of the host platform is off.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein retrieving the list of inventory of assets comprises retrieving the list of inventory assets during a time when the operating system state of the host platform is non-operational.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein retrieving the list of inventory assets comprises retrieving a list of games installed on the host platform of the gaming machine.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein retrieving the list of inventory assets comprises retrieving a list of hardware assets of the host platform of the gaming machine.

14. A method comprising:

in response to a determination of an error in a host platform of a gaming machine, performing the following operations within a subsystem of the gaming machine that is independent of the host platform;

transmitting a notification of the error in the host platform of the gaming machine over a network to a master game server; and

receiving a repair communication from the master game server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the repair communication comprises receiving a repair application and wherein performing the following operations comprises executing the repair application within the subsystem.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the repair communication comprises receiving an updated copy of a file.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the repair communication comprises receiving a communication to cause a reboot of the host platform.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the error in the host platform includes an operating system error.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the following operations within the subsystem of the gaming machine comprises performing the following operations within the subsystem of the gaming machine during at least part of a time when a power state of the host platform is off.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the following operations within the subsystem of the gaming machine comprises performing the following operations within the subsystem of the gaming machine during at least part of a time when an operating system state of the host platform is non-operational.