SECURE MODE CONTROL IN WAGERING GAME SYSTEMS

• US 20100234100A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagner, Mark B., Sylla, Craig J., Shimabukuro, Jorge L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,257,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

A secure mode control device is described herein. The secure mode control device interfaces with a wagering game machine. The wagering game machine is capable of secure modes. The wagering game machine is also capable of wagering game modes that can generate wagering game data. The secure mode control device can detect an event that indicates a need for the wagering game machine to activate a secure mode. The secure mode control device activates the secure mode to halt the one or more wagering game modes on the wagering game machine.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

interfacing with a mobile wagering game machine, the mobile wagering game machine being capable of a plurality of operational modes;

determining rules that describe restrictions on the plurality of operational modes based on a given state for the mobile wagering game machine;

gathering criteria affecting which of the plurality of operational modes can be activated on the mobile wagering game machine, wherein the criteria includes data related to the current state of the mobile wagering game machine;

comparing the data from the criteria against the restrictions in the rules;

determining allowable modes, of the plurality of operational modes, based on the comparing, wherein the allowable modes can be activated given the current state of the mobile wagering game machine; and

notifying the mobile wagering game machine about the allowable modes.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating mode control information pertaining to the allowable modes; and

conveying, to the mobile wagering game machine, the mode control information for use in selecting and activating the allowable modes.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that one or more of the allowable modes are required modes; and

activating the one or more required modes on the machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational modes enable the mobile wagering game machine to perform one or more operations selected from the group consisting of operations for performing maintenance on the mobile wagering game machine, operations for presenting wagering games on the mobile machine, operations for diagnosing faults on the mobile wagering game machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode control information contains mode control commands that instruct the mobile wagering game device to activate one of the allowable modes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, for player selection, one or more of the allowable modes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically checking for changes in criteria; and

reanalyzing the criteria to determine whether changes in the criteria change the allowable modes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying devices on a wagering game network for criteria.

9. A wagering game network comprising:

a machine on the wagering game network, the machine configured to operate in a plurality of operational modes; and

a mode control device configured to interface with the machine, the mode control device comprising,

a criteria collector configured to

collect criteria associated with the operational modes of the machine, wherein the criteria includes data related to current conditions that affect the availability of one or more of the operational modes of the machine,

determine rules that describe restrictions on the operational modes based on given conditions for the machine, and

a criteria analyzer configured to

analyze the criteria,

compare the data from the criteria against the restrictions in the rules, and

determine which of the operational modes are allowable for activation on the machine, based on the comparison of data, wherein the allowable modes can be activated based on the current conditions that affect the machine.

10. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the machine is selected from the group consisting of a wagering game server, a wagering game docking station, a wagering game machine.

11. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the mode control device includes an external system interface configured to convey to the machine information indicating that certain of the operational modes are available for activation by the machine.

12. The wagering game network of claim 9 wherein the machine is a mobile wagering game machine.

13. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the criteria includes information selected from the group consisting of information about capabilities of the machine, information about the machine'"'"'s environment, information about the machine'"'"'s location, information about the machine'"'"'s direction of motion, information about time of day, information about operator, and information about the machine operator'"'"'s user account and privileges.

14. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the criteria includes information selected from the group consisting of information about the machine operator'"'"'s financial account balance, the machine operator'"'"'s playing statistics, the machine operator'"'"'s age, information about the machine operator'"'"'s most recent use of the machine, information about devices connected to the machine, information about casino rules, and information about network statistics and conditions.

15. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the machine includes a mode control module configured to process the mode control commands and activate the operational modes.

16. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the mode control device includes one or more selected from the group consisting of a mode rules store and a credential store.

17. The wagering game network of claim 9, wherein the mode control device resides in more than one network device on the wagering game network, and wherein the more than one network devices are configured to negotiate with each other about the operational modes to allow and activate.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a criteria analyzer configured to

determine criteria that affects allowable operational modes on a wagering game machine, wherein the criteria includes data related to one or more of a current state, current conditions, and a current environment for the wagering game machine,

determine rules that describe restrictions on the operational modes based on the one or more of the current state, current conditions, and current environment for the wagering game machine,

compare the data from the criteria against restrictions in the rules, and

determine which of the allowable operational modes can be activated based on the one or more of the current state, current conditions, and current environment of the wagering game machine;

a mode controller configured to create mode control information including commands that instruct the wagering game machine to automatically activate one or more of the allowable modes; and

an external systems interface configured to facilitate a connection through which to transmit the mode control information to the wagering game machine.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a criteria collector configured to collect the criteria; and

a mode rules store configured to store mode rules.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the criteria includes information selected from the group consisting of information about the wagering game machine'"'"'s capabilities, information about the wagering game machine'"'"'s environment, information about the location of the machine, information about the direction of motion of the wagering game machine, and information about the time of day, and information about the machine'"'"'s operator.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the criteria includes information selected from the group consisting of information about the machine operator'"'"'s user-profile, of information about the machine operator'"'"'s user account and privileges, of information about the machine operator'"'"'s financial account balance, of information about the machine operator'"'"'s playing statistics, of information about the machine operator'"'"'s age, of information about the machine operator'"'"'s most recent use of the wagering game machine, and information about devices connected to the wagering game machine.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

an authentication store to store user credential information.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a mode control module configured to recognize the list of allowable modes and to determine that the mode control commands require automatic activation of one of the allowable modes.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the wagering game machine is of a model selected from the group consisting of a floor standing model, a handheld mobile model, a bar-top model, a workstation-type console model, and a surface computing model.