Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices

• US 5,741,183 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Acres Gaming Incorporated (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Acres, John F., Wiebenson, David, Ginsburg, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/465,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148.13, 463/16, 463/25, 463/40, 463/42, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

A system for monitoring and configuring gaming devices interconnected over a high-speed network is disclosed. The system can support a file server, one or more floor controllers, one or more pit terminals, and other terminals all interconnected over the network. Each gaming device includes an electronic module which allows the gaming device to communicate with a floor controller over a current loop network. The electronic module includes a player tracking module and a data communication node. The player tracking module includes a card reader for detecting a player tracking card inserted therein which identifies the player. The data communication node communicates with both the floor controller and the gaming device. The data communication node communicates with the gaming device over a serial interface through which the data communication node transmits reconfiguration commands. The gaming device reconfigures its payout schedule responsive to the reconfiguration commands to provide a variety of promotional bonuses such as multiple jackpot bonuses, mystery jackpot bonuses, progressive jackpot bonuses, or player specific bonuses.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a plurality of gaming devices to a computer comprising:

associating an interface circuit with each gaming device;

interconnecting the interface circuits with a computer via a computer network;

connecting a memory device bearing a unique identification number to one end of each cable;

connecting the other end of each cable to selected control terminals in an associated gaming device; and

connecting the memory device to selected control terminals in the associated interface circuit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the steps of providing each identification number to the computer over the network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

disconnecting one of the interface circuits from the network and the connected memory device;

reconnecting the interface circuit to the network an second memory device at a different location; and

providing the identification number stored in the second memory device to the computer over the network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

storing a configuration number for indicating a machine type for the connected gaming device into the memory device; and

communicating the configuration number from the memory device to the interface circuit.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the configuration number is stored as a bit string in the memory device, said method further comprises the steps of:

coupling a converter to the memory device; and

translating the bit string using the converter into a format for use by the interface.

6. A system for operating a plurality of gaming devices comprising:

a host computer;

an interface circuit associated with a gaming device;

a network interconnecting the interface circuits to the host computer;

a plurality of cables which are each connected to selected control terminals in each gaming device; and

a plurality of read only memory devices, each being interposed between each interface circuit and the associated gaming device and bearing a unique machine identification number, each cable being operatively connected to one of the memory devices and each such memory device being operatively connected to corresponding control terminals in the interface circuit associated with the gaming device connected to such cable for providing said number to said computer over the network, each of the cables further comprising a connector harness interposed between each gaming device and associated interface circuit said read only memory being contained within said connector harness.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the connector harness is removably coupled to the gaming device and the associated interface circuit.

8. A method for efficiently identifying individual gaming devices interconnected over a network, each gaming device interfacing with a floor controller over the network through an associated data communication node, a memory device bearing a unique identifier is interposed between and connected to each gaming device and the associated data communication node, comprising the steps of:

defining a candidate range of identifiers using the floor controller;

communicating the candidate range of identifiers to each data communication node over the network;

comparing the unique identifier in the memory device connected to each data communication node to the candidate range of identifiers;

communicating each such unique identifier falling within the candidate range of identifiers from the respective data communication node to the floor controller over the network;

monitoring the network using the floor controller for a collision between unique identifiers communicated over the network by more than one of the data communication nodes;

assigning a node identifier, if the collision between unique identifiers does not occur, to the gaming device associated with the data communication node which communicated the unique identifier; and

communicating the assigned node identifier to the data communication node.

9. A method according to claim 8, the step of assigning further comprising the step of:

forming the node identifier as a subpart of the received unique identifier.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein each unique identifiers comprises a four-byte address and the node identifier comprises a one-byte address, the step of forming the node identifier further comprising:

reducing the four-byte address to the one-byte address.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

repeating the step of defining a candidate range of identifiers through the step of communicating the assigned node identifier until each of the gaming devices is assigned a node identifier.

12. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

repeating the step of defining a candidate range of identifiers through the step of monitoring the network when the collision between unique identifiers occurs.

13. A method according to claim 8, the step of communicating the candidate range of identifiers further comprising the steps of:

sending a message which includes the candidate range of identifiers from the floor controller to each data communication node over the network; and

receiving the message at each data communication node.

14. A method according to claim 8, the step of communicating the unique identifier further comprising the steps of:

sending a message which includes each such unique identifier falling within the candidate range of identifiers from the respective data communication node to the floor controller over the network; and

receiving the message at the floor controller.

15. A method according to claim 8, the step of communicating the assigned node identifier further comprising the steps of:

sending a message which includes the assigned node identifier from the floor controller to each data communication node over the network; and

receiving the message at each data communication node.

16. A method according to claim 8, wherein the floor controller and the data communication nodes communicate using messages, further comprising the step of:

assembling the message.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein each message is structured in a format which includes a destination identifier, a source identifier and a data packet section, the step of assembling the message further comprising the steps of:

setting the destination identifier to identify either the floor controller or at least one of the data communication nodes;

setting the source identifier to identify either the floor controller or the data communication node from which the message originates; and

storing data into the data packet.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein the message format further includes a CRC indicator, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a CRC for the message and storing the CRC into the CRC indicator prior to communicating the message over the network; and

determining whether the CRC stored in the CRC indicator is valid upon receipt of the message.

19. A method according to claim 8 wherein the unique identifier in each of the memory devices is a number and the candidate range of identifiers is a set of numbers falling between a lower number and an upper number, the step of defining a candidate range of identifiers further comprising:

selecting a lower number; and

selecting an upper number different than the lower number.

20. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

connecting each of the data communication nodes into a current loop network serviced by the floor controller.

21. A system for operating a plurality of gaming devices comprising:

a host computer;

a plurality of interface circuits each of which is associated with a gaming device;

a network interconnecting the interface circuits to the host computer;

a plurality of cables for connecting selected terminals in each gaming device to corresponding terminals in the associated interface circuit; and

a plurality of read only memories, each bearing a unique machine identification number and being contained within one of the cables between the terminals of the associated gaming device and the terminals of the associated interface circuit for providing said number to said computer over the network.

22. A method for connecting a plurality of gaming devices to a computer comprising:

associating an interface circuit with each gaming device;

interconnecting the interface circuits with a computer via a computer network;

providing a memory device bearing a unique identification number as part of each cable;

connecting one end of each cable to selected terminals in an associated gaming device; and

connecting the other end of each cable to selected terminals in the associated interface circuit.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said method further comprises the step of providing each identification number to the computer over the network via each interface circuit.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

disconnecting a first interface circuit from the gaming device associated therewith;

reconnecting a second interface circuit to said gaming device; and

providing the identification number in the memory associated with said gaming device cable to the computer via said second interface circuit.