Method and apparatus for graphically portraying gaming environment and information regarding components thereof

• US 6,884,170 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Rowe, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/965,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463 26- 27, 463 29- 30, 463/31, 463 40- 42, 340/3.1, 705/14, 705/11, 902/23
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a graphical representation of a gaming environment and for providing information regarding individual components located in the environment is provided. A graphical user interface displays a graphical representation of at least a portion of a gaming environment, such as a graphical representation of individual components of a gaming system and their surrounding physical environment. The components are graphically portrayed in positions corresponding to the relative positions of the actual components of the gaming system. By selecting a graphically represented component, information regarding the actual gaming system component which is represented is provided, such as by display in a window associated with the graphical user interface. Gaming system component or other information may be obtained via a communication link from those components.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a graphical user interface for use in a casino gaming environment comprising:

generating a graphical representation of a gaming system which exists in the casino gaming environment, said graphical representation including elements graphically representing one or more components of said gaming system;

displaying at least a portion of said graphical representation in a window of said graphical user interface on a display device for allowing a user viewing the display device to understand a performance of one or more of the components of the gaming system within a context of the casino gaming environment in which it resides, said at least a portion of said graphical representation including one or more displayed elements, wherein a least a portion of said elements are displayed in positions relative to one another by scaling from actual positions of said components of said gaming system relative to one another in an actual casino which said elements represent and wherein at least the portion of said elements are displayed in sizes relative to one another by scaling from actual sizes of said components of said gaming system relative to one another in an actual casino which said elements represent;

accepting selection of one or more of said displayed elements;

generating information regarding the one or more components of said gaming system represented by said selected displayed elements of said graphical representation; and

displaying at least a portion of said generated information.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said graphical representation includes a representation of at least a portion of the the casino gaming environment in which one or more of said components of said gaming system are located wherein said graphical representation of the casino gaming environment includes one or more displayed environmental elements of the casino gaming environment, wherein at least a portion of said environmental elements are displayed in positions relative to one another and relative to the components of the gaming system by scaling from actual positions of said environmental elements and the actual positions of said components of the gaming system relative to one another in an actual casino and wherein at least the portion of said environmental elements are displayed in sizes relative to one another and relative to the components of the gaming system by scaling from actual sizes of said environmental elements and actual sizes of the components of said gaming system relative to one another in said actual casino which said environmental elements represent.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 including the step of displaying said elements relative to the representation of said represented casino gaming environment.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of generating an information window and displaying said at least a portion of said generated information in said window.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of retrieving information regarding the one or more components of said gaming system represented by said selected displayed elements of said graphical user interface from a remote location.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said remote location comprises a component of said gaming system.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of displaying a menu and at least one navigation element.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of configuring at least one of said displayed elements as an application initiating element.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of configuring at least one of said displayed elements as a container element.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein one or more of said components of said gaming system comprise gaming machines and one or more elements comprise representations of said gaming machines.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of generating information comprises collecting image information from one or more cameras.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of accepting navigation input and displaying a new portion of said graphical representation.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the relative positions and the relative sizes are defined in three dimensions.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying graphical representations of players playing components of the gaming system.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the player is displayed when a particular gaming component is being used.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after accepting selection of one or more of said displayed elements, receiving one or more input signals for moving the selected element from a first position to a second position in the window of said graphical user interface; and

repositioning the selected element in the window of said graphical user interface.

13. A system for displaying information regarding a gaming system, said gaming system including gaming system devices, comprising:

an information host, said host including a display adapted to display graphical information;

a communication link permitting information to be transmitted between said information host and at least one gaming system device of said gaming system which exists in a casino gaming environment; and

a graphical user interface for allowing a user of the graphical interface to understand a performance of at least one component of the gaming system within a context of the casino gaming environment in which it resides, said graphical user interface displayable on said display and comprising a main window and a display area in which a graphical representation of at least a portion of the casino gaming environment may be displayed in a virtual gaming system format wherein the casino gaming environment comprises at least components of said gaming system, components of the casino gaming environment in which the gaming system resides or combinations thereof and wherein the virtual gaming system format comprises a graphical representation of the components in the gaming environment including one or more displayed elements, wherein at least a portion of said elements are displayed in positions relative to one another by scaling from actual positions of said components relative to one another in an actual casino which said elements represent and said portion of elements displayed in sizes relative to one another by scaling from actual sizes of said components relative to one another in an actual casino which said elements represent;

means for accepting selection of at least one element displayed in said display area corresponding to a physical gaming system device of said gaming system; and

means for displaying information regarding said physical gaming system device.

14. The system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said graphical user interface includes a menu.

15. The system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said graphical user interface includes at least one navigation selectable element.

16. The system in accordance with claim 13 including means for generating said graphical user interface.

17. The system in accordance with claim 13 including means for generating said graphical representation.

18. The system in accordance with claim 13 including at least one camera adapted to provide visual information regarding a portion of said gaming system and means for displaying at least a portion of said visual information in response to a selection of an element.

19. The system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said gaming system includes at least one server including information regarding a player tracking function and a communication link between said information host and said at least one server.