Scan based configuration control in a gaming environment
First Claim
1. A gaming machine comprising:
- an interface capable of reading paper currency and (i) receiving a gaming machine configuration device in the form of a printed paper ticket that is manually fed into the interface by a person, (ii) reading configuration indicia printed or marked on the configuration device, the configuration indicia for configuring the gaming machine or a game of chance on the gaming machine, the configuration indicia printed on the paper ticket in the form of one or more selection regions each corresponding to a different configurable setting for one or more game parameters that can be configured or reconfigured, at least one of the selection regions printed or marked to indicate a selection of the one or more configurable settings to be configured or reconfigured, and (iii) outputting, solely based on the one or more selection regions, a signal corresponding to the printed or marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket, wherein each of the printed or marked selection regions read by said interface is described by text; and
(iv) ejecting the configuration device from the interface after one or more of the game parameters have changed;
a memory storing settings providing states for one or more game parameters of the gaming machine or the game of chance on the gaming machine, the game parameters controlling operation of the gaming machine or operation of the game of chance on the gaming machine; and
a processor designed or configured to receive the signal from the interface, and in response to the signal, configure or reconfigure one or more of the game parameters in the memory according to one or more of the settings as indicated by the printed or marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket, thereby configuring or reconfiguring the one or more game parameters based on the printed or marked configuration indicia on said paper ticket wherein the one or more of the game parameters include a customer selectable preference, a game mode of operation, a sound level for a game activity, a maximum bet amount, a pay table, or a tilt response.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides automated systems and methods for configuring and reconfiguring gaming machines and games playable on a gaming machine. The automated systems and methods employ a complementary gaming machine configuration device, such as a paper-based ticket, and interface operably associated with a gaming machine, such as a note acceptor or bill validator that receives and reads the paper-based ticket. The gaming machine configuration device stores game parameter configuration information in the form of configuration indicia. The indicia may contain the content required to effect configuration directly or may do so indirectly by containing a reference to a location where a set of configuration parameters have been stored. This location may reside within the gaming machine or external to it, but accessible via. a communications link. The interface reads the indicia from the configuration device, and provides a signal to a processor responsible for managing the gaming machine. The processor has access to software or memory that stores associations between the configuration indicia and configuration and reconfiguration commands for the parameters. The processor and software are then designed or configured to convert the signal provided by the interface to commands that act on appropriate mechanisms of the gaming machine to configure or reconfigure the games and/or gaming machine components responsible for expression of the affected game parameters.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A gaming machine comprising:
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an interface capable of reading paper currency and (i) receiving a gaming machine configuration device in the form of a printed paper ticket that is manually fed into the interface by a person, (ii) reading configuration indicia printed or marked on the configuration device, the configuration indicia for configuring the gaming machine or a game of chance on the gaming machine, the configuration indicia printed on the paper ticket in the form of one or more selection regions each corresponding to a different configurable setting for one or more game parameters that can be configured or reconfigured, at least one of the selection regions printed or marked to indicate a selection of the one or more configurable settings to be configured or reconfigured, and (iii) outputting, solely based on the one or more selection regions, a signal corresponding to the printed or marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket, wherein each of the printed or marked selection regions read by said interface is described by text; and
(iv) ejecting the configuration device from the interface after one or more of the game parameters have changed;a memory storing settings providing states for one or more game parameters of the gaming machine or the game of chance on the gaming machine, the game parameters controlling operation of the gaming machine or operation of the game of chance on the gaming machine; and a processor designed or configured to receive the signal from the interface, and in response to the signal, configure or reconfigure one or more of the game parameters in the memory according to one or more of the settings as indicated by the printed or marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket, thereby configuring or reconfiguring the one or more game parameters based on the printed or marked configuration indicia on said paper ticket wherein the one or more of the game parameters include a customer selectable preference, a game mode of operation, a sound level for a game activity, a maximum bet amount, a pay table, or a tilt response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 34, 37)
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- 10. A gaming machine configuration device for use with a gaming machine, the gaming machine configuration device in the form of a printed paper ticket having configuration indicia printed or marked thereon, the configuration indicia providing configuration of the gaming machine or a game of chance playable on the gaming machine including being printed or marked on the paper ticket in the form of one or more selection regions each corresponding to a different setting for one or more game parameters, at least one of the selection regions printed or marked to be indicative of a selection of one or more settings providing one of a plurality of states for a parameter for the gaming machine or the game of chance playable on the gaming machine, the indicia capable of configuring or reconfiguring the parameter according to the printed or marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket when the indicia is read by a gaming machine that is designed or adapted to read the printed or marked indicia when the printed paper ticket is manually provided by a person to the gaming machine in the game machine paper currency validator and configure or reconfigure the gaming machine or game of chance indicated by the indicia, wherein the parameter refers to a design variable or element associated with a game or a game implementation on a gaming machine wherein one or more of the design variables or elements is associated with implementation of a customer selectable preference, a game mode of operation, a sound level for a game activity, a maximum bet amount, a pay table, or a tilt response.
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19. A method for configuring or reconfiguring a parameter of a game playable on a gaming machine, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving a gaming machine configuration device in an interface operably associated with the gaming machine for validating paper currency, the gaming machine configuration device including a printed paper ticket having configuration indicia printed or marked thereon which is manually provided by a person to the interface, the configuration indicia providing configuration of the gaming machine or the game playable on the gaming machine, the configuration indicia printed or marked on the paper ticket in the form of one or more selection regions each corresponding to a different setting for one or more game parameters, at least one of the selection regions printed or marked to indicate a selection of the one or more settings, wherein the one or more of the game parameters include a customer selectable preference, a game mode of operation, a sound level for a game activity, a maximum bet amount, a pay table, or a tilt response; (b) reading the printed or marked configuration indicia from the gaming machine configuration device; and (c) configuring or reconfiguring the parameter of the game playable on the gaming machine in response to the configuration indicia according to the printed or marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket, the parameter controlling operation of the gaming machine or the game playable on the gaming machine, the settings providing states for the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36, 40, 41)
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33. A computer readable medium including instructions for configuring or reconfiguring a parameter of a game playable on a gaming machine, the computer readable medium comprising:
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(a) instructions for receiving a gaming machine configuration device in an interface operably associated with the gaming machine, the gaming machine configuration device including a printed paper ticket having configuration indicia printed or marked thereon which is manually provided by a person to the interface, the configuration indicia providing configuration of the gaming machine or the game playable on the gaming machine, the configuration indicia printed or marked on the paper ticket in the form of one or more selection regions each corresponding to a different setting for one or more game parameters, at least one of the selection regions printed or marked to indicate a selection of the one or more settings, wherein the one or more of the game parameters include a customer selectable preference, a game mode of operation, a sound level for a game activity, a maximum bet amount, a pay table, or a tilt response; (b) instructions for reading one or more of the printed or marked configuration indicia from the gaming machine configuration device; and (c) instructions for configuring or reconfiguring the parameter of the game playable on the gaming machine in response to the printed or marked configuration indicia according to the marked selection regions of the configuration indicia on the paper ticket, the parameter controlling operation of the gaming machine or the game playable on the gaming machine, the settings providing states for the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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Specification