Secure progressive controller

• US 7,934,993 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Kuehling, Brian L., Ruckle, Clyde, Hollenbeck, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner; Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski; Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US11/698,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20080090653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463 39- 43
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

A method and system for configuring a progressive system that insures enhanced operative control and security of the progressive system. The progressive controller provides one or more electronic security keys to access and verify modifications to the progressive configuration. The allocated number of gaming devices connected to the progressive system is authenticated by a dedicated electronic security key. Gaming devices in excess of the allocation are disabled from the progressive system. The electronic security keys are configured with an expiration parameter that requires gaming establishments to remain current with respect to progressive system agreements. The data on the progressive controller is established so it may be read by browser interface software. Progressive system configuration parameters are automatically acquired and authenticated by the progressive controller.

Claims

1. A system for configuring and authenticating a progressive game network, the system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, the plurality of gaming devices being associated with a predetermined number of licensed gaming devices;

a progressive controller coupled to the plurality of gaming devices, the progressive controller comprising;

memory configured with machine readable code stored thereon;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to read and execute the machine readable code, the machine readable code configured to;

control access from a secondary computer to the progressive controller using a logon routine; and

in response to a successful logon, present a plurality of interface pages using an HTML capable browser, wherein the interface pages permit modification of a plurality of progressive controller configuration settings; and

a key interface integrated within the progressive controller and configured to use a programming key to enable modifications to a plurality of progressive controller configuration settings and a run key to enable operation of the predetermined number of licensed gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices coupled with the progressive game network, wherein the key interface is configured to receive only one of the programming key and the run key at a time.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface pages are configured to modify the progressive controller configuration settings.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the programming key is configured to authorize logon.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the programming key is specifically associated to the progressive controller.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein modification of the progressive controller configuration settings comprise modifications selected from the group consisting of a group level, a denomination a base/reset, a current value, an increment percentage, a minimum value and a maximum value.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the key interface is configured to differentiate the programming key from the run key using a data bit modification.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the key interface is configured to use the programming key to disable operation of the predetermined number of licensed gaming devices.

8. A system for configuring a progressive game network, the system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, the plurality of gaming devices being associated with a predetermined number of licensed gaming devices;

a progressive controller coupled to the plurality of gaming devices, the progressive controller comprising;

a processor coupled to a memory, the memory having a machine readable code stored thereon, the machine readable code configured with an interrogation routine which polls a plurality of gaming devices connected to the progressive controller to acquire progressive setup information from the gaming devices; and

a key interface coupled to the processor and the memory within the progressive controller and configured to use a programming key to enable modifications to a plurality of progressive parameter configurations and a run key to enable operation of the predetermined number of licensed gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices coupled with the progressive game network, wherein the key interface is configured to receive only one of the programming key and the run key at a time.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an authentication routine, wherein the authentication routine compares a plurality of gaming device configuration data with a plurality of predetermined progressive parameter ranges and analyzes a progressive controller configuration to enable game play, generate an alert or generate a fault.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the interrogation routine utilizes a network address unique to each of the plurality of gaming devices.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the progressive setup information obtained from each of the plurality of gaming devices is selected from the group consisting of percentage, denomination, progressive group, network address and hit frequency.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of gaming devices is selected from the group of gaming devices consisting of table games, slot machines, poker machines, keno machines and lottery machines.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the programming key and run key are specifically associated to the progressive controller.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the number of licensed gaming devices of the plurality of licensed gaming devices enabled by the progressive controller resides on the programming key.

15. A method of configuring a progressive system, the method comprising:

connecting at least one gaming device to a progressive controller that includes a processor, a memory, and a key interface;

reading progressive parameter ranges from a programming key via the key interface;

initiating an interrogation routine, wherein the interrogation routine reads one or more gaming devices to obtain gaming device configuration data related to the progressive parameter ranges and stores the gaming device configuration data in a memory;

initiating an authentication routine which analyzes a progressive controller configuration to determine if the progressive controller is configured properly and which compares the gaming device configuration data with corresponding predetermined progressive parameter ranges in order to determine if the gaming device configuration data is within the progressive parameter ranges;

in response to a determination that the gaming device configuration data is within the progressive parameter ranges, enabling game play of a predetermined number of gaming devices upon replacement of the programming key with a run key that includes the predetermined number of gaming devices stored thereon; and

in response to a determination that the gaming device configuration data is outside of the progressive parameter ranges, generating a fault.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the authentication routine performs comparisons to determine if the progressive controller is configured to payout at an undesirable payout rate, the comparisons selected from the group consisting of progressive group level assignments, percentage of wagers that are assigned to the progressive award, and percentage of the gaming device wager retention.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the key interface utilizes the programming key to enable modifications to the progressive parameter configurations.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the programming key is specifically associated to the progressive controller.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the gaming device configuration data obtained from each of the plurality of gaming devices comprises denomination, percent hold, percent payout, progressive group numbers, progressive level numbers, and progressive game network address.

20. A system for reporting and statusing of one or more progressive game networks, the system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, the plurality of gaming devices being associated with a predetermined number of licensed gaming devices; and

at least one progressive controller comprising;

a processor having input and output ports to facilitate communication with the plurality of gaming devices and the processor coupled to a memory, the memory having machine readable code stored thereon, the machine readable code configured to;

permit access from a secondary computer to a plurality of progressive controller configuration settings upon a successful logon; and

present a plurality of interface pages using an HTML capable browser, wherein the interface pages present status information regarding the progressive game network; and

a key interface configured to receive a programming key, and to read the plurality of progressive controller configuration settings from the programming key, the key interface further configured to enable insertion of a run key in place of the programming key and to retrieve the predetermined number of licensed gaming devices of the plurality of gaming devices from the run key.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the status is presented in an HTML operational status matrix.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the status comprises gaming device, progressive award, and event information.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein a plurality of reports are generated for a handle, a jackpot, an event, a gaming device status and a progressive award status.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the reporting and statusing for the at least one progressive controller and one or more progressive game networks comprises a single set of interface pages.

25. A system for configuring and authenticating a progressive game network, the system comprising:

a plurality of gaming devices, the plurality of gaming devices being associated with a predetermined number of licensed gaming devices;

a progressive controller comprising;

a key interface configured to receive a programming key and to retrieve a plurality of progressive parameter ranges from the programming key, the key interface further configured to enable insertion of a run key in place of the programming key and to retrieve the predetermined number of licensed gaming devices from the run key;

a processor coupled to a memory and the key interface, the memory having machine readable code stored thereon, the machine readable code configured with;

an interrogation routine that reads a plurality of gaming device configuration data from the gaming device and stores the gaming device configuration data within the memory;

an authentication routine that compares a plurality of gaming device configuration data with the plurality of progressive parameter ranges and analyzes a progressive controller configuration to determine if the progressive controller is configured properly to enable game play, generate an alert or generate a fault; and

a comparison routine that, in response to a determination that the gaming device configuration data is within the progressive parameter ranges, enables game play of a predetermined number of the plurality of gaming devices upon replacement of the programming key with a run key that includes the predetermined licensed number of the plurality of gaming devices stored thereon.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the interrogation routine utilizes a network address unique to each of the plurality of gaming devices.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the progressive setup information obtained from each of the plurality of gaming devices selected from the group consisting of percentage, denomination, progressive group, network address and hit frequency.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the key interface utilizes the programming key to enable modifications to the plurality of progressive parameters and the run key to enable operation of the predetermined number of licensed gaming devices coupled with the progressive game network.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the programming key and run key are specifically associated to the progressive controller.