Download progress management gaming method

• US 7,937,464 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Vellore, Geethanand, Arbogast, Christopher R., Ruppert, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US12/113,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/229, 709/203, 717176-178, 463/42, 726/4, 726/5
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A modified form of the UDP multicast protocol is disclosed to implement a one-way download progress notification method between a server and one or more clients. The UDP multicast download progress notification method enables UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients, not broadcasted to all clients. This architecture minimizes network traffi c and enhances system security, since only registered clients receive the UDP message. The configuration of the UDP multicast download progress notification method does not require the configuration of network devices in order to support a UDP multicast. Furthermore, any number of the clients may be on a different network domain than the DCM engine.

Claims

1. A method for sending download progress notification using a modified form of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast notification system in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages, the method comprising:

configuring the UDP multicast download progress notification system without requiring configuration of network devices to support a UDP multicast;

identifying download progress information at a server;

querying a database for a list of clients that have registered for download progress notification using a UDP broadcast processor;

replying with a list of clients that have registered for download progress notification from the database; and

sending download progress notification to all clients on the list using an assigned port number from the UDP broadcast processor, wherein the server is a Download and Configuration Management (DCM) engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the clients are control panel applications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control panel applications are installed on control stations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control stations are utilized in a casino gaming environment.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the control stations are utilized for downloading and configuration of games and/or game operating systems of connected gaming devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the DCM engine communicates with a database containing UDP multicast notification system data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the DCM engine includes DCM engine services, business libraries, and a data access layer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the DCM engine services include user interface notification processor and a UDP broadcast processor.

9. A method for implementing modified User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast, download progress notification system in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages, the method comprising:

sending a registration message to a server from a client with a client IP address in the registration message, wherein the registration message designates that download progress notification is desired to be received by the client;

adding the client IP address to a list in a download progress notification database;

requesting the port number from the server by the client; and

responding with the port number on which the client should listen by the server, wherein the server is a Download and Configuration Management (DCM) engine.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the clients are control panel applications.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the control panel applications are installed on control stations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the control stations are utilized in a casino gaming environment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the control stations are utilized for downloading and configuration of games and/or game operating systems of connected gaming devices.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the DCM engine communicates with a database containing UDP multicast notification system data.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the DCM engine includes DCM engine services, business libraries, and a data access layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the DCM engine services include user interface notification processor and a UDP broadcast processor.

17. A method for using a modified form of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) multicast protocol to implement a one-way download progress notification system between a server and one or more clients in a client-server architecture that otherwise allows only client initiated messages, the method comprising:

configuring the UDP multicast download progress notification system without requiring configuration of network devices to support a UDP multicast;

enabling UDP download progress notification messages to be sent only to registered clients without broadcasting the UDP download progress notification messages to all clients in the client-server architecture; and

enabling any number of clients to be on a different network domain than the server, wherein the server is a Download and Configuration Management (DCM) engine.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the clients are control panel applications.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the control panel applications are installed on control stations.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the control stations are utilized in a casino gaming environment.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the control stations are utilized for downloading and configuration of games and/or game operating systems of connected gaming devices.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the DCM engine communicates with a database containing UDP multicast notification system data.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the DCM engine includes DCM engine services, business libraries, and a data access layer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the DCM engine services include user interface notification processor and a UDP broadcast processor.