Gaming machine collection and management

• US 8,131,829 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Deng, Haiyang
• Primary Examiner(s): WASEL, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US12/269,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709/221, 463/42
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• 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: H04L 41/045 comprising client-server management architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A slot management system including a download and configuration server-based sub-system and method is disclosed for use with game devices, systems, and methods is provided to enable users to monitor, control, and modify game devices and other related activities. A computerized method and system manage a collection of electronic gaming machines.

Claims

1. A computer system that manages a collection of gaming machines in an environment having a download and configuration system, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;

a game machine collector module that is stored in the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and that is configured, when executed by the at least one processor, to;

display a respective indicator indicative of a respective gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines communicatively coupled to a download and configuration system;

receive user input that indicates that a respective gaming machine was selected by a user for at least one respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines;

logically associate each one of the selected gaming machines in a first assignment-group;

submit an assignment to the download and configuration system that includes a job to modify each respective gaming machine in the first assignment-group;

receive user input that indicates that a respective gaming machine in the first assignment-group was selected by a user for at least one respective gaming machine of the gaming machines in the first assignment-group;

logically associate in a second assignment-group each one of the gaming machines selected from the first assignment-group; and

display respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the second assignment-group such that the logical association of the second assignment-group is represented.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein game machine collector module is further configured to display respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the first assignment-group such that the logical association of the selected gaming machines in the first assignment-group is represented.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the game machine collector module is further configured to display the respective indicator indicative of the respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines in a first box of a window of a graphical user interface application and display the respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the first assignment-group in a second box of the window of a graphical user interface.

4. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the respective indicator indicative of a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines is a respective icon for each respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines.

5. The computer system of claim 2 wherein respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines comprise a first list.

6. The computer system of claim 5 wherein the respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the first assignment-group comprise a second list.

7. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the game machine collector module is further configured to:

submit an assignment to the download and configuration system that includes a job to modify each respective gaming machine in the second assignment-group.

8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the game machine collector module is further configured to:

receive user input that indicates that a given gaming machine in the first assignment-group was selected by a user; and

de-associate the given gaming machine from the first assignment-group.

9. A computer implemented method to manage a plurality of gaming machines in a casino having a download and configuration system that selectively modifies selected gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines, comprising:

displaying a respective indicator indicative of a respective gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines communicatively coupled to a download and configuration system;

receiving user input that indicates that a respective gaming machine was selected by a user for at least one respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines;

logically associating each one of the selected gaming machines in a first assignment-group;

submitting an assignment to the download and configuration system that includes a job to modify each respective gaming machine in the first assignment-group;

receiving user input that indicates that a respective gaming machine in the first assignment-group was selected by a user for at least one respective gaming machine of the gaming machines in the first assignment-group;

logically associating in a second assignment-group each one of the gaming machines selected from the first assignment-group; and

displaying the respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the second assignment-group such that the logical association of the second assignment-group is represented.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising:

displaying respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the first assignment-group such that the logical association of the selected gaming machines in the first assignment-group is shown.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein displaying the respective indicator indicative of a respective gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines communicatively coupled to a download and configuration system and displaying the respective indicators indicative of each respective gaming machine in the first assignment-group such that the logical association of the selected gaming machines in the first assignment-group is shown includes displaying the respective indicator indicative of the respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines in a first box of a window of a graphical user interface application and displaying the respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the first assignment-group in a second box of the window of a graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the respective indicator indicative of a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines is a respective icon for each respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines comprise a first list.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the respective indicators indicative of the respective gaming machines in the first assignment-group comprise a second list.

15. The method of claim 9 comprising:

submitting an assignment to the download and configuration system that includes a job to modify each respective gaming machine in the second assignment-group.

16. The method of claim 9 comprising:

receiving user input that indicates that a given gaming machine in the first assignment-group was selected by a user; and

de-associating the given gaming machine from the first assignment-group.