Kiosk system and method for a gaming machine

• US 8,376,846 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2006
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: DiMichele, Carmen, Morrow, James W., LeStrange, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ROSS A
• Application Number:
  US11/404,310
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463 30- 33, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

An embedded additional user interface configured as a kiosk for use in a gaming machine includes a multimedia display screen, wherein the display screen presents kiosk functionality data to a user via the display screen. A network connection connects the embedded additional user interface to a gaming network. An embedded processor employs an internal operating system and communicates with one or more kiosk data servers through the gaming network. The embedded processor reads incoming kiosk data, and maps the data to the multimedia display screen. The embedded processor further sends input kiosk data received from a user to the one or more kiosk data servers through the gaming network. In one embodiment, the gaming network connects to a wide area network for connection to the one or more kiosk data servers.

Claims

1. A gaming machine including a cabinet, a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface configured as a kiosk, the embedded user interface comprising:

a source of incoming kiosk text data messages for a user;

a web content capable display screen, wherein the display screen presents web information to a user, and wherein the web content capable display screen is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

a dictionary component, coupled to the message source, wherein the dictionary component translates an incoming kiosk text data message for the user into a kiosk web content message for the user by looking up the kiosk text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible kiosk text data messages to corresponding kiosk web content messages; and

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor, wherein the embedded processor reads an incoming kiosk text data message for the user from one or more kiosk servers connected to a gaming network, provides the incoming kiosk text data message to the dictionary component, retrieves the kiosk web content message corresponding to the incoming kiosk text data message from the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding web content message to the user on the web content capable display screen;

whereby the web content capable display provides kiosk operations in addition to a gaming experience by displaying the corresponding kiosk web content message to the user rather than displaying the incoming kiosk text data message to the user.

2. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the kiosk operations are of the type selected from the group consisting of:

using player account enrollment and rewards services, viewing of casino player account standings, viewing of account status and history, redeeming of payout tickets, redeeming of promotional or complimentary awards, requesting help or service from an attendant, ordering drinks, making dinner reservations, reserving taxis, purchasing show tickets, conducting banking transactions, buying lottery tickets, providing coining and coin-out information, displaying malfunction conditions, displaying jackpots, displaying tilt conditions, displaying a game software version, conducting bank account maintenance, ordering products, redeeming coupons, making hotel reservations, and conducting electronic funds transfers.

3. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor further sends an reply kiosk text data message received from a user to the one or more kiosk data servers.

4. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the multimedia web content capable display screen is a color graphic touch screen display.

5. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the internal operating system is customized to match the specific hardware to which the internal operating system attaches.

6. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor utilizes cryptographic technology.

7. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the incoming kiosk data text message is processed by a certification process for authentication and non-repudiation.

8. The embedded user interface of claim 7, wherein the certification process provides auditability and traceability.

9. The embedded user interface of claim 8, wherein the certification process provides sufficient security for gaming regulators to allow operators to design their own content.

10. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the web authoring protocol is HTML.

11. The embedded user interface of claim 9, wherein the web authoring protocol is DHTML.

12. The embedded user interface of claim 9, wherein the web authoring protocol is XML.

13. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the gaming network includes an Ethernet-networked backbone.

14. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the gaming network connects to a wide area network for connection to the one or more kiosk data servers.

15. A gaming machine including a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface for use as a kiosk, the embedded user interface comprising:

a source of incoming kiosk text data messages for a user;

a multimedia display screen, wherein the display screen presents web page information to a user, and wherein the multimedia display screen is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

a dictionary component, coupled to the message source, wherein the dictionary component translates an incoming kiosk text data message for the user into a kiosk web content message for the user by looking up the kiosk text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible kiosk text data messages to corresponding kiosk web content messages; and

an additional processor that reads an incoming kiosk text data message for the user from one or more kiosk servers through a gaming network, provides the incoming kiosk text data message to the dictionary component, retrieves the kiosk web content message corresponding to the incoming kiosk text data message from the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding kiosk web content message to the user on the multimedia display screen;

whereby the multimedia display screen provides kiosk operations in addition to a gaming experience by displaying the corresponding kiosk web content message to the user rather than displaying the incoming kiosk text data message to the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the kiosk operations are of the type selected from the group consisting of:

using player account enrollment and rewards services, viewing of casino player account standings, viewing of account status and history, redeeming of payout tickets, redeeming of promotional or complimentary awards, requesting help or service from an attendant, ordering drinks, making dinner reservations, reserving taxis, purchasing show tickets, conducting banking transactions, buying lottery tickets, providing coin-in and coin-out information, displaying malfunction conditions, displaying jackpots, displaying tilt conditions, displaying a game software version, conducting bank account maintenance, ordering products, redeeming coupons, making hotel reservations, and conducting electronic funds transfers.

17. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes game-related data.

18. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes non-game related data.

19. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes electronic funds transfer data.

20. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes casino player account standings data.

21. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes casino promotional awards data.

22. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes casino service request data.

23. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes player account enrollment data.

24. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes casino ticket redemption data.

25. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the kiosk text data message includes complimentary award data.

26. The embedded user interface of claim 15, wherein the gaming network includes a peer-to-peer network.

27. The embedded user interface of claim 15, further including a biometric sensor to provide user authentication.

28. The embedded user interface of claim 15, further including a camera to provide images for the kiosk operations.

29. A method for providing kiosk operations for a gaming machine that includes a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface that is incorporated into a cabinet of the gaming machine, wherein the embedded user interface includes an embedded processor and a web page display screen, the method comprising:

receiving a kiosk text data message containing kiosk text data through a communication bus in the embedded user interface;

translating the kiosk text data message for the user into a kiosk web content message for the user by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible kiosk text data messages to corresponding kiosk web content messages; and

displaying the corresponding kiosk web content messages to the user on the web page display screen.

30. A gaming machine including a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface having kiosk functionality, the gaming machine comprising:

a gaming machine cabinet;

an embedded user interface configured as a kiosk incorporated into the gaming machine cabinet of the gaming machine;

a network connection capable of sending and receiving kiosk text data messages to and from one or more kiosk servers via the gaming network;

a dictionary component, coupled to the network connection, wherein the dictionary component translates an incoming kiosk text data message for the user into a kiosk web content message for the user by looking up the kiosk text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible kiosk text data messages to corresponding kiosk web content messages;

a display incorporated into the embedded user interface, the display presenting kiosk web data messages corresponding to kiosk text data messages received from the one or more kiosk data servers through a gaming network, wherein the display is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine; and

a processor incorporated into the embedded user interface that executes an internal operating system of the embedded user interface and communicates with the gaming processor, wherein the embedded processor reads an incoming kiosk text data message for the user from one or more kiosk servers connected to a gaming network, provides the incoming kiosk text data message to the dictionary component, retrieves the kiosk web content message corresponding to the incoming kiosk text data message from the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding web content message to the user on the display.