Apparatus and method for copying gaming machine configuration settings

• US 8,460,096 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Brosnan, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/250,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 25- 29
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for use in a casino gaming system where data concerning set-up configuration of gaming units may be copied from one gaming unit to another gaming unit. The data concerning gaming unit configuration may be copied via an external device, such as a smart storage device or a dumb storage device, copied directly between gaming units or copied via a network storage device of a network that interconnects gaming units.

Claims

1. A gaming apparatus, comprising:

a display unit that is capable of generating video images;

a value input device;

a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager, and to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game; and

said controller being programmed to automatically download or upload configuration items between said memory and a first external device when said gaming apparatus is connected with said first external device, said configuration items comprising data related to predetermined configuration settings of said gaming apparatus, said first external device configured as a dumb storage device comprising a first memory and an interfacing apparatus that allows read and write operations to the first memory of the dumb storage device and further having no controller with which to effect communication with said gaming apparatus.

2. A gaming system comprising:

a gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1; and

a second external device comprising a smart memory device having a second memory and a device controller, said device controller including an interface to effect communication between said smart memory device and said gaming apparatus.

3. A gaming system as defined in claim 2, wherein said smart memory device comprises at least one of a personal data assistant and a personal computer.

4. A gaming system as defined in claim 2, wherein said interface includes at least one of an infrared link, a universal serial bus and a parallel bus.

5. A gaming system comprising:

an apparatus as defined in claim 1; and

the first external device.

6. A gaming system as defined in claim 5, wherein said dumb storage device comprises at least one of an Ethernet enabled hard drive and an E-key device.

7. A gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses as defined in claim 1, said gaming apparatuses being interconnected to form a network of gaming apparatuses and wherein said first external device comprises a memory device connected within said network of gaming apparatuses.

8. A gaming system as defined in claim 7, wherein said gaming apparatuses are connected as said network of gaming apparatuses via one of the Internet, an Ethernet network and a wide area network.

9. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said configuration items includes one or more of payout related settings, wager-related settings, volume settings, display settings, credit settings and value denomination settings.

10. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined configuration settings include at least one of payout related settings, wager-related settings, volume settings, display settings, credit settings and value denomination settings.

11. A memory having a computer program stored therein, said computer program being capable of being used in connection with a gaming apparatus, said memory comprising:

a first memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to allow a person to make a wager;

a second memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to cause a video image representing a game to be generated on a display unit,

a third memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image; and

a fourth memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to upload configuration data from said memory to an external device or download configuration data from said external device to said memory, said configuration data comprising data related to at least one of payout related settings, wager-related settings, volume settings, display settings, credit settings and value denomination settings;

wherein;

said fourth memory portion is further physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to detect when said external device is connected via an interface to said gaming apparatus and initialize one of a download or an upload copying routine configured to respectively copy said configuration data from said gaming apparatus to said external device or from said external device to said gaming apparatus;

initializing includes determining, based on an interface signaling received from said external device, whether said gaming apparatus is authorized to receive configuration data when executing said download routine to download said configuration data from said external device to said memory of said gaming apparatus; and

said fourth memory portion is further physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to receive an authorization code transmitted by said external device that allows downloading access when said gaming apparatus determines that it has authorization to download said configuration data.

12. A memory as defined in claim 11 wherein initializing includes determining whether said external device is authorized to receive configuration data from said memory when executing said upload routine to upload said configuration data from said memory of said gaming apparatus to said external device.

13. A memory having a computer program stored therein, said computer program being capable of being used in connection with a gaming apparatus, said memory comprising:

a first memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to allow a person to make a wager;

a second memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to cause a video image representing a game to be generated on a display unit

a third memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image; and

a fourth memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to upload configuration data from said memory to an external device or download configuration data from said external device to said memory, said configuration data comprising data related to at least one of payout related settings, wager-related settings, volume settings, display settings, credit settings and value denomination settings;

wherein;

said fourth memory portion is further physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to one of request a predetermined configuration items in said configuration data and respond to a request for said predetermined configuration items received from said external device when said external device is connected via an interface to said gaming apparatus and correspondingly download said requested predetermined configuration items when downloading and upload said predetermined configuration items from said memory to said external device when uploading.

14. A memory having a computer program stored therein, said computer program being capable of being used in connection with a gaming apparatus, said memory comprising:

a first memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to allow a person to make a wager;

a second memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to cause a video image representing a game to be generated on a display unit

a third memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image; and

a fourth memory portion physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to upload configuration data from said memory to an external device or download configuration data from said external device to said memory, said configuration data comprising data related to at least one of payout related settings, wager-related settings, volume settings, display settings, credit settings and value denomination settings;

wherein;

said fourth memory portion is further physically configured in accordance with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to detect when said external device is connected via a network to said gaming apparatus and initialize one of a download and an upload routine for copying said configuration data via said network to or from said external device;

initializing includes determining, based on a signal received from said external device, whether said gaming apparatus is authorized to receive configuration data when executing said download routine to download said configuration data from said external device to said memory of said gaming apparatus; and

said fourth memory portion is further physically configured in accordance, with computer program instructions that would cause said gaming apparatus to receive a key code transmitted by said external device to allow downloading access when said gaming apparatus determines that it has authorization to download said configuration data.

15. A method for operating a gaming machine comprising:

receiving a key code in said gaming machine that is transmitted by an external device to allow downloading access when said gaming machine determines that it has authorization to download said configuration data;

at least one of uploading and downloading configuration settings to and from the external device;

effecting machine operation based on said configuration settings;

causing a video image representing a game to be generated; and

determining a value payout associated with an outcome of said game represented by said video image.

16. A gaming method as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

detecting when said external device is interfaced with a gaming machine and initializing one of an upload and a download copying process that is used for copying said configuration settings.

17. A gaming method as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

determining, based on an interface signal issued by said external device, whether a gaming machine is authorized to download said configuration settings when executing said upload routine.

18. A gaming method as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

determining, based on a signaling received from said external device, whether said gaming machine is authorized to receive configuration data when executing said download routine.

19. A gaming method as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

requesting predetermined configuration items in said configuration data and responding to a request for said predetermined configuration items received from said external device when said external device is connected via an interface to said gaming machine and correspondingly downloading said requested predetermined configuration items when downloading and uploading said predetermined configuration items from said memory to said external device when uploading.