Systems and methods for dynamically altering wagering game assets

• US 8,662,998 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Schueller, Darren Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/221,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/30, 463/29, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include presenting a wagering game at an electronic gaming machine in accordance with a gaming application stored on a local memory of the electronic gaming machine. The method may further include determining whether the electronic gaming machine is scheduled to present one or more replacement game assets in connection with the wagering game in lieu of one or more local game assets stored on the local memory. The method may also include, in response to determining that the electronic gaming machine is scheduled to present one or more replacement game assets: (i) downloading the one or more replacement game assets stored remotely from the wagering game to the local memory; and (ii) presenting the one or more replacement game assets in lieu of one or more local game assets during presentation of the wagering game.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an asset server including asset server memory storing schedule data which specifies one or more replacement game assets and specifies a respective time for each of the one or more replacement game assets to be presented in the system; and

an electronic gaming machine remotely communicatively coupled to the asset server, the electronic gaming machine comprising a local memory and configured to;

present a wagering game in accordance with a gaming application stored on the local memory;

communicate a query to the asset server to determine whether the schedule data specifies that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine at a point in the future; and

in response to a message received from the asset server indicating that the schedule data specifies that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine in the future in connection with the wagering game in lieu of one or more local game assets stored on the local memory;

download the one or more replacement game assets to the local memory; and

present the one or more replacement game assets in lieu of the one or more local game assets during presentation of the wagering game.

2. The system of claim 1, the asset server further configured to communicate to the electronic gaming machine one or more addresses for the one or more replacement game assets in response to determining that the schedule data specifies that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine.

3. The system of claim 1, the electronic gaming machine configured to communicate the query at regular intervals.

4. The system of claim 1, the electronic gaming machine configured to present the one or more local game assets if the one or more replacement game assets are not scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more local game assets and the one or more replacement game assets comprise at least one of a graphic for presentment via a display device of the electronic gaming machine and an audible sound for presentment via a sound speaker of the electronic gaming machine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more local game assets and the one or more replacement game assets comprise non-behavioral data the presence of which does not affect the outcome of the wagering game.

7. A method, comprising:

under the control of a processor, presenting a wagering game at an electronic gaming machine in accordance with a gaming application stored on a local memory of the electronic gaming machine;

communicating a query from the electronic gaming machine to an asset server which stores schedule data specifying one or more replacement game assets and a respective time for each of the one or more replacement game assets to be presented at the electronic gaming machine, and determining whether the schedule data specifies that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine in connection with the wagering game in lieu of one or more local game assets stored on the local memory; and

in response to determining that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine;

downloading the one or more replacement game assets stored remotely from the wagering game to the local memory; and

presenting the one or more replacement game assets in lieu of the one or more local game assets during presentation of the wagering game.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising communicating the query at regular intervals.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising communicating to the electronic gaming machine one or more addresses for the one or more replacement game assets in response to determining that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising presenting the one or more local game assets at the electronic gaming machine if the one or more replacement game assets are not scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more local game assets and the one or more replacement game assets comprise at least one of a graphic for presentment via a display device of the electronic gaming machine and an audible sound for presentment via a sound speaker of the electronic gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more local game assets and the one or more replacement game assets comprise non-behavioral data the presence of which does not affect the outcome of the wagering game.

13. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to;

present a wagering game at an electronic gaming machine in accordance with a gaming application stored on a local memory of the electronic gaming machine;

communicate a query from the electronic gaming machine to an asset server which stores schedule data specifying one or more replacement game assets and a respective time for each of the one or more replacement assets to be presented at the electronic gaming machine, and determine whether the schedule data specifies that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine in connection with the wagering game in lieu of one or more local game assets stored on the local memory; and

in response to determining that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine;

download the one or more replacement game assets stored remotely from the wagering game to the local memory; and

present the one or more replacement game assets in lieu of the one or more local game assets during presentation of the wagering game.

14. The article of claim 13, further comprising instructions for causing the processor to:

receive from the asset server one or more addresses for the one or more replacement game assets in response to determining that the one or more replacement game assets are scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine; and

download the one or more replacement game assets based on the one or more addresses.

15. The article of claim 13, further comprising instructions for causing the processor to communicate the query at regular intervals.

16. The article of claim 13, further comprising instructions for causing the processor to present the one or more local game assets if the one or more replacement game assets are not scheduled to be presented at the electronic gaming machine.

17. The article of claim 13, wherein the one or more local game assets and the one or more replacement game assets comprise at least one of a graphic for presentment via a display device of the electronic gaming machine and an audible sound for presentment via a sound speaker of the electronic gaming machine.

18. The article of claim 13, wherein the one or more local game assets and the one or more replacement game assets comprise non-behavioral data the presence of which does not affect the outcome of the wagering game.