Remote management of a gaming machine through error notification and execution of a repair application

• US 8,663,015 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylla, Craig J., Gagner, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/470,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20120225712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 29, 463 40- 42, 707/705, 711/170
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods for remote management of a gaming machine are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a host platform having a host processor controlled by a host operating system. The host platform has a host storage and a host power state, wherein the host processor is to execute instructions that includes a wagering game. The apparatus also includes a subsystem that is operable independent of the host operating system and the host power state. The subsystem includes a processor that is separate from the host processor. The subsystem also includes a nonvolatile data store that is separate from the storage of the host platform.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a host platform having a host processor controlled by a host operating system, the host platform having a host storage and a host power state, wherein the host processor is operable to execute instructions that includes a wagering game; and

a subsystem that is operable independent of the host operating system and the host power state, wherein the subsystem includes a processor that is separate from and operates independent of the host processor and a nonvolatile data store that is separate from the host storage, the subsystem operable to;

transmit an error notification in the host platform over a network to a master marc server;

receive a repair communication from the master game server; and

execute a repair application within the subsystem, wherein execution of the repair application causes a reboot of the host platform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile data store is operable to store an identification of the wagering game.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile data store is operable to store an identification of a version of the wagering game.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile data store is operable to store an identification of the host platform.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile data store is operable to store firmware-resident asset identifiers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host processor is operable to execute instructions to store a log entry in the nonvolatile data store for a loggable event in the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loggable event includes corruption of data in the host storage.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loggable event includes an installation of a new version of the host operating system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein an installation date and an installation time of the new version of the host operating system is stored in the nonvolatile data store.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the loggable event includes an award above a monetary amount in the wagering game.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, therein the loggable event service outage.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein storage of the log entry in the nonvolatile data store triggers an error indication for diagnosis to the master game server.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subsystem further includes a power module that operates independent of a power module for the host platform.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a host platform having a host processor controlled by a host operating system, the host platform having a host storage and a host power module with a host power state, wherein the host processor is operable to execute instructions that includes a wagering game; and

a subsystem that is operable independent of the host operating system and the host power state, wherein the subsystem includes;

a processor that is separate from and operates independent of the host processor;

a nonvolatile data store that is separate from the host storage; and

a subsystem power module with a subsystem power state, the subsystem power module configured to operate independent of the host power module;

the subsystem being operable to;

transmit an error notification in the host platform over a network to a master game server;

receive a repair communication from the master game server; and

execute a repair application within the subsystem, wherein execution of the repair application causes a reboot of the host platform.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the subsystem includes an external interface operable to provide connection to one or more remote applications.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the external interface includes an administration interface operable to allow management of the subsystem by the one or more remote applications.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the external interface is operable to authenticate messages from the one or more remote applications.

18. A gaming machine comprising:

a host platform having a host power supply, a host storage, and a host processor controlled by a host operating system, wherein the host processor is operable to execute instructions that includes a wagering game;

a subsystem that is operable independent of the host operating system, wherein the subsystem includes;

a processor that is separate from and operates independent of the host processor;

a nonvolatile data store that is separate from the host storage;

a subsystem power supply that is operable independent of the host power supply; and

an external interface operable to provide connection to a network;

the subsystem being operable to;

transmit an error notification in the host platform over the network to a master game server;

receive a repair communication from the master game server; and

execute a repair application within the subsystem, wherein execution of the repair application causes a reboot of the host platform; and

a system bus operably coupling the host platform to the subsystem.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the host platform further includes a management agent operable to provide connection to a network.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19, wherein one or more of the host platform and the subsystem receives instructions from a remote application.