Networked gaming environment employing different classes of gaming machines

• US 8,784,212 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Eisele, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin Y
• Application Number:
  US11/938,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42
• 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

A computerized management system and methods for use with game devices, systems, and methods enable users to remotely monitor, control, and modify game devices and other related activities, for gaming machines of different classes, for example Class II and Class III gaming machines.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines each including a respective main processor and a respective main user interface, at least one of the gaming machines configured as a Class II gaming machine and at least one of the gaming machines configured as a Class III gaming machine;

an information server communicatively coupled with the gaming machines configured as Class II gaming machines and the gaming machines configured as Class III gaming machines;

a plurality of embedded user interfaces associated with respective ones of the gaming machines, the embedded user interfaces each respectively including an embedded processor and an embedded display, the embedded processor separate from the respective main processors of the respective ones of the gaming machines and the plurality of embedded user interfaces separate from the respective main user interfaces of the respective ones of the gaming machines, where the information server is communicatively coupled to the gaming machines via respective ones of the embedded user interfaces;

a dedicated certificate server communicatively coupled to at least one of the embedded processors of the plurality of embedded user interfaces, wherein the dedicated certificate server is distinct from said information server; and

a gaming control computer including a graphical user interface and operable to at least one of remotely selectively configure or program at least the embedded interface with the processor communicatively coupled to the dedicated certificate server, wherein the dedicated certificate server provides certificates used to authenticate a proposed configuration command associated with configuring or programming at least the embedded interface with the processor communicatively coupled to the dedicated certificate server.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the information server is implemented as a Web service.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a message processor configured to parse messages into commands and to route the commands to be handled.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, further comprising:

a message handler configured to handle commands routed from the message processor.

5. The gaming system of claim 4 wherein the message handler is configured to handle at least some of the commands via a Web service.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of databases communicatively coupled to the message handler.

7. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of databases includes at least one of a core database, a configuration database that stores configuration information indicative of one or more configuration parameters of the gaming machines, a download database that stores one or more packages of instructions downloadable to and executable by one or more of the gaming machines, a tournament database that stores information indicative of a tournament run on one or more of the gaming machines, a reports database that stores performance information about one or more of the gaming machines, an event database that stores information about one or more events, a voucher database that stores information about one or more vouchers provided to a number of players, and a schedule database that stores scheduling information indicative of times at which one or more of the gaming machines are to be reconfigured.

8. The gaming system of claim 6 wherein the message handler is configured to make a direct call to a procedure stored on a selected one of the databases to retrieve data requested via one of the commands.

9. A gaming machine management system to manage a plurality of gaming machines operable as Class II and Class III gaming machines, the gaming machine management system comprising:

a plurality of embedded user interfaces embedded in respective ones of the gaming machines and including an embedded processor and an embedded display, the embedded processor separate from respective main processors of the respective ones of the gaming machines and the plurality of embedded user interfaces separate from respective main user interfaces of the respective ones of the gaming machines;

a set of communications services that provide communications between the embedded user interfaces respectively embedded in both the Class II and the Class III gaming machines;

a game management computing system including a game management graphical user interface;

a dedicated certificate server communicatively coupled to the plurality of embedded user interfaces;

an executive server configured to at least one of reconfigure or reprogram the embedded user interfaces as Class II and Class III gaming machines subject to certification by the dedicated certificate server; and

a set of communications services that provide communications between the game management computing system and the executive server.

10. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the set of communications services are implemented as a Web service.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, further comprising:

a message processor configured to parse messages into commands and to route the commands to be handled; and

a message handler configured to handle commands routed from the message processor.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of databases communicatively coupled to exchange information with the message handler.

13. The gaming system of claim 12 wherein the message handler is configured to handle at least some of the commands via a Web service.

14. The gaming system of claim 9, further comprising:

a scheduler communicatively coupled to the executive server and configured to cause the executive server to at least one of reconfigure or reprogram at least some of the gaming machines based on a schedule stored in a schedule database.

15. The gaming system of claim 9, further comprising:

a scheduler communicatively coupled to the executive server and configured to cause the executive server to at least one of reconfigure or reprogram at least some of the gaming machines based on a schedule stored in a schedule database that represents player demand for the Class II and the Class III gaming machines in a similar previous period.

16. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the executive server is configured to reconfigure at least some of the Class II gaming machines as Class III gaming machines.

17. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the executive server is configured to reconfigure at least some of the Class III gaming machines as Class II gaming machines.

18. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the executive server is configured to reprogram at least some of the Class II gaming machines as Class III gaming machines.

19. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the executive server is configured to reprogram at least some of the Class III gaming machines as Class II gaming machines.

20. A method of managing a plurality of gaming machines operable as Class II and Class III gaming machines, the method comprising:

at least one computer processor providing communications between the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and a first information server;

the at least one computer processor providing communications between the gaming machines operated as Class III gaming machines and the first information server, wherein the providing communications between the gaming machines and the first information server between the first information server includes providing communications between the first information server and each of a plurality of embedded user interfaces embedded in respective ones of the gaming machines, the embedded user interfaces each respectively including an embedded processor and an embedded display, the embedded processor separate from respective main processors of the respective ones of the gaming machines and the plurality of embedded user interfaces separate from respective main user interfaces of the respective ones of the gaming machines; and

a dedicated certificate server in communication with the embedded processors providing certificates to the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and to the gaming machines operated as Class III gaming machines separately from the communications between the gaming machines and the first information server.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein providing communications between the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and a first information server includes providing communications between the first information server and each of a first number of the plurality of embedded user interfaces embedded in respective ones of the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein providing communications between the gaming machines operated as Class III gaming machines and the first information server includes providing communications between the first information server and each of a second number of the plurality of embedded user interfaces embedded in respective ones of the gaming machines operated as Class III gaming machines.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein providing communications between the first information server and each of a first number of embedded user interfaces embedded in respective ones of the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and providing communications between the first information server and each of a first number of embedded user interfaces embedded in respective ones of the gaming machines operated as Class III gaming machines includes providing communications using a Web service.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

parsing messages into a number of commands; and

handling the commands.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein handling the commands includes directly calling a procedure stored on a selected databases to retrieve data requested via one of the commands.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein handling the commands includes invoking a Web service.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing communications between the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and a slot management system, separately from the communications between the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and the first information server.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing communications between the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and at least one of a bingo gaming controller, a bingo gaming manager, a player tracking gateway and a player account system, separately from the communications between the gaming machines operated as Class II gaming machines and the first information server.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely reconfiguring at least one parameter of at least one of the gaming machines operated as a Class II gaming machine via the first information server.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely reconfiguring at least one parameter of at least one of the gaming machines operated as a Class III gaming machine via the first information server.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely downloading new instructions to at least one of the gaming machines operated as a Class II gaming machine via the first information server.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely downloading new instructions to at least one of the gaming machines operated as a Class III gaming machine via the first information server.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely reconfiguring at least some of the Class II gaming machines as Class III gaming machines.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

reconfiguring at least some of the Class III gaming machines as Class II gaming machines.

35. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely downloading a package of executable gaming machine instructions to change operation of at least some of the Class II gaming machines to Class III gaming machines.

36. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

remotely downloading a package of executable gaming machine instructions to change operation of at least some of the Class III gaming machines to Class II gaming machines.

37. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

automatically reconfiguring at least some of the Class II and the Class III gaming machines based on a schedule.

38. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

automatically downloading at least one package of executable gaming machine instructions to change operation of at least some of the Class II and the Class III gaming machines based on a schedule.

39. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing communications between at least some of the gaming machines and a casino management system via the first information server.