Reduced power consumption wager gaming machine

• US 8,845,411 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Chen, Xuedong, Nguyen, Binh, Underdahl, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIU, TSZ K
• Application Number:
  US13/665,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20130059665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19, 463/12, 463/13, 463/42, 463/1, 463/25, 463/29, 463/31, 463/30, 463/10
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

A wager gaming machine having software and components allowing for automatic powering on and off (also referred to as remote out-of-band power control) bypassing the need for human operator intervention is described. The gaming machine has a master gaming controller and a network interface. The interface includes an input port supporting a TCP/IP connection which can be used by another network component having the gaming machine'"'"'s IP address. The gaming machine may also include a Web server operating on the input port. The Web server may receive HTTP messages on the input port even when the gaming machine is powered off. Thus, the machine is capable of receiving an HTTP message at the input port instructing the machine to power on. The gaming machine may also contain a manageability engine processor for executing an active management system software component. This component implements the Web server on the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A wager gaming machine comprising:

a master gaming controller;

a network interface having an input port supporting a TCP/IP connection using a gaming machine IP address;

a Web server operating on the input port wherein the Web server receives an HTTP message when the wager gaming machine is powered off or when it is powered on, the HTTP message based on a triggering event;

wherein, the triggering event is one or more of;

an occurrence of a specific time and a specific day;

casino floor activity or wager gaming machine zone activity;

a gaming regulation relating to an amount of time the wager gaming machine must be in the power off state during a time range; and

a motion detection signal from the wager gaming machine while the wager gaming machine is in a power-off state; and

upon receiving the HTTP message, a BIOS system within the wager gaming machine is activated and enables the machine to go from a power off state to the power on state without human intervention.

2. The wager gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the HTTP message is received from a server, the server configured to monitor usage of gaming machines in a zone and to dynamically power the gaming machine on or off based on machine usage.

3. The wager gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the server is configured to dynamically power the gaming machine on or off without relying on historical usage patterns.

4. The wager gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the HTTP message is received from a server, the server configured to power the gaming machine on or off based on schedule determining the occurrence of the specific time and the specific day.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a command to power on a wager gaming machine based on a triggering event, the wager gaming machine being in a power off state;

creating an HTTP power-on message for powering on the wager gaming machine, wherein the HTTP power-on message is created in a Web browser; and

transmitting the HTTP power-on message, from a server, to the wager gaming machine over a TCP/IP connection, wherein the wager gaming machine receives the message via an HTTP-specific port, wherein upon receiving the message a BIOS system within the wager gaming machine is activated and enables the machine to go from a power off state to the power on state without human intervention;

wherein

the triggering event is one or more of;

an occurrence of a specific time and a specific day;

casino floor activity or wager gaming machine zone activity;

a gaming regulation relating to an amount of time the wager gaming machine must be in the power off state during a time range; and

a motion detection signal from the wager gaming machine while the wager gaming machine is in a power-off state.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the wager gaming machine is able to receive the HTTP power on message while the wager gaming machine is in the power off state.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the TCP/IP connection is part of a server-based gaming network.

8. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the wager gaming machine is a multi-station gaming machine.

9. A method of powering off a wager gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a command to power off a wager gaming machine based on a triggering event;

creating an HTTP power-off message for the wager gaming machine; and

transmitting the HTTP power-off message, from a server, to the wager gaming machine over a TCP/IP connection, wherein the wager gaming machine receives the message at an HTTP-specific port, thereby causing a powering off of the gaming machine using normal shutdown procedures without human intervention;

wherein

the triggering event is one or more of;

an occurrence of a specific time and a specific day;

casino floor activity or wager gaming machine zone activity;

a gaming regulation relating to an amount of time the wager gaming machine must be in the power off state during a time range; and

a motion detection signal from the wager gaming machine while the wager gaming machine is in a power-off state.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the TCP/IP connection is part of a server-based gaming network.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the wager gaming machine is a multi-station gaming machine.

12. A gaming network comprising:

a host server having a Web browser for displaying an active management Web page;

an IP-addressable wager gaming machine having an input port supporting a Web server; and

a TCP/IP connection between the host server and the wager gaming machine, wherein, upon receiving the HTTP message, a BIOS system within the wager gaming machine is activated and enables the machine to go from a power off state to the power on state without human intervention, the HTTP message based on a triggering event;

wherein, the triggering event is one or more of;

an occurrence of a specific time and a specific day;

casino floor activity or wager gaming machine zone activity;

a gaming regulation relating to an amount of time the wager gaming machine must be in the power off state during a time range; and

a motion detection signal from the wager gaming machine while the wager gaming machine is in a power-off state.

13. A gaming network as recited in claim 12 wherein the host server is a power control server in a server-based gaming network.

14. A gaming network as recited in claim 12 wherein the IP-addressable wager gaming machine further includes a flash memory storing the BIOS.

15. A gaming network as recited in claim 12 wherein the input port in the IP-addressable wager gaming machine is an HTTP port.

16. A gaming network as recited in claim 12 wherein the wager gaming machine is accessible via the TCP/IP connection when the wager gaming machine is in a power off state.