Download and configuration capable gaming machine operating system, gaming machine and method

• US 8,900,054 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patel, Pravinkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, William M.
• Application Number:
  US11/938,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/43
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

A gaming machine operating system is disclosed that includes download and configuration modules enabling the conducting of external communications and internal operations to receive downloads of game and game machine content and features and to modify game and game machines accordingly. Gaming machines and methods are also described which implement the download and configuration capable gaming machine operating system.

Claims

1. A method for downloading and configuring an operating system of a gaming machine, the method comprising:

downloading a package;

extracting a module from the package;

verifying the module;

validating a legal configuration of the gaming machine with the module, wherein the gaming machine includes a storage media;

installing the module in the gaming machine responsive to validating the legal configuration;

rebooting the gaming system;

initializing a BIOS of the gaming machine;

authenticating the BIOS;

authenticating the operating system, wherein the operating system is stored on the storage media of the gaming machine;

initializing a kernel of the operating system responsive to the authenticating of the operating system;

as part of an initial start-up of the gaming machine and authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, determining a number of free blocks on the storage media of the gaming machine;

recording the number of free blocks in an NVRAM of the gaming system as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine; and

verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, wherein verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed is a background kernel process conducted to authenticate files on the storage media of the gaming machine.

2. A method for downloading and configuring gaming data of a gaming machine, the method comprising:

initializing a kernel;

downloading a package;

extracting a module from the package;

verifying the module;

validating a legal configuration of the gaming machine with the module, wherein the gaming machine includes a storage media;

installing the module in the gaming machine responsive to validating the legal configuration;

as part of an initial start-up of the gaming machine and authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, determining a number of free block information on a media of the gaming machine, wherein the media is storing the gaming data;

dynamically rearranging an NVRAM of the gaming machine and storing the number of free blocks on the NVRAM as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine; and

verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, wherein verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed is a background kernel process conducted to authenticate files on the storage media of the gaming machine.

3. A method for downloading and configuring a gaming data of a gaming system, the method comprising:

initializing a kernel;

downloading a package;

extracting a module from the package;

verifying the module with a manifest associated with the module;

validating a legal configuration of the gaming machine with the module prior to installing the module, wherein the gaming machine includes a storage media;

installing the module in the gaming machine responsive to validating the legal configuration;

as part of an initial start-up of the gaming machine and authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, determining a number of free blocks on a memory of the gaming machine storing the gaming data;

redundantly storing the number via a message processor and a command router, wherein the number is communicated between the gaming machine and a gaming server via a BOB communication protocol; and

verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, wherein verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed is a background kernel process conducted to authenticate files on the storage media of the gaming machine.

4. A method for downloading and configuring an operating system of a gaming system, the method comprising:

initializing a kernel;

downloading a package;

extracting a module from the package;

verifying the module with a manifest associated with the module;

validating a legal configuration of the gaming machine with the module prior to installing the module, wherein the gaming machine includes a storage media;

installing the module in the gaming machine responsive to validating the legal configuration;

as part of an initial start-up of the gaming machine and authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, determining a number of free blocks on a memory of the gaming machine storing the operating system;

redundantly storing the number via a message processor and a command router, wherein the number is communicated between a persistent memory of the gaming machine and a command memory of the gaming machine via a BOB communication protocol; and

verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, wherein verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed is a background kernel process that continuously loops and is conducted to authenticate files on the storage media of the gaming machine.

5. A method for downloading and configuring an operating system of a gaming machine, the method comprising:

initializing a kernel;

downloading a package;

extracting a module from the package;

verifying the module;

validating a legal configuration of the gaming machine with the module;

installing the module in the gaming machine responsive to validating the legal configuration, wherein the gaming machine includes a storage media;

as part of an initial start-up of the gaming machine and authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, determining a number of free block information on a media of the gaming machine, wherein the media is storing the operating system;

dynamically rearranging an NVRAM of the gaming machine and storing the number of free blocks on the NVRAM as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine;

defragmenting the NVRAM as a background process; and

verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed as part of authenticating files on the storage media of the gaming machine, wherein verifying that the number of free blocks has not changed is a background kernel process that continuously loops and is conducted to authenticate files on the storage media of the gaming machine.