Methods and systems for interfacing with a third-party application

• US 8,968,077 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IDT Corporation
• Inventors: Weber, Reid M., Little, William C., LeMay, Steven G., Marcu, Adrian R., Cockerille, Warner R. IV, Beaulieu, Nicole M., Gipp, David A., de Waal, Daniel, Manfredi, Vincent S., Bullard, Bryan, Iddings, Cara L., Schneider, Richard J., Russell, Glen Keith, Graham, Jacob, Rowe, Richard E., Williams, David C., Larsen, Kurt M., Yi, Jae Man, Higgins, Kevin, Parrott, Gregory H., Salls, David L., Scholttmann, Gregory A., Petersen, Erik B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US12/435,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/221, 709/217, 709/219, 709/203, 709/206, 463/42, 463/43, 463/25, 463/29, 705/14
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers

Abstract

A system for interfacing with a third-party application is described. The system includes a third-party device, a server-based system configured to communicate with the third-party device, and a gaming device configured to communicate with the server-based system to display content of the product or service. The gaming device is configured to generate an outcome of a wager-based game independent of the content that is displayed.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a third-party device;

a server-based system configured to communicate with said third-party device wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server and a content approval server configured to receive a request to approve content of a product or service from the third party device, said content approval server configured to approve the content based on a set of policies developed by a gaming device user or a regulatory authority, a specific command including the request to approve the content, and said media manager server configured to create an event identification (ID) of the content upon receiving a determination from said content approval server that the content is approved;

a gaming device configured to communicate with said server-based system to display the approved content of the product or service, said gaming device configured to generate an outcome of a wager-based game independent of the content that is displayed;

a floor controller; and

wherein said third-party device is configured to send a triggerevent command including priority for displaying the content, the event ID and a gaming device ID identifying said gaming device to said media manager server,

said media manager server configured to determine whether the event ID is valid upon receiving the event ID from said third-party device,

said media manager server configured to access the content corresponding to the event ID upon determining that the event ID is valid,

said media manager server configured to send the triggerevent command and the content to said floor controller,

said floor controller configured to send the triggerevent command and the event representation to said gaming device having the gaming device ID, and

said gaming device configured to display the content upon receiving the triggerevent command based on the priority.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is operated by the third-party user other than a gaming device user controlling said gaming device,

wherein said third-party device is controlled by a third-party user that is other than a server-based system user controlling said server-based system.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system, and

said media manager server is configured to send the specific set of commands to said third-party device upon receiving an authentication of said third-party device.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a protocol converter, wherein said third-party device comprises a third-party processor,

said third-party processor is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system, wherein said gaming device is connected to a printer,

the specific set of commands includes a set of printer commands to determine whether said gaming device is connected to the printer and to determine whether the printer has a printer parameter,

said protocol converter is configured to convert the set of printer commands from a system-to-system (S2S) protocol to a game-to-system (G2S) protocol and send the set of printer commands to said gaming device,

said gaming device is configured to provide a set of responses to the set of printer commands to said third-party device via said server-based system, and

said third-party processor is configured to determine whether to use said printer upon receiving the responses.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device comprises a third-party processor, said server-based system further comprises a redemption server configured to receive a command including a redemption request to redeem a voucher from said gaming device and determine whether the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device,

said redemption server is configured to send the redemption request to said third-party device upon determining that the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device,

said third-party processor is configured to approve or disapprove the redemption request and send a command including the approval or disapproval to said gaming device via said redemption server, and

said third-party processor is configured to deny the redemption request upon determining that the voucher is redeemed previously or a voucher identification of the voucher is invalid.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system, wherein the specific set of commands includes a seteventsubscription command, wherein said third-party device is configured to send the seteventsubscription command to said server-based system to receive a notification of an occurrence of an event including the content on said gaming device.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether one of the commands received from said third-party device includes a request to send a complex command,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether a connection between said server-based system and said third-party device is lost for less than a period of time measured from the loss of connection,

said server-based system is configured to store all information designated to be sent to said third-party device upon determining that the connection is lost for less than the period of time,

said server-based system is configured to send the information to said third-party device upon determining that the connection is restored within the time period, and

said server-based system is configured to not send the information to said third-party device upon determining that the connection is not restored within the time period.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device comprises a third-party processor configured to request that a response to a command includes a simple command,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether a connection between said server-based system and said third-party device is lost before a time information in response to the command is to be sent to said third-party device, and

said server-based system is configured to delete the response from a queue upon determining that the connection is lost.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server-based system further comprises a logging device configured to securely log content or a command, and

the command is communicated between said server-based system and said third-party device or between said gaming device and said server-based system.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gaming device is configured to determine whether a command sent by said third-party device comprises an instruction to change an outcome of a game played using a game interface on said gaming device, and

said gaming device is further configured to reject the command upon determining that the command comprises an instruction to change the outcome.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system,

the specific set of commands includes a deductfromgamingdevice command and a watamount command, and

said third-party device is configured to send the deductfromgaming device command to said gaming device via said server-based system to deduct from said gaming device a number of credits specified in the watamount command.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a redemption server configured to receive a plurality of redemption requests from said gaming device and other gaming devices, and send the requests to a third-party controller of said third party device,

wherein said third-party controller is configured to determine whether a number of the redemption requests is exceeded, whether a time period for satisfying the redemption requests is expired, or whether a voucher identification associated with one of the redemption requests is received previously before receiving the one of the redemption requests, and

said third-party controller is configured to deny the redemption requests that exceed the number, that are received after expiration of the time period, or that include a voucher identification received previously.

13. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server-based system is configured to maintain a separate queue for each of said third-party device and another third-party device, said server-based system is configured to determine whether a connection is lost between said server-based system and said third-party device, and the loss of connection does not affect the queue for the other third-party device.

14. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a triggerevent command to trigger a display of an event representation on said gaming device,

said content approval server is configured to determine whether the event representation has a status of approved, disapproved, or pending a decision of approval or disapproval,

said content approval server is configured to not send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the status is disapproved or pending, and

said content approval server is configured to send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the status is approved.

15. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a triggerevent command including an event expiration time period and an event identification of an event representation,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether the event expiration time period measured from a time of sending the triggerevent command has expired before the event representation is displayed on said gaming device or before the triggerevent command is sent to said gaming device,

said server-based system is configured to inform said third-party device that the event expiration time period has expired upon determining that the event expiration time period has expired, and

said server-based system is configured to not send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the event expiration time period has expired.

16. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a command to said server-based system, and

the command includes an instruction that a request for the command be persisted by said server-based system until a command is received from said third-party device.

17. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gaming device comprises a gaming display device configured to display the content and receive an input from a player playing a game,

said gaming device is configured to communicate information regarding the input via said media manager server to a third-party controller of said third party device, and

said third-party controller is configured to send a command including data in response to the information sent by said gaming device via said media manager server.

18. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server-based system further comprises an account metering server, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a request transfer command to said server-based system to request a transfer of a number of credits from said gaming device to said account metering server,

said account metering server is configured to verify whether a credit meter of said gaming device has sufficient balance to transfer the number of credits,

said account metering server is configured to transfer the number of credits from said gaming device to said account metering server upon determining that the credit meter has the sufficient balance, and

said account metering server is configured to inform said third-party device of the completion of the transfer.

19. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a firewall server, wherein said media manager server and said content approval server are accessible by a user,

the user views and approves the content and electronically signs the approved content, wherein said media manager server is configured to compile a first file describing a functionality of a graphical element, a second file describing a look of the graphical element, and the signature into a compiled file, and

said floor controller is configured to receive the compiled file via the firewall server.

20. A system for interfacing with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a third-party device configured to send a command to trigger an event representation describing a product or server offered by a third-party user;

a server-based system configured to receive the command from said third-party device in a system-to-system (S2S) protocol format wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server and a content approval server configured to receive a request to approve content of the product or service from the third party user, said content approval server configured to approve the content based on a set of policies developed by a gaming device user or a regulatory authority, the command including the request to approve the content, and said media manager server configured to create an event identification (ID) of the content upon receiving a determination from said content approval server that the content is approved;

a protocol converter configured to convert the command from the S2S protocol format to a game-to-system (G2S) protocol format; and

a gaming device configured to receive the command in the G2S protocol format and display the event representation.

21. A system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said third-party device is operated by the third-party user other than a gaming device user controlling said gaming device,

the third-party user is other than a server-based system user controlling said server-based system.

22. A system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system,

said media manager server configured to send the specific set of commands to said third-party device upon receiving an authentication of said third-party device.

23. A system for interfacing with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a third-party device;

a server-based system configured to communicate with said third-party device wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server and a content approval server configured to receive a request to approve content of a product or service from the third party device, said content approval server configured to approve the content based on a set of policies developed by a gaming device user or a regulatory authority, a specific command including the request to approve the content, and said media manager server configured to create an event identification (ID) of the content upon receiving a determination from said content approval server that the content is approved;

a gaming device configured to communicate with said server-based system to display the approved content of the product or service, said gaming device configured to generate an outcome of a wager-based game independent of the content that is displayed;

a plurality of devices connected to said gaming device; and

wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system,

the specific set of commands includes a runtask command to perform a task related to the devices connected to said gaming device,

the task includes a sequence for performing a plurality of events on said gaming device and said devices connected to said gaming device, and

the plurality of events are performed based on a plurality of conditions.

24. A system for interfacing with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a third-party device;

a server-based system configured to communicate with said third-party device wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server and a content approval server configured to receive a request to approve content of a product or service from the third party device, said content approval server configured to approve the content based on a set of policies developed by a gaming device user or a regulatory authority, a specific command including the request to approve the content, and said media manager server configured to create an event identification (ID) of the content upon receiving a determination from said content approval server that the content is approved;

a gaming device configured to communicate with said server-based system to display the approved content of the product or service, said gaming device configured to generate an outcome of a wager-based game independent of the content that is displayed;

a peripheral device connected to said gaming device; and

wherein said third-party device comprises a third-party processor configured to request information regarding said gaming device and said peripheral device, and

the information includes a frequency of operation of said peripheral device or a color emitted by said peripheral device.

25. A system for interfacing with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a third-party device;

a server-based system configured to communicate with said third-party device wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server and a content approval server configured to receive a request to approve content of a product or service from the third party device, said content approval server configured to approve the content based on a set of policies developed by a gaming device user or a regulatory authority, a specific command including the request to approve the content, and said media manager server configured to create an event identification (ID) of the content upon receiving a determination from said content approval server that the content is approved;

a gaming device configured to communicate with said server-based system to display the approved content of the product or service, said gaming device configured to generate an outcome of a wager-based game independent of the content that is displayed; and

wherein said third-party device comprises a third-party processor configured to receive a notification of an input from a player playing a wager-based game at said gaming device or a notification of an occurrence of an event including the content at said gaming device,

said third-party device is configured to send a triggerevent command to said gaming device via said server-based system upon receiving the notification, and

the triggerevent command comprises an event ID of an event representation that has a graphical element different than a graphical element of the content.

26. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said third-party system further comprising a redemption server configured to receive a command including a redemption request to redeem a voucher from said gaming device and determine whether the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device,

said redemption server configured to send the redemption request to said third-party device upon determining that the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device,

said third-party processor configured to approve or disapprove the redemption request and send a command including the approval or disapproval to said gaming device via said redemption server, and

said third-party processor configured to deny the redemption request upon determining that the voucher is redeemed previously or a voucher identification of the voucher is invalid.

27. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system,

the specific set of commands includes a deductfromgamingdevice command and a watamount command, and

said third-party device is configured to send the deductfromgaming device command to said gaming device via said server-based system to deduct from said gaming device a number of credits specified in the watamount command.

28. A system in accordance with claim 25, further comprising a redemption server configured to receive a plurality of redemption requests from said gaming device and other gaming devices, and send the requests to the third-party processor of said third party device;

and

wherein said third-party processor is configured to determine whether a number of the redemption requests is exceeded, whether a time period for satisfying the redemption requests is expired, or whether a voucher identification associated with one of the redemption requests is received previously before receiving the one of the redemption requests, and

said third-party processor is configured to deny the redemption requests that exceed the number, that are received after expiration of the time period, or that include a voucher identification received previously.

29. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a triggerevent command to trigger a display of an event representation on said gaming device,

said content approval server is configured to determine whether the event representation has a status of approved, disapproved, or pending a decision of approval or disapproval,

said content approval server is configured to not send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the status is disapproved or pending, and

said content approval server is configured to send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the status is approved.

30. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said third-party device is configured to request a specific set of commands from said server-based system,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether one of the commands received from said third-party device includes a request to send a complex command,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether a connection between said server-based system and said third-party device is lost for less than a period of time measured from the loss of connection,

said server-based system is configured to store all information designated to be sent to said third-party device upon determining that the connection is lost for less than the period of time,

said server-based system is configured to send the information to said third-party device upon determining that the connection is restored within the time period, and

said server-based system is configured to not send the information to said third-party device upon determining that the connection is not restored within the time period.

31. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said server-based system is configured to maintain a separate queue for each of said third-party device and another third-party device, and said server-based system is configured to determine whether a connection is lost between said server-based system and said third-party device, wherein

the loss of connection does not affect the queue for the other third-party device.

32. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a triggerevent command including an event expiration time period and an event identification of an event representation,

said server-based system is configured to determine whether the event expiration time period measured from a time of sending the triggerevent command has expired before the event representation is displayed on said gaming device or before the triggerevent command is sent to said gaming device,

said server-based system is configured to inform said third-party device that the event expiration time period has expired upon determining that the event expiration time period has expired, and

said server-based system is configured to not send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the event expiration time period has expired.

33. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said gaming device comprises a gaming display device configured to display the content and receive an input from a player playing a game,

said gaming device is configured to communicate information regarding the input via said media manager server to a third-party controller of said third party device, and

said third-party controller is configured to send a command including data in response to the information sent by said gaming device via said media manager server.

34. A system for interfacing with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a third-party device;

a server-based system configured to communicate with said third-party device wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server and a content approval server configured to receive a request to approve content of a product or service from the third party device, said content approval server configured to approve the content based on a set of policies developed by a gaming device user or a regulatory authority, a specific command including the request to approve the content, and said media manager server configured to create an event identification (ID) of the content upon receiving a determination from said content approval server that the content is approved;

a gaming device configured to communicate with said server-based system to display the approved content of the product or service, said gaming device configured to generate an outcome of a wager-based game independent of the content that is displayed; and

wherein said server-based system further comprises a graphical element creation server configured to associate a first file describing a functionality of a graphical element with a second file describing a look of the graphical element and a third file describing a look of the graphical element, and the look described in the second file is different than the look described in the third file.

35. A system in accordance with claim 34, wherein the second file is presented to a player having a status different than a player presented with the third file.

36. A system in accordance with claim 34, wherein said third-party device comprises a third-party processor, said system further comprises a redemption server configured to receive a command including a redemption request to redeem a voucher from said gaming device and determine whether the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device,

said redemption server is configured to send the redemption request to said third-party device upon determining that the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device,

said third-party processor is configured to approve or disapprove the redemption request and send a command including the approval or disapproval to said gaming device via said redemption server, and

said third-party processor is configured to deny the redemption request upon determining that the voucher is redeemed previously or a voucher identification of the voucher is invalid.

37. A system in accordance with claim 34, wherein said gaming device comprises a gaming display device configured to display the content and receive an input from a player playing a game,

said gaming device is configured to communicate information regarding the input via said media manager server to a third-party controller of said third party device, and

said third-party controller is configured to send a command including data in response to the information sent by said gaming device via said media manager server.