Methods and systems for interfacing with a third-party application

• US 9,685,034 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Schneider, Richard J., Bullard, Bryan, LeMay, Steven G., Weber, Reid M., Marcu, Adrian R., Little, William C., Beaulieu, Nicole M., Cockerille, IV, Warner R., Russell, Glen Keith, Manfredi, Vincent S., Iddings, Cara L., De Waal, Daniel, Gipp, David A., Higgins, Kevin M., Rowe, Richard E., Schlottmann, Gregory A., Yi, Jae Man, Williams, David C., Larsen, Kurt M., Parrott, Gregory H., Graham, Jacob, Petersen, Erik B., Salls, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US13/612,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 40- 42
• 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 configured to interface with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a server-based system configured to communicate with a third-party via a third party device, wherein the server-based system includes;

an advertisement content approval server configured to;

(i) receive advertising content from the third party device, the advertising content relating to an advertisement of a product or service offered by the third-party,

(ii) determine whether to approve the received advertising content based on a set of predetermined advertisement approval policies,

(iii) if the determination is to approve the received advertising content, communicate the approved advertising content to a gaming device, and

(iv) if the determination is not to approve the received advertising content, enable the third party device to change the advertising content for a subsequent approval; and

the gaming device including a display device and a plurality of input devices including an acceptor and a cashout device, the gaming device configured to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) cause the display device to display any approved advertising content relating to the advertisement of the product or service, and

(c) if a wager is placed on a play of a game;

(i) determine a game outcome, wherein the determined game outcome is independent of the advertising content that is displayed on the display device,

(ii) display the determined game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined game outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined game outcome, wherein the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined game outcome, and

(d) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The 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, and

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. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said server-based system includes a media manager server,

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. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said server-based system includes a media manager server,

the set of predetermined advertisement approval policies are developed by at least one of;

a gaming device user and a regulatory authority, and

said media manager server is configured to create an event identification of the advertising content upon receiving a determination from said advertisement content approval server that the advertising content is approved.

5. The system in accordance with claim 4, which includes a floor controller, wherein:

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, which includes a plurality of devices connected to said gaming device, 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.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1, which includes a protocol converter, wherein:

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

said gaming device is connected to a printer,

the specific set of commands includes a set of printer commands to;

(i) determine whether said gaming device is connected to the printer and

(ii) determine whether the printer has a printer parameter,

said protocol converter is configured to;

(i) convert the set of printer commands from a system-to-system protocol to a game-to-system protocol, and

(ii) 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.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device includes:

a redemption server configured to;

receive a command including a redemption request to redeem a voucher from said gaming device,

determine whether the redemption request is designated to be sent to said third-party device, and

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, and

a third-party processor configured to;

approve or disapprove the redemption request,

send a command including the approval or disapproval to said gaming device via said redemption server, and

deny the redemption request upon determining that the voucher is redeemed previously or a voucher identification of the voucher is invalid.

9. The 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, and

send the seteventsubscription command to said server-based system to receive a notification of an occurrence of an event including the advertising content on said gaming device.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1, which includes a peripheral device connected to said gaming device,

wherein said third-party device includes a third-party processor configured to request information regarding said gaming device and said peripheral device, the information including a frequency of operation of said peripheral device or a color emitted by said peripheral device.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device includes 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 advertising 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 includes an event ID of an event representation that has a graphical element different than a graphical element of the advertising content.

12. The 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 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,

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,

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,

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

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

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

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

delete the response from a queue upon determining that the connection is lost.

14. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server-based system includes a logging device configured to securely log content or a command, communicated between at least one of:

said server-based system and said third-party device, and said gaming device and said server-based system.

15. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gaming device is configured to:

determine whether a command sent by said third-party device includes an instruction to change the game outcome of the game played using a game interface on said gaming device, and

reject the command upon determining that the command includes an instruction to change the game outcome.

16. The 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

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.

17. The system in accordance with claim 1, which includes 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

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.

18. The 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, and

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.

19. The 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, and

said advertisement 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,

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

send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the status is approved.

20. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said third-party device configured to send a triggerevent command including an event expiration time period and an event identification of an event representation, and

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,

inform said third-party device that the event expiration time period has expired upon determining that the event expiration time period has expired, and

not send the triggerevent command to said gaming device upon determining that the event expiration time period has expired.

21. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third-party device is configured to send a command to said server-based system, the command includes an instruction that a request to the command be persisted by said server-based system until a command is received from said third-party device.

22. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server,

said gaming device includes a gaming display device configured to display the advertising 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.

23. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said server-based system includes an account metering server,

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, and

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,

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

inform said third-party device of the completion of the transfer.

24. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server-based system includes 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, the look described in the second file is different than the look described in the third file.

25. The system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the second file is presented to a player having a status different than a player presented with the third file.

26. The system in accordance with claim 1, which includes a floor controller and a firewall server,

wherein said server-based system includes a media manager server,

said media manager server and said advertisement content approval server are configured to be accessible by a user for approving the advertising content and electronically signing approved advertising content,

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.

34. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the third party application includes a virtual lottery machine configured to enable a player to purchase a lottery ticket at the gaming device.

35. The system in accordance with claim 34, wherein the server-based system is configured to operate with the virtual lottery machine to cause a printer of the gaming device to print the lottery ticket.

27. A system configured to interface with a third-party application, said system comprising:

a server-based system configured to communicate with a third-party via a third party device, wherein the server-based system includes an advertisement content approval server configured to;

(i) receive advertising content from the third party device, the advertising content relating to an advertisement of a product or service offered by the third party,

(ii) determine whether to approve the received advertising content based on a set of predetermined advertisement approval policies, and

(iii) if the determination is not to approve the received advertising content, enable the third party device to change the advertising content for a subsequent approval; and

a gaming device including a display device and a plurality of input devices including an acceptor and a cashout device, the gaming device configured to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) receive information relating to the advertising content from the third-party device,

(c) determine whether the information is approved for display by the advertisement content approval server,

(d) if a wager is placed on a play of a game;

(i) determine a game outcome,

(ii) display the determined game outcome,

(iii) determine any award associated with the determined game outcome, and

(iv) display any determined award associated with the determined game outcome, wherein the credit balance is increasable based on any determined award associated with the determined game outcome, and

(e) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

28. The system in accordance with claim 27, wherein said gaming device is configured to not display the information upon determining that the information is received from said third-party device and is not approved for display.

36. The system in accordance with claim 27, wherein the third party application includes a virtual lottery machine configured to enable a player to purchase a lottery ticket at the gaming device.

37. The system in accordance with claim 36, wherein the server-based system is configured to operate with the virtual lottery machine to cause a printer of the gaming device to print the lottery ticket.

29. A method for interfacing with a third-party application, said method comprising:

receiving, at a server-based system and from a third-party device operated by a third-party, advertising content relating to an advertisement of a product or service offered by the third-party;

determining whether to approve the received advertising content based on a set of predetermined advertisement approval policies;

if the determination is not to approve the received advertising content, enabling the third-party device to change the advertising content for a subsequent approval; and

if the determination is to approve the received advertising content, sending a command to a gaming device to display the approved advertising content on the gaming device on a display device of the gaming device, wherein the approved advertising content is independent of a game outcome determined for a play of a wager game at said gaming device, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any award associated with the game outcome determined for the play of the wager game, said credit balance being increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and said credit balance being decreasable in association with a cashout input received via a cashout device.

30. The method in accordance with claim 29, which includes:

receiving a request for a specific set of commands from said third-party device; and

sending the specific set of commands to said third-party device upon receiving an authentication of said third-party device.

31. The method in accordance with claim 29, wherein the set of predetermined advertisement approval policies are developed by at least one of:

a gaming device user and a regulatory authority.

32. The method in accordance with claim 29, which includes creating an event identification of the advertising content upon approving the advertising content based on the set of predetermined advertisement approval policies.

33. The method in accordance with claim 29, which includes determining and sending a set of commands to said third-party device, wherein said server-based system and said third-party device communicate using the set of commands.

38. The method in accordance with claim 29, which includes enabling a player to purchase a lottery ticket in association with a virtual lottery machine.

39. The method in accordance with claim 38, which includes causing a printer of the gaming device to print the lottery ticket.