Methods and devices for managing gaming networks

• US 20070026935A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Saffari, Ali, Kinsley, Michael, Bansemer, Mark, Lundy, Chris, Shaffer, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/225,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

Some implementations of the invention provide methods and devices for managing gaming establishments and for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Some such implementations allow a user to configure one or more gaming machines via an easy-to-use GUI displayed on a wired or a wireless device, such as a laptop, a PDA, a work station or other host device. Gaming machine parameters that can be changed according to some implementations of the invention include game denominations, games to enable or disable, game payback percentage, deal speed, volume level and enabling or disabling a tournament. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide an event scheduler that allows a user either to cause events to occur immediately or schedule certain events to occur at a future time. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to generate activity reports highlighting configuration changes, user logins, game set additions, and/or game downloading. Novel methods and devices for authentication are also provided herein. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to manage easily game downloads to a local server and/or to each gaming machine.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a gaming network, the method comprising:

selecting a first configuration change for a first gaming machine in a gaming network;

indicating a first time for attempting to implement the first configuration change; and

implementing the first configuration change by automatically sending a signal to the first gaming machine via the gaming network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the selecting step and the indicating step is performed by interacting with a graphical user interface on a device other than the first gaming machine, the device being configured for communication with the gaming network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining, before the implementing step, whether game play credits of the first gaming machine are zero.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is automatically sent to the first gaming machine at the first time when a configuration change condition is satisfied.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating 2^nd through N^th times for implementing each of 2^nd through N^th configuration changes; and

implementing the 2^nd through N^th configuration changes by automatically sending 2^nd through N^th signals to the first gaming machine via the gaming network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting a first configuration change for each of 1^st through N^th gaming machines in a gaming network and wherein the implementing step comprises implementing the first configuration change by automatically sending 1^st through N^th signals to the 1^st through N^th gaming machines via the gaming network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating a default configuration for the first gaming machine; and

applying the default configuration to the first gaming machine after the first configuration change when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating a first time duration for the first configuration change.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration change is at least one of a denomination change, a paytable change, a display change, a game change and a tournament configuration.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting game software to be downloaded to the first gaming machine and wherein the implementing step comprises causing the selected game software to be downloaded to the first gaming machine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing step comprises automatically sending a signal from a server to the first gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the device is a hand-held device.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the device is configured for wireless communication with the gaming network.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the device is a host device configured for communication with the first gaming machine via the gaming network.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of delaying the implementing step when it is determined that game play credits of the first gaming machine are not zero.

16. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of proceeding with the implementing step when it is determined that game play credits of the first gaming machine are zero.

17. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether a configuration change condition is met at each of the 2^nd through N^th times.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the 1^st through N^th gaming machines comprise a bank of gaming machines.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined condition comprises a passage of time.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the 2^nd through N^th signals are automatically sent to the first gaming machine when the configuration change condition is met.

21. Computer software embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer software including instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform the following steps:

present a depiction of gaming machines in a gaming network;

indicate a present configuration of a gaming machine;

receive gaming machine configuration commands from a user; and

implement the gaming machine configuration commands by sending configuration signals to one or more gaming machines in the gaming network.

22. The computer software of claim 21, wherein the computer software includes instructions for controlling a display to indicate the present configuration of the gaming machine in response to user input.

23. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for controlling a display to indicate whether a gaming machine is assigned to a bank.

24. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for controlling a display to indicate whether a gaming machine is currently in communication with the gaming network.

25. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for controlling a display to indicate whether a gaming machine is currently downloading data from the gaming network.

26. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for controlling a display to indicate a gaming establishment in which a gaming machine is located.

27. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for causing configuration signals to be sent to gaming machines in more than one gaming establishment.

28. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to provide a graphical user interface for receiving gaming machine configuration commands from a user.

29. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for controlling a device to send configuration signals to a plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network in response to a single set of gaming machine configuration commands received from a user.

30. The computer software of claim 21, further comprising instructions for authorizing, at least in part, software for executing a game of chance to be downloaded to at least one gaming machine in the gaming network.

31. An apparatus for controlling a gaming network, the apparatus comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

at least one network interface configured for communication with a gaming network; and

a logic device, wherein the logic device is configured to control the display device to perform the following actions;

present a depiction of gaming machines in a gaming establishment; and

indicate a present configuration of each gaming machine presented;

and wherein the logic device is further configured to receive first gaming machine configuration commands from a user via the input device and to implement the commands by sending configuration signals via the network interface to one or more gaming machines in the gaming network.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the logic device is further configured to control the display device to indicate whether a gaming machine is associated with a bank.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the logic device is further configured to control the display device to indicate whether a gaming machine is currently in communication with the gaming network.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the logic device is further configured to control the display device to indicate whether a gaming machine is associated with a bank.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the logic device is further configured to control the display device to indicate whether a gaming machine is associated with a bank.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the display device incorporates the input device.

37. A method for providing automated tournaments for games of chance, the method comprising:

causing a plurality of devices in a gaming network to indicate tournament notification information regarding a tournament to be conducted;

receiving a request to enroll in the tournament transmitted from each of a first plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network;

determining whether to accept each of the requests;

sending a tournament confirmation message to each of a second plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network that transmitted a request that was accepted;

configuring each of the second plurality of gaming machines for participation in the tournament;

conducting the tournament;

awarding at least one tournament prize; and

reporting tournament outcome data, wherein the determining, sending, configuring, conducting and awarding steps are performed automatically.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of automatically deducting a tournament fee from a player account corresponding to a player of one of the second plurality of gaming machines.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of reporting tournament outcome data comprises reporting by each of the second plurality of gaming machines to a server that is conducting the tournament.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of reporting tournament outcome data comprises broadcasting, by a server that is conducting the tournament, information regarding a tournament winner.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the conducting step comprises conducting a time-shifted tournament wherein players may participate in the tournament at different times.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the conducting step comprises conducting a game count tournament involving a predetermined number of games that players may complete within different time periods.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the conducting step further comprises providing players an option of accelerating at least some aspects of a game.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

making a plurality of game options available for player selection; and

scaling a player'"'"'s tournament outcome according to at least one of the game options.

45. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

creating a progressive pool for the tournament; and

adding a percentage of each player'"'"'s wager to the progressive pool; and

wherein the awarding step comprises awarding the progressive pool to at least one winning player.

46. The method of claim 37, wherein the awarding step comprises awarding a plurality of prizes, at least some of the plurality of prizes being based on a criterion other than overall ranking.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein players are provided with an option of skipping at least a portion of a game presentation.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein players are provided with an option of having at least one gaming decision automatically made for the player, wherein the game would otherwise require the player to make the gaming decision.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the game options comprise at least one of a denomination option and a multiple-play option.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein one of the plurality of prizes is awarded for obtaining a greatest number of a first type of predetermined poker hand and another of the plurality of prizes is awarded for obtaining a greatest number of a second type of predetermined poker hand.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein more than one of the plurality of prizes can be awarded to an individual player.

52. A method of controlling a gaming network, comprising:

determining a first rate of revenue obtained by a first gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network during a first time when the first gaming machine has a first configuration;

transmitting second configuration information to the first gaming machine via the gaming network;

configuring the first gaming machine with a second configuration according to the second configuration information; and

determining a second rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during a second time when the first gaming machine has the second configuration.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the step of determining the first rate of revenue comprises receiving first revenue data from the first gaming machine via the gaming network, the first revenue data pertaining to the first time.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein it is determined that the first rate of revenue is higher than the second rate of revenue, further comprising these steps:

transmitting third configuration information to the first gaming machine via the gaming network; and

configuring the first gaming machine with a third configuration according to the second configuration information.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the second configuration information comprises at least one of denomination information, display information, pay table percentage and game software.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the first configuration is substantially similar to the third configuration.

57. A method of controlling a gaming network, comprising:

receiving revenue data from a first gaming machine of a plurality of gaming machines in the gaming network;

determining a first rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during a first time when the first gaming machine has a first configuration;

determining a second rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during a second time when the first gaming machine has a second configuration;

determining an N^th rate of revenue obtained by the first gaming machine during an N^th time when the first gaming machine has an N^th configuration; and

ascertaining a first optimum configuration for the first gaming machine during a first time of day, the first optimum configuration corresponding with a highest rate of revenue determined for the first gaming machine during the first time of day.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising scheduling the first gaming machine to be automatically configured with the first optimum configuration during the first time of day.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the first gaming machine is part of a bank of gaming machines, further comprising scheduling each gaming machine of the bank of gaming machines to be automatically configured with the first optimum configuration during the first time of day.

60. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

ascertaining a second optimum configuration for the first gaming machine during a second time of day, the second optimum configuration corresponding with a highest rate of revenue determined for the first gaming machine during the second time of day; and

scheduling the first gaming machine to be automatically configured with the second optimum configuration during the second time of day.

61. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

receiving revenue data from second through M^th gaming machines in the gaming network;

determining a first average rate of revenue obtained by the second through M^th gaming machines during the first time when the second through M^th gaming machines have the first configuration;

determining a second average rate of revenue obtained by the second through M^th gaming machines during a second time when the second through M^th gaming machines have a second configuration;

determining an N^th average rate of revenue obtained by the second through M^th gaming machines during an N^th time when the second through M^th gaming machines have an N^th configuration; and

ascertaining a first overall optimum configuration for the second through M^th gaming machines during a predetermined time of day, the first overall optimum configuration corresponding with a highest average rate of revenue determined for the second through M^th gaming machines during the predetermined time of day.

62. The method of claim 57, wherein the first optimum configuration comprises at least one of a denomination, a display type, a pay table percentage and a game type.