Remote configuration of gaming terminals

• US 20070032288A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne, Rowe, Richard, Kiely, Daryn
• Granted Patent: US 9,251,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 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: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

A gaming terminal data repository (GTDR) for storing game software components and transaction information for gaming machine and gaming terminals is disclosed. A system database is partitioned according to different gaming entities allowing game software component configurations of particular gaming terminals to be easily analyzed and modified. Game software components for gaming terminals connected to the GTDR may be automatically updated using various triggers. System gaming machines may utilize a combination of game software components residing on the gaming machine and those received from the GTDR. A library of preset gaming terminal configurations can be stored at the system database, where each such preset configuration includes specific settings for each of a plurality of gaming terminal setting categories. Gaming terminals can be configured remotely using the GTDR, and possibly one or more of the stored preset gaming terminal configurations.

Claims

1. A gaming system adapted to present games of chance involving wagers and monetary payouts, comprising:

a database containing a plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations, wherein each of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations includes specific settings for each of a plurality of gaming terminal setting categories;

a remote configuration device in communication with said database, said remote configuration device having a first network interface adapted to communicate with one or more gaming terminals and a processor adapted to forward at least one of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations to said one or more gaming terminals, wherein said at least one of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations comply with the rules of a gaming jurisdiction in which a respective receiving gaming terminal is located; and

a plurality of gaming terminals in communication with said remote configuration device and adapted to present games of chance involving wagers and monetary payouts, wherein at least a first gaming terminal of said plurality of gaming terminals includes a second network interface adapted to communicate with said remote configuration device;

a memory adapted to store said at least one preset gaming terminal configuration forwarded from said remote configuration device, and a controller adapted to generate a game of chance played on said first gaming terminal using said at least one preset gaming terminal configuration forwarded from said remote configuration device.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least two of said plurality of gaming terminal setting categories are selected from the group consisting of:

brightness, volume, language, game theme, pay tables, artwork, attract sequences, denominations, bonuses, lockup amount for hand pays, harm minimization variables, software and hardware drivers, terminal disable factors and jurisdictional rules.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of gaming terminal setting categories includes all items from the group consisting of:

brightness, volume, language, game theme, pay tables, artwork, attract sequences, denominations, bonuses, lockup amount for hand pays, harm minimization variables, software and hardware drivers, terminal disable factors and jurisdictional rules.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations includes specific settings for at least fifteen different gaming terminal setting categories.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein said memory from at least one of said plurality of gaming terminals is adapted to store at least two preset gaming terminal configurations forwarded from said remote configuration device.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein said at least one gaming terminal is adapted to toggle between different preset gaming terminal configurations stored on its memory in response to an instruction from said remote configuration device.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations are based on a general template for a standard preset gaming terminal configuration.

8. The gaming system of claim 7, wherein each preset gaming terminal configuration within said at least a portion of preset gaming terminal configurations has the same gaming terminal setting categories.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, further including:

one or more scheduling tools associated with said remote configuration device, wherein said remote configuration devices is adapted to use said one or more scheduling tools to update automatically the configurations of one or more of said plurality of gaming terminals according to one or more update triggers.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein said one or more update triggers include at least one update trigger based on one or more factors selected from the group consisting of:

specific dates, specific times, special events, player input, and gaming terminal performance.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a first gaming terminal of said plurality of gaming terminals is located at a first gaming establishment, and a second gaming terminal of said plurality of gaming terminals is located at a second gaming establishment separate from said first gaming establishment.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein said second gaming establishment is located in a different state that said first gaming establishment.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein said remote configuration device is located separately from said first and second gaming establishments.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations includes at least one setting category for which there is no actual setting.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein one or more of said plurality of gaming terminals is programmed to react by ignoring said at least one setting category for which there is no actual setting.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations includes one or more extra or optional gaming terminal setting categories.

17. The gaming system of claim 16, wherein only a subset of less than all of said plurality of gaming terminals is programmed to recognize said one or more extra or optional gaming terminal setting categories.

18. A gaming terminal adapted for accepting a wager, playing a game based on the wager and granting a monetary payout based on the result of the game, the gaming terminal comprising:

an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming terminal components therein;

a network interface adapted to communicate with an external remote configuration device that is associated with a database containing a plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations, wherein each of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations includes specific settings for each of a plurality of gaming terminal setting categories;

a memory adapted to store said at least one preset gaming terminal configuration forwarded from said external remote configuration device; and

a controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming terminal components and also in communication with said external remote configuration device via said network interface, said controller being adapted to execute or control one or more aspects of a game of chance played on said gaming terminal using said at least one preset gaming terminal configuration forwarded from said external remote configuration device.

19. A method of configuring or reconfiguring a gaming terminal from a remote configuration device, the method comprising:

providing a gaming system including a remote configuration device and a database in communication with said remote configuration device, said database containing a plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations, wherein each of said plurality of preset gaming terminal configurations includes specific settings for each of a plurality of gaming terminal setting categories;

determining a need or desire for a new or changed configuration in at least one gaming terminal associated with said gaming system;

sending an instruction from said remote configuration device to said at least one gaming terminal to configure or reconfigure said at least one gaming terminal according to a particular preset gaming terminal configuration; and

configuring or reconfiguring said at least one gaming terminal according to said particular preset gaming terminal configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving said particular preset gaming terminal configuration from said database; and

forwarding said particular preset gaming terminal configuration from said remote configuration device to said at least one gaming terminal.