NETWORKED GAMING SYSTEM INCLUDING A LIVE FLOOR VIEW MODULE

• US 20100234104A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Saurabh, Arbogast, Christopher P., Ruppert, Ryan, Phillips, Randy, Lowell, Mark, Atashband, Farshid
• Granted Patent: US 8,192,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system

Abstract

A networked gaming system includes one or more gaming machines connected to a network, a network-connected user station having a user interface and a display. The networked gaming system further includes a host computer system having an environment module enabled to capture, analyze, and present both historical data stored in at least one data storage device and real-time gaming data from the gaming machines in accordance with one or more requests from the user station.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines disposed about a gaming floor, each one of the plurality of gaming machines configured to provide respective activity data;

a network having the plurality of gaming machines communicatively coupled thereto;

a user control station communicatively coupled to the plurality of gaming machines through the network, the user control station including,

at least one display device,

at least one processor, and

at least one processor readable storage medium that stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, by;

displaying a respective multi-dimensional graphical representation of at least a first portion of the gaming floor;

displaying a first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that correspond to an equal first number of gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines in an arrangement matching an arrangement of the corresponding first number of gaming machines, each one of first number of gaming machines being arranged within an outer periphery that defines the at least first portion of the gaming floor; and

displaying at least one multi-dimensional graphical representation of a respective gaming machine of the first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines with a first visual indicator.

2. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

wherein displaying a respective multi-dimensional graphical representation of at least a first portion of the gaming floor and displaying a first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines further includes displaying the least at first portion of the gaming floor and the first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines in a first three-dimensional isometric/perspective graphical representation that is based at least on a first reference view-point, the first reference view-point being an isometric/perspective view-point.

3. The gaming system of claim 2 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

receiving user input indicative of a selection of a second reference view-point, wherein the second reference view-point corresponds to at least one of the following;

the second reference view-point being closer to the at least first portion of the gaming floor than the first reference view-point;

the second reference view-point being farther from the at least first portion of the gaming floor than the first reference view-point;

or the second reference view-point and the first reference view-point being rotationally offset about at least one axis;

displaying a second three-dimensional isometric/perspective graphical representation of at least a second portion of the gaming floor and of a second number multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that correspond to an equal second number of gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines arranged within an outer periphery of the second portion of the gaming floor based at least on the second reference view-point.

4. The gaming system of claim 2 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

providing a user dimensional-view selector that is indicative of one of a three-dimensional isometric/perspective view-point or a two-dimensional plan view-point, and

receiving user input indicative of a selection of one of the isometric/perspective view-point or the plan view-point from the user dimensional-view selector.

5. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

wherein displaying a respective multi-dimensional graphical representation of at least a first portion of the gaming floor and displaying a first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines further includes displaying the at least first portion of the gaming floor and the first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines in a first three-dimensional plan graphical representation that is based at least on a first reference view-point, the first reference view-point being a two-dimensional plan view-point.

6. The gaming system of claim 5 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

receiving user input indicative of a selection of a second reference view-point, wherein the second reference view-point corresponds to at least one of the following;

the second reference view-point being closer to the at least first portion of the gaming floor than the first reference view-point;

the second reference view-point being farther from the at least first portion of the gaming floor than the first reference view-point;

or the second reference view-point and the first reference view-point being rotationally offset about at least one axis;

displaying a second two-dimensional plan graphical representation of at least a second portion of the gaming floor and of a second number multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that correspond to an equal second number of gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines arranged within an outer periphery of the second portion of the gaming floor based at least on the second reference view-point.

7. The gaming system of claim 5 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

providing a user dimensional-view selector that is indicative of one of a three dimensional isometric/perspective view-point or a two dimensional plan view-point; and

receiving user input indicative of a selection of one of the isometric/perspective view-point or the plan view-point from the user dimensional-view selector.

8. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

receiving user input indicative of selection of at least two of the gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines, and

wherein displaying at least one multi-dimensional graphical representation of a respective gaming machine of the first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines with a first visual indicator further includes displaying at least two multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that correspond to the at least two selected gaming machines with the first visual indicator based at least on the received user input.

9. The gaming system of claim 8 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

wherein displaying at least two multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that correspond to the at least two selected gaming machines with the first visual indicator based at least on the received user input further includes displaying each respective multi-dimensional graphical representation of a respective gaming machine with a respective second visual indicator that is different from the first visual indicator for each one of the first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that does not correspond to a respective one of the at least two selected gaming machines.

10. The gaming system of claim 9 wherein the first visual indicator is a first color and the respective second visual indicator is a second color that is different from the first color for each one of the first number of multi-dimensional graphical representations of gaming machines that does not correspond to a respective one of the at least two selected gaming machines.

11. The gaming system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

for each gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines, receiving respective game play data from a respective gaming machine;

for each respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines, calculating a respective value for a respective measure quantity based at least on the respective game play from the respective gaming machine;

determining a respective maximum value and a respective minimum value of a measured quantity based at least on the game play data from the respective gaming machines; and

estimating a respective total range of values for the measured quantity based at least on the respective maximum value and the respective minimum value;

varying the respective total range of values by at least one change of the respective maximum value and the respective minimum value; and

logically associating the first visual indicator with a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines based at least on the respective total range of values and the respective calculated value of the respective gaming machine.

12. The gaming system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

determining whether the respective value of the calculated quantity is at least equal to a threshold value for each respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines, and wherein logically associating the first visual indicator with a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines based at least on the respective total range of values and the respective calculated value of the respective gaming machine further includes logically associating the first visual indicator with a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines only if the respective value of the calculated quantity for respective gaming machine is at least equal to the threshold value.

13. The gaming system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor readable storage medium stores instructions that cause the at least one processor to process gaming related information, further by:

for each at least one multi-dimensional graphical representation of a respective gaming machine,

logically associating a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines with a respective range of values of a plurality of ranges of values based at least on the respective value of the calculated quantity for the respective gaming machine being within the associated range of values, and

wherein logically associating the first visual indicator with a respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines further includes, wherein the first visual indicator is one of a plurality of visual indicators, logically associating each respective range of values with a respective visual indicator of a plurality of visual indicators, and wherein each range of values has a respective visual indicator associated therewith that is different from all other visual indicators of the plurality of visual indicators.

14. The gaming system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of visual indicators are colors in accordance with a graduated color scheme extending between a first color and a second color associated, wherein the plurality of ranges of values consists of a number of ranges ordered from a lowest range of values associated with the first color to a highest range of values associated with the second color, from the lowest range of values to the highest range of values, each respective range of values being associated a respective visual indicator in accordance with the graduated color scheme.

15. A method of displaying gaming activity to a user of a control station communicatively coupled to a plurality of physical gaming machines disposed about a gaming floor, the method comprising:

calculating a range of values (R) corresponding to wagering activity at the plurality of physical gaming machines with a processor of a computing device, the range of values defined by a minimum range value and a maximum range value;

calculating a value of a divisor (D) by which to divide the range of values with at least one processor of a computing device, where the divisor (D) is greater than one (1);

calculating a quotient and a remainder from division of the range of values (R) by the divisor (D) with the at least one processor of the computing device;

color coding a respective first icon of an approximately D number of first icons with a respective color of an approximately D number of colors of a graduated color scale, each respective first icon corresponding to a respective subrange of an approximately D number of subranges of the range of values, wherein the approximately D number of subranges are ordered from a lowest subrange to a highest subrange, and wherein the approximately D number of first icons are color coded in accordance with the order of the subranges and the graduated color scheme; and

displaying a first number of first icons on a display device of the control station.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

calculating the graduated color scale starting at the first color and ending at the second color; and

defining a number (N) of subranges of the range of values (R) to approximately span the range of values (R), the respective subranges being of approximately equal size and approximately equal to the quotient, and where the number (N) is approximately equal to the value of D.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein calculating a range of values (R) corresponding to wagering activity at the plurality of gaming machines further includes:

receiving respective game play data corresponding to wagering activity for respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines;

determining a respective maximum value and a respective minimum value of a measured quantity based at least on the respective game play data; and

estimating the range of values as a difference between the respective maximum value and the respective minimum value of the measured quantity.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the remainder is above a threshold value; and

only if the remainder is above the threshold value,

adjusting at least one of the minimum range of values, the maximum range of values and the value of the divisor (D), and

repeating the calculating a range of values (R) and the calculating a quotient and a remainder based at least on the at least one adjusted minimum range of values, the maximum range of values and the value of the divisor (D).

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

repeatedly adjusting at least one of the minimum range of values, the maximum range of values and the value of the divisor (D) and calculating the range of values (R) and the calculate the quotient and the remainder until the remainder is at least equal to the threshold value.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the minimum range value and the maximum range value to have respective integer values.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the divisor to have an integer value.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

calculating a respective measured quantity for at least one respective gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines based at least on respective game play data indicative of wagering activity for the respective gaming machine, wherein each respective measured quantity has a respective value included in a respective one of the subranges;

for each respective gaming machine of the at least one respective gaming machine, color coding a respective second icon with a respective color of the number of colors based at least on the respective subrange that includes the respective measured quantity for the respective gaming machine and the graduated color scheme, wherein the respective second icon is color coded in accordance with the order of the subranges and the graduated color scheme; and

displaying the at least one second icon on the display device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein displaying the at least one second icon, includes:

displaying a multi-dimensional graphical representation of at least a portion of the gaming floor, the portion of the gaming floor being defined by an outer peripheral boundary, each respective gaming machine of the at least one gaming machine located at a respective position within the outer peripheral boundary that defines the portion of the gaming floor; and

displaying a respective multi-dimensional graphical representation of a respective gaming machine for each at least one second icon.