Gaming terminal data repository and information distribution system

• US 6,645,077 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Rowe, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/746,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20020137217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/9-13, 463/16-20, 463/25, 463/26, 463/29, 463/30, 463/36, 463/40-43, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/236, 273/237, 273/292, 273/293, 273/269, 273/459-461, 700/91-93, 709/200, 709/201, 709/213-221, 707/200, 707/203, 717/168-178
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

A disclosed gaming terminal data repository may be used to store game software components, game software component information and gaming transaction information for a plurality of gaming terminals owned by a plurality of gaming entities. The repository may store the game software component information and the gaming transaction information in a database partitioned according to the different gaming entities in a manner allowing a game software component configuration of a particular gaming machine to be easily analyzed and modified. Using various update triggers, game software components for gaming terminals connected to the gaming terminal data repository may be automatically updated. The gaming machines, configured or designed to receive game software components from the repository, may present game play using a combination of game software components residing on the gaming machine and the game software components received from the repository.

Claims

1. A gaming terminal data repository comprising;

a network interface for communicating with a plurality of gaming terminals;

a memory arranged to store a) gaming terminal transaction information received from the plurality of gaining terminals and b) game software components for use by the plurality of gaming terminals;

a processor designed or configured i) to update game software components on said gaming terminals using one or more update triggers;

ii) to receive game software component information from the gaming terminals wherein the game software component information describes game software components stored on the gaming terminals;

iii) to download to the gaming terminals game software components wherein a plurality of said game software components are used to present a game of chance on each gaming terminal and wherein the gamins terminal data repository is capable of;

a) determining a gaming jurisdiction where a particular gaining terminal is located;

b) generating instructions for configuring same software components that comply with rules of the gaming jurisdiction and;

c) sending the instructions for configuring the game software components to the particular gaming terminal.

2. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1 further comprising:

a firewall.

3. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the game software components are selected from the group consisting of game system components, game paytables, game bonusing, game progressives, game graphics, game sounds, game jurisdiction information and game networking components.

4. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the processor are designed or configured to execute one or more gaming repository applications.

5. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 4, wherein the gaming repository application are selected from the group consisting of a data analysis application, a configuration design application, a scheduling design application, report generation application, a query configuration application and a game software version management application.

6. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the game of chance is selected from the group consisting of a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video blackjack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game.

7. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the game transaction information is stored according to one or more game data categories.

8. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 7, wherein the game data categories are selected from the group consisting of game version data, game data, gaming terminal data, player data, route data and venue data.

9. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1 wherein the memory is a hard drive or a CD-RW drive.

10. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the network interface is a wireless network interface or a wired network interface.

11. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the network interface communicates with a remote gaming device.

12. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 11, wherein the remote gaming device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant and a computer.

13. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the gaming terminals and game software components are owned by a plurality of gaming entities.

14. The gaining terminal data repository of claim 13, wherein gaming transaction information and game software components owned by each gaming entity are stored in a separate gaming data partition in said memory.

15. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 13, wherein gaming transaction information and game software components owned by a first gaming entity are not accessible to a second gaming entity.

16. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the gaming terminal data repository is accessible to a plurality of different users and wherein the different users are grouped according to a plurality of hierarchical access groups.

17. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 16, wherein access to the gaming transaction information, the game software components and gaming repository applications stored on the gaming data repository by users in each of the hierarchical access groups is limited according to one or more hierarchical access privileges assigned to the hierarchical access group.

18. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the gaming transaction information and game software component information are stored in queryable and partitioned database.

19. The gaining terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein a plurality of game software components are combined into a game program for use by a first master gaming controller on a first gaming terminal to generate the game of chance played on the first gaming terminal.

20. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 1, wherein the processor is further designed or configured to generate a video display interface for configuring gaming terminals.

21. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 20, wherein the video display interface comprises templates for configuring gaming terminal.

22. The gaming terminal data repository of claim 21, wherein the video display interface is capable of displaying game software configuration information for each gaming terminal.