Modular entertainment and gaming system configured for network boot, network application load and selective network computation farming

• US 6,908,391 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mudalla Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cyberview Technology, Inc. (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gatto, Jean-Marie, Brunet De Courssou, Thierry, Beney, Pierre-Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/120,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20030100370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 42, 463 12- 13, 463 16- 22, 463/25, 713 1- 2, 713/100, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/139, 273/143.R, 273/148.R, 273292-293, 235/375, 235380-3825, 705/1, 705 16- 17, 705/14, 709/201, 340/825, 340/5, 340/1, 340/5.52, 340 58- 582, 340/323.R
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• 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 secure and modular architecture for monitoring and controlling clusters of pay entertainment and gaming devices. The architecture allows flexible and secure use of state-of-the-art multimedia and Internet technologies to attract the younger player generation used to flashy and networked games. Cash or cash-less entertainment and gaming devices are supported.

Claims

1. A centrally controlled gaming system, comprising:

a communication network;

at least one central server, each having a first computer controller that is configured to control and monitor the gaming system, and a first network interface coupled to first computer controller and to the communication network;

at least one gaming terminal, each including a second computer controller that is configured to control game software of the gaming terminal;

at least one specialized device fitted inside or to a side of each of the at least one gaming terminal, each specialized device being configured to perform specialized functions for each gaming terminal that include both software control functions and hardware functions, each specialized device comprising;

a third computer controller having software configured to perform the software control functions of the specialized functions;

hardware means configured to perform the hardware functions of the specialized functions under the control of the software control functions;

a second network interface coupled to the third computer controller and to the communication network, the third computer controller being configured to at least one of (a) boot its operating system and (b) load its application software form the at least one central server via the second network interface independently of the second computer controller of the gaming terminal to which the at least one specialized device is fitted;

each central server being further configured to provide boot services and data files via the first network interface for enabling each third computer controller to at least one of (a) boot its operating system and (b) load its application software via the second network interface independently of the second computer controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming machine includes at least one of a cashless gaming machine, a cash gaming machine and an entertainment machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the central server includes a payment verification unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one specialized devices is configured to supply a unique identifier to the at least one central server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one central server is configured to at least one of (a) bind to the at least one specialized device after one of power-on and reset and (b) establish a bi-directional communication with the at least one specialized device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one central server is configured to at least one of (a) bind to the at least one specialized device subsequent to the at least one specialized device booting its operating system and/or loading its application software from the at least one central server and (b) establish a bi-directional communication with the at least one specialized device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one specialized device is configured to asynchronously notify the at least one central server of events for which the at least one central server has registered.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one specialized device is configured to asynchronously notify the at least one central server of events for which the at least one central server has registered subsequent to the at least one specialized device booting its operating system and/or loading its application software from the at least one central server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one specialized devices is configured to initiate direct communication with the at least one central server via a PXE and/or a TCP/IP protocol.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a random number generating specialized device configured to generate random numbers and to provide the generated random numbers via the second network interface directly to the central server, the central server receiving the random numbers via the first network interface.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a random number generating specialized device configured to, subsequent to the at least one specialized device at least one of (a) booting its operating system and (b) loading its application software from the at least one central server, generate random numbers and to provide the generated random numbers via the second network interface directly to the central server, the central server receiving the random numbers via the first network interface.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a random number generating specialized device configured to generate random numbers independently of the second computer controller that is configured to control game software of the gaming terminal, the random number generating specialized device being further configured to provide the generated random numbers via the second network interface directly to the central server, the central server receiving the random numbers via the first network interface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaming terminal further comprises a third network interface coupled to the second computer controller, the second computer controller being further configured to at least one of (a) bind directly via the third network interface and the second network interface to the at least one specialized device fitted to the at least one gaming terminal subsequent to the at least one specialized device booting its operating system and/or loading its application software from the at least one central server via the first network interface and the second network interface, and (b) establish a bi-directional communication with the at least one specialized device directly via the third network interface and the second network interface.

14. The centrally controlled gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one specialized device includes at least one player identification device.

15. The centrally controlled gaming system of claim 1, wherein the specialized device includes a device configured to handle payments to and/or from a player.

16. A centrally controlled gaming system, comprising:

a communication network;

at least one central server, each having a first computer controller that is configured to control and monitor the gaming system, and a first network interface coupled to first computer controller and to the communication network;

at least one storage area network, each having a second network interface coupled to the communication network;

at least one gaming terminal, each including a second computer controller that is configured to control game software of the gaming terminal;

at least one specialized device fitted inside or to a side of each of the at least one gaming terminal, each specialized device being configured to perform specialized functions for each gaming terminal that include both software control functions and hardware functions, each specialized device comprising;

a third computer controller having software configured to perform the software control functions of the specialized functions;

hardware means configured to perform the hardware functions of the specialized functions under the control of the software control functions;

a third network interface coupled to the third computer controller and to the communication network, the third computer controller being configured to at least one of (a) boot its operating system and (b) load its application software from the at least one storage area network via the third network interface independently of the second computer controller of the gaming terminal to which the at least one specialized device is fitted;

each storage area network being further configured to provide boot files and data flies via the second network interface for enabling each third computer controller to at least one of (a) boot its operating system and (b) load its application software via the third network interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one gaming machine includes at least one of a cashless gaming machine, a cash gaining machine and an entertainment machine.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the central server includes a payment verification unit.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the at least one specialized devices is configured to supply a unique identifier to the at least one central server via the third network interface and the first network interface.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least central server is configured to at least one of (1) bind to the at least one specialized device after one of power-on and reset and (2) establish a bi-directional communication with the at least one specialized device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one central server is configured to at least one of (1) bind to the at least one specialized device subsequent to the at least one specialized device at least one of (a) booting its operating system and (b) loading its application software from the at least one storage area network and (2) establish a bi-directional communication with the at least one specialized device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one specialized device is configured to asynchronously notify the at least one central server of events for which the at least one central server has registered.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one specialized device is configured to asynchronously notify the at least one central server of events for which the at least one central server has registered subsequent to the at least one specialized device at least one of (a) booting its operating system and (b) loading its application software from the at least one storage area network.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the at least one specialized devices is configured to initiate direct communication using a TCP/IP protocol with the at least one central server directly via the third network interface and the first network interface.

25. The system of claim 16, further comprising a random number generating specialized device configured to generate random numbers and to provide the generated random numbers via the third network interface directly to the central server, the central server receiving the random numbers via the first network interface.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising a random number generating specialized device configured to, subsequent to the at least one specialized device at least one of (a) booting its operating system and (b) loading its application software from the at least one storage area network, generate random numbers and to provide the generated random numbers via the third network interface directly to the central server, the central server receiving the random numbers via the first network interface.

27. The system of claim 16, further comprising a random number generating specialized device configured to generate random numbers independently of the second computer controller that is configured to control game software of the gaming terminal, the random number generating specialized device being further configured to provide the generated random numbers via the third network interface directly to the central server, the central server receiving the random numbers via the first network interface.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one gaming terminal further comprises a fourth network interface coupled to the second computer controller, the second computer controller being further configured to at least one of (1) bind directly via fourth network interface and third network interface to the at least one specialized device fitted to the at least one gaming terminal subsequent to the at least one specialized device at least one of (a) booting its operating system and (b) loading its application software from the at least one storage area network directly via third network interface and second network interface, and to (2) establish a bi-directional communication with the at least one specialized device directly via third network interface and fourth network interface.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the at least one specialized devices is configured to initiate direct communication using a TCP/IP protocol with the at least one storage area network directly via third network interface and second network interface.

30. The centrally controlled gaming system of claim 16, wherein the at least one specialized device includes at least one player identification device.

31. The centrally controlled gaming system of claim 16, wherein the specialized device includes a device configured to handle payments to and/or from a player.