Module for providing additional capabilities to a gaming machine

• US 8,579,711 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh, Paulsen, Craig, Kinsley, Mike, Goodman, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/927,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,366 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/29, 463/40, 463/42, 463/43, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/43
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

The present invention provides various modules for use with gaming machines. One such module is configured to receive data from a portable memory device and/or from a network device, e.g., from a game server. In some embodiments, the module includes, or is disposed within, a player tracking unit. Some embodiments of the module include a central processing unit (“CPU”) and a memory device such as a dual-ported random access memory (“DPRAM”). Data, such as software or content, may be downloaded to the module'"'"'s CPU and written to the module'"'"'s memory. According to some embodiments, data are written to a DPRAM in the module and simultaneously written from the DPRAM to the gaming machine via a high-speed digital bus. In some implementations, a memory in the module is configured to emulate a memory of the gaming machine. This allows a CPU of the gaming machine to execute software stored in the memory in the module. In alternative implementations, a CPU in the module can execute software stored in the memory in the module.

Claims

1. A module for a wager-based gaming machine, comprising:

a first module port configured for downloading first data from a server via a network;

a first random access memory (“

RAM”

) device having a first port and a second port, the second port configured for communication with the wager-based gaming machine via a communication bus; and

a first physical central processor unit (“

CPU”

) configured to read downloaded data and write the downloaded data to the first RAM device via the first port, the module being configured to emulate a second RAM device of the gaming machine using the first RAM device, the second RAM device being configured to store software for games of chance for execution on a second physical CPU of the gaming machine, wherein the first RAM device is configured to be coupled to the gaming machine such that emulation of a second RAM device of the gaming machine occurs via communication between a memory included in the gaming machine and the first RAM device.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the second RAM device comprises at least one electrically programmable read-only memory (“

EPROM”

) device.

3. The module of claim 2, further comprising an in-circuit EPROM emulator for connecting the module and the EPROM device.

4. The module of claim 1, further comprising a second module port configured for downloading second data from a portable memory device.

5. A player tracking unit comprising the module of claim 1.

6. A module for a wager-based gaming machine, comprising:

a first module port configured for downloading first data from a server via a network; and

a dual-ported random access memory (“

DPRAM”

) device having a first port and a second port, the second port configured for communication with a communication bus, the DPRAM device being configured to be simultaneously accessible by both a first physical CPU and the wager-based gaming machine'"'"'s physical CPU to read and write from the first port and the second port, the first physical CPU configured to read downloaded data and write the downloaded data to the DPRAM via the first port;

the module being configured to emulate a gaming machine memory device that is configured to store software for games of chance for execution on the gaming machine'"'"'s CPU, wherein the DPRAM device is configured to be coupled to the wager-based gaming machine such that emulation of a gaming machine memory device occurs via communication between a memory included in the gaming machine and the DPRAM device.

7. The module of claim 6, further comprising a second module port configured for downloading second data from an external memory device.

8. The module of claim 6, further comprising an in-circuit memory emulator for connecting the module and the gaming machine memory device.

9. A player tracking unit, comprising:

a first port configured for communication with a network;

a first physical central processing unit (“

CPU”

) configured for enabling player tracking functionality to associate game play with a player and for communication with a game server via the network; and

a first random access memory (“

RAM”

) device configured for communication with the first CPU and for communication with a second physical CPU of a wager-based gaming machine, the first RAM device being configured to receive downloaded games of chance from the first CPU, the first RAM device being further configured to emulate a second RAM device of the gaming machine, the second RAM device being configured for storing software for games of chance for execution on the second CPU of the gaming machine and the player tracking unit being configured to be physically coupled to the gaming machine, wherein the first RAM device is configured to be coupled to the gaming machine such that emulation of a second RAM device of the gaming machine occurs via communication between a memory included in the gaming machine and the first RAM device.

10. The player tracking unit of claim 9, wherein the second RAM device is an EPROM device.

11. A gaming machine comprising the player tracking unit of claim 9.

12. The player tracking unit of claim 9, further comprising a second port configured for communication with an external memory device.

13. A player tracking unit, comprising:

a first port configured for communication with a network;

a first physical central processing unit (“

CPU”

) configured for enabling player tracking functionality to associate game play with a player and for downloading games of chance from a game server via the network;

a first random access memory (“

RAM”

) device configured for communication with the first CPU, the first RAM device being configured to store downloaded games of chance from the first CPU, the first CPU being further configured for executing the downloaded games of chance and controlling gaming peripherals of a wager-based gaming machine for implementation of a game, thereby bypassing, at least in part, a second physical CPU of the gaming machine, wherein the first RAM device is configured to be coupled to the gaming machine such that emulation of a second RAM device of the gaming machine occurs via communication between a memory included in the gaming machine and the first RAM device.

14. The player tracking unit of claim 13, further comprising a second port configured for communication with an external memory device.

15. The player tracking unit of claim 14, wherein the second module port comprises a USB port.

16. The player tracking unit of claim 13, wherein the first RAM device comprises a dual-ported RAM (“

DPRAM”

) device.

17. A gaming system, comprising:

a module configured to be physically coupled to a wager-based gaming machine, the module comprising;

a first module port configured for downloading first data from a server via a network;

a dual-ported random access memory (“

DPRAM”

) device having a first port and a second port, the second port configured for communication with a communication bus, the DPRAM device being simultaneously read/write accessible from the first port and from the second port, the DPRAM device being configured to emulate a memory of the wager-based gaming machine, wherein the DPRAM device is configured to be coupled to the wager-based gaming machine such that emulation of memory of the wager-based gaming machine occurs via communication between a memory included in the gaming machine and the DPRAM device;

a physical central processor configured to read downloaded data and write the downloaded data to the DPRAM device via the first port; and

the wager-based gaming machine, comprising;

apparatus for receiving an input of cash or indicia of credit for wagers on games of chance;

apparatus for playing the games of chance;

a physical logic device for controlling an output of cash or indicia of credit from the gaming machine according to outcomes of the games of chance; and

a communication bus for connecting the second port with the gaming machine, wherein the gaming machine is further configured to read the downloaded data via second port and the communication bus.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the module is further configured to provide the functionality of a player tracking unit.

19. The gaming system of claim 17, further comprising a second module port configured for downloading second data from an external memory device.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the second module port comprises USB port.