Virtual gaming peripherals for a gaming machine
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- executing, on a gaming machine, a wager-based game, a first gaming process, a second gaming process, and a shared gaming device manager process, wherein the gaming machine includes one or more input mechanisms for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for a wager to play the wager-based game, one or more output mechanisms for outputting cash or an indicia of credit, and at least one shared gaming device, wherein;
the first gaming process, when executed, provides a first gaming service on the gaming machine by controlling the shared gaming device when the first gaming process has control priority, the first gaming service is not required to play the wager-based game and is not used as part of the wager-based game;
the second gaming process, when executed, provides a second gaming service on the gaming machine by controlling the shared gaming device when the second gaming process has control priority, the second gaming service is not required to play the wager-based game and is not used as part of the wager-based game; and
the shared gaming device manager process automatically determines, according to a control priority, which of the first gaming process and the second gaming process is permitted to control the shared gaming device;
receiving a first request from a player for the first gaming service;
receiving a second request from the player for the second gaming service;
automatically assigning control of the shared gaming device to a selected one of the gaming processes according to the control priority;
automatically preventing control of the shared gaming device by another of the gaming processes according to the control priority; and
providing a gaming service on the gaming machine, using the shared gaming device under control of the selected gaming process, whereinthe first gaming service or the second gaming service is selected from the group consisting of a player tracking service, a vending machine purchase, a lottery ticket purchase, an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) service, a hotel/casino service, a communication service, a registration service, a sports book service, a non-wager based entertainment service, an Internet enabled service, and a locator service;
the first gaming process or the second gaming process is selected from the group consisting of a virtual player tracking unit process, a virtual vending machine process, a virtual lottery machine process, a virtual ATM process, a virtual concierge process, a virtual video phone process, a virtual telephone process, a virtual casino kiosk process, a virtual prize redemption process, a virtual sports book process that uses at least a touch screen, a display screen and a ticket printer to provide a sports book wager so as to allow the player to make a wager on an event at the gaming machine, to monitor events, to receive results and to cash out a winning event ticket, a virtual entertainment center process and a virtual message center process; and
the shared gaming device is selected from the group consisting of a light panel, a bonus wheel, a sound projection device, a card reader, a ticket reader, an input panel, a touch screen, a display screen, a key pad, a camera, a finger print reader, a bill validator, a solenoid, a CD/DVD-drive, a removable media drive, a flash drive, a USB communication port, an infrared communication port, an Ethernet communication port, a printer, a bar-code reader, a biometric input device, a slot reel, a motor, a mass storage device, a communication device, a wireless communication interface, a coin hopper, a note dispenser, and a coin acceptor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disclosed gaming machine provides a plurality of virtual gaming peripherals that are each used to generate one or more gaming services. To provide a particular gaming service, each virtual gaming peripheral may comprise virtual gaming peripheral software that controls one or more gaming devices. Examples of gaming services provides by virtual gaming peripherals may include but are not limited to a player tracking service, a vending machine purchase, a lottery ticket purchase, an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) service, a hotel/casino service, a communication service, a registration service, a sports book service, an entertainment service, a prize redemption service and a locator service. A logic device, such as a master gaming controller on the gaming machine, may simultaneously activate a plurality of virtual gaming peripherals. Therefore, a gaming device may be shared by a plurality of active virtual gaming peripherals and additional logic may be provided to resolve conflicts that arise when two or more virtual gaming peripherals desire to control the same gamingdevice at the same time.
314 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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executing, on a gaming machine, a wager-based game, a first gaming process, a second gaming process, and a shared gaming device manager process, wherein the gaming machine includes one or more input mechanisms for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for a wager to play the wager-based game, one or more output mechanisms for outputting cash or an indicia of credit, and at least one shared gaming device, wherein; the first gaming process, when executed, provides a first gaming service on the gaming machine by controlling the shared gaming device when the first gaming process has control priority, the first gaming service is not required to play the wager-based game and is not used as part of the wager-based game; the second gaming process, when executed, provides a second gaming service on the gaming machine by controlling the shared gaming device when the second gaming process has control priority, the second gaming service is not required to play the wager-based game and is not used as part of the wager-based game; and the shared gaming device manager process automatically determines, according to a control priority, which of the first gaming process and the second gaming process is permitted to control the shared gaming device; receiving a first request from a player for the first gaming service; receiving a second request from the player for the second gaming service; automatically assigning control of the shared gaming device to a selected one of the gaming processes according to the control priority; automatically preventing control of the shared gaming device by another of the gaming processes according to the control priority; and providing a gaming service on the gaming machine, using the shared gaming device under control of the selected gaming process, wherein the first gaming service or the second gaming service is selected from the group consisting of a player tracking service, a vending machine purchase, a lottery ticket purchase, an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) service, a hotel/casino service, a communication service, a registration service, a sports book service, a non-wager based entertainment service, an Internet enabled service, and a locator service; the first gaming process or the second gaming process is selected from the group consisting of a virtual player tracking unit process, a virtual vending machine process, a virtual lottery machine process, a virtual ATM process, a virtual concierge process, a virtual video phone process, a virtual telephone process, a virtual casino kiosk process, a virtual prize redemption process, a virtual sports book process that uses at least a touch screen, a display screen and a ticket printer to provide a sports book wager so as to allow the player to make a wager on an event at the gaming machine, to monitor events, to receive results and to cash out a winning event ticket, a virtual entertainment center process and a virtual message center process; and the shared gaming device is selected from the group consisting of a light panel, a bonus wheel, a sound projection device, a card reader, a ticket reader, an input panel, a touch screen, a display screen, a key pad, a camera, a finger print reader, a bill validator, a solenoid, a CD/DVD-drive, a removable media drive, a flash drive, a USB communication port, an infrared communication port, an Ethernet communication port, a printer, a bar-code reader, a biometric input device, a slot reel, a motor, a mass storage device, a communication device, a wireless communication interface, a coin hopper, a note dispenser, and a coin acceptor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a shared gaming device manager, a request from a first gaming process to use a shared gaming device to provide a first gaming service, wherein the shared gaming device manager process is executed on a gaming machine with a gaming operating system that activates and deactivates gaming processes, the gaming machine comprising one or more input mechanisms for receiving cash or an indicia of credit for a wager to play a wager-based game, one or more output mechanisms for outputting cash or an indicia of credit, and the shared gaming device; automatically assigning control of the shared gaming device to the first gaming process; and automatically preventing for a limited time, according to a control priority, a second gaming process configured to provide a second game service different from the first gaming process from controlling the shared gaming device, the second gaming process configured to provide a second game service, wherein; the first gaming service or the second gaming service is selected from the group consisting of a player tracking service, a vending machine purchase, a lottery ticket purchase, an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) service, a hotel/casino service, a communication service, a registration service, a sports book service, a non-wager based entertainment service, an Internet enabled service, and a locator service; the first gaming service and the second gaming service are not required to play the wager-based game and are not used as part of the wager-based game; the first gaming process or the second gaming process is selected from the group consisting of a virtual player tracking unit process, a virtual vending machine process, a virtual lottery machine process, a virtual ATM process, a virtual concierge process, a virtual video phone process, a virtual telephone process, a virtual casino kiosk process, a virtual prize redemption process, a virtual sports book process that uses at least a touch screen, a display screen and a ticket printer to provide a sports book wager so as to allow the player to make a wager on an event at the gaming machine, to monitor events, to receive results and to cash out a winning event ticket, a virtual entertainment center process and a virtual message center process; and the shared gaming device is selected from the group consisting of a light panel, a bonus wheel, a sound projection device, a card reader, a ticket reader, an input panel, a touch screen, a display screen, a key pad, a camera, a finger print reader, a bill validator, a solenoid, a CD/DVD-drive, a removable media drive, a flash drive, a USB communication port, an infrared communication port, an Ethernet communication port, a printer, a bar-code reader, a biometric input device, a slot reel, a motor, a mass storage device, a communication device, a wireless communication interface, a coin hopper, a note dispenser, and a coin acceptor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification