Methods and devices for managing gaming networks

Abstract

Some implementations of the invention provide methods and devices for managing gaming establishments and for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Some such implementations allow a user to configure one or more gaming machines via an easy-to-use GUI displayed on a wired or a wireless device, such as a laptop, a PDA, a work station or other host device. Gaming machine parameters that can be changed according to some implementations of the invention include game denominations, games to enable or disable, game payback percentage, deal speed, volume level and enabling or disabling a tournament. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide an event scheduler that allows a user either to cause events to occur immediately or schedule certain events to occur at a future time. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to generate activity reports highlighting configuration changes, user logins, game set additions, and/or game downloading. Novel methods and devices for authentication are also provided herein. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to manage easily game downloads to a local server and/or to each gaming machine.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 704,634 entitled “SERVER BASED GAMING” and filed Aug. 1, 2005 by Wolf et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. This application is related to U.S. patent application No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. IGT1P253), entitled “METHODS AND DEVICES FOR AUTHENTICATION AND LICENSING IN A GAMING NETWORK” (the “License Manager Application”) by Kinsley et al. and filed concurrently with this application, which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to networks of gaming machines, such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and devices for managing and provisioning gaming machines and other devices in a gaming network. [0003] The gaming machines under the control of a pa...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Some preferred implementations of the invention provide an event scheduler that allows a user either to cause events to occur immediately or schedule certain events to occur at a future time. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to generate activity reports highlighting configuration changes, user logins, game set additions, and / or game downloading. Novel methods and devices for authentication are also provided herein. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to manage easily game downloads to a local server and / or to each gaming machine.

Problems solved by technology

In general, the dedicated communication network is not accessible to the public.

Thus, many of the network gaming services are only provided at larger gaming establishments where a large number of gaming machines are deployed.

The size of the jackpot tends to increase game play on gaming machines offering a progressive jackpot, which justifies the costs associated with installing and maintaining the dedicated progressive game network.

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