System for configuration

Abstract

A system for configuring an EGM from a remote terminal thereby providing improvements in operational efficiency when configuring EGMs. For example, operational efficiencies are possible by providing direct access to configure an EGM without the technician traveling to the physical machine, which may be miles away. For local EGM's, there will be efficiencies obtained by the number of EGM's configured per hour / per technician. For extremely remote EGM's, there are additional efficiencies by the reduction of travel and lodging expenses for the technician. Additionally, remote configuration of an EGM reduces security overhead.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 716,713 filed Sep. 12, 2005 and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.COPYRIGHT NOTICE [0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Over the years, casinos have grown in size, grandeur, and amenities in order to attract gambling patrons. Additionally, casinos have attempted to provide gambling patrons with a wide variety of the new and exciting games. Given this demand, gaming machines and have grown in sophistication and features in order to captivate and maintain player interest. As...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] Generally, the system may configure an EGM from a remote terminal thereby providing improvements in operational efficiency when configuring EGMs. For example, operational efficiencies are possible by providing direct access to configure an EGM without the technician traveling to the physical machine, which may be miles away. For local EGM's, there will be efficiencies obtained by the number of EGM's configured per hour / per technician. For extremely remote EGM's, there are additional efficiencies by the reduction of travel and lodging expenses for the technician. Additionally, remote configuration of an EGM reduces security overhead. That is, some environments require authorized security or management personnel to witness a technician while the EGM is open during configuration. These witnesses are mostly required because critical areas of the EGM are accessible during the configuration process, including access to areas that contain cash. By remotely configuring the EGM, no critical areas are made accessible and thus no security or management personnel are needed.

[0013] Additionally, casino management may use remote configuration to optimize their machines in ways that would otherwise be impractical. This may provide the basis for a ‘Yield Management’ capability. For example, casino management may enable high denomination games and restrict low denomination games during peak demand periods. Alternatively, casino management may expand low denomination games configured during weekdays when the players are typically loyal locals.

[0015] Methods of automatic downloading and configuration of EGMs are also disclosed. In one method, the network system provides a method of recognizing when an EGM needs data downloads or configuration, and the network coordinates these activities to avoid conflicts. For example, in one method, attempts to configure an EGM will be prevented until downloads for the EGM are completed. In another method, the network host automatically restores data modules and configures an EGM if it has been RAM-cleared or has been offline. Accordingly, an operator can monitor and manage a group of EGMs from a single terminal, thereby eliminating the need for slot technicians to collect configuration data and to manually reconfigure each EGM.

Problems solved by technology

Given the large number of machines and networked devices, this process is a time-consuming and costly process not only in terms of operating and / or maintenance costs, but also in terms of lost profits due to extended downtime for the EGMs.

Similarly, existing approaches for software updates or downloads for EGMs are labor-intensive and costly as the EGMs.

Furthermore, the software package update process may require that the EGM be disabled hours in advance to prevent any players from using the EGM when the technician is ready to perform software package changes.

The process of transferring packages to an EGM over a network may require a significant amount of network bandwidth during the transfer period.

When hundreds or thousands of EGM's require packages to be transferred there may be an unacceptable extended period of high bandwidth usage, since the transfers must occur sequentially.

This is typically a manual process that prone to human interpretation and human error.

Additionally, casino management may use remote configuration to optimize their machines in ways that would otherwise be impractical.

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