Wager game license management in a game table

Abstract

Novel wager gaming systems and methods for game license management utilizing a game table connected in a network at a gaming establishment are described. A game table having multiple player stations, equipped with gaming devices, performs as a local licensing server for the player stations at the game table. It may also function as a licensing server for player stations at other game tables and for gaming machines in the network. The wager game table may be connected to a central licensing server with operates in conjunction with the wager game table. A player station may also have certain license management components that may complement the operations of a game table license management module. The game table may perform certain local licensing and auditing functions for each player station with regard to wager game code and other game-related content and operational software. The management module may also monitor the usage of various types of wager game code, related content, and game-related software. These usage data are maintained by the game table and may be used for auditing purposes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to game playing services for gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing methods of communication for game services such as licensing and accounting on gaming machines.[0002]There are a wide variety of associated devices that can be connected to a gaming machine such as a slot machine or video poker machine. Some examples of these devices are lights, ticket printers, card readers, speakers, bill validators, ticket readers, coin acceptors, display panels, key pads, coin hoppers and button pads. Many of these devices are built into the gaming machine or components associated with the gaming machine such as a top box which usually sits on top of the gaming machine.[0003]Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, the gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourag...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023]The license management module may update wager game usage data related to execution of the wager game on the device. These data may be used to perform auditing functions, license fee calculations, and the like. In another embodiment, the license module may also monitor usage of content related to wager game play, for example various forms of licensed creative content and intellectual property and arrange these data game table memory. In another embodiment, the license module may monitor usage of game-related and operational software applications that are under license. In another embodiment, the game table may receive from player stations unused or unneeded license tokens so that they maybe used by other player stations and that unnecessary licensing fees are not incurred.

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.

However, the cost of a dedicated communication network for a small number of gaming machines is usually not justified.

While operating in “stand alone” mode, network gaming services are not available to these gaming machines.

For a large route, this process may be both time consuming and costly.

Further, as described above, a dedicated network is usually not cost effective for smaller gaming establishments.

Thus, with the communication infrastructure described in FIG. 1 which is representative of the communication infrastructure currently available in the gaming industry, the implementation of centralized network gaming services, such as centralized data acquisition may be difficult.

As wager game tables become increasingly versatile, sophisticated, and self-sufficient, the level of complexity in their software and hardware configurations has grown proportionately.

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