Method and apparatus for operating networked gaming devices

Abstract

A system for monitoring and configuring gaming devices interconnected over a high-speed network is disclosed. The system can support a file server, one or more floor controllers, one or more pit terminals, and other terminals all interconnected over the network. Each gaming device includes an electronic module which allows the gaming device to communicate with a floor controller over a current loop network. The electronic module includes a player tracking module and a data communication node. The player tracking module includes a card reader for detecting a player tracking card inserted therein which identifies the player. The data communication node communicates with both the floor controller and the gaming device. The data communication node communicates with the gaming device over a serial interface through which the data communication node transmits reconfiguration commands. The gaming device reconfigures its payout schedule responsive to the reconfiguration commands to provide a variety of promotional bonuses such as multiple jackpot bonuses, mystery jackpot bonuses, progressive jackpot bonuses, or player specific bonuses.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to gaming devices, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for controlling gaming devices interconnected by a computer network.Networked gaming devices are know in the art. Interconnecting a plurality of gaming devices such as slot machines via a computer network to a central computer provides many advantages. The primary advantage of networked gaming devices is the ability to extract accounting data from the individual gaming devices as well as providing player tracking. An example of a data collection system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,709 issued to Lucero et al. Network systems such as described in Lucero et al. allow the central host computer to monitor the usage and payout, collectively known as audit data, of the individual gaming devices. This audit data includes data related to the number of coins or tokens inserted into the device, the number of times the device has been played, the amount paid in r...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

An advantage of the invention is that any of the casino's machines can be incorporated into a bonus promotion.

Problems solved by technology

One problem that can occur with current player tracking systems is that the player can insert a player identification card incorrectly unbeknownst to the player.

Unfortunately, the player may not be looking at the display while inserting the card.

As a result, the player may not see the message on the display.

This too has been ineffective because the player may not know the purpose of the LED or the LED may be drowned out by all the other lights of the casino.

In this case, both the player and the casino lose valuable player tracking information.

This is frustrating for the player because his activity will not be credited to his account and frustrating for the casino because the casino's records will be incomplete.

The full power of networked gaming devices has not been completely realized.

Although the audit data indicates which devices are being under utilized and when, there is currently no automated method for altering under utilized gaming devices' configurations to make them more attractive to play.

This manual technique, however, is cumbersome and inefficient to administer because an attendant must be constantly supervising the bonusing gaming devices.

Another limitation of the current bonusing systems is that only predetermined machines are eligible for the bonusing.

This limits the casino's flexibility in tailoring its bonusing to the number and make-up of its customers.

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