Gaming Machine Standby Control With Secure Out-of-Band Wake-Up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy gaming machines lack security and efficiency when powered off, as they cannot maintain communication with the casino's management system, leading to potential unauthorized access and reduced player access to games, prompting operators to keep machines fully powered on for security and availability reasons.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dual-power supply system with Intel Advanced Management Technology (AMT) for 'out-of-band' communication, allowing secure communication and power management, enabling gaming machines to remain in a low-power state while still connected to the management system, and rapidly wake up upon player detection, thus maintaining security and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If gaming machines are powered off to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but security is compromised and communication with management system is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into two independent channels: a primary power supply for full operational mode and a secondary power supply for low-power standby mode. The secondary power supply independently maintains communication and security functions, allowing the gaming machine to enter low-power mode while preserving security monitoring and network connectivity through the out-of-band communication channel.
2Loss of energy
If gaming machines are powered off to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but player access to games is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining the communication interface and control logic in a ready state through the secondary power supply. When a player approaches or requests gameplay, the gaming machine can rapidly transition from low-power mode to full operational mode without lengthy security verifications, as the out-of-band communication channel has already established trust and authorization beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The server-based gaming architecture enables each gaming machine to access a universal library of games hosted on the central server. When in low-power mode, the gaming machine can still provide players with access to the full game library through the maintained communication channel, eliminating the need to physically have every game locally installed on every machine.
3Reliability
If security verification is performed upon every start-up, then security is maintained, but start-up time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
Security verification is performed preliminarily while the gaming machine is in low-power standby mode through the out-of-band communication channel. The management system continuously monitors and verifies the gaming machine's security status even when powered down, so that when the machine needs to start up for gameplay, the security verification has already been completed or can be rapidly completed, eliminating lengthy delays.
4Loss of energy
If multiple gaming machines are powered off, then energy consumption is reduced, but game library availability is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The server-based gaming architecture provides a universal game library accessible to all gaming machines through the network. When multiple machines are in low-power mode, players can still access the complete game library through any active gaming machine or through the centralized server interface, as the game content is not restricted to individual machine installations but is universally accessible across the network infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
Trusted Energy Saving (TES) methods applied to server based distributed downloadable gaming for allowing casino operators to significantly reduce their energy bills by placing the main controller of selected unused gaining machines into low-power mode while retaining total control and trust. Trusted Energy Saving is accomplished by: (1) establishing a secure “out-of-band” communication (or equivalent) between gaming machines and the casino's management system such that full network security is maintained while the main controller is in low power standby mode, (2) employing intelligent strategies to wake-up and turn-off the main controller of selected gaming machines by anticipating player use, (3) waiving the lengthy security verification required by regulation upon every gaming machine start-up and optionally (4) by displaying video promotional content on each turned-off gaming machine to continue to attract prospective players and to use the timing of each player approach to intelligently structure game menus based on the promotional content that has successfully attracted the player. The mapping of the TES gaming machines that are turned-on and in low-power mode may be periodically forwarded to the air-conditioning management system and/or to the lighting management system for energy optimization.