Using mobile devices to operate gaming machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11217062-B1
Application number	US-202016986746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Jun 15, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A mobile device with remote play application is used to operate a gaming machine with a separately releasable module (SRM). The gaming machine and the mobile device are connected to a gaming network. In response to a visual code displayed on the gaming machine being captured by the mobile device, both a web socket connection and Virtual Network Computing (VNC) session are established between the SRM and the software application. The VNC session reproduces a video button panel of the gaming machine in the remote play application. The gaming machine is operated via touch inputs to the reproduced video button panel. To limit a remote session to mobile devices in close proximity to the gaming machine, the SRM sends an audio code to the mobile device and only maintains the session in response to receiving an echo of the audio code over the web socket connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a primary display, a video button panel, and a separately releasable module (SRM), the SRM including a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) server and an audio code generator, the method comprising the operations of:
connecting the gaming machine to a network;
displaying a visual code on the gaming machine for capture by a mobile device, the mobile device being connected to the network;
in response to the visual code being captured by the mobile device,
establishing a web socket connection with a session identifier between the gaming machine and a software application executing on the mobile device, the software application including a VNC client; and
establishing a VNC session between the VNC server and the VNC client with respect to the video button panel;

generating, by the audio code generator, an audio code for capture by the mobile device;
in response to the SRM receiving an echo of the audio code over the web socket connection, maintaining, by the SRM, the VNC session and the web socket connection; and
in response to the SRM not receiving the echo of the audio code over the web socket connection, terminating, by the SRM, the VNC session and the web socket connection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting operation includes connecting the gaming machine to a Wi-Fi access point, the mobile device being connected to the Wi-Fi access point.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual code is a Quick Response (QR) code containing a unique identifier of the gaming machine.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including the operation of, in response to the video button panel rendered by the VNC client on the mobile device receiving a player input, executing an action on the gaming machine.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the action is at least one of selecting a wager, initiating play, viewing game instructions and pays, cashing out any credits on a credit meter, requesting service, or modifying game settings.

6. The method of claim 5 , further including the operation of dispensing a ticket from a ticket printer of the gaming machine in response to the action being cashing out any credits on the credit meter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio code is an ultrasonic audio QR code containing the session identifier.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terminating operation is responsive to the SRM not receiving the echo of the audio code over the web socket connection after one or more attempts.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SRM includes a primary display touch handler, and further including the operations of:
in response to the software application of the mobile device entering a touch pad mode, directing, by the primary display touch handler, the primary display to display a cursor thereon;
receiving, by the primary display touch handler, touch data from the mobile device over the web socket connection; and
sending, by the primary display touch handler, the touch data to a touch screen interface of the primary display.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaming machine includes non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), and further including the operation of storing, in the NVRAM, information associated with the VNC session, the information including the session identifier, start session date/time, end session date/time, and reason for session end.

11. A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a primary display, a video button panel, and a separately releasable module (SRM), the SRM including a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) server and an audio code generator, the gaming machine being connected to a network, the method comprising the operations of:
capturing, by a mobile device, a visual code displayed on the gaming machine;
connecting the mobile device to the network;
in response to the visual code being captured by the mobile device,
establishing a web socket connection with a session identifier between the gaming machine and a software application executing on the mobile device, the software application including a VNC client; and
establishing a VNC session between the VNC server and the VNC client with respect to the video button panel;

receiving, by a microphone of the mobile device, an audio code generated by the audio code generator; and
sending, by the mobile device, an echo of the audio code to the SRM over the web socket connection to maintain the VNC session and the web socket connection.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the connecting operation includes connecting the mobile device to a Wi-Fi access point, the gaming machine being connected to the Wi-Fi access point.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the visual code is a Quick Response (QR) code containing a unique identifier of the gaming machine.

14. The method of claim 11 , further including the operations of:
rendering, by the VNC client, the video button panel on the mobile device; and
receiving a player input at the rendered video button panel to initiate an action on the gaming machine.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the action is at least one of selecting a wager, initiating play, viewing game instructions and pays, cashing out any credits on a credit meter, requesting service, or modifying game settings.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the SRM includes a primary display touch handler, and further including the operations of:
in response to a player input, entering a touch pad mode of the software application;
displaying, by the software application, a touch pad on the mobile device;
receiving, by the software application, a player input to the touch pad; and
sending, by the software application, touch data associated with the player input to the primary touch screen handler to initiate a touch action on the primary display.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the software application including a plurality of player-selectable modes, the plurality of player-selectable modes including a scan mode, a play mode, and the touch pad mode, wherein the capturing operation is performed in the scan mode, and wherein the rendering operation is performed in the play mode.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the audio code is an ultrasonic audio QR code containing the session identifier.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the software application on the mobile device loses the web socket connection and the VNC session in response to not sending the echo of the audio code to the SRM over the web socket connection.

20. A method of operating a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a primary display, a video button panel, and a separately releasable module (SRM), the SRM including a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) server and an audio code generator, the method comprising the operations of:
connecting the gaming machine to a network;
establishing a web socket connection with a session identifier between the gaming machine and a software application executing on a mobile device connected to the network, the software application including a VNC client;
establishing a VNC session between the VNC server and the VNC client with respect to the video button panel;
in response to the video button panel rendered by the VNC client on the mobile device receiving a player input, executing an action on the gaming machine;
generating, by the audio code generator, an audio code for capture by the mobile device:
in response to the SRM receiving an echo of the audi

Assignees

• Sg Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Dalmia Mili
• Eisele Walter
• Gandhi Chandradeep
• Hedrick Joseph Randolph
• Kuthyar Bala
• Mathiyalagan Ramesh Gandhi
• Rajput Yogendrasinh Hematji
• Subramani Sunil Somanna

Classifications

• G07F17/3223 Primary

  Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication · CPC title

• G07F17/34

  depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines · CPC title