Ultra-thick gaming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9483905-B2
Application number	US-47759109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2009
Priority date	Jun 3, 2009
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and related methods for implementing services over a plurality of gaming devices in a mesh network. A plurality of gaming devices are situated in a mesh network. A gaming device includes a client processing module configured to provide play of one or more games of chance, and a mesh network interface configured to provide communications with a further one or more gaming devices. A gaming device also includes a server processing module configured to receive and transmit service data via the mesh network. The service data is independent of game play data for wagering on a game of chance at one or more of the gaming devices. The service data is capable of being stored at a gaming device and at the further one or more gaming devices to provide a level of redundant storage of the service data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for implementing one or more services at a gaming device in a mesh network having a plurality of network nodes, the method comprising:
providing, via one or more client controllers, play of one or more games of chance responsive to receiving a wager from a player at a player interface;
providing communications at a network node with the mesh network via a mesh network interface, the mesh network interface configured to transmit data to and receive data from a further gaming device of a plurality of gaming devices at associated network nodes via a selected data path from a plurality of possible data paths the further gaming device, wherein the selected data path is selected based on congestion levels of the plurality of possible data paths;
receiving, via one or more server controllers, a data update signal;
receiving, via the one or more server controllers, one or more updated gaming service data files;
storing, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service data files in a storage medium as at least a portion of data of a service provided in a wagering environment, said service being distinct from the play of the one or more games of chance, the gaming service data files being independent of game play data for wagering on a game of chance; and
executing, via the one or more controllers, a gaming service executable file to provide the gaming service and process the one or more updated gaming service data files, the gaming service executable file being independent of one or more files executable to provide play of the one or more games of chance at any of the gaming devices; and
transmitting, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service data files to a designated further one or more of the gaming devices via the mesh network interface, the one or more updated gaming service data files for storage at the designated further one or more gaming devices while also being stored in the storage medium.

2. A gaming device for implementing one or more services in a mesh network having a plurality of network nodes, the gaming device comprising:
a player interface;
one or more client controllers configured to provide play of one or more games of chance responsive to receiving a wager from a player at the player interface;
a mesh network interface configured to provide communications at a network node with the mesh network, the mesh network interface configured to transmit data to and receive data from a further gaming device of a plurality of gaming devices at associated network nodes via a selected data path from a plurality of possible data paths to the further gaming device, wherein the selected data path is selected based on congestion levels of the plurality of possible data paths;
a storage medium storing a gaming service executable file and gaming service data files, the gaming service executable file being independent of one or more files executable to provide play of the one or more games of chance at any of the gaming devices and the gaming service data files being independent of game play data for wagering on the one or more games of chance at any of the gaming devices; and
one or more server controllers configured to:
receive a data update signal;
receive one or more updated gaming service data files;
store, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service data files in the storage medium;
execute the gaming service executable file to provide the gaming service and process the one or more updated gaming service data files; and
transmit, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service data files to a designated further one or more of the gaming devices via the mesh network interface for storage at the designated further one or more gaming devices while also being stored in the storage medium.

3. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more server controllers are further configured to:
receive one or more updated gaming service executable files,
store, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service executable files in the storage medium, and
transmit, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service executable files to a second designated further one or more of the gaming devices via the mesh network interface for storage at the second designated further one or more gaming devices while also being stored in the storage medium; and
wherein the gaming service executable file or the one or more updated gaming service executable files include one or more items of executable data selected from the group consisting of: player tracking executables, accounting executables, security executables, subscription executables, scheduling executables, authentication executables, cashless gaming executables, ticketing service executables, floor management executables, customer relations management (CRM) executables, virtual host executables, player preference executables, harm minimization executables, and game management executables.

4. The gaming device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more server controllers are further configured to:
receive one or more updated gaming service executable files,
store, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service executable files in the storage medium, and
transmit, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service executable files to a second designated further one or more of the gaming devices via the mesh network interface for storage at the second designated further one or more gaming devices while also being stored in the storage medium; and
wherein the gaming service executable file or one or more updated gaming service executable files include one or more items of executable data selected from the group consisting of: bonusing executables, progressive executables, and tournament executables.

5. A gaming system for implementing services over a plurality of gaming devices in a mesh network, the system comprising:
a plurality of gaming devices situated at respective network nodes of the mesh network, each of the plurality of gaming devices including:
a player interface;
one or more client controllers configured to provide play of one or more games of chance responsive to receiving a wager from a player at the player interface;
a mesh network interface configured to provide communications at a respective network node with the mesh network, the mesh network interface configured to transmit data to and receive data from a further gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices at a further associated network node via a selected data path from a plurality of possible data paths to the further gaming device, wherein the selected data path is selected based on congestion levels of the plurality of possible data paths;
a storage medium storing a gaming service executable file and gaming service data files, the gaming service executable file being independent of one or more files executable to provide play of the one or more games of chance at any of the gaming devices and the gaming service data files being independent of game play data for wagering on the one or more games of chance at any of the gaming devices; and
one or more server controllers configured to:
receive a data update signal;
receive one or more updated gaming service data files;
store, responsive to receipt of the data update signal, the one or more updated gaming service data files in the storage medium;
execute the gaming service executable file to provide the gaming service and process the one or more updated gaming service data files; and

Assignees

• Oberberger Michael M
• Paulsen Craig A
• Rowe Richard E
• Igt Reno Nev

Inventors

• Oberberger Michael M
• Paulsen Craig A
• Rowe Richard E

Classifications

• H04L67/04

  specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability · CPC title

• G07F17/32

  for games, toys, sports, or amusements · CPC title

• H04L67/38

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title

• H04L67/104

  Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks · CPC title