Casino game download system and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9990800-B2
Application number	US-201715470505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Nov 10, 2006
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for multi-tiered gaming data download. The system includes a gaming device for local play of a game. The gaming device includes a communication interface receiving and transmitting data to download a game for play at the gaming device. The system also includes a plurality of download servers communicating with the gaming device to provide game data for download to and play at the gaming device. The system further includes a middle tier server acting as a hub to communicate with the plurality of download servers to provide game data from one or more of the plurality of download servers. The middle tier server allocates download server resources and schedules a download of game data from one or more download servers to the gaming device based on resource constraints at the plurality of download servers and availability for download at the gaming device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for game download, said system comprising:
a plurality of gaming terminals for local play of a plurality of games, a first gaming terminal of the gaming terminals requesting game data for play at the first gaming terminal;
a plurality of servers communicating with the gaming terminals to provide game data for download to the gaming terminals for local play of a game;
a load balancer communicating with the servers and the gaming terminals, and configured to identify a first server of the servers that is available to provide the requested game data to the first gaming terminal; and
a middle tier server configured to communicate with the identified first server to provide the game data to the first gaming terminal from the identified first server, said middle tier server scheduling a download of the game data from the identified server to the first gaming terminal.

2. The system of claim 1 , and further comprising a database server configured to store at least one of meter data, security data, user settings, regulatory game playback, and game audit data.

3. The system of claim 1 , and wherein the download of data from said download server to the first gaming terminal is scheduled as a function of at least one of available bandwidth, gaming terminal download acceptance criteria and time of download.

4. The system of claim 3 , and wherein the gaming terminal download acceptance criteria comprises availability of said gaming terminal for download based on user activity at said gaming terminal.

5. The system of claim 3 , and wherein said download of data is scheduled as a sum of functions of available bandwidth, gaming terminal download acceptance criteria, and time of download.

6. The system of claim 1 , and wherein the download of data from the first server is multi-cast to a plurality of gaming terminals set in an appropriate receiving mode.

7. The system of claim 1 , and wherein the download of the first server is broadcast to the first gaming terminals.

8. The system of claim 1 , and wherein the download of data to the first gaming terminal is facilitated via a second gaming terminal by said middle tier server.

9. The system of claim 1 , and wherein the gaming terminal is reconfigured in response to the downloaded game data from said download server.

10. The system of claim 1 , and further comprising an access point for review of operation and data of the first gaming terminal.

11. The system of claim 10 , and wherein said access point comprises a user interface.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein said access point is configured to facilitate verification of the operation and data of the first gaming terminal.

13. The system of claim 12 , and wherein said access point is configured to provide auditing and regulatory oversight of the operation and data and the download of the first gaming terminal.

14. The system of claim 12 , and wherein the first gaming terminal verifies the download of data in conjunction with the middle tier server.

15. The system of claim 14 , and wherein, if an error is detected in the download of data, the first gaming terminal is further configured to download a clean copy of the download data.

16. A method for multi-tiered game download for use with a gaming system having a) a plurality of gaming terminals for local play of a plurality of games including a first gaming terminal of the gaming terminals, each of the gaming terminals that has 1) a credit input mechanism configured a physical item representing a monetary value for establishing a credit balance, 2) a communication interface and 3) an identity, and plays a local game, b) a plurality of servers, c) a load balancer, and d) a middle tier server, the method comprising:
requesting game data for play at the first gaming terminal;
communicating via the plurality of servers with the gaming terminals to provide game data for download to the gaming terminals for local play of a game;
communicating with the servers and the gaming terminals, and identifying a first server of the servers that is available to provide the requested game data to the first gaming terminal;
scheduling via the user interface a download of game data based on the request for game download from the download server based on said identity;
communicating with the identified first server to provide the game data to the first gaming terminal from the identified first server; and
scheduling at the middle tier server a download of the game data from the identified server to the first gaming terminal.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising verifying said game download to the first gaming terminal.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising scheduling the request for game download to the first gaming terminal as a function of at least one of available bandwidth, gaming terminal download acceptance criteria and time of download.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising multi-casting the game download to a plurality of gaming terminals configured in a receiving mode.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising downloading said game to the first gaming terminal from a second gaming terminal facilitated by the middle tier server.

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Au

Inventors

• Topham Jeffrey S
• Lawdensky David
• Salour David
• Himmelright Jeff C
• Frerking Gary

Classifications

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title

• G07F17/3241

  Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00) · CPC title

• G07F17/3227 Primary

  Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters · CPC title

• H04L67/1001

  for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers · CPC title

• H04L67/131

  Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality · CPC title