Gaming terminal data repository and information distribution system

Abstract

A disclosed gaming terminal data repository may be used to store game software components, game software component information and gaming transaction information for a plurality of gaming terminals owned by a plurality of gaming entities. The repository may store the game software component information and the gaming transaction information in a database partitioned according to the different gaming entities in a manner allowing a game software component configuration of a particular gaming machine to be easily analyzed and modified. Using various update triggers, game software components for gaming terminals connected to the gaming terminal data repository may be automatically updated. The gaming machines, configured or designed to receive game software components from the repository, may present game play using a combination of game software components residing on the gaming machine and the game software components received from the repository.

What is claimed is:  
     
         19 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 a first combination of game software components, said first combination comprising a plurality of game software components;    a master gaming controller designed or configured to present a game on the gaming machine using the first combination of game software components;    a network interface for communicating with a remote server and receiving game software components from said remote server;    processor logic for combining game software components from said first combination with game software components received from said remote server to generate a second combination of game software components wherein said second combination is used to present a game on the gaming machine.    
     
     
         20 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a memory storing a plurality of game software components.    
     
     
         21 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein the memory is selected from the group consisting of an EPROM, a flash memory a ROM, a RAM, a CD, a DVD, a tape drive, a hard drive and a non-volatile memory.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming machine of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the plurality of game software components stored in said memory is used to generate the second combination game software components.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a memory storing game software version information for a plurality of game software components.    
     
     
         24 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , wherein the remote server is a gaming terminal data repository.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a firewall.    
     
     
         26 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , wherein the game software components are selected from the group consisting of game system components, game paytables, game bonusing, game progressives, game graphics, game sounds, game jurisdiction information, game networking components.  
     
     
         27 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , wherein the network interface is a wireless network interface or a wired network interface.  
     
     
         28 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , wherein the network interface is configured to allow connection of the gaming machine to an internet network or an intranet network.  
     
     
         29 . The gaming machine of  claim 28 , wherein the intranet network is selected from the group consisting of a cashless system network, a progressive game network, an accounting network and a bonus game network.  
     
     
         30 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , wherein the game is a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video black jack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game.  
     
     
         31 . The gaming machine of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a modem.    
     
     
         32 . In a remote server, a method of modifying game play on a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising: 
 determining that a configuration update has been triggered;    establishing communications with the gaming machine;    identifying one or more game software components for the configuration update on the gaming machine;    bundling the game software components; and    sending the game software components to the gaming machine    wherein said game software components are used to present a game on the gaming machine.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising, 
 prior to sending the game software components,    contacting a local ISP and sending the game software components via the local ISP.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising, 
 looking up an IP address of said one or more gaming machines.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising, 
 encapsulating said game software components in multiple information packets.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising 
 encrypting said game software components.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising, 
 generating instructions for configuring the game software components and sending said instructions with said game software components;    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 requesting game software component version information from the gaming machines.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 receiving game software component version information from the gaming machine.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 receiving game transaction information from the gaming machines and storing said game transaction information.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising: 
 storing said game transaction information according to one or more game data categories.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the game data categories are selected from the group consisting of game version data, game data, gaming terminal data, player data, route data and venue data.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising: 
 prior to storing said game transaction information, determining access privileges for said game transaction information.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising: 
 prior to storing said game transaction information, performing one or more operations on said game transaction information.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising: 
 determining a data storage partition from among a plurality of data storage partitions for storing said game transaction information.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the plurality of data storage partitions correspond to a plurality of gaming entities.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 checking a list of update triggers;    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the update triggers are selected from the group consisting of an update time, an update day, an update week, a game event, a game performance event and a player input.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the game is a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video black jack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the game software components are selected from the group consisting of game system components, game paytables, game bonusing, game progressives, game graphics, game sounds, game jurisdiction information, game networking components.  
     
     
         51 . A method for accessing game transaction information on a remote server which stores gaming transaction information for multiple different gaming entities, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request message for game transaction information from a first gaming device;    verifying an identity of a game transaction information requester contained in the request message;    determining access privileges of the game transaction information requester;    when said access privileges are satisfied,    generating the requested game transaction information; and    sending the requested game transaction information specific to the gaming entity of the requester in a reply message to a second gaming device.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 generating the reply message.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 storing one or more game transaction information request parameters.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein said request parameters include one or more of the following a time, a gaming terminal, a date, a game version, a game, a player, a route and a venue.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 searching a queryable database for the requested game transaction information.    
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 denying access to the requested game transaction information when the access privileges are not satisfied.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 encrypting said requested game transaction information.    
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the first gaming device is selected from the group consisting of a gaming machine and a remote computer.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the second gaming device is selected from the group consisting of a gaming machine, a printer and a remote computer.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the access privileges are hierarchical and are selected from the group consisting of site user, corporate site user, remote corporate user, venue site user, remote venue site user, route user and route site user.  
     
     
         61 . In a gaming machine, a method of updating game software components, the method comprising: 
 establishing communications with a remote server;    receiving one or more game software components from said remote server;    unbundling said one or more game software components;    generating a combination of game software components wherein said combination of game software components comprising a plurality of game software components including the one or more game software components received from said remote server; and    presenting a game play using the combination of game software components.    
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising: 
 sending game software component information to said remote server.    
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising: 
 sending game transaction information to said remote server.    
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the game play is a video bingo game play, a video lottery game play, a video black jack game play, a video slot game play, a mechanical slot game play, a video poker game play, a video keno game play, a video pachinko game play, a video game play of chance and a video card game play.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the remote server is a gaming terminal data repository.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the game software components are selected from the group consisting of game system components, game paytables, game bonusing, game progressives, game graphics, game sounds, game jurisdiction information, game networking components.