Scan based configuration control in a gaming environment

Abstract

Techniques are dis closed for facilitating configuration of a gaming machine, and for facilitating authentication testing of selected components of a gaming machine. In at least one embodiment, configuration of the gaming machine may be effected via the use of a gaming machine configuration device. When the presence of a gaming machine configuration device is detected, configuration indicia stored on the configuration device may be accessed and used to determine at least one configuration parameter relating to configuration of the gaming machine. Configuration or reconfiguration of the gaming machine may then be implemented using the at least one configuration parameter. In at least one embodiment, authentication of the gaming machine component may be effected via the use of a gaming machine authentication device. When the presence of a gaming machine authentication device is detected, authentication information stored on the authentication device may be accessed and used to generate authentication output data relating to the component being authenticated. The authentication output data may then be provided to an external entity for verifying the results of the authentication test.

1 . A gaming machine for facilitating configuration of a gaming machine comprising: 
 at least one processor;    at least one interface;    at least one display; and    memory;    the gaming machine being configured or designed to:    receive first input for change an operating mode of the gaming machine to a configuration mode of operation;    change the operating mode of the gaming machine to the configuration mode of operation in response to the first input;    detect a presence of a gaming machine configuration device;    read configuration indicia stored on the configuration device;    automatically determine, using the configuration indicia, at least one configuration parameter relating to configuration of the gaming machine; and    implement configuration or reconfiguration of the gaming machine using the at least one configuration parameter.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 disable game play on the gaming machine while the gaming machine is in the configuration mode of operation.    
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 receive a wager on a game of chance; and    generate an outcome for the game of chance using said at least one configuration parameter.    
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 accept information provided by the configuration device while the gaming machine is in the configuration mode of operation; and    reject information provided by the configuration device while the gaming machine is in a game play mode of operation.    
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the gaming machine includes a main door for providing access to internal components of the gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 change the at least one configuration parameter of the gaming machine without the main door being opened    
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the gaming machine includes a plurality of internal components, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 change the at least one configuration parameter of the gaming machine without physically removing any of the internal components from the gaming machine.    
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the at least one configuration parameter corresponds to a configuration parameter selected from: country code parameters, bill limit parameters, voucher limit parameters, credit limit parameters, accounting model parameters, operating model parameters, communication protocol parameters, default display parameters, default button assignment parameters, game configuration parameters, and game selection parameters.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the configuration indicia includes a numeric or alphabetic code usable for determining the at least one configuration parameter.  
   
   
       9 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 identify at least one security feature associated with the configuration device;    validate the configuration device using the at least one security feature; and    implement configuration or reconfiguration of the gaming machine in response to approval of the validation of the configuration device.    
   
   
       10 . The gaming machine of  claim 9  wherein the at least one security feature includes information relating to an identifier for uniquely identifying the gaming machine.  
   
   
       11 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  wherein the gaming machine configuration device corresponds to a configuration ticket, and wherein the gaming machine includes a bill validator module, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 detect that the configuration ticket has been inserted into the bill validator module; and    read, using the bill validator module, the configuration indicia from the configuration ticket.    
   
   
       12 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 automatically mapping the configuration indicia to at least one predetermined configuration parameter stored within local memory of the gaming machine.    
   
   
       13 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 automatically select the at least one configuration parameter from configuration parameter information stored in local memory of the gaming machine.    
   
   
       14 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 provide the configuration indicia to a remote server; and    receive configuration information from the remote server in response to providing the configuration indicia to the remote server;    wherein the configuration information includes the at least one configuration parameter.    
   
   
       15 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 extract the at least one configuration parameter from the configuration indicia stored on the configuration device.    
   
   
       16 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 authenticate the configuration device before implement configuration or reconfiguration of the gaming machine.    
   
   
       17 . The gaming machine of  claim 1  being further configured or designed to: 
 authenticate the configuration device via a remote server.    
   
   
       18 . A gaming machine for facilitating authentication testing of a first gaming machine component in order to determine an authenticity of the first component, the gaming machine comprising: 
 at least one processor;    at least one interface;    at least one display; and    memory;    the gaming machine being configured or designed to:    detect a presence of a gaming machine authentication device;    read authentication information stored on the authentication device;    perform a first authentication test on the first component using at least a portion of the authentication information;    generate, in response to the first authentication test, authentication output data; and    provide the authentication output data to an external entity.    
   
   
       19 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  being further configured or designed to: 
 receive first input for change an operating mode of the gaming machine to a authentication mode of operation; and    change the operating mode of the gaming machine to the authentication mode of operation in response to the first input;    
   
   
       20 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  being further configured or designed to: 
 disable game play on the gaming machine while the gaming machine is in the authentication mode of operation.    
   
   
       21 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  being further configured or designed to: 
 accept information provided by the authentication device while the gaming machine is in the authentication mode of operation; and    reject information provided by the authentication device while the gaming machine is in a game play mode of operation.    
   
   
       22 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine includes a main door for providing access to internal components of the gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 perform authentication testing on the first component of the gaming machine without the main door being opened    
   
   
       23 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine includes a plurality of internal components, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 perform authentication testing on the first component of the gaming machine without physically removing any of the internal components from the gaming machine.    
   
   
       24 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first component corresponds to a trusted memory device associated with the gaming machine.  
   
   
       25 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first component corresponds to a firmware associated with the gaming machine.  
   
   
       26 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first component corresponds to software code associated with the gaming machine.  
   
   
       27 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first component corresponds to a peripheral device associated with the gaming machine.  
   
   
       28 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the external entity corresponds to a human operator performing an authentication test of the at least one gaming machine component, and wherein the gaming machine includes a display, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 display the authentication output data to the human operator via the gaming machine display.    
   
   
       29 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine includes a ticket print module, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 print, using the ticket print module, an authentication output ticket which includes authentication output data.    
   
   
       30 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine includes a ticket print module, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 print, using the ticket print module, an authentication output ticket which includes authentication output data;    read the authentication output data from the authentication output ticket;    compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and    determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first gaming machine component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.    
   
   
       31 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the external entity corresponds to a remote computer system.  
   
   
       32 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the authentication information and includes: 
 hash algorithm information relating to a selected hash algorithm; and    seed information relating to a selected randomization seed value;    wherein the authentication output data is generated using the selected hash algorithm and randomization seed value.    
   
   
       33 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first gaming machine component corresponds to game code stored in memory of the gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of the game code to thereby generate a hash code value; and    wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value.    
   
   
       34 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first gaming machine component corresponds to a trusted memory device associated with gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of data stored in the trusted memory device to thereby generate a hash code value;    wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;    compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and    determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first gaming machine component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.    
   
   
       35 . The gaming machine of  claim 34  wherein the trusted memory device includes unalterable memory.  
   
   
       36 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first gaming machine component corresponds to game code associated with gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of the game code to thereby generate a hash code value;    wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;    compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and    determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first gaming machine component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.    
   
   
       37 . The gaming machine of  claim 36  wherein at least a portion of the game code resides in unalterable memory.  
   
   
       38 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first gaming machine component corresponds to at least one operating system component associated with gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 apply a selected hash algorithm to at least a portion of the at least one operating system component to thereby generate a hash code value;    wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;    compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and    determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first gaming machine component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.    
   
   
       39 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the first gaming machine component corresponds operating code associated with gaming machine, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 apply a selected hash algorithm to the operating code to thereby generate a hash code value;    wherein the authentication output data corresponds to the hash code value;    compare the authentication output data to predetermined data; and    determine an outcome of the authentication test of the first gaming machine component based at least in part on the comparison of the authentication output data with the predetermined data.    
   
   
       40 . The gaming machine of  claim 32  wherein the authentication information corresponds to a code from which the hash algorithm information and seed information may be determined.  
   
   
       41 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine authentication device corresponds to a authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming machine includes a bill validator module, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 detect that the authentication ticket has been inserted into the bill validator module; and    read, using the bill validator module, the authentication information from the authentication ticket.    
   
   
       42 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine authentication device corresponds to an authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming machine includes a ticket printer module, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 print, using the ticket printer module, an authentication output ticket which includes the authentication output data.    
   
   
       43 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine authentication device corresponds to an authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming machine includes a printer module, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 print, using the printer module, a receipt which includes information relating to at least one authentication test performed on the first component.    
   
   
       44 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine authentication device corresponds to an authentication ticket, and wherein the gaming machine includes a barcode scanner, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 read, using the barcode scanner, the authentication information from the authentication ticket.    
   
   
       45 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the gaming machine authentication device includes a first wireless communication device, and wherein the gaming machine includes a second wireless communication device, the gaming machine being further configured or designed to: 
 receive, via the second wireless communication device, the authentication information from the authentication device.    
   
   
       46 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  being further configured or designed to: 
 provide the authentication output information to a remote server; and    receive authentication verification information from the remote server in response to providing the authentication output information to the remote server.    
   
   
       47 . The gaming machine of  claim 18  wherein the authentication information and includes: 
 hash algorithm information relating to a selected hash algorithm; and    seed information relating to a selected randomization seed value;    wherein the authentication output data includes a hash code representing the first component, said hash code being generated using the selected hash algorithm and randomization seed value.