US2008108405A1PendingUtilityA1

Self-correcting configuration items

53
Assignee: IGT RENO NEVPriority: Nov 2, 2006Filed: Nov 2, 2006Published: May 8, 2008
Est. expiryNov 2, 2026(~0.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:William BrosnanWarner Cockerille
G07F 17/323G07F 17/3234G07F 17/32G07F 17/3232
53
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Claims

Abstract

Some implementations of the invention provide improved methods and devices for configuring gaming machines. According to some implementations of the invention, an operator's proposed changes to configuration item values will be assessed according to one or more rule sets. If a proposed new configuration value violates one or more such rules, according to some implementations the proposed new configuration value (or other configuration value(s)) may be automatically changed in order to obtain compliance with the rule(s). The rules may or may not be implemented by a gaming machine. Some implementations of the invention provide remote hosting of configuration menu pages with or without such auto-configuration features.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A gaming machine, comprising:
 means for providing a wagering game;   an interface for receiving an instruction to set a first configuration value relating to the provision of the wagering game; and   at least one logic device configured to do the following:
 determine whether the first configuration value would cause a rule violation; and 
 alter the first configuration value or a related configuration value when it is determined that accepting the first configuration value would cause a rule violation. 
   
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a user interface. 
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a network interface. 
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a uniform serial bus interface. 
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises external storage media. 
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein at least one logic device is further configured to report an altered configuration value. 
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein at least one logic device is further configured to prompt a user to accept or reject a proposed alteration to a configuration value. 
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein at least one logic device is further configured to allow a user to enable or disable the gaming machine's ability to alter an indicated configuration value. 
   
   
       9 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rule violation comprises an incompatibility between the first configuration value and a second configuration value. 
   
   
       10 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rule violation comprises a jurisdictional law violation. 
   
   
       11 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein at least one logic device is further configured to host a configuration menu via the network interface. 
   
   
       12 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein at least one logic device is further configured to send configuration instructions to other gaming machines via the network interface. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a network interface for receiving an instruction to set a first configuration value relating to the provision of a wagering game; and   at least one logic device configured to do the following:
 determine whether the first configuration value would cause a rule violation; and 
 alter the first configuration value or a related configuration value when it is determined that accepting the first configuration value would cause a rule violation. 
   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least one logic device is further configured to send configuration instructions to a plurality of gaming machines via the network interface. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising means for providing a wagering game. 
   
   
       16 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an instruction to set a first configuration value relating to the provision of a wagering game;   determining whether the first configuration value would cause a rule violation; and   altering the first configuration value or a related configuration value when it is determined that accepting the first configuration value would cause a rule violation.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the rule violation comprises an incompatibility between the first configuration value and a second configuration value. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the rule violation comprises a jurisdictional rule violation. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving a rule set for determining whether accepting the first configuration value would cause a rule violation. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving a rule set for determining how to alter the first configuration value or a related configuration value when it is determined that accepting the first configuration value would cause a rule violation. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising reporting altered configuration values. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising prompting an operator to accept or reject proposed alterations to configuration values. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing configuration instructions to a plurality of gaming machines according to an approved set of configuration instructions for a first gaming machine. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the altering step comprises altering the first configuration value. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the altering step comprises altering the second configuration value. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the altering step comprises altering the first configuration value. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the providing step comprises transmitting configuration instructions to the plurality of gaming machines via a network. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the providing step comprises:
 storing the approved set of configuration instructions on a portable memory device;   establishing a communication between the portable memory device and one gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines; and   copying the approved set of configuration instructions from the portable memory device to the one gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising a step of authenticating the portable memory device. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the authentication step comprises the use of a digital signature.

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