Download and configuration server-based system and method with structured data

Abstract

A slot management system including a download and configuration server-based sub-system and method for use with game devices, systems, and methods. The slot machine management system is provided to enable users to monitor, control, and modify game devices and other related activities.

1 . A download and configuration management system to manage a plurality of electronic gaming machines distributed through out at least one casino property, the download and configuration management system comprising:
 a database having a plurality of structured data tables, each structured data table including respective data and respective schema for relationships between and attributes of the data therein;   a download and configuration management server having a graphical user interface and being configured to receive structured data tables from the database and populate fields of a first control panel displayed on a display device of the download and configuration management server in accordance with the respective schema for relationships between and attributes of the data therein, the fields in the first control panel including a top level of fields and at least one lower level of fields beneath the top level of fields, wherein information displayed in the first control panel is related to configuration and/or management of at least one of the electronic gaming machines.   
   
   
       2 . The download and configuration management system of  claim 1  wherein the control panel displays the at least one lower level of fields in a tree-structure beneath the top level of fields. 
   
   
       3 . The download and configuration management system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of electronic gaming machines includes a first set of a number of electronic gaming machines and at least a second set of electronic gaming machines, wherein the download and configuration management server is configured to display a second control panel, the second control panel having a respective top level of fields designating the first set of electronic gaming machines and having a second level of fields beneath the top level of fields, the second level of fields including a respective field associated with a respective one of the electronic gaming machines of the first set of electronic gaming machines for each one of the electronic gaming machines of the first set of electronic gaming machines, wherein each field of the second level of fields carries information identifying the respective electronic gaming machine associated with the respective field. 
   
   
       4 . The download and configuration management system of  claim 3  wherein the second control panel includes a third level of fields beneath the second level of fields, the third level of fields including a respective field associated with a respective one of the electronic gaming machines of the first set of electronic gaming machines for each one of the electronic gaming machines of the first set of electronic gaming machine, wherein each field of the third level of fields carries configuration information of the respective electronic gaming machine associated with the respective field. 
   
   
       5 . The download and configuration management system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of structured data tables includes Typed DataSets. 
   
   
       6 . The download and configuration management system of  claim 1  comprises a SQL server having the database. 
   
   
       7 . A method of operating a download and configuration system to manage a plurality of electronic gaming machines distributed through out at least one casino property, the method comprising:
 receiving an input related to management of a set of the electronic gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines from an operator of the download and configuration system;   displaying a control panel having a hierarchy of fields on a display device based at least upon the operator input, the hierarchy of fields including a top level of fields and at least a second level of fields beneath the top level of fields;   retrieving a structured data table from a database having multiple structure data tables stored therein based at least upon the operator input, wherein each structured data table has a respective schema governing relationships between and attributes of data included in the respective structured data table; and   populating the fields of the control panel with data from the retrieved structured data table in accordance with the respective schema of the retrieved structured data table.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  comprising:
 viewing the hierarchy of fields in a tree format.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  comprising:
 receiving operator input related to expansion of the second level of fields; and   displaying a number of fields of the second level of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device in response to the operator input related to expansion, wherein the number of fields of the second level of fields are populated with data from the retrieved structured data table in accordance with the respective schema of the retrieved structured data table.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  comprising:
 receiving operator input related to contraction of the second level of fields; and   displaying an indicator of the second level of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device in response to the operator input related to contraction, wherein the number of fields of the second level of fields are not displayed in the control panel displayed on the display device.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the operator input related to management of the set of the electronic gaming machines is related to configuration of the electronic gaming machines of the set of electronic gaming machines, and further comprising:
 receiving operator input related to a given level of fields of the hierarchy of fields; and   displaying a particular field in the given level of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device in response to the operator input related to the given level of field, wherein the particular field includes current configuration information for a particular electronic gaming machine of the set of electronic gaming machines.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the operator input related to management of the set of the electronic gaming machines is related to configuration of the electronic gaming machines of the set of electronic gaming machines, and further comprising:
 receiving operator input related to a change of configuration; and   updating the retrieved structured data table based on the operator input related to a change of configuration.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein updating the retrieved structured data table based on the operator input related to a change of configuration comprises:
 updating the retrieved structured data table such that the change of configuration is applied to a number of fields of a given level of fields of the hierarchy of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device, wherein each one of the electronic gaming machines of the set of gaming machines is associated with a respective one of the number of fields of the given level of fields.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein updating the retrieved structured data table based on the operator input related to a change of configuration comprises:
 updating the retrieved structured data table such that the change of configuration is selectively applied to at least one field of a given level of fields of the hierarchy of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device, wherein a particular one of the electronic gaming machines of the set of gaming machines is associated with the at least one field of the given level of fields and other electronic gaming machines of the set of gaming machines are not associated with the at least one field of the given level of fields.   
   
   
       15 . A computing system to manage and configure a plurality of distributed electronic gaming machines in at least one casino, comprising:
 a user interface having a user input device and a display device;   a processor communicatively coupled to receive user input and provide output to the display device and communicatively coupled to a database having a plurality of structured data tables stored therein and configured to execute a number of instructions; and   a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor, the computer-readable medium stores instructions that cause the processor to:   receive user input related to management of a set of the electronic gaming machines of the plurality of gaming machines;   display a control panel having a hierarchy of fields on the display device based at least upon the user input, the hierarchy of fields including a top level of fields and at least a second level of fields beneath the top level of fields;   retrieve a structured data table from a database having multiple structure data tables stored therein based at least upon the user input, wherein each structured data table has a respective schema governing relationships between and attributes of data included in the respective structured data table; and   populate the fields of the control panel with data from the retrieved structured data table in accordance with the respective schema of the retrieved structured data table.   
   
   
       16 . The computing system of  claim 15  wherein the computer-readable medium stores instructions that cause the processor to:
 display the hierarchy of fields of the control panel in a tree format.   
   
   
       17 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein the computer-readable medium stores instructions that cause the processor to:
 receive user input related to expansion of the second level of fields; and   display a number of fields of the second level of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device in response to the user input, wherein the number of fields of the second level of fields are populated with data from the retrieved structured data table in accordance with the respective schema of the retrieved structured data table.   
   
   
       18 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein the computer-readable medium stores instructions that cause the processor to:
 receive user input related to contraction of the second level of fields; and   display an indicator of the second level of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device in response to the user input, wherein the number of fields of the second level of fields are not displayed in the control panel displayed on the display device.   
   
   
       19 . The computing system of  claim 15  wherein the user input related to management of the set of the electronic gaming machines is related to configuration of the electronic gaming machines of the set of electronic gaming machines, and wherein the computer-readable medium stores instructions that cause the processor to:
 receive user input related to a given level of fields of the hierarchy of fields; and   display a particular field in the given level of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device in response to the user input related to the given level of field, wherein the particular field includes current configuration information for a particular electronic gaming machine of the set of electronic gaming machines.   
   
   
       20 . The computing system of  claim 15  wherein the user input related to management of the set of the electronic gaming machines is related to configuration of the electronic gaming machines of the set of electronic gaming machines, wherein the computer-readable medium stores instructions that cause the processor to:
 receive user input related to a change of configuration; and   update the retrieved structured data table based on the user input related to a change of configuration.   
   
   
       21 . The computing system of  claim 20  wherein the instructions to update the retrieved structured data table based on the user input related to a change of configuration includes instructions that cause the processor to:
 update the retrieved structured data table such that the change of configuration is applied to a number of fields of a given level of fields of the hierarchy of fields of the control panel displayed on the display device, wherein each one of the electronic gaming machines of the set of gaming machines is associated with a respective one of the number of fields of the given level of fields.