System and method of using directed energy to monitor or manipulate a gaming device

Abstract

A system and method for retrofitting an existing casino server and at least one server-based gaming machine in a room to make the gaming machine communicatively-interactive within a communication network (e.g., multi-media enabled), without the use of Wi-Fi, wherein there is an existing data/communication exchange (e.g., DSL) between the existing server and the at least one server-based gaming machine. The system includes a pair of network switches, where one is hardwired to the existing server and other is hardwired to the gaming machine or machines. A pair of data exchange relay nodes is communicatively connected to their respective switch and transmits/receives data up to Gigabits through a directed energy beam, such as an infrared laser beam. A security globe may be used to conceal the server side data exchange relay node(s) or the gaming machine-side data exchange relay nodes, or both.

1 . A system for retrofitting an existing casino server and at least one server-based gaming machine in a room of a casino to make the gaming machine and interactive within a communication network, wherein there is an existing data/communication exchange between the existing server and the at least one server-based gaming machine; said system comprising:
 a gaming machine network switch that is hardwired with communication cable to the at least one existing gaming machine;   a gaming machine data exchange relay node that is communicatively connected to the gaming machine network switch and that such data exchange can be monitored and manipulated;   a corresponding server data exchange relay node that is communicatively connected to the gaming machine data exchange relay node via a directed energy beam and that such data exchange can be monitored and manipulated;   a server network switch that is hardwired with communication cable between the server data exchange relay node and the existing server.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the directed energy beam is one of the following: infrared light, visible light, electromagnetic radiation, or sound. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the directed energy beam is a low-energy infrared laser beam. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the server network switch is concealed outside of the room and the server data exchange relay node is positioned within the casino room; and
 the system further comprising a security globe to conceal the server data exchange relay node from view but allows the directed energy beam to pass through the security globe in order to transmit and receive data exchanged with its corresponding gaming machine data exchange relation node. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4  wherein each server data exchange relay node is connected to a mounting point connected to the ceiling and communicatively connected to the server switch via a swing bevel that allows the server data exchange relay node a range of rotational and lateral movement and wherein the security globe conceals the mounting point, swing bevel, and server data exchange relay node from view of an ordinary casino patron while in the room. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 4  wherein each gaming machine data exchange relay node is concealed within a second security globe. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein each data exchange relay node further includes a data transmitter, a receiver, and a monitor module. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7  wherein each data exchange relay node further includes an LED, a photodiode, a lens assembly having a transmitter lens and a receptor lens, control circuit, power source, and communication link. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein the lens assembly further includes a chimney reflector for the transmitter lens and receptor lens. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein an external reflector may be added to aid in directing the energy beam. 
     
     
         11 . A system for making one or more server-based gaming machines multi-media enabled; said system comprising:
 a gaming machine network switch that is hardwired with communication cable to the at least one existing gaming machine;   a gaming machine data exchange relay node that is communicatively connected to the gaming machine switch;   a corresponding server data exchange relay node that is communicatively connected to the gaming machine data exchange relay node via a directed energy beam;   a server network switch that is hardwired with communication cable between the server data exchange relay node and a server that controls the one or more gaming machines.   
     
     
         12 . A method for providing a multi-media communication network between one or more casino servers and at least one server-based gaming machine within a casino room; said method comprising:
 providing a pair of network switches, wherein one network switch is hardwired to the at least one server and the other network switch is hardwired to the at least one gaming machine;   providing a pair of data exchange relay nodes that are capable of transmitting and receiving a data signal through a directed beam of energy and being monitored, wherein said pair of data exchange relay nodes are each communicatively connected between the two network switches;   positioning the one data exchange relay node near the gaming machine and the other data exchange relay node apart from the other data exchange relay node, but within the casino room, so that the two data exchange relay nodes are aligned in order to transmit the directed beam of energy to the receptor of the corresponding data exchange relay node and vice-versa; and   monitoring the data exchange between the server and the gaming machine.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising:
 adding a ping test to test for the presence or absence of the directed energy beam comprising the steps of: 
 setting a ping timer for an acceptable threshold limit for when ping signal must be received; 
 sending out a ping signal via the server through the data exchange relay node, near the server; 
 determining if the ping signal returned to the pinging data exchange relay node from the data exchange relay node near the gaming machine was within the accepted threshold level; and 
 tripping an alarm when the ping signal did not return within the threshold limits. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising adding a polarization test to determine if the beam intensity is diminished below an established threshold level by:
 setting a polarization tolerance that measures acceptable beam intensity level at the server; 
 sensing the beam intensity of the energy beam transmitted from the data exchange relay node closest to the server to the corresponding data exchange relay node; 
 determining if the beam intensity level is within the, set polarization tolerance; and 
 tripping the alarm if the sensed beam intensity level is below the set tolerance. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising the incremental step of setting a threshold anomaly count, sensing incremental anomalies, counting each incremental anomaly, and comparing the sensed incremental count to the threshold anomaly count, and triggering the alarm if the determined incremental anomaly count exceeds the threshold anomaly count. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  further comprising setting a sensor repeat delay in a small increment of time and delaying the polarization test the amount of the sensor repeat delay before the final incremental anomalies are counted and compared to the threshold anomaly count, and wherein the alarm is triggered if the determined incremental anomaly count exceeds the threshold anomaly count. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the sensor repeat delay is set within a range of 1 to 100 milliseconds.