Alterable storage media gaming machine

Abstract

A system for verifying one or more downloaded components 54 of a gaming device 10 that includes the gaming device, which has an alterable hard drive 80 (or other persistent storage media 90 ), and the downloaded components that further include gaming-related content 92 - 96 . A related method includes: enabling initiation of a game on the gaming device 10 ; downloading the gaming-related content 92 - 96 to the alterable hard drive 80 while the gaming device 10 is enabled for game play; reading an identifier associated with the gaming-related content 92 - 96 ; verifying that the identifier is valid (using verification software 70 ); and reconfiguring the gaming device 10 to utilize the newly-downloaded, gaming-related content 92 - 96 in response to an initiating event.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A gaming device comprising an alterable storage media configured to store a downloaded component comprising gaming-related content, the gaming device comprising:
 a processor and a memory containing executable instructions executed by the processor to:
 enable initiation of a wagering game on the gaming device, 
 download gaming-related content to the alterable storage media while the gaming device is enabled for game play, wherein the downloading of gaming-related content is non-player initiated, 
 read an identifier associated with the gaming-related content; 
 determine if the identifier is valid, and 
 reconfigure the gaming device to utilize the newly-downloaded, gaming-related content in response to an initiating event if the identifier is valid, or attempt to replace the downloaded content if the identifier is invalid and tampering is not indicated. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the alterable storage media comprises a flash memory device and the downloaded gaming-related content is authenticated in the flash memory device while the gaming device is enabled for game play. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the alterable storage media comprises a flash memory device and the downloaded gaming-related content is authenticated in the flash memory device in response to an initiating event. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the alterable storage media comprises a flash memory device and the gaming-related content is downloadable to a separate partition area of the flash memory device while the gaming device is enabled for game play. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the alterable storage media comprises a flash memory device and the gaming-related content is downloadable to a separate partition area of the flash memory device while the gaming device is enabled for game play, and wherein downloaded gaming-related content is escrowed for later authentication. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming-related content is downloadable to a staging area while the gaming device is enabled for game play, and wherein downloaded gaming-related content is escrowed for later authentication. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein determining if the identifier is valid comprises algorithmically verifying the identifier associated with the gaming-related content to a value in a datastore. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 7 , further comprising the prevention of utilization of the gaming-related content by the processor if the identifier is not algorithmically verified in the datastore. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming device of  claim 7 , wherein the datastore is remote from the gaming device, wherein the determination is performed over a network that connects the gaming device with a database server containing the datastore, and wherein the gaming device transmits an identifier for each of the components to the database server where the verifying step is performed. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming device of  claim 7 , wherein the datastore is selected from a group consisting of a relational database, an object database, a flat file, an ASCII list, registry entries, and an XML file. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the downloaded component includes a data file. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming device of  claim 11 , wherein the data file comprises a software program file. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming device further comprises persistent storage media. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein unsecured components are downloaded across an unsecured network to the gaming device, and wherein the validity of the components is determined in the gaming device in response to an initiating event. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein a reconfiguration announcement is displayed when the gaming machine is reconfigured using the downloaded gaming-related content. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming machine is reconfigured using gaming-related content while the gaming machine is disabled for game play and a reconfiguration announcement is displayed. 
     
     
         17 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming-related content is downloaded from a server via a network. 
     
     
         18 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming-related content is transferred to the gaming device from another, proximately-located gaming device, whereby each gaming device forwards gaming-related content on to another gaming device, thereby serving as a relay station.