Universal Game Monitoring Unit and System

Abstract

An embedded user interface incorporated into a gaming device, the gaming device including a gaming presentation of a base game and a gaming processor for controlling the base game. The embedded user interface includes: a player tracking interface and an embedded processor. The player tracking interface includes (or is associated with) a display screen and enables display of a system game to a user, presentation of information to the user, and reception of information from the user. The embedded processor employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor, enables control of the system game, control of player tracking information, and control of non-gaming information. In one embodiment, the embedded user interface enables control of a system game of which at least a portion of the system game is presented physically external to the embedded user interface. In another embodiment, the embedded user interface enables control of a system gaming indicator that is physically external to the embedded user interface. In still another embodiment, communication between a game processor and an embedded user interface is only enabled through the gaming network and is not direct enabled via a direct connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming device-enabled gaming system, the system comprising:
 a physical network that enables communication between gaming devices in the gaming device-enabled gaming system, each gaming device comprising (i) one or more display devices; (ii) a plurality of input devices including (a) an acceptor of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value, (b) a cash out button operable to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance, (iii) at least one gaming device processor and (iv) at least one gaming device memory device storing a plurality of gaming device instructions;   a system gaming server connected to the physical network that provides a system-based game;   a player tracking server connected to a physical network that communicates gaming data with one or more gaming devices;   an embedded user interface incorporated into each gaming device, each gaming device including a gaming presentation of a base game controlled by the gaming device processor for controlling the base game, wherein the gaming device processor enables play of the base game without requiring use of the embedded user interface, and wherein one or more displays are physically external to the embedded user interface, the embedded user interface comprising (i) a player tracking interface, wherein the player tracking interface enables display of the system-based game to a user at the one or more displays, wherein the player tracking interface enables presentation of information to the user at the one or more displays, and wherein the player tracking interface enables reception of information from the user; and (ii) an embedded processor, wherein the embedded processor employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming device processor, wherein the embedded processor controls an outcome of the system-based game, the embedded user interface drives visual gaming presentation components of the system-based game at the one or more displays.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  comprising the one or more displays includes a wheel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  comprising the one or more displays includes one or more reels. 
     
     
         4 . An embedded user interface system including a communication network that enables communication between gaming devices where each gaming device includes (i) one or more display devices; (ii) a plurality of input devices including (a) an acceptor of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value, (b) a cash out button operable to cause an initiation of a payout associated with a credit balance, (iii) at least one gaming device processor and (iv) at least one gaming device memory device storing a plurality of gaming device instructions and a player tracking server connected to a physical network that communicates gaming data with one or more gaming devices, an improvement comprising:
 a system gaming server connected to the physical network that provides a system-based game;   a player tracking server connected to a physical network that communicates gaming data with one or more gaming devices;   an embedded user interface incorporated into each gaming device, each gaming device including a gaming presentation of a base game controlled by the gaming device processor for controlling the base game, wherein the gaming device processor enables play of the base game without requiring use of the embedded user interface, and wherein one or more displays are physically external to the embedded user interface, the embedded user interface comprising (i) a player tracking interface, wherein the player tracking interface enables display of the system-based game to a user at the one or more displays, wherein the player tracking interface enables presentation of information to the user at the one or more displays, and wherein the player tracking interface enables reception of information from the user; and (ii) an embedded processor, wherein the embedded processor employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming device processor, wherein the embedded processor controls an outcome of the system-based game, the embedded user interface drives visual gaming presentation components of the system-based game at the one or more displays.   
     
     
         5 . The improvement of  claim 4  comprising the one or more displays includes a wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The improvement of  claim 4  comprising the one or more displays includes one or more reels.