Patent ID: 7111141
Filing Date: 2006-09-19
Classification: A63F,G06F,G07F

Abstract:
1. A non-volatile memory allocation system for storing critical data in a gaming machine comprising: a non-volatile memory having memory space configurable to store critical data for a plurality of types of wagering games played on the gaming machine wherein the critical data comprises 1) current state information including credit information generated during a play of one of the plurality of types of wagering games, said current state information describing a current state of the gaming machine during the play in a manner that allows the gaming machine to be restored to the current state when a power interruption occurs between the current state and a following state in the play; and 2) previous state information including credit information associated with a previous play of one of the plurality of types of wagering games; a non-volatile memory manager configured to allocate and deallocate memory space in the non-volatile memory for first critical data associated with a first wagering game in the plurality of types of wagering games without altering or modifying existing second critical data stored in the non-volatile memory associated with a second wagering game in the plurality of types of wagering games wherein the deallocation comprises identifying the first critical data associated with the first game and identifying the memory space of the first critical data in the non-volatile memory and wherein the memory manager is configured to allocate and deallocate the memory space while the gaming machine is operable for game play.