Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7951005?dq=5754119
Timestamp: 2017-05-24 03:18:37
Document Index: 617400131

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2004205042', 'Application No. 0503823', 'Application No. 0503823', 'Application No. 0503823', 'Application No. 0503823', 'Application No. 0503823', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 05711513', 'Application No. 05711513']

Patent US7951005 - Network gaming system management - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA data presentation system that allows a user to view information from a game network in real-time is disclosed. Information is collected from a game network and stored in a data repository. Data is gathered from the data repository, filtered, formatted, and displayed on a viewer of a user machine connected...http://www.google.com/patents/US7951005?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7951005 - Network gaming system managementAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7951005 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/036,530Publication dateMay 31, 2011Filing dateJan 12, 2005Priority dateJan 14, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2553411A1, EP1706853A1, US20050170892, WO2005069235A1Publication number036530, 11036530, US 7951005 B2, US 7951005B2, US-B2-7951005, US7951005 B2, US7951005B2InventorsKeith W. AtkinsonOriginal AssigneeIgtExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (28), Non-Patent Citations (47), Referenced by (2), Classifications (12), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetNetwork gaming system management
US 7951005 B2Abstract
a communications interface to the gaming network to allow information data about the gaming network to be accessed by a plurality of wireless access servers, the gaming network including a plurality of gaming machines and a database repository configured to store information data, the wireless access servers being distributed around a gaming floor on which the gaming machines are available for play, the wireless access servers including a data parser and a database and being coupled via an event monitor to the database repository on which information data is stored and the wireless access servers configured to receive information data from the database repository, the event monitor being configured to combine live information data from the gaming network with information data stored on the database repository to generate a warning, indication or signal used in monitoring a possible problem condition associated with operation of the gaming machines on the gaming network;
at least one handheld wireless device configured to communicate with a wireless access server over a wireless link to access information data on the wireless access server in response to a query from a user of the wireless device, the wireless device having a display for viewing information data including information data displayed in graphical form relating to parameters of operation of the gaming network; and
a user machine, other than the wireless device, configured to access information data on a wireless access server in response to a query from a user of the user machine and to present a response on a display of the user machine in graphical form relating to parameters of operation of the gaming network, the user machine including a browser configured to provide access and control of a display of information data.
2. The data presentation system of claim 1, the communications interface residing on a gaming machine.
4. The data presentation system of claim 1, the system further comprising a firewall to filter information from the at least one wireless device.
5. The data presentation system of claim 1, the response further comprising information about a player at a particular gaming machine.
6. The data presentation system of claim 1, the response further comprising information about a particular gaming machine.
7. The data presentation system of claim 1, the response further comprising a number of total players utilizing a particular gaming network.
8. The data presentation system of claim 1 wherein a graphical display on the display of a handheld device or the user machine includes a user-selectable button that allows a user of a handheld device or the user machine to select information data for display.
9. A method of monitoring a gaming network, comprising:
presenting a selection of views of operating parameters in a gaming network, including a plurality of gaming machines and a database repository configured to store information data about the gaming network, from at least one of a plurality of wireless access servers, at a handheld wireless device across a wireless link or at a user machine, the wireless access servers including a data parser and a database and being distributed around a gaming floor on which the gaming machines are available for play, the wireless access servers being coupled to the database repository on which information data is stored via a communications interface and the wireless access servers configured to receive information data from the database repository, the user machine including a browser configured to provide access and control of a display of information data, and the wireless device having a display for viewing information data;
receiving user input selecting a view from either a user of the wireless device or from a user of the user machine, the view including information data displayed in graphical form relating to operating parameters of the gaming network; and
providing information to the user of the wireless device for the view selected across the wireless link or to the user of the user machine such that the user of the wireless device or the user of the user machine is able to customize the selected view, ensuring that the desired information is available to the user of the wireless device or the user of the user machine.
10. The method of claim 9, presenting a selection of views further comprising presenting a selection including at least one view from the group consisting of: player location, hot players, player history, machine events, head count, and hot player report.
11. The method of claim 9, presenting a selection of views further comprising presenting a selection including at least one view from the group consisting of: total occupancy, occupancy by denomination, and occupancy by sections.
12. The method of claim 9, presenting a selection of views further comprising presenting a selection including at least one view from the group consisting of: metered coin activity, staff coverage, current staff and shift performance.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein a graphical display on the display of a handheld device or the user machine includes a user-selectable button that allows a user of a handheld device or the user machine to select information data for display.
In one aspect, the invention features a data presentation system of a gaming network. The data presentation system comprises a communications interface to the gaming network to allow information about the gaming network to be accessed. The data presentation system further includes a user machine to access the information data in response to queries from a user and to present responses in real time.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of monitoring a gaming network. The method comprises presenting a selection of views of operating parameters in a gaming network at a wireless device across a wireless link, receiving user input selecting a view, and providing information to the user for the view selected across the wireless link.
In yet another aspect, the invention features a method of operating a gaming network. The method comprises gathering information about parameters of operation of a gaming network and presenting the information at a user machine in real time. The method further includes receiving inputs from the user machine, transmitting the inputs to other points in the gaming network, and altering operation of the network based upon the inputs.
FIGS. 19A and 19B is a promotional brochure that gives additional details of embodiments of the invention.
The host 210 includes a data parser 212, a server, such as an “http” or “web” server 214, and a wireless host component 216. Additionally, the host 210 is coupled to a database 218, which may or may not be physically included in a same cabinet as the host 210. As data is received from the interface 62, such as data collected anywhere from the gaming network 5, it is separated or “parsed” by the data parser 212, and stored on the database 218, to be accessed by a user device.
The data presentation system can also include one or more wireless devices 230. The wireless devices 230 communicate through a wireless network, for example, an 801.1 lb wireless Ethernet network, to the wireless host 216 in the host machine 210. Data is served to the wireless device 230 similar to how it is served to a browser 222 on the user machine. The wireless network is a secured network, such as FHP, and uses other forms of security known in the art of wireless computing.
In operation, the browser 222 provides complete application functionality, in that users have full interactive access and control of the data displayed. As described below, data is displayed in numeric output as well as graphical (line graphs and bar charts) representations that refresh at intervals. The intervals may be as fast as one-to two-seconds, or could be longer, where applicable. Users have the ability to customize the view of application data, ensuring that the information needed is readily available.
The wireless servers 130 may be separated from the gaming network 5 by a firewall 150. A firewall is hardware and software operating to protect resources of a network. Specifically, the firewall 150 can be a tunneling firewall that encapsulates and encrypts data packets traveling between the wireless servers 130 and the firewall 150. An application server 110 can be used in conjunction with the wireless servers 130 on the gamefloor 118. Additionally, a switch 160 could be used to partition particular IP (Internet Protocol) or other addresses so the partitioned addresses are only available by the wireless servers 130, or the wireless devices 140 that couple to the wireless servers 130. Although illustrated outside of the gaming floor 118, the firewall 150, server 110, and switch 160 could all also be within the gaming floor. Their physical location is unimportant.
With reference back to FIGS. 1 and 3, the application server 110 of FIG. 3 could be embodied by a Mobile Data Access (MDA) server 108 of FIG. 1. The firewall 150 of FIG. 3 is not present in FIG. 1 but could, of course, be added between the MDA server 108 and the rest of the gaming network 5. In FIG. 1, the MDA server 108 connects to the gaming network 5 through a communication hub 102. The communication hub 102, in turn, is connected to the translator 50 and to an event monitor 104. The event monitor 104 is also coupled to the server cluster 56, which was described above.
On FIG. 17 is illustrated a total number of players during a shift, where “players” can be defined in a number of ways. One such way is that a player is one who puts money or value in a gaming device and plays a game. If the player continues to play games, they are still only considered to be a single player (who has a multiple gaming session). If the player leaves and a new player comes to the gaming machine, the new player is counted as another player if, for example, there has been a 1 or 2 minute delay since the first player had last made some sort of action on the gaming device.
Under a block entitled shift slot department, the number and positions of casino personnel presently working on the floor can be illustrated. Additionally, by pressing a “detail report button”, further information can be shown. An example of a detailed report screen is shown in FIG. 16. In that figure, data about casino employees, their names, identification numbers, titles, and the times they change shifts is shown. Such data can be very valuable in managing personnel and maximizing people resources on a casino floor. A screen such as shown in FIG. 16 may open in a daughter window when the “detail report button” is pressed in FIG. 17.
In a box entitled “excessive events”, particular events may be shown. A color next to the particular event may indicate whether the number of times the even has happened in a shift is “excessive” or not. The number of events that is deemed as excessive can be set by a manufacturer, or a casino, for instance. If the number of events is set by the casino, a pull-down box can be presented, where the casino sets a number that makes the particular event excessive. For example, in FIG. 17, the number next to “fills” is 4, which means that the operator considers more than four (or four or more) events to be excessive. When four (or more than four) such events occur during a shift, an icon next to the particular event may indicate that the number has been exceeded. The icon may turn color, or flash, for example. Such customization makes it very easy to see if any excessive events have occurred during the time from when the display has been reset. Resets may occur hourly, or after a particular shift, for example.
FIG. 18 illustrates another view of data that can be illustrated on a screen to show events as they occur, or total events during a particular time, such as a working shift.
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LimitedMethod Of Displaying Performance Data, A Performance Manager And A Performance Management SystemUS20110294575 *Feb 7, 2011Dec 1, 2011Bally Gaming, Inc.Method for Monitoring and Controlling Gaming Devices* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification463/42, 463/29, 463/25, 463/16International ClassificationG07F17/32, A63F13/00Cooperative ClassificationG07F17/3232, G07F17/32, G07F17/3239European ClassificationG07F17/32, G07F17/32E6, G07F17/32E6D2Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionApr 8, 2005ASAssignmentOwner name: ACRES GAMING INCORPORATED, NEVADAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ATKINSON, KEITH W.;REEL/FRAME:016037/0289Effective date: 20050110May 24, 2006ASAssignmentOwner name: IGT, NEVADAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ACRES GAMING INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:017669/0919Effective date: 20060515Oct 23, 2014FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services