Patent ID: 8784211

Claim:
A gaming machine comprising: a gaming machine housing; and a master gaming controller configured to execute a game of chance played on the gaming machine and to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of peripheral devices used to play the game of chance, wherein: (a) the peripheral devices are selected from the group consisting of: a player tracking unit, a light, a ticket printer, a card reader, a speaker, a bill validator, a ticket reader, a coin acceptor, a display panel, a key pad, a coin hopper and a button pad; (b) the peripheral devices are mounted within the gaming machine housing; (c) the peripheral devices are coupled to peripheral controllers; and (d) the master gaming controller comprises a wireless communication manager executed by the master gaming controller and configured to: (1) manage wireless communications between (i) the master gaming controller and the peripheral controllers of the peripheral devices, and (ii) the peripheral controllers of the peripheral devices; and (2) configure a first peripheral controller coupled to a first peripheral device to communicate wirelessly with both the master gaming controller and a second different peripheral controller coupled to a second different peripheral device by assigning a communication identification key to said first peripheral controller.