Patent ID: 6908391

Claim:
A centrally controlled gaming system, comprising: a communication network; at least one central server, each having a first computer controller that is configured to control and monitor the gaming system, and a first network interface coupled to first computer controller and to the communication network; at least one gaming terminal, each including a second computer controller that is configured to control game software of the gaming terminal; at least one specialized device fitted inside or to a side of each of the at least one gaming terminal, each specialized device being configured to perform specialized functions for each gaming terminal that include both software control functions and hardware functions, each specialized device comprising: a third computer controller having software configured to perform the software control functions of the specialized functions; hardware means configured to perform the hardware functions of the specialized functions under the control of the software control functions; a second network interface coupled to the third computer controller and to the communication network, the third computer controller being configured to at least one of (a) boot its operating system and (b) load its application software form the at least one central server via the second network interface independently of the second computer controller of the gaming terminal to which the at least one specialized device is fitted; each central server being further configured to provide boot services and data files via the first network interface for enabling each third computer controller to at least one of (a) boot its operating system and (b) load its application software via the second network interface independently of the second computer controller.