Patent ID: 7883417

Claim:
A communications and data transfer system for gaming establishments having a plurality of gaming machines arranged in a configuration, said system comprising a hand held portable transponder adapted to transmit and receive modulated electromagnetic radiation over a limited range which is about the linear distance occupied by said gaming machines, said transponder further comprising a display device and an input mechanism, and wherein each of said gaming machines includes a communication module connected to a master gaming controller of each said gaming machine, whereby identification and control signals for one or more selected gaming machines of said plurality of gaming machines can be input to, and sent from, said transponder to the master gaming controller of the one or more selected gaming machines and in reply thereto, status data of said one or more selected gaming machines can be sent to, or overwritten by, said transponder; wherein said transponder is further operable to: make a prediction regarding performance of at least one new game to replace a current game of said one or more gaming machines, and display the prediction regarding the performance of the at least one new game on said one or more gaming machines, said performance comprising a ratio of coin-in to a unit of time.