Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Although the invention is suitable for a wide variety of applications, the description of the preferred embodiment uses it in a gaming unit, one of the class of machines variably known as slot machines, video poker machines, video keno machines, or generally as “gambling devices.” Such devices have become ubiquitous throughout the world as various jurisdictions have legalized gambling as a recreational pastime and means of generating tax revenues. 
         [0002]    These devices began as purely mechanical “slot machines” more than a century ago (with various mechanical amusement devices dating back much further.) With the addition of electromechanical mechanisms and, more recently, electronics and virtual displays, they have becomes exceedingly complex gaming platforms capable of offering a vast array of gaming choices to today&#39;s sophisticated gaming customer. The problem is that customers insist on more and more choices, with more and more frequent updates. Unlike traditional “arcade” gaming systems, gambling devices are heavily regulated. States either maintain their own independent testing laboratories or rely on closely monitored independent laboratories to make sure the machines are honest and perform as advertised and within the gambling regulatory scheme of the pertinent jurisdiction. This means that every time a manufacturer wants to upgrade an existing machine, the entire configuration must be retested and certified: in most jurisdictions, the regulations are so strict that a state regulatory employee must be present if a gambling machine is so much as moved on the floor or opened to replace a burned-out light bulb. 
         [0003]    Given this regulatory environment, and the price of the machines, it can be very difficult for manufacturers to provide upgrades at a reasonable cost and in a timely fashion while maintaining security and reliability. It would be desirable to provide a means of upgrading gambling machines which would provide maximum opportunity for diverse consumer choices while allowing ease of upgrade and simple evaluation by regulatory agencies. The present invention addresses these concerns. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    An object of the invention is to provide a segmented memory control system for gaming units. 
         [0005]    A second object of the invention is to provide a means of quickly and easily upgrading gaming units to change any desired parameter or play means. 
         [0006]    A third object of the invention is to provide a means of upgrading gaming units which minimizes the total change to the gaming unit to facilitate regulatory evaluation of the upgraded gaming unit. 
         [0007]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following disclosure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention relates to a segmented memory control system for gaming units. Multiple memory reader units, each capable of reading removable memory units, are incorporated into the gaming unit. The gaming unit has a prioritization scheme so that data on the memory units are evaluated and if a data set on a higher priority reader unit overrides a data set on a lower priority reader unit or the gaming unit&#39;s base instruction and data sets, the data on the highest-priority reader unit is used by the gaming unit as it executes instructions and play proceeds. This allows upgrades to be submitted as individual data sets to regulators and for the upgrading process to be efficient, fast, and simple to minimize expense and downtime for the gaming unit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The characteristic features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims. The descriptions of the preferred embodiment refer to the preceding drawings: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an abstract representational view of the entire apparatus. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an abstract representational view of an embodiment of the segmented memory control system. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart demonstrating the operational cycle of the apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    The description of the preferred embodiment uses the invention in a gaming device of the type usually referred to as a “slot machine.” It could be used in any desired gaming or entertainment device, including but not limited to such things as a video poker game, a video keno game, a combination gaming machine, or even a coin-operated or bartop amusement device. 
         [0014]    By referring to  FIG. 1 , the basic concept of the invention may be easily understood. Gaming Unit  100  comprises cabinet  109 , which contains user control array  104  and display  106 , which are controlled by the segmented memory control system. (See  FIG. 2 .) 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  details a potential embodiment of the invention. Central processor  102  uses instructions, graphics, sound and other customary data stored on primary memory  108  to conduct play by displaying graphics on display  106  and allowing interaction (game selection, wagering, etc.) by the player via user control array  104 . It is preferred, but not required, that primary memory  108  be a ROM, PROM, or E-PROM chip as customarily used in the field of electronics. Primary memory  108  could also comprise a flash RAM chip, a hard drive, an optical disc in an optical disc reader, or any other non-volatile means of storing data as required to conduct game play. While it is not required, a random-access memory means, such as a RAM chip or a hard drive (not shown) will greatly facilitate the operation of gaming unit  100  by allowing the unit to temporarily store information such as the size of the current wager, the results of prior games conducted by the current player, personal data about the current player for customized game play, or any other desired temporary information. 
         [0016]    Reader units  101  and  103  are capable of reading removable memory units  105  and  107 . It is preferred, but not required, that the reader units be USB-based flash RAM readers, and that removable memory units be flash RAM cards, as both of those items are customarily used in the field of electronics. The reader units could also be optical disc readers, DIP or ZIF sockets for DIP chips, or any other configuration allowing the insertion and removal of corresponding appropriate removable memory units. It is strongly preferred, but not required, that the reader units be such that if there is no removable memory unit present, the reader units do not suffer degradation and can be disregarded by the central processing unit without any interference in the operation of the gaming unit. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  details the operation of the preferred embodiment. At an appropriate time or times (preferably, at bootup of the gaming unit) the Segmented Memory Evaluation Process begins as in Step  200 . First, the device determines, whether by inquiring of a central server, reading back a non-volatile memory location, asking for user input, or any other reasonable means, how many Data Types are to be evaluated as in Step  202 , up to a constant which is referred to as YMAX. YMAX represents the number of times the entire Segmented Memory Evaluation procedure will be executed. Each Data Type represents a class or subclass of computer code, computer graphics, digitized sound, algorithms, localized language text, or other suitable type of electronic data. Specific data in the form of machine-readable text, code, sound or graphics is referred to as a Data Set. In the example given, there are two Removable Memory Units and one Primary Memory Unit to be evaluated. It is required that the Primary Memory Unit contain a Data Set for each Data Type, even if it is only a default “zero value,” or else that the code controlling the unit set a default value for any Data Type for which a Data Set is not found. 
         [0018]    After setting the Data Type to “1” as in Step  204 , where a location of “1” corresponds to the first Data Type to be set, the unit establishes the priority of Data Sets according to their location in memory locations, beginning with memory location  1  as in Step  208 . The priority of each memory location (removable or primary) is set according to a predetermined scheme. In the example given, the lower the number of the address of the memory location, the higher priority Data Sets from that location receive in the Segmented Memory Evaluation process. The actual method and means of prioritization is not specific, only that there be such a prioritization. It is permissible, although not preferred or required, that the Removable Memory Units contain prioritizing Data sets which independently establish their priority, e.g. under a priority system using a hierarchy patterned after the Greek alphabet, a Removable Memory Unit could contain a Data Set which gave its priority as “Beta,” which would mean it would override any Removable Memory Unit with a priority of “Delta” but would be overridden by a Removable Memory Unit with a priority of “Alpha,” using a hierarchy following the Greek alphabet. If this technique is used, it is required that some means of either preventing or dealing with duplicate priority claims, such as assigning the higher priority to a data set with a more recent write date, or in the lowest-positioned Reader Unit, or other sufficiently identifiable criteria. 
         [0019]    Once the prioritization has been established—here, simply using locations referred to by ascending Roman numerals—the unit first looks for a Data Set in Memory Unit Address Location  1 , which corresponds to Removable Memory Unit  105  in reader unit  103  (not shown: see  FIG. 1 ) as in Step  210 . If it does not find a Data Set to put in the current Data Type, it increments the location to search by one as in Step  212  and repeats Step  210 . This process repeats until a Data Set is found or the lowest-priority location has been evaluated. It is, as previously stated, required that either the primary memory  108  (not shown, see  FIG. 1 ) or whatever corresponds to the lowest-priority memory location contain default data for all Data Types, or some process for dealing with non-specified Data Sets be implemented. Here, it is assumed that the former is true and therefore at some point, an appropriate Data Set will be located. When this occurs, the unit sets the contents of the current Data Type to equal the current Data Set as in Step  214 . 
         [0020]    After setting the contents of the current Data Type, the unit checks to see if it has filled all Data Types—in other words, to see if the Segmented Memory Evaluation process has executed YMAX times. If the answer is no, the unit increments the Data Type to be evaluated by one as in Step  218 , and then the unit returns to Step  206 , and the process repeats. If the answer is yes, the process is complete, and the process terminates as in Step  220 . 
         [0021]    To cite an example which is not preferred or required, but well illustrates the practice of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art, the means of prioritizing the memory units, including both primary and removable memory units, could be as straightforward as assigning each a volume or device identifier and using what is typically referred to in most modern operating systems as the PATH variable to allow reference to otherwise-identical file specification paths in the order in which the devices are referred to in the PATH variable. Then, if the data required for any particular data set is normally stored in a data file identified as DEVICE/foo/bar/file.ext, the gaming unit looks for it in each device in turn according to the priority set forth in the PATH variable such that if the highest priority device is identified as device_ 0 , the next highest is identified as device — 1, and so forth until the primary device is identified as device_X, the gaming unit will first look in device_ 0 /foo/bar/ for the data file it needs, then device_ 1 /foo/bar/, and so on until it reaches device_X/foo/bar/, at which point it will either find default data or respond as desired to a lack of defined data for that data set. 
         [0022]    While the description above details the preferred and best mode(s) of practicing the invention, many other configurations and variations are possible. For example:
       1) The invention need not be practiced as a gaming unit, but could be a coin-operated amusement device, a home gaming system, or any other appropriate system.   2) The various memories need not comprise physical RAM, Flash RAM, or other similar devices, but could comprise optical discs, floppy discs, or even remote memory locations accessible through a network.
 
Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated, but by the claims below and their equivalents.

Technology Category: g