Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – With communication link
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-01
2001-07-24
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
With communication link
C463S041000, C463S016000, C463S017000, C463S018000, C463S019000, C463S020000, C273S431000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264561
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This present invention relates, generally, to remote location electronic gaming devices and, more particularly, relates to mechanisms and methods for enabling use of electronic games to be licensed and resident on the remote electronic gaming devices.
BACKGROUND ART
In the recent past, gaming machines have become increasingly sophisticated. The once traditional mechanically-driven reel slot machines are often replaced with electronic counterparts having computer driven games with spinning reel display devices, CRT video displays or the like. Moreover, these electronic gaming advancements enable the operation of more complex gambling games which would not otherwise be possible on mechanical-driven gambling machines. Such stand alone electronic games include spinning reel games, Slot, Keno, Blackjack, Poker, Pai Gow, video spinning reel games and all the variations thereof.
More recently, multiple game platforms have been developed which provide access to multiple electronic games through a single stand alone gaming machine. A game selection menu may be provided on a video display which offers the patron the choice of at least two electronic games. The gaming patron, thus, may select a game of their choice without having to search the gaming establishment for the location of a desired game.
These games are usually stored in Erasable, Programmable, Read-Only Memory (EPROM) chip sets which are then incorporated into compatible gaming machines for operation thereof. Depending upon the licensing scheme negotiated between the machine manufacturer or game vendor and the gaming operator, any combination of selected video games may be licensed by the gaming operator. A number of free conventional games may also be bundled together with the licensed games on the EPROM chip set to offer a larger variety or package of games to the gaming operator and their patrons.
One problem associated with this design, however, is that depending upon the negotiated selected games, a separate EPROM set must be provided in each instance. For example, if the licensed games included were Blackjack, Poker and Keno, a specific EPROM set would be necessary incorporating only those three games. Should the gaming operator desire only Blackjack and Poker, another EPROM set is required which excluded Keno, etc.
In addition, each gaming alteration requires an EPROM chip set installment. This disincentive to alter the number of offered games also results in gaming machine downtime, as well as higher operating costs for the gaming operator and the risk of damaging EPROMS during removal or installation. The costs for the machine manufacturer or game vendor are also increased since they must supply several different EPROM chip sets having different combinations of games.
In contrast, if only one gaming EPROM were provided which contained a full set of games accessible by the gaming operator, the manufacturer or game vendor would have no means of controlling which games the gaming operator accessed or made available to their patrons. In this arrangement, an unlicensed game would be just as accessible as a licensed game.
Another problem associated with the EPROM chip set technology is that the EPROMs are easily copied. Any gaming operator could have the EPROMs reproduced and subsequently inserted into other compatible machines. Such reproductions are also difficult to control, and thus cause substantial loss of revenue to the manufacturer or licensor.
This is a serious concern for gaming machine manufacturers and gaming vendors alike. Accordingly, in view of the above observations, it would be desirable to provide a multiple game platform gaming machine which can easily enable the gaming machine manufacturer or vendor to control the licensing of the selected games. In addition, it would be desirable to reduce the costliness and inconvenience of providing a multitude of EPROM chip sets having differing combinations of accessible games.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for enabling use of at least one electronic game of a plurality of electronically disabled games which are operably accessible from a gaming machine. The method includes the steps of: (a) selecting an electronically disabled electronic game from the gaming machine; and (b) generating a Request Code representative of the particular selected electronic game on the particular gaming machine for input into an encoder device. The present invention then includes the steps of (c) receiving an Enabling Code responsive to the Request Code and calculated by the encoder device specifically for the particular gaming machine; and (d) inputting the Enabling Code, representing information electronically enabling operation of the previously disabled electronic game for that gaming machine, into the gaming machine to enable operation of the selected game.
In one embodiment, the generating step may further include the step of generating an input machine identification component, an input game identification component and an input time period component, all of the Request Code. Briefly, the input machine identification component represents the identification of a particular gaming machine, while the input game identification component represents the selected game to be enabled. Finally, the input time period component of the Request Code represents a predetermined time for enabling use of the selected game.
Similarly, in another embodiment, the Enabling Code includes a corresponding output game identification component, an output machine identification component and an output time period component. The output game identification component is generated in response to the input game identification component of the Request Code which enables use of the selected electronic game. The output machine identification component is generated in response to the input machine identification component of the Request Code which enables use of the selected electronic game on the particular gaming machine. Finally, the output time period component is generated in response to the input time period component of the Request Code which enables use of the selected electronic game for a predetermined time period on the particular gaming machine.
The gaming machine may be coupled to an enabling device which is configured to generate the Request Code. This enabling device preferably includes a clock device responsive to the output time period component of the Enabling Code to enable use of the selected game for the predetermined time period. To prevent attempts to circumvent the internal clock device, upon manual resetting of the clock device a predetermined number of times, the enabling device may automatically disable use of the selected game.
In another configuration, the generating step further includes the step of encrypting the Request Code through an encrypting device communicably coupled to the enabling device. Upon receipt of the encrypted Enabling Code, the method further includes the step of decrypting the Enabling Code through a decrypting device communicably coupled to the enabling device to retrieve the Enabling Code data.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for enabling use of at least one electronic game of a plurality of electronic games is provided which is operably accessible from a gaming machine. The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving a Request Code generated by the gaming machine, representing the identification of a selected, electronic game to be licensed on the particular gaming machine; and (b) inputting the received Request Code into an encoder device. The method of the present invention further includes the step of (c) responsive to the input Request Code, generating an Enabling Code representing data electronically enabling operation of the previously disabled electronic game for input into that particular gaming machine for licensed operation thereof.
In still another aspect, a gaming machine is provided including a display device, and an electronic multiple-game platform having a
Cass Mark R.
Crowder Robert W.
Lam Mark Y.
Saffari Ali M.
Beyer Weaver & Thomas
International Game Technology
Martin-Wallace Valencia
White Carmen D.
LandOfFree
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