Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – With communication link
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-28
2008-11-25
Pezzuto, Robert E (Department: 3714)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
With communication link
C463S025000, C463S029000, C463S039000, C463S040000, C463S041000, C463S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07455591
ABSTRACT:
A disclosed gaming communication network provides an enhanced DCU that provides redundant mediation between gaming machines on the gaming communication network and a host server. The enhanced DCU provides a first, primary transmission path and a second, redundant transmission path between the gaming machines and the host server. In the event one transmission path is disrupted, the other provides continuing transmissions between the gaming communication network and the host server. In the event both transmission paths are disrupted, the enhanced DCU functions as a local interim server and stores data received from the gaming machines on the gaming communication network until such time as the data can be transmitted to the host server. In some embodiments, the enhanced DCU acts as a local interim server to the gaming machines using data mirrored from the host server prior to transmission disruption. In some embodiments, the enhanced DCU functions as a download server and stores data received from the host server and asynchronously transmits the data to the gaming machines, so as to mitigate disruption of game play. In some embodiments, the enhanced DCU may also function as a local cache of information that is repeatedly accessed by the gaming machines on the gaming communication network so as to reduce the transmission load on the first and/or second transmission path. In some embodiments, the enhanced DCU provides different network input connection ports to enable utilization of the enhanced DCU with different network formats, such as fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, or wireless transmission media.
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Hoel Matthew D.
IGT
Pezzuto Robert E
Weaver Austin Villeneuve & Sampson LLP
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