Game Conversion System

Abstract

A game conversion system is disclosed for enabling play of legacy games on a previously-incompatible enhanced gaming platform. The system game conversion system includes a game cabinet for a gaming machine, an enhanced gaming platform operatively associated with the gaming machine, one or more legacy games, and a configuration file generator system. The enhanced gaming platform includes an enhance gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board. The one or more legacy games are configured to operate on a legacy gaming platform, and the one or more legacy games are not natively configured to operate on an enhanced gaming platform. The configuration file generator system converts legacy data from legacy game EPROMS into files usable by the enhanced gaming platform-based gaming machine. The game conversion system increases the number of game titles that are available to be played on the newer game platforms by enabling operability of legacy games. Additionally, the game conversion system decreases the amount of certification processing required by utilizing previously-certified legacy games.

1 . A game conversion system, the system comprising: 
 a game cabinet for a gaming machine;    an enhanced gaming platform operatively associated with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhanced gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board;    one or more legacy games, wherein the one or more legacy games are configured to operate on a legacy gaming platform, and wherein the one or more legacy games are not configured to operate on an enhanced gaming platform; and    a configuration file generator system, wherein the configuration file generator system converts legacy data from legacy game EPROMS into files usable by the enhanced gaming platform-based gaming machine; and    whereby the game conversion system increases the number of game titles that are available to be played on the newer game platforms by enabling operability of legacy games, and whereby the game conversion system decreases the amount of certification processing required by utilizing previously-certified legacy games.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform enables dual slot accounting system functionality, multi-percentage gaming, and multi-denomination gaming, while playing a legacy game.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein legacy data is from legacy game EPROMS that have been previously submitted and approved by game regulators.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the legacy data comprises S6000 gaming data.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform comprises an Alpha platform.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration file generator system reads a binary file created from data contained in the legacy game EPROMS and generates a set of configuration files necessary for proper operation of game personalities on an enhanced gaming platform.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration file generator system acts as a translator, and wherein the configuration file generator system does not alter any original mathematical modeling of a game program processed by the system.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the game conversion system enables pre-approved legacy game personalities to be used on enhanced gaming platform-based systems without requiring new development, testing, and submission costs.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the legacy game titles available to an enhanced gaming platform are selected from the group consisting of: jumpin' joker, flaming sevens; fireball, fireball frenzy; wacky winners, bonus frenzy; hat trick, nudge; bonus game, diamonds and devils; monte carlo, hit and run; and S5500 legacy game programs.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform running a legacy game using the game conversion system supports up to three game denominations.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced gaming platform running a legacy game using the game conversion system supports up game denominations do not exceed a value ratio of 10:1.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a video display of enhanced gaming platform enabled gaming machine using the game conversion system supports utilities selected from the group consisting of: game setup/configuration; diagnostics/accounting/game recall; tilt messages; door statuses; ticket in messages; hand pay messages; denomination selection; denomination help screen; credit meter continuously displayed in dollar and cents; and paid meter displayed in dollar and cents upon cashout.  
   
   
       13 . A game conversion system, the system comprising: 
 a game cabinet for a gaming machine, wherein the gaming includes at least a first display screen and a second display screen;    an enhanced gaming platform operatively associated with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhance gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board, and wherein the enhance gaming operating system supports the first and second display screens;    one or more legacy games, wherein at least a portion of the legacy games are configured to operate on only a single display screen; and    a dynamic glass system, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on the second display screen when a single display screen game operates on the single display screen, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on the second display screen that is related to the single display screen game if related game theme content is available.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second display screen is located in the upper panel of a gaming machine.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein game theme related content that was previously printed on an upper panel of a legacy gaming machine that supported single display screen game is virtually mimicked on the second display screen of enhanced gaming platform based gaming machine using the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein dynamic glass system changes content presented on the second display screen to correspond to a currently selected single display screen game presented on the first display screen,  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the single display screen game is selectable by the patron, thereby enabling multiple enhance legacy games to be played consecutively on a gaming cabinet without requiring printed theme content on an upper panel to be replaced or otherwise changed.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein dynamic glass system enables second display surrogate content capability into an enhanced gaming operating system release, wherein the dynamic glass system supports both games having single display screen configurations and games containing intrinsic content for second display screen.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the dynamic glass system only activates, and presents game theme content on the second display screen, when the system detects a single display screen game in operation.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is stored on the operating system compact flash.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is stored on the operating system compact flash in a dedicated partition of the operating system program.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the dedicated partition of the operating system program in which the game theme content for the second display screen is stored, is a read-only partition, wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is non-alterable media.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is a static image.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the game theme content for the second display screen is multi-media.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the dynamic glass system first checks a game compact flash for second display screen content, and if second display screen content is not present on the game content flash, the dynamic glass system checks for second display screen content on the operating system compact flash, and if second display screen content is not present on the operating system compact flash, the dynamic glass system uses default second display screen content from the operating system compact flash.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein second display screen content that is stored on a partition of the operating system compact flash is authenticated before use by the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the operating system disables game play and displays an error message if authentication of the second display screen content fails.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operating system of the game conversion system includes a configuration option for enabling or disabling the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein game theme content for the second display screen includes a plurality of language components that enable games to be quickly converted from a first displayed game in a first language to the first displayed game in a second language using the dynamic glass system.  
   
   
       30 . A game conversion system, the system comprising: 
 a game cabinet for a gaming machine, wherein the gaming includes at least a first display screen and a second display screen;    an enhanced gaming platform operatively associated with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhanced gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board, wherein the enhanced gaming operating system supports the first and second display screens, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes a universal serial bus dongle connection, and wherein a universal serial bus flash memory device is attachable to the dongle connection; and    a dynamic glass system, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on the second display screen when a single display screen game operates on the single display screen, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on the second display screen that is related to the single display screen game from the universal serial bus flash memory device is attached to the dongle connection.    
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the second display screen related to the single display screen game stored in the universal serial bus flash memory device is language data for corresponding foreign games.  
   
   
       32 . A game conversion system, the system comprising: 
 a game cabinet for a gaming machine, wherein the gaming includes at least a first display screen and a second display screen;    an enhanced gaming platform operatively associated with the gaming machine, wherein the enhanced gaming platform includes an enhance gaming operating system and an enhanced gaming processor board, wherein the enhance gaming operating system supports the first and second display screens, wherein the enhance gaming platform includes a universal serial bus dongle connection, and wherein a universal serial bus flash memory device is attachable to the dongle connection; and    a dynamic glass system, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content on a display screen, wherein the dynamic glass system presents game theme content that is related to a currently selected game, and wherein the game theme content is stored on the universal serial bus flash memory device is attached to the dongle connection.