Download and configuration method for gaming machines

Abstract

The system allows a casino operator to manage groups of electronic gaming machines (EGMs). Managing new or existing collections (i.e., groups) of gaming devices reduces the effort required to download or configure large numbers of EGMs. For example, new software may be downloaded to groups of EGMs from a central location, and the EGMs may be configured from the central location. Accordingly, this operational efficiency reduces maintenance costs and minimizes EGM downtime due to maintenance or EGM set-up.

1 . A method for providing software to one or more gaming machines comprising: 
 generating a download package at a software distribution point;    sending the package as a plurality of packets to the one or more gaming machines as part of a multicast;    receiving the packets at each gaming machine;    determining if all packets have been received;    requesting dropped packets from the software distribution point;    resending all dropped packets in a multicast.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the multicast is done as a background process.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a download control process on a gaming machine communicates with a system management point to control the download of the package.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  further including a download receiver, download driver, and package installer on the gaming machine.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  further including validating the package before installation.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further including checking for software prerequisites before installing the package.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further including downloading software prerequisites when needed before installing the package.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further including checking for hardware prerequisites before installing the package.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further including dividing memory on a gaming machine into partitions.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the partitions comprise a manifest partition, a games partition and a download partition.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  further including disabling the game machine when installation conditions have been met.  
   
   
       12 . A method of initializing a gaming machine comprising: 
 providing boot-strap instructions on a storage media on the gaming machine;    using the boot-strap instructions to initialize communications with a server upon initial start-up of the gaming machine;    requesting a software package from the server;    receiving the software package and installing the software package on the gaming machine using the boot-strap instructions.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the boot-strap instructions include a default address of a server for communication.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the server is an SMP network server.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the boot-strap instructions request a default boot-strap package from the server.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the server is an SDP.