Method for configuration

Abstract

A method for configuring an EGM from a remote terminal thereby providing improvements in operational efficiency when configuring EGMs. For example, operational efficiencies are possible by providing direct access to configure an EGM without the technician traveling to the physical machine, which may be miles away. For local EGM's, there will be efficiencies obtained by the number of EGM's configured per hour/per technician. For extremely remote EGM's, there are additional efficiencies by the reduction of travel and lodging expenses for the technician. Additionally, remote configuration of an EGM reduces security overhead.

1 . A method for configuring a gaming machine comprising:
 establishing communication between a host server and the gaming machine;   sending a configuration change from the host server to the gaming machine;   testing the configuration change for validity;   making the configuration change at the gaming machine when the configuration change is valid.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gaming machine communicates with the host sever via a host interpreter. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the gaming machine includes a configuration server communicating with the host interpreter and with a game client. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the gaming machine returns an error when the configuration change is not valid. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the configuration change is stored in a storage means. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the storage means is NVRAM. 
   
   
       7 . A method for configuring a gaming machine comprising:
 defining a configuration template at a host server having one or more configuration options;   establishing communication between the host server and the gaming machine;   sending the configuration template to the gaming machine;   testing the configuration template for validity;   configuring options on the gaming machine in accordance with the configuration template when the configuration template is valid.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the configuration template comprises an XML file. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the gaming machine may provide the configuration template to other gaming machines for use. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the configuration template is valid only if all options of the configuration template are valid. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the gaming machine stores a current configuration status in memory on the gaming machine. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the gaming machine communicates the current configuration status to the host server.