Gaming control system

Abstract

In an extended casino network, a master controller can be provided to communicate and control non-gaming devices on the casino floor such as lighting, security cameras, public video displays, etc. The master controller may receive control events or commands from an electronic gaming machine in a gaming machine protocol (e.g. G2S) or proprietary protocol and translate the commands to generic protocols for communication to the non-gaming devices. The master controller may also translate events from the non-gaming devices from a generic or device specific protocol to a higher level casino protocol (e.g. S2S) and publish the device events to one or more casino management servers. Furthermore, the master controller may receive control events or commands from one or more casino management servers in a system to system protocol (e.g. S2S) or proprietary protocol and translate the commands to generic protocols for communication to the non-gaming devices.

1 . An extended casino network comprising:
 at least one electronic gaming machine;   at least one master controller; and   at least one non-gaming device;   wherein the at least one master controller is configured to communicate with the at least one electronic gaming machine to receive at least one event from the at least one electronic gaming machine; and   wherein the at least one master controller is configured to provide a control to the at least one non-gaming device in response to the at least one event.   
   
   
       2 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one master controller is configured to receive the at least one event from the at least one electronic gaming machine in a G2S protocol. 
   
   
       3 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one event comprises at least one control event, wherein the master controller is configured to translate the at least one control event from a gaming machine protocol to a non-gaming device protocol and wherein the master controller is configured to provide the at least one event to the at least one non-gaming devices in the non-gaming device protocol. 
   
   
       4 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  comprising at least one host server, wherein the master controller is configured to:
 receive at least one device event from the at least one non-gaming device; and   publish the at least one device event to the at least one host server.   
   
   
       5 . The extended casino network according to  claim 4  wherein the at least one master controller is configured to translate the at least one device event from a non-gaming device protocol to at least one of a G2S protocol or an S2S protocol. 
   
   
       6 . The extended casino network according to  claim 4  wherein the at least one master controller is configured to receive a subscription request from at least one host server and to publish one or more device events from the one or more non-gaming devices to subscribed ones of the at least one host server. 
   
   
       7 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  comprising a plurality of non-gaming devices, wherein the at least one master controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of non-gaming devices using a plurality of protocols. 
   
   
       8 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  wherein the one or more non-gaming devices comprise one or more public displays and wherein the master controller is configured to command a display to the at least one public display in response to receiving the at least one event from the at least one electronic gaming machine. 
   
   
       9 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  wherein the one or more non-gaming devices comprise one or more security cameras and wherein the master controller is configured to command the one or more security cameras in response to receiving the at least one event from the at least one electronic gaming machine. 
   
   
       10 . The extended casino network according to  claim 1  comprising:
 a first master controller configured to:
 translate device events received by the first master controller in a device protocol to a G2S protocol; and 
 publish the device events to one or more G2S subscribers; and 
   a second master controller configured to
 subscribe to device events of the first master controller using a G2S protocol; 
 translate the device events to an S2S protocol; and 
 publish the device events to one or more subscribers using the S2S protocol. 
   
   
   
       11 . A master controller configured to:
 receive a control event from at least one first device of a casino network in a first device protocol;   translate the first device protocol to a second device protocol; and   provide a command event to at least one second device of the casino network in the second device protocol in response to receiving the control event.   
   
   
       12 . The master controller according to  claim 11  wherein the at least one first device comprises at least one player awareness device and wherein the master controller is configured to:
 receive a player detection from the at least one player awareness device, the player detection identifying a player;   determine if the player is in violation of a location restriction; and   provide an indication of the violation to at least one security server.   
   
   
       13 . The master controller according to  claim 11  configured to receive a control event from at least one electronic gaming machine and to provide a command to at least one non-gaming device in response to the control event. 
   
   
       14 . The master controller according to  claim 11  wherein the master controller is configured to receive a control event from a first non-gaming device and provide a control command to a second non-gaming device. 
   
   
       15 . The master controller according to  claim 11  comprising a non-gaming device interface module configured to determine a communication protocol of a non-gaming device connected to the master controller and request the non-gaming device communication protocol from a mediation server. 
   
   
       16 . A method for providing an extended casino network comprising:
 providing a master controller;   auto-discovering one or more electronic gaming machines networked to the master controller;   auto-discovering one or more non-gaming devices networked to the master controller; and   publishing at least one service of at least one of the at least one electronic gaming machines and the at least one non-gaming devices.   
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16  comprising:
 receiving a subscription request at the master controller from at least one host server networked to the master controller;   subscribing the at least one host server to one or more published events of the master controller; and   publishing the at least one service to the at least one host server.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17  comprising:
 receiving a device event from at least one non-gaming device using a device protocol;   translating the device event from the device protocol to an S2S protocol; and   publishing the device event to the at least one host server using the S2S protocol.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17  comprising:
 receiving a device event from at least one non-gaming device using a device protocol;   translating the device event from the device protocol to a G2S protocol; and   publishing the device event to the at least one electronic gaming machine using the G2S protocol.   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 16  comprising:
 receiving a control command for at least one of the non-gaming devices;   translating the control command to a protocol readable by the at least one non-gaming device; and   providing the translated control command to the at least one non-gaming device.