Hybrid network system and method

Abstract

A hybrid network system and method is used for incrementally upgrading a gaming system from legacy equipment to broadband equipment while maintaining the capability to support the assets and functionality of both legacy gaming devices and networks and modern gaming devices and networks. The hybrid network system enables new gaming devices and networks to coexist in the same system as existing, legacy gaming devices and networks, and thereby upgrade components as resources and availability allow. The hybrid network system enables the addition of modern devices and networks having new capabilities while continuing to support legacy equipment that is currently in use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gaming network bridge that normalizes messages received in multiple protocols and over multiple network typologies for use in a hybrid network system, the gaming network bridge comprising:
 a first floor-side port, wherein the first floor-side port enables interconnection with a first gaming machine that communicates with the bridge via a floor-side serial network using a first protocol, wherein the first protocol is a serial message protocol;   a second floor-side port, wherein the second floor-side port enables interconnection with a second gaming machine that communicates with the bridge via a floor-side packet-based network using a second protocol, wherein the second protocol is a packet-based message protocol; and   a message converter, wherein the message converter is configured to convert the serial message protocol into a normalized packet-based message protocol for communicating with a backend, server-side network, and wherein the message converter is configured to convert the packet-based message protocol into the normalized packet-based message protocol for communicating with the backend, server-side network.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming network bridge of  claim 1 , wherein the first protocol is a relatively low-speed serial polling protocol. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming network bridge of  claim 1 , wherein the second protocol is a high-speed IP-based protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming network bridge of  claim 1 , wherein the first floor-side port is a relatively low-speed serial port. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming network bridge of  claim 1 , wherein the second floor-side port is a broadband capable port. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming network bridge of  claim 1 , wherein the second port is an Ethernet port. 
     
     
         7 . A method for incrementally upgrading a hybrid network system, the method comprising:
 providing a floor-side serial message network in connection with a network bridge;   providing a floor-side packet-based message network in connection with the network bridge;   providing a server-side normalized message network in connection with the network bridge;   sending a serial message from a first gaming machine to a server-side device via the network bridge,   converting the serial message sent from the first gaming machine in serial message protocol to a normalized message in normalized message protocol for receipt by the server-side device;   sending a packet-based message from a second gaming machine to a server-side device via the network bridge, and   converting the packet-based message sent from the second gaming machine in packet-based message protocol to a normalized message in normalized message protocol for receipt by the server-side device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first protocol is a relatively low-speed serial polling protocol. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second protocol is a high-speed IP-based protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first floor-side port is a relatively low-speed serial port. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second floor-side port is a broadband capable port. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second port is an Ethernet port. 
     
     
         13 . A hybrid network system for enabling incremental upgrading of gaming devices and a gaming network from a first protocol and first network typology to a second protocol and second network typology, the system comprising:
 a floor-side serial message network;   a floor-side packet-based message network;   a server-side normalized message network; and   a network bridge, comprising:
 a first floor-side interface for connecting to one or more first gaming machines via the floor-side serial message network; 
 a second floor-side interface for connecting to one or more second gaming machines via the floor-side packet-based message network; 
 a server-side interface for connecting to one or more server-side devices via the server-side normalized message network; and 
 a message converter, wherein the message converter is configured to convert a serial message protocol into a normalized message protocol for communicating with server-side devices over the server-side normalized message network, and wherein the message converter is configured to convert a packet-based message protocol into the normalized message protocol for communicating with the server-side devices over the server-side normalized message network. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the packet-based message protocol is the same as a normalized message protocol used by the server-side devices, wherein it is not necessary to convert messages sent from the second gaming machines. 
     
     
         15 . A method for incrementally upgrading a hybrid network system, the method comprising:
 providing a floor-side narrowband message network in connection with a network bridge;   providing a floor-side broadband message network in connection with the network bridge;   providing a server-side normalized message network in connection with the network bridge;   sending a narrowband message from a first gaming machine to a server-side device via the network bridge,   converting the narrowband message sent from the first gaming machine in a narrowband message protocol to a normalized message in a normalized message protocol for receipt by the server-side device;   sending a broadband message from a second gaming machine to a server-side device via the network bridge, and   converting the broadband message sent from the second gaming machine in a broadband message protocol to a normalized message in a normalized message protocol for receipt by the server-side device.   
     
     
         16 . A gaming network bridge that normalizes messages received in multiple protocols and over multiple network typologies for use in a hybrid network system, the gaming network bridge comprising:
 a first floor-side interface, wherein the first floor-side interface enables interconnection with a first gaming machine that communicates with the bridge via a floor-side narrowband network using a first protocol, wherein the first protocol is a narrowband message protocol;   a second floor-side interface, wherein the second floor-side interface enables interconnection with a second gaming machine that communicates with the bridge via a floor-side broadband network using a second protocol, wherein the second protocol is a broadband message protocol; and   a message converter, wherein the message converter is configured to convert the narrowband message protocol into a normalized broadband message protocol for communicating with a backend, server-side network, and wherein the message converter is configured to convert the broadband message protocol into the normalized broadband message protocol for communicating with the backend, server-side network.   
     
     
         17 . A hybrid network system for enabling incremental upgrading of gaming devices and a gaming network from a first protocol and first network typology to a second protocol and second network typology, the system comprising:
 a floor-side narrowband message network;   a floor-side broadband message network;   a server-side normalized message network; and   a network bridge, comprising:
 a first floor-side interface for connecting to one or more first gaming machines via the floor-side narrowband message network; 
 a second floor-side interface for connecting to one or more second gaming machines via the floor-side broadband message network; 
 a server-side interface for connecting to one or more server-side devices via the server-side normalized message network; and 
 a message converter, wherein the message converter is configured to convert a narrowband message protocol into a normalized message protocol for communicating with server-side devices over the server-side normalized message network, and wherein the message converter is configured to convert a broadband message protocol into the normalized message protocol for communicating with the server-side devices over the server-side normalized message network.