Abstract: Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing techniques for securing a gaming machine for a player of the gaming machine using a mobile device such as a cell phone associated with the player. A player input requests securing of the gaming machine. Responsive to the player input, an access code and a security code are retrieved. The access code defines an access point of a communication system. The security code is specific to a game play session for the player at the gaming machine. The retrieved access code and security code are provided for the player. When the mobile device accesses the communications system and submits the security code, a secure signal is sent to the gaming machine, instructing the gaming machine to enter a remote game play state. The gaming machine can be released from the remote game play state responsive to a releasing event.

Abstract: A disclosed a player tracking unit provides a touch screen display with a touch screen controller integrated into the touch screen sensor assembly. Game service interfaces may be presented on the touch screen display that allow a user to obtain one or more game services. With the touch screen sensor, a user may navigate through the game service interface and supply information required to obtain a game service. Types of interfaces provided with the gaming machine include a harm minimization interface for helping a player to adhere to one or more game play limits during game play at the gaming machine.

Abstract: Some implementations of the invention provide methods and devices for various types of adventure sequences that preferably involve, at least in part, wagering games. Such sequences may involve wagering and/or other games at a plurality of gaming devices, tables and/or gaming establishments. Some implementations provide a virtual gaming experience wherein one or more other environments (e.g., environments that include gaming establishments) are simulated at a single location. Accordingly, adventure sequences described herein may comprise stages in one or more virtual environments, stages in one or more real environments or a combination of the two. Virtual players, also referred to herein as player game agents (“PGAs”), may act on behalf of real players. A PGA may be able to play games autonomously, e.g., when the associated player is at a different location and/or is not aware of the PGA's current activities. PGAs may be enabled to negotiate on behalf of real players, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine that can play both Class II and Class III games. Some implementations provide a gaming machine that has certain features (e.g., a true random number generator or “RNG”) enabled for Class III play and disabled for Class II play. Some aspects of the invention provide methods for determining when a Class III game is available. Other aspects of the invention allow a player to “line up” for a desired Class III game while playing another game, such as a Class II game or another Class III game, on the same gaming machine until the desired Class III game is available. Some such implementations grant higher priority to certain players according to their gaming history, e.g., as indicated by player tracking/player loyalty data. Alternative aspects of the invention allocate available Class III games in other ways, e.g., by playing a Class II game for a chance to play a Class III game, by lottery, or otherwise.

Abstract: A method and system to automate software testing using sniffer side and browser side recording and a toolbar interface are described. In one embodiment, a system tests programming code associated with a website and creates a first test case. In another embodiment, the system includes a testing device having a test interface to enable a user to initiate a first test case and to store a first HTML representation and a first XML representation of encrypted web pages viewed during the first test case. In another embodiment, the system includes a sniffer server that operates as a proxy server for the website and stores a second HTML representation and a second XML representation of unencrypted web pages viewed during the first test case. The system may include a hosting server that hosts the website and receives the first and the second HTML and XML representations from the testing device and the sniffer server when the test case is terminated via the test interface.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for determining the location, identity and age of a user who desires to initiate a gaming session from an uncontrolled environment such as a home, a gaming kiosk or a hotel room. In some implementations, the user's location is determined in part by reference to a database of land telephone lines and corresponding addresses. The location may be verified by reference to a location determined by other methods, e.g., by determining the location of an Internet service provider's network device that is near a user's host device. In other implementations, the user's location is determined by information provided by a cellular telephone network. The user may be asked to input a confirmation number and/or make an oral response during a telephone call to a telephone number associated with the uncontrolled environment. These the oral response may be analyzed to verify the user's identity.

Abstract: A mobile device and UICC communication using standard Internet protocols. Such communication allows users access to their UICC information using standard web browsers and allows use of the UICCs to communicate with remote servers and thereby provide secure services for Internet transactions. The mobile device has a communications module to selectively communicate with the UICC processor or with at least one node on a network, the mobile device communications module has an Internet protocol module operable to receive messages issued from a first Internet application as Internet protocol packets, and to transmit the packets to target IP addresses; and operable to receive Internet protocol packets, to process the packets, and to send the messages contained in the packets to the first Internet application.

Abstract: A progressive jackpot system for allowing access to multiple wide area progressive jackpots at a gaming machine is described. The gaming machine connected to the progressive systems can be switched between two or more different progressive games where each progressive game provides the chance to win a different wide area progressive jackpot. The gaming machine may be operable to dynamically connect to and communicate with one or more different progressive systems. Switches can be triggered based upon a player input at the gaming machine or based upon a command received from a remote gaming device.

Abstract: A disclosed a player tracking unit provides a touch screen display with a touch screen controller integrated into the touch screen sensor assembly. Game service interfaces may be presented on the touch screen display that allow a user to obtain one or more game services. With the touch screen sensor, a user may navigate through the game service interface and supply information required to obtain a game service. Types of interfaces provided with the gaming machine include a jackpot interface for displaying one or more jackpots selected by the player or one or more jackpots that the player is eligible to win.

Abstract: A payout administration method including automatically retrieving a plurality of electronic forms by a computer in communication with a gaming apparatus adapted to receive a wager from a player and to provide a payout based on the wager and a game outcome, at least one of the plurality of electronic forms selected according to a location of the gaming apparatus, retrieving stored data about the gaming apparatus and the player, and combining the plurality of electronic forms and the stored data to generate a plurality of completed electronic forms. The method also includes receiving an electronic player certification, and combining the electronic player certification and at least one of the plurality of completed electronic forms generated from stored data about the player to generate a certified completed player electronic form. A payout administration system operates according to the method.

Abstract: A portable memory apparatus may include a player identification and game outcomes associated with the player identification. The portable memory apparatus may communicatively couple with a gaming apparatus, provide a game outcome to the gaming apparatus, and communicatively decouple from the gaming apparatus. A gaming apparatus may include a display unit, an input device and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the input device. The controller may be programmed to cause the input device to read game outcome data stored in a portable memory, to determine an outcome based on the game outcome data, to display the outcome on the display unit, to determine if the outcome is a winning outcome, to determine a value payout if the outcome is a winning outcome, and to cause the input device to update the portable memory with data relating to the outcome or the value payout.

Abstract: A gaming method includes receiving a first wager from a player, displaying a first image representing a game, determining a first outcome associated with the game, and determining a first payout according to the first outcome and a first paytable. The gaming method also includes determining if a brand-association event has occurred, selecting a brand if the brand-association event has occurred, using a second paytable if the brand-association event has occurred, the second paytable including at least one payout associated with the selected brand, receiving a second wager from the player, displaying a second image representing a game, determining a second outcome associated with the game, and determining a second payout according to the second outcome and the second paytable, the second payout comprising the at least one payout associated with the selected brand.

Abstract: A gaming communication apparatus may include a wireless transceiver and a controller operatively coupled to the wireless transceiver. The controller may be programmed to establish a bidirectional wireless communication link with a gaming apparatus when in proximity to the gaming apparatus, receive a voice command relating to a first gaming function, transmit first gaming function data to the gaming apparatus via the wireless transceiver, and receive data relating to a second gaming function from the gaming apparatus via the wireless transceiver. The gaming apparatus may include a second wireless transceiver and a second controller operatively coupled to the second wireless transceiver. The second controller may be programmed to receive the first gaming function data via the second wireless transceiver, execute a first gaming function based on the first gaming function data, and transmit the second gaming function data to the wireless communication device via the second wireless transceiver.

Abstract: A gaming method includes receiving a wager from a player in terms of one or more credits, displaying an image representative of a game, and determining an outcome associated with the game. The method further includes determining if an event has occurred, calculating a purchase cost for each payout in a plurality of payouts when the event occurs, displaying an image representing the plurality of payouts, the image including the payout cost for each payout in the plurality of payouts, receiving a selection from the player of one of the plurality of payouts, receiving from the player the purchase cost of the one of the plurality of payouts selected by the player, and transmitting a request to provide the one of the plurality of payouts to the player.

Abstract: The invention provides numerous methods and devices for enhancing the use of gaming machines. Some embodiments of the invention provide enhanced functionality for legacy gaming machines. Alternative embodiments of the invention may be implemented in an entirely new gaming machine and/or in gaming machines that are not yet in existence. Some such implementations are directed to the use of non-native gaming software in gaming machines that include (a) different peripheral devices and/or (b) a different CPU from that of the gaming machine for which the gaming software was written. These implementations may use software emulation and hardware abstraction methods and devices.

Abstract: A gaming method includes receiving a wager from a first player, displaying an image representative of a game, determining an outcome for the game represented by the image, and associating a first payout with the first player according to the outcome. The method also includes receiving an exchange of communications between the first player and a second player regarding an exchange of the first payout and a second payout, associating the second payout with the first player, and associating the first payout with the second player.

Abstract: A gaming method includes determining if a first event has occurred, distributing an e-coupon to a player if the first event has occurred, the e-coupon being storable on a machine accessible medium, having an identifier associated therewith, and redeemable for a payout, associating a first payout with the identifier according to the first event, determining if a second event has occurred, and associating a second payout with the identifier according to the second event, the second payout being different than the first payout and the first payout no longer associated with the identifier.

Abstract: In a gaming method for facilitating game play via a gaming apparatus, the gaming apparatus comprising a controller and a first display unit, the controller communicatively coupled to the first display unit, a game software application may be executed, and value input data may be received. The first display unit may be caused to display a game image representative of one of the following games: poker, blackjack, slots, keno, or bingo. A secondary software application may be executed, and an icon associated with the secondary software application may be displayed simultaneous with the display of the game image, wherein a foreground of the game image is substantially unobstructed by the icon, and wherein the icon is substantially unobstructed by the foreground of the game image. Information may be conveyed using the secondary software application upon detecting an event, and a value payout associated with an outcome of the game may be determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides various modules for use with gaming machines. One such module is configured to receive data from a portable memory device and/or from a network device, e.g., from a game server. In some embodiments, the module includes, or is disposed within, a player tracking unit. Some embodiments of the module include a central processing unit (“CPU”) and a memory device such as a dual-ported random access memory (“DPRAM”). Data, such as software or content, may be downloaded to the module's CPU and written to the module's memory. According to some embodiments, data are written to a DPRAM in the module and simultaneously written from the DPRAM to the gaming machine via a high-speed digital bus. In some implementations, a memory in the module is configured to emulate a memory of the gaming machine. This allows a CPU of the gaming machine to execute software stored in the memory in the module.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a virtual leash and command download capabilities on a hand-held personal gaming device (“PGD”) are disclosed. A host gaming system includes a game server configured to generate game seeds having data regarding predetermined game outcomes for various wager based games, and an authentication server configured to establish a virtual leash with a PGD. The virtual leash is adapted to repeatedly authenticate or verify a PGD user, a PGD location, the PGD itself, and/or software codes on the PGD. Included within an associated PGD are a display adapted to display gaming related information, a processor configured to execute gaming related code, and a memory containing a command download of computer code to be executed by the processor. The command download of computer code includes enough code for the PGD to process and display independently a game play based on a game seed.