Abstract: Systems and methods embed watermark data into downloadable software components. The watermarks may be used to indicate who created or who owns the software components. In addition, a watermark may be inserted to indicate certain transactions have taken place with respect to the software component. For example, a transactional watermark may be embedded when a software component is downloaded from one system to another. The downloadable software components may include banner content, advertising content, denomination data, pay table, language data, video content, audio content, episodic game data, wagering game software, operating system software, device driver software and device firmware.

Abstract: A system controller is adapted to be integrated into a control network including a plurality of device controllers that communicate through the network via a network specific communication protocol for controlling a plurality of network devices. The system controller includes an application controller which is adapted to be connected to the network and stores a plurality of system points corresponding to a plurality of system variables relating to the network devices. The application controller is adapted to convert the system points into the corresponding system variables, and the corresponding system variables into the system points. At least one client is connected to the network and in communication with the application controller. The client is adapted to send a command and request a report relating to a select system point to and from the application controller.

Abstract: This application describes, among other things, a casino game for use in a gaming establishment wherein at least some of the components of the game include an attached radio frequency-responsive element, such as an RFID tag. In one example, the radio frequency-responsive element contains information regarding the corresponding attached components. In another example, the casino game contains a plurality of selected components having RFID tags. When the tags are interrogated, information provided by the tags can be used to determine whether components of the game have been replaced, are missing, or the like. Also, a method of identifying components in the game is disclosed. In one example, the method includes interrogating radio frequency-responsive elements attached to selected components of the casino game, receiving a response code signal from the interrogated radio frequency-responsive elements, and generating an output based on the received signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a user interface to control the download of gaming configuration elements to one or more wagering game machines. The gaming configuration elements may include banner content, advertising content, denomination data, pay table, language data, video content, audio content, episodic game data, wagering game software, operating system software, device driver software and device firmware.

Abstract: This description describes methods and apparatuses of a peer-to-peer distributed gaming application networks. In one embodiment a method includes receiving, from a server, an indication that a plurality of gaming terminals will participate in a shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to operate as a gaming terminal, and wherein the server is configured to establish a virtual communication network to enable the plurality of gaming terminals to participate in the shared gaming session. The method also includes serving the shared gaming session to the plurality of gaming terminals and determining an outcome of the shared gaming session, wherein the server is not configured to determine an outcome of the shared gaming session.

Abstract: This description describes methods and apparatuses of a peer-to-peer distributed gaming application networks. In one embodiment the method includes transmitting, to a first gaming terminal, an invitation to participate in a shared gaming session. The method also includes receiving a reply from the first gaming terminal indicating that the invitation has been accepted and transmitting, to a second gaming terminal, an indication that the first gaming terminal will participate in the shared gaming session, wherein the second gaming terminal will serve a gaming application to the first gaming terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus for executing a block program includes a block table listing records corresponding to a plurality of blocks in the block program. A block library is included to hold algorithms associated with the blocks. An executing program selectively processes the blocks in the block program that receive a new input value that is different from a previous input value, in accordance with the associated algorithms in the block library.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for gaming-related communications in a hierarchical multi-tiered system are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes transmitting a master configuration from a central operations of a hierarchical multi-tiered system to a local gaming site having one or more gaming components. The method also includes receiving a selected configuration for one or more of the gaming components based on the master configuration. The method includes downloading the selected configuration to the one or more of the gaming components through the hierarchical multi-tiered system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting abnormal behavior of a wagering game machine are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an operating characteristic value, wherein the operating characteristic value indicates a value of an operating characteristic of a wagering game machine and based on a set of previous operating characteristic values of the operating characteristic, determining whether the operating characteristic value is within a normal operating range. In the embodiment the method also includes performing a fault operation if the operating characteristic value is not within the normal operating range.

Abstract: A gaming machine requests a download from peer gaming machines in a peer to peer gaming machine network. Responses from gaming machines in the peer to peer gaming machine network are evaluated by the requesting gaming machine, and a peer gaming machine is selected as a function of connectivity. The download is then requested from the selected gaming machine. Connection quality is monitored during download and download can be dynamically changed to a different peer should the current download connection become undesirable and/or a better connection discovered.

Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for operating wagering game terminals where each terminal contributes an award to an award pool. A bank controller aggregates the awards, reapportions, and randomly assigns them back to the wagering game terminals. The reapportioned award assigned to a given wagering game terminal may be less than, the same as, or greater than the award contributed by that terminal. At regular or irregular intervals, the bank controller may shuffle the reapportioned awards and reassign them. As a result, the volatility of the wagering game terminals increases significantly while the payout percentage of each wagering game terminal remains the same over time. Alternatively, instead of randomly reassigning the reapportioned awards, the players may be allowed to pick the reapportioned awards. The reapportioning may also occur randomly and the assigning on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for conducting a wagering game having increased excitement and enjoyment over existing wagering games. The method and system involve a bank of wagering game terminals connected to a bank controller. Each wagering game terminal allows players to play a basic wagering game that is independent of other wagering game terminals. The wagering game terminals also allow players to play a bonus game where players take turns playing to win a portion of a jackpot. The portion awarded to each player may be the actual amount won by that player, or it may be a percentage of the entire jackpot based on the actual amount won by the player relative to other players. In one implementation, only players at wagering game terminals that exceed a minimum level of wagering activity may play the bonus game.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a database that is configured as a static data file containing static data and a dynamic data file containing dynamic data. The static data file is stored in a static memory device and the dynamic data file is stored in a dynamic memory device. A catalog included in the database defines whether the data is static or dynamic and further defines an arrangement of a set of data fields and data records included in the database. A database manager uses a file system to access the files in a rapid manner using an address pointer and, because the data is stored in files, the data may be accessed remotely without need for additional communication strategies/protocol. To enable editing of the static data, the database manager creates a mirror image of the static data in the dynamic memory where editing may occur. The mirror image of data having the edited data is later returned to the flash memory.

Abstract: System and method are disclosed for conducting a wagering game having increased excitement and enjoyment. The method/system of the invention involves a bank of wagering game terminals connected to a bank server. In addition to a basic wagering game, the wagering game terminals allow players to play a bonus game where only one or some of the players may win a prize. In one implementation, the prize is a jackpot composed entirely of game credits won by the players in the bonus game and pooled by the bank server. In another implementation, only players at wagering game terminals that exceed a minimum level of wagering activity may play the bonus game. The player that wins the bonus game receives the jackpot. If there are multiple winners, the jackpot is distributed amongst the winners based on their performance in the bonus game or some other criterion.

Abstract: An environmental control system is configured to accept network variable outputs from a plurality of sources on a single network variable input and the update values are stored in a data structure for the computation of control variable values. The system includes a sink controller having a network variable input and a plurality of sources, each having at least one network variable output coupled to the network variable input of the sink controller. A data structure is provided so that update values from the sources may be stored in the structure with reference to the sources that provided the update values. Aggregate values, such as a mean average, minimum value, maximum value, standard deviation, variance, sum, or product may be computed from the values stored in the data structure.

Abstract: A method for playing a wagering game allowing a player to be eligible for a progressive jackpot having an actual value. The method comprises conducting the wagering game that has a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes, and displaying a displayed value of the progressive jackpot to the player. The method further includes increasing the displayed value by increments of a first denomination, and awarding a player an award value of the progressive jackpot in response to the player achieving the progressive jackpot. The award value is greater than the displayed value and is equally divisible by a second denomination that is larger than the first denomination. Other methods are provided for creating an escrow pool for funding the difference between the displayed and award values, and also for awarding multiple jackpots from a plurality of progressive jackpots.

Abstract: The present invention includes a system (FIG. 4) for servicing messages between device controller nodes and control applications via a Lon Network, wherein the device controller nodes includes a plurality of network variables for defining parameters of the Lon Network. The system includes a server for servicing the messages from at least one control application, a proprietary communication value for indicating a network variable value from the control applications, and a Lon value for indicating a network variable value exposed on the Lon Network. There is also a method that includes the steps of reading a message from the control application, verifying whether the message is valid, determining the requested function for a specified network variable from the message when the message is valid, executing the requested function for the specified network variable, and sending subscribed reports in response to a change of value of the network variables independently of the foregoing steps (170).

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an overhead sign in a system of gaming machines and a sign controller are described. One aspect of the systems and methods includes allowing a gaming machine to send events comprising a script to a sign through a sign controller.

Abstract: A method is used for editing a data element stored in a static memory device comprising a plurality of storage units. The method includes a step of copying a content of one of the storage units to a dynamic memory device, wherein the content comprises the data element. The method further includes editing the data element while the data element is stored in the dynamic memory. The method also includes erasing said one of the storage units, and writing the content, including the data element that has been edited, into one of the storage units.

Abstract: A method for creating a compressed database includes a step of receiving a data input file. The data input file defines a first set of data fields to be included in the database and includes a set of data elements to be included in the database. The method also includes identifying a second set of data fields in the data input file that are designated to contain a Boolean element, the second set of data fields being a subset of the first set of data fields. The method further includes defining one or more new data fields for collectively storing the Boolean elements, and modifying the first set of data fields to eliminate the second set of data fields. The method also includes generating a catalog that defines an arrangement of the first set of data fields, wherein the arrangement includes the one or more new data fields for collectively storing the Boolean elements.