Scan based configuration control in a gaming environment

Abstract

This invention provides automated systems and methods for configuring and reconfiguring gaming machines and games playable on a gamine machine. The automated systems and methods employ a complementary gaming machine configuration device, such as a paper-based ticket, and interface operably associated with a gaming machine, such as a note acceptor or bill validator that receives, and reads the paper-based ticket. The gaining machine configuration device stores game parameter configuration information in the form of configuration indicia. The indicia may contain the content required to effect configuration directly or may do so indirectly by containing a reference to a location where a set of configuration parameters have been stored. This location may reside within the gaming machine or external to it, but accessible via. a communications link. The interface reads the indicia from the configuration device, and provides a signal to a processor responsible for managing the gaming machine. The processor has access to software or memory that stores associations between the configuration indicia and configuration and reconfiguration commands for the parameters. The processor and software are then designed or configured to convert the signal provided by the interface to commands that act on appropriate mechanisms of the gaming machine to configure or reconfigure the games and/or gaming machine components responsible for expression of the affected game parameters.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.