System and method for assisted maintenance in a gaming machine using a mobile device

A method of enabling a technician to open a door of a gaming machine without needing a physical key using a gaming system having a biometric controlled door lock, the method comprising:

• enabling the technician to scan a barcode on the gaming machine using a camera on a mobile device;
• sending an image of the barcode via a network to a server;
• determining a gaming machine identifier (ID) using a barcode decoding module, wherein the gaming machine ID is used by a gaming machine ID database to determine which gaming machine has been scanned;
• enabling a picture to be taken of a technician that has presented itself to the camera of the mobile device;
• transmitting the picture of the technician;
• using facial recognition software to identify the technician and authorize the technician's corresponding employee identifier (ID);
• receiving a mobile device identifier that is transmitted from the mobile device to a biometric lock component;
• enabling receipt of a technician's personal identification number that is transmitted from the mobile device to the biometric lock component;
• and
• after the gaming machine receives an unlock signal, causing a door solenoid to unlock the door;
• wherein four credentials are passed to the biometric lock component to unlock the door solenoid, the four credentials including the employee ID, the mobile device identifier, the gaming machine ID, and the technician's personal identification number.

A gaming system for enabling a technician to open a door of a gaming machine without needing a physical key having a biometric controlled door lock, the system comprising:

• one or more gaming machines, each gaming machine having a door solenoid to unlock the door;
• a server connected to the one or more gaming machines via a network, wherein the server stores a biometric lock component, wherein a barcode decoding module of the biometric lock component determines a gaming machine identifier (ID), and wherein the gaming machine ID is used by a gaming machine ID database to determine which gaming machine has been scanned;
• one or more mobile devices that includes a camera and a wireless connection to the server, wherein each mobile device enables a technician to scan a barcode on the gaming machine using the camera on the mobile device, and the wireless connection to the server enables the mobile device to send the image of the barcode to the server;
• and
• wherein each mobile device enables a picture to be taken of a technician, transmission of the picture of the technician, and identification of the technician using facial recognition software to facilitate authorization of the technician's corresponding employee identifier (ID);
• wherein the mobile device transmits a mobile device identifier and a technician's personal identification number to the biometric lock component, and wherein the door solenoid unlocks the door after the gaming machine receives an unlock signal;
• wherein four credentials are passed to the biometric lock component to unlock the door solenoid, the four credentials including the employee ID, the mobile device identifier, the gaming machine ID, and the technician's personal identification number.