Patent Application
20120220360
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
This description relates generally to gaming systems and machines, and more particularly to gaming systems and machines having a curved display.
Gaming machines have been developed having various features to capture and maintain player interest. Some features are directed to increasing or providing the player with the opportunity to win larger sums of money. For example, gaming machines may include second chance games that provide a player with additional opportunities to obtain a winning outcome. Alternatively, gaming machines may be tied into progressive gaming systems that award large progressive jackpots.
In addition to providing players with more opportunities to obtain a winning outcome or win a large sum of money, gaming machines have increased the number of features and grown in sophistication in order to increase player participation or interest in a game. For example, the mechanical reels of traditional gaming machines have been replaced with video depictions of spinning reels. These video gaming machines provide a richer gaming experience for players by including graphics or animation as part of the game. However, overly complex video displays on a gaming machine may turn off player participation because players become frustrated with the game or are unwilling to learn or decipher all the information provided on the video display. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for slot machines variants that provide a player with enhanced excitement without departing from the original slot machine gaming concept.
Briefly, and in general terms, various embodiments are directed to a gaming system for presenting both game content-based video signals and secondary video signals in a single presentation. In one embodiment, the gaming system includes a touch screen display, a curved display system, a gaming controller, a secondary video source, a touch router device, and a display manager. The touch screen display is configured to display video signals. The curved display system including a curved transparent material and a projector for projecting video images onto the curved transparent material. The gaming controller is configured to generate a first video signal including game content to be viewed on the curved display system. The secondary video source is configured to generate a second video signal including secondary content to be viewed on the curved display system. The touch router device is in communication with the touch screen display. The display manager is configured to scale at least one of the first video signal or the second video signal to a reduced size and render the first video signal from the gaming controller with the second video signal from the secondary video source. The touch screen display receives an input that corresponds to coordinates and calculates a coordinate transformation on the coordinates that correspond to a determined source to accommodate any scaling performed on at least one of the first video signal or the second video signal, which results in transformed coordinates.
In another embodiment, the gaming system includes a touch screen display, a curved display system, a primary video source, a secondary video source, a touch router device, and a display manager. In this embodiment, the primary video source is configured to generate a first video signal to be viewed on the curved display system. This embodiment also includes the display manager which is configured to scale at least one of the first video signal or the second video signal to a reduced size and render the first video signal with the second video signal. The display manager sends the first and second video signals to the projector for simultaneously displaying the first and second video signals on the curved transparent material.
In addition to gaming machines, various embodiments of a gaming system having touch panels as user control devices are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, the gaming system includes a curved display system for displaying a game. The curved display system has a curved material having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a radius of curvature similar to a mechanical reel. The curved display system also includes a digital light projection device for projecting images of one or more reels onto the curved material. The gaming system also includes a touch screen system positioned in front of the curved material. The touch screen system includes a touch sensor assembly having a substantially transparent touch panel that produces touch data when activated, a touch panel controller for controlling and interpreting the touch data, and touch panel software for controlling and interpreting touch data. The touch panel is configured to select one or more pay lines for the game. In yet another embodiment, the touch panel is configured to add reel strips to the game, remove reel strips from the game, add game indicia to the reel strips, or remove game indicial from the reel strips. In one embodiment, the display manager causes the first video signal from the master gaming controller and the second video signal from the secondary video source to be displayed simultaneously on the curved transparent material using the light emitting diode projector.
In certain embodiments, the display manager scales the first and second video signals to a desired size that conforms to the size and shape of the curved transparent material and renders the first video signal from the gaming controller adjacent to the second video signal from the secondary video source in a split screen format. In another embodiment, the display manager may overlay the second video signal from the secondary video source on the first video signal from the gaming controller on the curved display system. The overlaid second video signal from the secondary video source obscures at least a portion of the first video signal from the gaming controller. In one embodiment the overlaid second video signal from the secondary video source includes a level of transparency enabling the first video signal from the master gaming controller to be at least partially visible through the second video signal. In another embodiment, the display manager overlays the second video signal from the secondary video source on the first video signal from the master gaming controller with different levels of transparency in different areas of the curved display system.
The display manager may further include a touch router device in communication with a touch display positioned in front of the curved display system. The gaming controller, the secondary video source, and the touch router device receive touch signals including physical coordinates of a touch from the touch display. The touch router device determines a source of the video image displayed on the curved display system at the physical coordinates of the touch.
Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example, the features of the various embodiments.
Various embodiments are directed to gaming machines having video depictions of one or more mechanical reels projected onto a curved display. According to one embodiment, a digital light processing (DLP) projector that presents video images of one or more reels on the curved display. In one embodiment, the curved display is shaped to simulate the look of mechanical reels. Additionally, the high resolution of the DLP projector presents video images that give a player the impression that the combination of the curved display and the video images are physical, mechanical reel strips.
In other embodiments, shrouds (either physical or video-depictions of the shrouds) may be placed between the video depiction of the reels to provide a more realistic impression of mechanical reels. Optionally, the gaming machines may include other audio and visual features to enhance the perception that the video images and curved display are mechanical reels. For example, the video images may shudder to simulate the torque of stopping the spinning mechanical reels. Alternatively, the video images may have visual imperfections to simulate mechanical reels. Furthermore, audio sound effects may be coordinated with the movement and stopping of the reels to further simulate a gaming machine having mechanical reels.
Because the gaming machine is video-based, the gaming machine also maintains the flexibility of a video gaming machine. For example, the DLP projector may present pay lines directly on and/or around the symbols that comprise a winning outcome. The pay lines may be animated or otherwise highlight the winning combination of symbols. Optionally, the winning symbols may be animated on the “virtual” reel strip. For example, the symbols that form a winning pay line may interact with one another or the symbols may be emphasized by expanding the size of the symbol. Alternatively, a short animated movie may be presented at one or more of the game indicia on a winning pay line. In another embodiment, the images of the game indicia on the “virtual” strips may be altered so that a “wild” symbol morphs into the game indicia that forms a winning combination. For example, a “wild” symbol may morph into a “7” to complete a winning combination of “7-7-7.” In yet another embodiment, the reel strip color may be altered in response to a particular game outcome or trigger for a bonus game.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the drawings and, more particularly to
It is contemplated that the video image 16 may present any number of reels ranging from one reel to five or more reels. In another embodiment, the gaming machine may include a combination of one or more mechanical reels and video images of one or more reels presented on a curved display. The DLP device may project one or more video images 16 onto the curved display 12. Accordingly, it is possible to present a game that is a combination of mechanical reels as well as video reels. The video reels may be part of the primary game or may be presented as a portion of a secondary game.
As shown in
The primary LCD display 38 may be used to display buttons and lights, pay line indicators, and other game information such as, but not limited to, credits available, credits won, wager size, wager per pay line, or wager denomination. The secondary LCD display 24 may be used to display other game related information such as, but not limited to, one or more bonus games, pay tables, game theme information, jackpot information, progressive jackpot information, jackpot meters, or the like. The secondary LCD 24 may also display non-gaming related information such as, but not limited to, player account information, advertisements, casino promotions, news, one or more sporting events, or the like.
As shown in
Referring to
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In another embodiment, the glossy coating 58 may be replaced with a gradient coating provided on the outer and/or inner surfaces of the curved material 12. The gradient coating provides greater depth of the image projected onto the curved material. The gradient coating may be darker at the periphery of the curved material 12 and lighter in the middle of the curved material. Alternatively, the gradient coating is darker in the middle of the curved material 12 and lighter about the periphery of the curved material. In yet another embodiment, the gradient coating is provided in addition to the glossy coating. For example, the gradient coating and the glossy coating both may be applied to the outer surface of the curved material 12. Alternatively, the glossy coating is applied to the outer surface of the curved material 12 and the gradient coating is applied to the inner surface of the curved material.
In another embodiment, a diffusion screen (not shown) is provided in front of or behind the curved display 12. Alternatively, the diffusion screen is coupled directly to the front and/or the back surface of the curved display 12. The diffusion screen may be made from a thin, semi-flexible, acrylic optical beads. In one embodiment, a rigid metal frame encapsulates the diffusion screen to help achieve a uniform and repeatable manufacturing of the screen.
As shown in
The DLP device 18 may directly project video images onto the inner surface of the curved material 12 as shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the edges of the projected image are bowed/distorted, thereby creating a fish-eye effect. This effect may be corrected using warping software and/or hardware to correct the projected image. In another embodiment, a warping template, which is previously created for a particular hardware configuration, may be applied to correct the projected image.
In alternate embodiments, a combination of a short-throw lens 60 and a back-coated mirror may be used to achieve the proper throw distance for the DLP device 18. In another embodiment, a combination of a short throw-lens and two or more mirrors may be used to achieve the proper throw distance. In other embodiments, two or more mirrors may be used to provide the appropriate light path length while reducing the overall depth of the enclosure. In yet another embodiment, the gaming cabinet (not shown) is sized to allow the DLP device 18 to directly project an image onto the curved display 12 without needing a short-throw lens and/or any mirrors.
Additionally, the transducers 66 are able to adhere to the skin of the glass-like materials of the touch panel 54 sufficiently to pass around curves. This allows a curved touch panel (not shown) to be utilized without detrimental effects. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the touch panel 54 has a radius of curvature similar to the curved display 12. Also, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that while the touch panel 54 is shown to be rectangular in shape with respect to
As shown in
In one embodiment, the microprocessor 72 runs an application that translates the touch panel controller 70 serial touch information into reel control commands for the GDCU reel controller 74. The application uses drivers to communicate with the GDCU 74 which controls the projection of the image onto the curved display 12. The GDCU 74 is a communications portion of the gaming machine 10 which “talks” to the different components of the gaming machine.
As shown in
The touch panel system 64 is adapted to detect and interpret different types of touch data. For example,
As shown in
As shown in
In various embodiments, the ability to swap symbols may be a feature of the game or the player must have satisfied some predefined criteria to permit this feature of the game. For example, the predefined criteria may be one or more maximum wagers, a predefined period of continuous play, a particular player club level, accrual of a particular number of player club points, or any other trigger events known or developed in the art. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the game may be limited to only allow the player to swap certain game indicia. Alternatively, the game may allow any swapping of game indicia between reels or on the same reel. Optionally, the game may allow more than one swap per game.
In yet another embodiment, the touch screen is configured to accept touch data that allows a player to add a game indicia onto one or more reels or remove one or more indicia from a reel as shown in
In another embodiment, the touch screen is configured to accept touch data that allows a player to define a pay line. Accordingly, a player may drag a finger across the screen to connect a number of positions on one or more reels to form a pay line. For example, in a three-reel game having three pay lines (i.e., display shows three symbols on each reel), the player may define a pay line that is composed of two symbol positions on the first reel and one symbol position on the second reel. These symbol positions are generally composed of three adjacent symbol positions. Alternatively, the pay line is composed of three non-adjacent symbol positions. In another embodiment, the pay line may be composed of merely three symbol positions on any number of the reels. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a five-reel game having a touch screen may allow a player-defined pay lines.
The LCD 100 may present gaming and non-gaming related information. The gaming information may include, but is not limited to, available credits, credits wagered, credits wagered per pay line, active pay lines, win meter, wager denomination, indicia representing selected pay lines, maximum bet amount, amount wagered, or any combination thereof. Other gaming information includes, but is not limited to, game instructions one or more help menus, one or more pay tables, jackpot or progressive jackpot or game information, tournament game information, community gaming information, notification of a bonus game, number of bonus points, animation, images (e.g., still or video), or other features related to game play or the game theme.
In addition to gaming information, the LCD 100 may present non-gaming information during or prior to the game (e.g., during an attract mode). The LCD 100 may present either still images, video images, or graphics related to the game title or game theme. Optionally, the LCD 100 may present information not related to the game such as, but not limited to, player tracking account information, advertisements, a news ticker, sports ticker, safety information (e.g., warnings regarding responsible gaming, fire alarms, or the like), or status of a drink and/or food order.
In yet another embodiment, the LCD 100 may present a player interface having one or more images of buttons 102. The buttons 102 may be related to game play (e.g., spin reels or activate a bonus game) or wagering activities such as, but not limited to, selecting a wager denomination, selecting a wager amount, placing a maximum bet, placing a minimum bet, or cashing out remaining credits.
In another embodiment, the LCD 100 of
Optionally, an aperture (not shown) may also be positioned in front of the projection source (or within the lens of the projection source) to reduce any stray light from reflecting within the enclosure. The aperture may be flat material having one or more openings corresponding to the images being projected onto the curved display.
The self-contained projection system 200 is mounted within a gaming cabinet comprising 206 brackets 208 provided on the sides of the enclosure 202, as shown in
Because the self-contained projection system 200 is sealed, one or more fans or heat pumps are provided to remove heat from the enclosure 202. For example, a fan 210 is provided at the top of the enclosure 202, and a fan 212 is provided near the DLP projector as shown in
In
As shown in
The lower mirror 214 is angled such that the bottom of the mirror is further away from the front of the enclosure 202 as compared to the top of the mirror. Similarly, the upper mirror 216 is angled so that the bottom of the mirror is closer to the front of the enclosure as compared to the top of the mirror. That is, the lower and upper mirrors 214, 216 are angled to reflect the projected image upwards and ultimately to the curved material 12. The mirrors 214, 216 reduce the overall depth of the enclosure 202 by dividing the light path. In other embodiments, the mirrors may be angled in any direction or at any angle to ensure that the projected image is reflected onto the curved material.
In one embodiment, the mirrors 214, 216 are attached to a hinge (not shown) in order to adjust the angle of the mirrors. In another embodiment, a remotely controlled motor (not shown) is coupled to the mirrors 214, 216 by a force transmission member (not shown) in order to adjust the angle of the mirrors 214, 216. In yet another embodiment, one or more shims are used to adjust and fix the position of the mirrors. In another embodiment, the lower mirror 214 is adjustable and the upper mirror 216 is mounted at a fixed angle. Alternatively, the lower mirror 214 is fixed and the upper mirror 216 is adjustable. Optionally, the angle of the mirrors 214, 216 may also be adjusted by a laser alignment process. A laser is used during the assembly process to ensure that the optical path is properly aligned and calibrated.
The gaming machines 10 are connected via a network to a network bridge 150, which is used for networking, routing and polling gaming machines, including slot machines. The network bridge 150 connects to a back end system 142. Optionally, the gaming machines 10 may connect to the network via a network rack 142, which provides for a few numbers of connections to the back end system 142. Both, network bridge 150 and network rack 154 may be classified as middleware, and facilitate communications between the back end system 142 and the game management units 152. The network bridges 150 and network rack 154 may comprise data repositories for storing network performance data. Such performance data may be based on network traffic and other network related information. Optionally, the network bridge 150 and the network rack 154 may be interchangeable components. For example, in one embodiment, a casino gaming system may comprise only network bridges and no network racks. Alternatively, in another embodiment, a casino gaming system may comprise only network racks and no network bridges. Additionally, in an alternative embodiment, a casino gaming system may comprise any combination of one or more network bridges and one or more network racks.
The back end system 142 may be configured to comprise one or more servers. The type of server employed is generally determined by the platform and software requirements of the gaming system. In one embodiment, as illustrated in
Overall, the back end system 142 performs several functions. For example, the back end system 142 can collect data from the slot floor as communicated to it from other network components, and maintain the collected data in its database. The back end system 142 may use slot floor data to generate a report used in casino operation functions. Examples of such reports include, but are not limited to, accounting reports, security reports, and usage reports. The back end system 142 may also pass data to another server for other functions. Alternatively, the back end system 142 may pass data stored on its database to floor hardware for interaction with a game or game player. For example, data such as a game player's name or the amount of a ticket being redeemed at a game may be passed to the floor hardware. Additionally, the back end system 142 may comprise one or more data repositories for storing data. Examples of types of data stored in the system server data repositories include, but are not limited to, information relating to individual player play data, individual game accounting data, gaming machine accounting data, cashable ticket data, sound data, and optimal display configurations for one or more displays for one or more system game.
Of course, one will appreciate that a gaming system 140 may also comprise other types of components, and the above illustrations are meant only as examples and not as limitations to the types of components or games used in a casino gaming system.
Referring back to
In another embodiment, the player-activated button is a universal button module that provides a dynamic button system adaptable for use with various games, as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/106,212, entitled “Universal Button Module”, filed Apr. 14, 2005 and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/223,364, entitled “Universal Button Module”, filed Sep. 9, 2005, which are both hereby incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, other input devices, such as but not limited to, touch pad, track ball, mouse, switches, and toggle switches, are included with the gaming machine to also accept player input.
In yet another embodiment, a cellular phone or other input device (e.g., PDA), separate and apart, from the gaming machine 10 may also be used to input various player choices and information to enhance the player's interactive experience with the gaming machine. In this embodiment, the gaming machine 10 includes an IR sensor, RF sensor, BLUETOOTH receiver, or other means for receiving input from a cellular phone or other wireless input devices. Furthermore, inputting information via these devices provides an added level of security as any key presses may be hidden from view. In yet another embodiment, a player may call or send a text message or a short message service (SMS) to the gaming machine 10.
The main cabinet 14 of the gaming machine 10 is a self-standing unit that is generally rectangular in shape. In another embodiment, the main cabinet is a slant-top gaming cabinet. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the gaming cabinet may be any shaped cabinet known or developed in the art that may include a top box. Additionally, the cabinet may be manufactured with reinforced steel or other rigid materials that are resistant to tampering and vandalism. Optionally, in an alternate embodiment, the gaming machine is a cinema-style gaming machine (not shown) having a widescreen display, as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/225,827, entitled “Ergonomic Gaming Cabinet,” filed on Sep. 12, 2005, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in
In another embodiment, the top box 18 includes a secondary display 24. The secondary display 24 presents game information (e.g., name of the game, animation, one or more pay tables, game information, one or more help menus, progressive jackpot or game information, tournament game information, or any combination thereof) or non-game related information (e.g., news, advertisements, messages, promotions, or any combination thereof). In another embodiment, the secondary display 24 presents a secondary game such as, but not limited to, a bonus game, a progressive game, or another game of chance such as, but not limited to, video slots, video keno, video poker, video blackjack, video roulette, Class II bingo, games of skill, games of chance involving some player skill, or any combination thereof.
In an alternative embodiment, the secondary display 24 presents game-related information such as, but not limited to, a pay table or one or more game options to the player. Alternately, the secondary display 24 presents non-game related information such as, but not limited to, advertisements, news, information on sports betting and betting options for those sporting events, requests for drinks or food, concierge services, or promotional information (e.g., information relating to player's club).
Optionally, the gaming machine 10 also includes a third display 30 positioned above the curved material 12. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the third display may be positioned below the main display, adjacent to the primary or secondary display, on the player interface, or any location on the gaming machine within the line-of-sight of a player. According to one embodiment, the third display 30 is a graphical interface, which is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/943,771, filed Sep. 16, 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The graphical interface includes a web content capable display screen and an embedded processor. Preferably, the web content capable display screen presents web information to a user via the display screen. The embedded processor preferably utilizes an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor of the gaming machine. Preferably, the embedded processor reads incoming data, translates the data into a web protocol (web authoring language), if necessary, and maps the data to the web content capable display screen. In this manner, the web content capable display screen increases user excitement by providing a richer gaming experience. Furthermore, the display allows the player to play a secondary game, input information, make selections, receive promotional information or other types of information including, but not limited to, notification that the player has won a system award, is entered into a tournament game or other bonus game. Additionally, the player is able to configure the attributes of interchanging display content via the graphical interface. In another embodiment, the content of the graphical interface may be presented on a portion of the main display 12 or as a pop-up window on the main display.
As shown in
Typically, the player tracking system is operatively connected to one or more input components on the gaming machine 10. These input components include, but are not limited to, a slot 26 for receiving a player tracking card, a keypad or equivalent, an electronic button receptor, a display, a touch screen, or the like. The player tracking system may also include a database of all qualified players (i.e., those players who have enrolled in a player rating or point accruing program). Generally, the database for the player tracking system is separate from the gaming machines.
The main cabinet 14 of the gaming machine also houses a game management unit (not shown) that includes a CPU, circuitry, and software for receiving signals from the player-activated buttons 20, operating the games, and transmitting signals to the respective game display 12, 24 and speakers.
In various embodiments, game program may be stored in a memory (not shown) comprising a read only memory (ROM), volatile or non-volatile random access memory (RAM), a hard drive or flash memory device or any of several alternative types of single or multiple memory devices or structures. Optionally, the gaming machine 10 includes one or more data repositories for storing data. Examples of information stored by the gaming machines 10 include, but are not limited to, accounting data, maintenance history information, short and/or long-term play data, real-time play data, sound data, video data, or animation data.
As shown in
In another embodiment, the gaming machine 10 includes an internet connection or other known network connections to link one or more gaming machines together. According to one embodiment, the internet connection is used for web browsing, prize redemption, or access to other gaming or non-gaming information. Additionally, with the various gaming machines in communication with one another (or a system host), the gaming machine 10 may participate in a gaming tournament. In one embodiment, the gaming tournament is a competitive gaming tournament having one or more winners. Alternatively, the gaming tournament is a cooperative gaming tournament where all eligible gaming machines win a particular award.
Other various embodiments are directed to using a Video Switcher and Touch Router Device (sometimes referred to herein as a “Display Manager”), to enable system menus and other Picture-in-Picture applications to overlay the wagering game on the curved material 12. Other embodiments may include sharing the primary curved DLP display 12 between one or more wagering games and one or more system marketing promotions, e.g., advertising, loyalty, customer-centric messages, video conferencing, and video-on-demand applications. Generally, the terms “mixing” and “re-rendering” (e.g., switching, arbitrating, redistributing, routing, or the like), and other forms of each, refer to original signals being passed through a switching device without any copying and/or saving of the signals or associated data. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other embodiments may use any form of video signal processing herein. A video switcher and touch router system for a gaming machine is shown and described in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 12/350,938 and 12/350,939, which are both incorporated by reference herein.
Referring to
The Display Manager 450 has the ability to build a video stream from the VGA signals from the Master Gaming Controller 410 and/or Player Tracking Unit 440. This video stream may be then sent over Ethernet to a server, another gaming device, or to overhead signage. This allows the game presentation to be sent enterprise-wide for broadcast purposes. A non-limiting example is that a jackpot win may have the game screens sent to overhead LCD signs throughout the casino and on web portals. This creates the excitement for all players and not just the one who triggered the progressive. Also the Display Manager 450 may receive a video stream from a server and blend this video stream into one or more Picture-In-Picture (“PIP”) window frames projected onto the curved material 12 by the DLP device or other light projection system. The PIP window frames may also be viewed on one or more LCD displays at the same time. Server executed games may be video streamed to this Display Manager 450 for presentation to the player. Player inputs from the button deck and touch screen may be sent to the Server-Based Game Engine (SBG) for processing. In some embodiments the Master Gaming Controller 410 is not needed to provide a thin-client gaming device. The only components needed are the Display Manager 450 and the peripheral controller. All RNG (Random Number Generator) game outcomes are determined and rendered on the servers. Even skill or skill predominate games may execute on the server and be presented to the user over this video stream.
The component diagram of
In another embodiment, the Display Manager 450 also has one or more video input ports 551 and 552 that receive video signals 550 intended for the Secondary Display 430 from a Master Gaming Controller video output 558 and Player Tracking Unit video output 559. The Display Manager 450 receives instructions through the Video Mixer Controller 520. Using the video signals, the Display Manager 450 mixes 260 (e.g., switches, arbitrates, redistributes, or the like) the video signals as directed by the commands coming in from the Video Mixer Controller 520 and outputs the result through the video-out port 561 that is connected to the video-in port on the Secondary Display 430.
In one embodiment, these video input and output connections 531, 532, 541, 551, 552, and 561 are 15-pin Super Video Graphics Array (“SVGA”). In an alternative embodiment, these video connections may be 9-pin Video Graphics Array (“VGA”), 15-pin SVGA, Low-voltage differential signalling (“LVDS”), Digital Visual Interface (“DVI”), any other video signal connection, or any combination thereof. The Master Gaming Controller 110 may be transmitting one or more protocols such as, but not limited to:
In one embodiment, the Video Mixer Controller 520 is a USB port. In an alternative embodiment, the port may be an RS-232 serial port or Ethernet port and connected to a server or other controller inside the gaming cabinet.
Referring now to
The Main Game Display Touch Driver 623 receives the micro-controller messages and commands and calculates the pixel coordinate of the touch and communicates these coordinates to the Main Game Display Touch Router 625. The Main Game Display Touch Router 625 determines if the touch occurred over the scaled and shifted video input from the Master Gaming Controller video input 531 or the Player Tracking Unit video input 532 to determine the proper destination to route the touch message. The touch message is either routed to the Player Tracking Software 640 or to the Main Game Display Touch Driver 643 on the Master Gaming Controller 410. The Player Tracking Unit 440 connects to the touch driver via a COM Port-Out 629 on the Player Tracking Unit connected to a COM Port-In 642 on the Master Gaming Controller 410.
In another embodiment, the system created content is rendered in an overlay window that occludes main game content. The non-remapped or scaled touch screen input data may be sent to both the Master Gaming Controller and the player tracking software and to the servers for processing. Otherwise stated, all applications receive all touch events, and each application processes these events in their own ways.
In another embodiment, the Secondary Display 430 is fitted with a Secondary Touch Screen 630. The Secondary Touch Screen is connected to the Secondary Touch Screen micro-controller 631. The micro-controller registers the touches by sending signals and commands to a Secondary Display Touch Driver 633 on the Player Tracking Unit 440. The micro-controller is connected to the Player Tracking Unit 440 via a COM port 632. The Secondary Display Touch Driver 633 receives the micro-controller messages and commands and calculates the pixel coordinate of the touch and communicates these coordinates to a Secondary Display Touch Router 635. The Secondary Display Touch Router determines if the touch occurred over the scaled and shifted video input from the video input 551 or the Player Tracking Unit video input 552 to determine the proper destination to route the touch message. The touch message is either routed to the Player Tracking Software 640 or to the Secondary Display Touch Driver 653 on the Master Gaming Controller 410. The Player Tracking Unit 440 connects to the touch driver via a COM Port-Out 639 on the Player Tracking Unit connected to a COM Port-In 652 on the Master Gaming Controller 410.
In one embodiment, the COM ports 622, 629, and 642 may be RS-232 serial ports. An alternative embodiment may use a USB port. Still another embodiment may use a combination of USB and serial ports, using USB-to-serial converters to allow RS-232 communications through USB ports. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other ports may also be used, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, and parallel ports. Referring to
In still another embodiment, the Main Game Touch Screen 620 and the Secondary Touch Screen 630 use Sound Acoustic Wave technology to calculate the location of the touch. Alternative non-limiting embodiments may incorporate touch screens utilizing Resistive, Capacitive, Infrared, Strain Gauge, Optical Imaging, Dispersive Signal Technology, Acoustic Pulse Recognition, Frustrated Total Internal Reflection technologies, any multi-touch capable display technology, or any combination thereof.
A series of diagrams are shown in
Referring to
Referring now to
x=ShiftX+(ScaleX*Gx)
y=ShiftY+(ScaleY*Gy)
Still in another embodiment, one video input is superimposed over another, allowing part of a first video signal to be fully transparent, thus allowing the second video signal to be completely visible at those coordinates, while having other parts of the first video signal to completely obscure the second signals at other coordinates.
A Player Tracking Video 925 is shown as a single screen with three areas of interest. First, there is a streaming video window 930 presenting some video-on-demand. Second, there is a player message window 940 presenting a welcome message to a recognized player. In one embodiment, the player is recognized by inserting his loyalty or player's club card into a card reader on the gaming machine 400. The Player Tracking Unit 440 reads the identification number and requests the player name and other player information from the slot system or CMS. Once the information has been sent to the player device, it then displays one or more messages applicable to this player, including possibly target advertisement, personal, or other messages.
In another embodiment, the Player Tracking Unit may recognize the player through a biometric face or retinal camera. Still, in another embodiment, the Player Tracking Unit may recognize the player through finger print recognition technology by either having the player touch or swipe his finger across a reader, or by having the reader embedded in another peripheral, such as a button or touch screen. The third area of interest on the Player Tracking Unit Video 925 is the remaining unused screen area 950 that has been colored Magenta.
In other non-limiting embodiments, this color could be green, blue, or any other color that is guaranteed not to show up in the other used areas of the screen. The Display Manager 450 super imposes 949 the Player Tracking Unit Video 925 on top of the Game Video 910. The resulting Shared Display 950 shows the super-imposed image including the Streaming Video Window 930, the Player Message Window 940 unchanged, and now the remaining screen which is now transparent 951, although it is Magenta on the original video signal.
In still another non-limiting embodiment, the opaque areas of the super imposed images 930 and 940 may apply a customizable level of transparency from 0% (completely opaque) to 100% (completely transparent). In another embodiment, it is advantageous and aesthetically pleasing to alter this level very quickly in a short period of time. When the level changes from 0 to 100 or alternatively from 100 down to 0, continuously or at certain values in the range, the resulting effect is for the super-imposed image 925 to fade in or fade out over the background image 910.
Turning to
Other non-limiting embodiments associated operating systems are Linux, OSX, QNX, MS-DOS. The Player Tracking Unit 440 O/S receives the physical screen coordinates of the touch (x,y) and forwards them to the Touch Router 1025. The Touch Router receives the coordinates (x,y) 1030 and makes a determination 1035 if the coordinates refer to a location currently displaying video from a video source other than the Player Tracking Unit 440, e.g., a Wagering Game executing on a Master Gaming Controller 410. If the source is from an application running on the Player Tracking Unit 440, the Touch Router forwards the physical screen coordinates (x,y) to the Player Tracking Unit software 1060. However, if the touch corresponds to a video signal from the Master Gaming Controller 410, the Touch Router calculates the coordinates (Gx, Gy) from the perspective of the originating video source.
In one embodiment, the game screen coordinates are calculated 1040 from the scale factor (ScaleX, ScaleY) and shift values (ShiftX, ShiftY) employed to scale and shift the game video signal onto the shared display, as exemplified in
The Touch Router converts the calculated coordinates (Gx, Gy) to a micro-controller protocol sent to the Game Touch Driver 1045. The Game Touch Driver receives the micro-controller data and converts to the physical screen coordinates (Gx, Gy) and communicates these coordinates to the Game O/S 1050. Then, the Game O/S forwards the coordinates to the Game Software 1055.
In another embodiment, the determination logic 1035 may be embedded in the Player Tracking Unit software managing the screen displayed in the Player Tracking Unit Video. The Player Tracking Unit software determines if the touch is on an active part of its display (e.g., a visible portion) or a non-active portion (e.g. a transparent portion or outside the range of an active display). If the touch is on an active portion, it handles the touch through its normal method. If the touch is on an inactive portion, it forwards the (x,y) coordinate to the de-scaling and de-shifting component which converts coordinates and forwards them to the appropriate device, e.g., the device providing the video source on which the player touched.
In still another embodiment, system-rendered content may be shown on a small iVIEW display (640×240) and a primary game display (main or secondary). A player may elect to have the data shown on one or both screens simultaneously. Triggering events may force the larger primary game screens to render the media to provide the best customer experience.
In some embodiments, the PIP windows may slide in or out of view when they are not needed. They may also fade in or out as needed as well. Monitored data from the game, Player Tracking Unit device or a server may trigger these windows (PIP) to appear/disappear based upon business rules or thresholds.
In some embodiments a player may reposition/resize any PIP window, and all of the other graphics will automatically or manually re-organize/rescale/resize. Player-preferred screen configurations may be saved for later use on this or another gaming machine at a later data. This configuration data is stored in a save state server and associated with a player identifier, a game identifier, and a cabinet/display identifier. A player is provided with a configuration screen to set the desired modes. Level of transparency for any and all windows is also configurable for a player and may be maintained in the save state server. A player may configure how they want to look at the game to build a fully customizable gaming experience.
There is a growing demand in the gaming environment for a video and touch screen switching hardware device, system, and/or method. An embodiment of such a device, system, and/or method mixes (e.g., switches, arbitrates, redistributes, routes, or the like) the VGA outputs from both the iVIEW (or other system gaming/Player Tracking Unit) and main game processor board to drive either or both the main game and secondary displays. Furthermore, the device would intelligently route touch screen events to either the game or iVIEW software components. The device would allow multiple windows driven by the base game and system components to simultaneously be shown on the same display(s). One embodiment of a video and touch screen switching device provides a migration strategy for current iVIEWs (or other system gaming/Player Tracking Unit) with some quick immediate modifications, and requires little or no work for gaming manufacturers to implement.
A preferred embodiment of a video and touch screen switching device maintains a wall of separation between the regulated gaming devices and their associated gaming equipment. The embodiment enables an operator to provide differentiated customer experiences on their games, and also consistent customer experience for their systems and every other part of their casino and brand. This embodiment enables the above-described, operator-desired functionality, meaning that differentiated experiences are pushed to each game manufacturer and exist on the gaming device, while consistent experiences may be implemented by a single vendor and exist on the associated equipment device, or possibly an adjunct gaming device accessory (depending on regulatory requirements). This embodiment addresses customer demands in a relatively quick manner, provides more satisfaction for the customer, and may be more palatable for other manufacturers.
One embodiment of the Display Manager (see
In one embodiment shown in
In another embodiment (not shown), game display and any system information may be presented on the curved display using the processing power of the Game CPU. Both the system display and the game display are driven by software on the Game CPU with a single video source (Game CPU) and touch screen source (touch screen system associated with the curved display system). In this embodiment, the system software (and any associated equipment software) and the game software are isolated from one another, thereby allowing for individual approval of each software module. However, both the system software and game software run concurrently on the Game CPU. The Game CPU coordinates the use of the curved display system and the touch screen system.
In another embodiment as shown in
In its most simple implementation, the game content may be scaled, and iVIEW content may be placed beside it in a split screen configuration, as shown in
In order to preserve the aspect ratio of the game and minimize distortion, the iVIEW may accommodate a full-size screen display, leaving a space for the game content of appropriate proportions as shown in
Alternatively, in another embodiment, the iVIEW (or other system gaming/Player Tracking Unit) may instruct the Display Manager to display the game content full screen and overlay the iVIEW content (e.g., System Window) on top of the game content as depicted in
The iVIEW receives physical screen coordinates via the standard touch screen. Using its knowledge of how the game content is positioned (since it instructed the Display Manager where to place the game content), the iVIEW may determine if the user touched the game content on the screen. Referring to
The Display Manager device, system, and method disclosed herein is adaptable to the various cabinet styles on the slot floor. In the case of a video cabinet sporting a top monitor, this Display Manager may drive the DLP device 18 of the curved display system and the top monitor simultaneously, depending on the processing power and VGA connections of the iVIEW (or other system gaming/Player Tracking Unit). Referring to
Driving the DLP device and the top monitor simultaneously enables persistent secondary content to display on the top monitor (e.g. advertising, secondary games) where it is easily viewed by both the player and others that might be in the surrounding area while placing short-lived, customer interactive content (e.g., Service window menus, and the like) on the main game monitor, which is better positioned ergonomically for customers' interaction.
In one non-limiting embodiment in which the iVIEW lacks the processing power or necessary ports to drive both the DLP device and the top monitor and of a dual display cabinet, the Display Manager (i.e., game/system switcher) may be configured to drive only one of the DLP device or the top monitor. In this embodiment, the Display Manager as shown in
In
In another embodiment, shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the Display Manager device, system, and/or method, the game manufacturer does not have to take any additional actions to utilize the functionality of the device, system, and/or method. In some embodiments, a few event exception codes may be incorporated to G2S (Game to System) and/or SAS (Slot Accounting System), but an immediate benefits to manufacturers is the minimization of any costly development, QA, and/or manufacturer submissions.
In one embodiment, system-related features remain with system providers, and system-only peripherals remain independent of the base Game OS. As a result, operators may continue to enjoy rapid development and deployment of system features across the floor. A single implementation of new system features continues to ensure that customer experiences are consistent, independent of various implementations and capability differences across the various devices. Remote host providers may work with a single vendor to develop and support any third-party system capabilities. A single implementation provides consistency in the capabilities in the run-time environments on the floor. A single system manufacturer may easily and more quickly define system parameters and establish agreements for ensuring content runtime environments, thereby reducing the number of variations the content developers need to develop and support.
Similarly, a single system manufacturer may control the prioritization algorithms for displaying content across the floor. Operators may work with a single vendor to ensure that high priority content is displayed appropriately, e.g., simultaneously, in a timely manner. Keeping common software infrastructure components (e.g. Flash player), potentially used by third parties, are more likely to remain up-to-date since updating them is dependent only on a single manufacturer and platform. Systems functionality remains on associated equipment reducing the risk increased regulatory overhead. Additionally, new cabinets are not required for customers to benefit from this technology.
The Display Manager offers benefits to the operators and industry. Depending on desired capabilities, this embodiment provides the operator with a migration strategy and the opportunity to preserve a portion of their investment in iVIEWs (or other system gaming/Player Tracking Unit) that they currently own. The existing board supports basic single-display mixing (e.g., switching, arbitrating, redistributing, routing, or the like).
An operator may upgrade any currently owned iVIEW (See
Referring now to
In one such embodiment, the basic construction of the Display Manager is shown in
In such an embodiment, the control input may be used for screen mixing selection or for the size of the effects. For example, the screen mixing selection may be used with any of the following styles: PIP, POP (Picture-on-Picture), dissolver, fader, and vertical/horizontal/multimode screen splitter. Additionally, the size of the effects may be varied (e.g., the split screen or the PIP image size and position may be dynamically changed using the control input). Moreover, the Display Manager may be extended to more than two inputs so that a third input from a standard TV/Tivo/DVR may be connected to use any of the mixing styles for display on the main screen.
In a preferred embodiment of the Display Manager, display mixing effects may be implemented without any modifications to the current gaming machine or GTM hardware. Both the GTM and the gaming machine do not require any additional software changes other than the mode control. Even this change may be eliminated if the mode is a fixing mode (e.g., only PIP). Additionally, the Display Manager simplifies the implementation of the display mixing in all currently-existing filed hardware, because only a simple VGA cable has to be connected to the Display Manager instead of the gaming machine.
Referring now to the Display Manager software and configuration, the Display Manager operating system and content include left, right and bottom display panels. The operator has the option to select a panel that best suits the base gaming machine. The operator changes the screen configuration by entering the employee page and selecting the “Change DM Config” button.
In one embodiment, an iVIEW controls the touch screen remapping of the gaming machine and iVIEW, as well as controlling the Display Manager. The Display Manager mixes the video outputs from the iVIEW and the main gaming controller, and displays the combined image on the game screen. The iVIEW OS controls the screen layouts via serial link to the Display Manager board.
Preferably, the iVIEW board performs touch screen remapping of the gaming machine and iVIEW screen. Touch screen inputs from the video area corresponding to the main game are routed to the game and inputs from the iVIEW area are routed to the iVIEW application. The touch screen management is performed by the iVIEW using a USB to Serial Port Converter. This system is compatible with the existing SDS (Slot Data System) environment and does not require modification to the main game OS.
In one embodiment, the iVIEW operating system in the SD card is Microsoft Windows CE. The SD card also holds the iVIEW content, which may be customized for advertising, messages to the player or other casino-designed promotional messages. The minimum recommended compact flash size is 256 MB. The content or Operating System (OS) can be updated by replacing the GTM SD card.
Both the operating system and content are signed and authenticated. The iVIEW hardware verifies the signatures of the OS and content. Additionally, the iVIEW launches the operating system and application after the files are verified. If any of the files on the SD card are modified, the iVIEW displays an error screen upon boot up. The casino may modify the content file (manufacturer folder in the SD card) but the new content must be resigned using the manufacturer DSA file signer (Level III signing). The operating system files may not be modified by the casino.
In one embodiment, the SD card content enables players to insert their cards to activate a standard player screen and request services, assistance, or other information with unavailable/non-supported items being “grayed out.” The employee card activates a standard interface screen with associated operator, regulator, and diagnostic/installation functions.
In one non-limiting example, the interface with the Gaming Monitoring Unit (GMU) software is consistent using previously used interfaces. The iVIEW uses a standard EPI port to connect to the GMU. Neither the iVIEW Operating System, Application, nor Content modify the meters or the accounting information stored and processed by the GMU.
This embodiment is compatible with (1) Capstone Display Manager Board with OS version fli8548_RD4_board_extv7.hex; (2) SDS 8.2.X or higher; (3) MC300 Game Monitoring Unit with ECO 2103 or higher; (4) iVIEW Sound Mixer (GLI file number SY-22-SDS-06-14); and (5) iVIEW touch screen display. Additionally, this embodiment introduces various enhancements and features, including (1) left, right and bottom Display Manager display screens; (2) new employee functions to select the left, right, or bottom Display Manager display screens; and (3) support for additional video resolutions (VESA-compliant; 640×480 to 1280×1024), video refresh rates (50 hz to 85 hz), video output (VGA and DVI), and touch screen serial interfaces (3M EX-II).
The Display Manager is a hardware component that mixes the iVIEW content and the game content and then displays the mixed content on the gaming machine's curved display system including touch screen system. Mixing the content for both the game and the iVIEW onto one screen provides players easier access for downloading credits from their accounts without interruption of game play or access to other player functions. The hardware component is installed between the iVIEW display and the gaming machine's monitor-touch screen.
In one embodiment, the following hardware and software are installed to connect and run the Display Manager feature: (1) iVIEW GTM (206978) with video pigtail (206970-00-0) and (2) DM operating system (OS). Additionally, in one embodiment, installation of the Display Manager uses the following components: (1) three USB Cables; (2) two USB to Serial Connectors; (3) USB Hub; (4) one Display Manager with VGA to DVI Converter, including a DVI cable; (5) one RS232 Serial Cable, Molex 8-pin from iVIEW J2 to 9-pin serial on the Display Manager; (6) one RS232 Cable USB Hub to monitor touch screen; (7) three VGA Cables (iVIEW VGA OUT to DM VGA to DVI converter IN, gaming machine Processor Board VGA OUT to DM VGA IN, and DM VGA OUT to gaming machine Monitor or DLP device VGA IN); (8) one RS232 Null Modem Cable (USB Hub to gaming machine processor board touch screen 9-pin serial connector).
In another aspect of one embodiment, the Display Manager operating system (OS) and content held on the iVIEW SD card are upgraded when installing the Display Manager software. Typically, this is performed by inserting the SD (Secure Digital) card into the SD socket on the iVIEW.
Further, in one non-limiting embodiment, the Display Manager hardware is installed by plugging each cable into the appropriate connector on each piece of hardware as follows: (1) USB cable from iVIEW USB Host to USB Hub; (2) USB cable/serial to USB converter connector from USB Hub to RS232 cable to curved display system and touch screen system; (3) USB cable/serial to USB converter connector from USB Hub to RS232 Null Modem cable to game machine processor board DB9 touch screen connector; (4) iView VGA OUT to Display Manager DVI converter box VGA IN port; (5) iVIEW RS232 to Display Manager serial 9-pin; (6) gaming machine VGA OUT to Display Manager VGA IN; (7) Display Manager VGA OUT to DLP device or monitor VGA IN; (8) DVI cable from Converter OUT to Display Manager Converter IN (Converter dipswitches 1, 5, and 10 should be in the ON position).
Referring now to
As shown in
Referring now to
In yet another embodiment, Genesis FLI8668 scaler chip is used instead of the FLI8548 scaler chip. The Genesis FLI8668 scaler chip is more powerful and can support higher resolutions and more flexible PIP options. The FLI8668 scaler chip provides high integration for advanced, dual-channel applications of Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP). Specifically, two videos decode with 3D comb filters and two channels of DCDi (Directional Correlation Deinterlacing) processing, and true 10-bit performance provides an extreme high-quality picture for a two-channel application.
Additionally, the FLI8668 scaler chip provides special performance features such as the Faroudja DCDi Cinema video format converter, blue stretch, DDR memory with a read-write of 10 bits per pixel, and flexible sharpening algorithms providing unparalleled performance. The FLI8668 scaler chip also includes an integrated Analog Front-End (AFE) that includes two triple ADCs, a cross-point switch, and two Faroudja Intellicomb™ 3D comb filters. The flexible AFE ensures simple PCB design with direct connections to TV tuners and input video connectors.
Genesis Microchip Inc., the maker of the Genesis scaler chip has been acquired by STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM). Worldwide Headquarters located at STMicroelectronics, 39, Chemin du Champ des Filles, C. P. 21, CH 1228 Plan-Les-Ouates, GENEVA, Switzerland. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other equivalent (or better) scaler chips may also utilized without departing from the scope of the invention.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that not all gaming systems and methods will have all these components and may have other components in addition to, or in lieu of, those components mentioned here. Furthermore, while these components are viewed and described separately, various components may be integrated into a single unit in some embodiments.
The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the claimed invention. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the claimed invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/464,046, filed May 11, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,177,638, issued May 15, 2012 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/271,781 and 12/271,802 both of which were filed Nov. 14, 2008, and both of which are continuation-in-parts of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/209,895 filed Aug. 23, 2005, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/690,289, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,571, which are both hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/464,046 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/350,938 and 12/350,939, both of which were filed Jan. 8, 2009, and both of which claim the benefit of U.S. provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/019,082, filed Jan. 8, 2008, which are all hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/350,938 and 12/350,939 are also continuation-in-parts of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/470,606, filed Sep. 6, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/714,754, filed Sep. 7, 2005, which are all hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/350,938 and 12/350,939 are also continuation-in-parts of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/938,746, filed Nov. 12, 2007, which are all hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/350,938 and 12/350,939 are also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/307,528, filed Feb. 10, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/463,940 concurrently filed on May 11, 2009, entitled GAMING MACHINE HAVING A MOLDED CURVED DISPLAY, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 60714754 | Sep 2005 | US |
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| Parent | 09690289 | Oct 2000 | US |
| Child | 11209895 | US |
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| Parent | 12464046 | May 2009 | US |
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| Parent | 12271781 | Nov 2008 | US |
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| Parent | 11209895 | Aug 2005 | US |
| Child | 12271781 | US | |
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| Parent | 11470606 | Sep 2006 | US |
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| Parent | 11470606 | Sep 2006 | US |
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| Child | 12350938 | US | |
| Parent | 11938746 | Nov 2007 | US |
| Child | 12350939 | US |
