AUTO-BLANKING SCREEN FOR DEVICES HAVING MULTI-LAYER DISPLAYS

• US 20090079667A1
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Murray, Jeremy W., Schlottmann, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0245 Clearing or presetting the whole screen independently of waveforms, e.g. on power-on G09G2310/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/026 Arrangements or methods related to booting a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/395 with depth sampling, i.e. the volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D image planes

Abstract

A system to automatically blank a screen from a multi-layer display is disclosed. The system includes a multi-layer display, an associated logic device and a display controller in communication therewith and configured to receive signals from the logic device. The multi-layer display includes at least a first display screen and a second display screen positioned behind the first display screen, with both display screens in communication with the display controller. The display controller has a signal analyzer configured to analyze received signals, which are sent to one or both of the first and second display screens depending upon the results from the signal analyzer. Analysis results can involve whether signal resolution is greater than a predetermined amount. Signals sent to both display screens results in a multi-layer display presentation, while signals sent to only one screen results in the auto-blanking of the other screen for a single screen display presentation.

Claims

1. A multi-layer display apparatus, comprising:

a logic device adapted to transmit display signals;

at least one display controller in communication with and configured to receive at least one display signal from said logic device, said at least one display controller including a display signal analyzer configured to analyze said at least one display signal for one or more screen blanking criteria;

a first display screen in communication with said at least one display controller and adapted to present a first graphical display thereupon based upon said at least one display signal; and

a second display screen in communication with said at least one display controller and adapted to present a second graphical display thereupon based upon said at least one display signal, said second display screen being positioned behind said first display screen such that said first and second graphical displays are adapted to combine for a single visual presentation to a viewer thereof, and wherein said at least one display controller is adapted to facilitate the presentation of a substantially blank display on one of said first and second display screens whenever one of said one or more screen blanking criteria is present with respect to said at least one display signal.

2. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said one or more screen blanking criteria include one or more of a specific display mode, a specific display resolution and a specific refresh rate detected within said at least one display signal.

3. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 2, wherein said specific display resolution is selected from the group consisting of 640×

480 pixels, 720×

400 pixels, 800×

600 pixels and 1280×

1024 pixels.

4. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 2, wherein said specific display mode is selected from the group consisting of DOS, BIOS and VESA modes.

5. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 2, wherein said specific refresh rate is not about 60 Hz.

6. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one display controller is adapted to facilitate the presentation of a substantially blank display on one of said first and second display screens whenever at least two of said one or more screen blanking criteria is present with respect to said at least one display signal.

7. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first display screen and said second display screen comprise liquid crystal display screens.

8. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third display screen in communication with said at least one display controller and adapted to present a third graphical display thereupon based upon said at least one display signal, said third display screen being positioned between said first display screen and said second display screen such that said first, second and third graphical displays are adapted to combine for a single visual presentation to a viewer thereof.

9. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one display controller is adapted to facilitate the presentation of a substantially blank display on said third display screen whenever one of said one or more screen blanking criteria is present with respect to said at least one display signal.

10. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one display signal comprises multiple display signals, and wherein each of said multiple display signals is designed for use on a separate display screen.

11. The multi-layer display apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one display signal comprises a single display signal, and wherein said single display signal is adapted to be split into subcomponents that are each designed for use on a separate display screen.

12. A method of making a visual presentation to a viewer of a multi-layer display device, comprising:

selecting a first display screen and a second display screen, wherein each of said first and second display screens are adapted to present a separate graphical display to a viewer thereof;

positioning said second display screen behind said first display screen such that said separate graphical displays are adapted to combine for a single visual presentation to said viewer;

receiving at least one display signal at a display controller, said display controller being electrically coupled to said first and second display screens;

analyzing said at least one display signal for one or more screen blanking criteria at said display controller;

transmitting at least a portion of said at least one display signal to one receiving screen selected from said first display screen and said second display screen;

presenting a display based on said at least a portion of said at least one display signal at said receiving display screen; and

displaying a substantially blank display on the other of said first and second display screens that is not said receiving display screen whenever one of said one or more screen blanking criteria has been analyzed to be present with respect to said at least one display signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said one or more screen blanking criteria include one or more of a specific display mode, a specific display resolution and a specific refresh rate detected within said at least one display signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said specific display resolution is selected from the group consisting of 640×

480 pixels, 720×

400 pixels, 800×

600 and 1280×

1024 pixels.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said specific display mode is selected from the group consisting of DOS, BIOS and VESA modes.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said specific refresh rate is not about 60 Hz.

17. An apparatus to automatically blank one display screen within a multi-layer display device, comprising:

means for receiving at least one display signal;

means for analyzing said at least one display signal for one or more screen blanking criteria;

means for transmitting at least a portion of said at least one display signal to a first display screen within said multi-layer display device; and

means for automatically displaying a substantially blank display on a second display screen of said multi-layer display device whenever one of said one or more screen blanking criteria has been analyzed to be present with respect to said at least one display signal, wherein said first and second display screens are positioned front-to-back such that said the respective graphical displays thereon are adapted to combine for a single visual presentation to a viewer thereof.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said one or more screen blanking criteria include one or more of a specific display mode, a specific display resolution and a specific refresh rate detected within said at least one display signal.

19. A gaming machine adapted to accept a wager, administer a game based on the wager, and award a monetary prize based upon the outcome of the game, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior region of the gaming machine, the cabinet adapted to house a plurality of gaming machine components within or about the interior region;

a first display device, disposed within or about said interior region, configured to output a visual image in response to a control signal;

a second display device, arranged relative to the first display device such that a common line of sight passes through a portion of the first display device to a portion of the second display device;

at least one logic device configured to execute instructions to transmit display signals adapted for display on each of said first display device and said second display device; and

at least one display controller in communication with said at least one logic device, said first display device and said second display device and configured to transmit said display signals from said at least one logic device to said first display device and said second display device, said at least one display controller having a signal analyzer configured to analyze said display signals for one or more screen blanking criteria, and wherein said at least one display controller is adapted to facilitate the presentation of a substantially blank display on one of said first and second display devices whenever one of said one or more screen blanking criteria is present with respect to said display signals.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19, wherein said one or more screen blanking criteria include one or more of a specific display mode, a specific display resolution and a specific refresh rate detected within said at least one display signal.

21. A gaming system adapted to accept wagers, administer games based on the wagers, and award monetary prizes based upon the outcomes of the games, comprising:

a plurality of processor-based gaming machines, each processor-based gaming machine having a cabinet defining an interior region thereof, a first display device disposed within or about said interior region and configured to output a visual image in response to a control signal, a second display device arranged relative to the first display device such that a common line of sight passes through a portion of the first display device to a portion of the second display device, a logic device configured to execute instructions to transmit display signals adapted for display on each of said first and second display devices, and a display controller in communication with the logic device, first display device and said second display device and configured to transmit said display signals from the logic device to the first display device and second display device;

a remote host in communication with each of said plurality of processor-based gaming machines, said remote host being adapted to provide one or more of said display signals to each of said plurality of processor-based gaming machines; and

at least one display signal analyzer configured to analyze said display signals for one or more screen blanking criteria, said at least one display signal analyzer adapted to communicate the presence of said one or more screen blanking criteria to said plurality of processor-based gaming machines, and wherein the display controller of each of said processor-based gaming machines is adapted to facilitate the presentation of a substantially blank display on one of the first and second display devices of its respective gaming machine whenever one of said one or more screen blanking criteria is present with respect to the display signals being transmitted to its respective gaming machine.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein said one or more screen blanking criteria include one or more of a specific display mode, a specific display resolution and a specific refresh rate detected within said at least one display signal.

23. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein said at least one display signal analyzer is located remotely from one or more of said plurality of processor-based gaming machines.

24. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein said at least one display signal analyzer comprises a plurality of display signal analyzers located within two or more of said plurality of processor-based gaming machines.