Method and apparatus for managing faults and exceptions

• US 5,971,851 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silicon Gaming, Inc. (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Gaming, Inc. (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wishoff, Clayton, Barnett, Michael, Pascal, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/774,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 463/12, 463/13, 463/16, 463/20, 463/24, 463/26, 463/30, 324/500, 324/511, 324/512, 364/737, 364/DIG. 1, 371/22.1, 371/30, 371/37.7, 371/47.1, 371/48
• US Class Current: 463/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1438 Restarting or rejuvenating
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players

Abstract

An operating system having a multitude of subsystems is provided where each subsystem performs a distinct function and may register with other subsystems to receive notification (or callbacks) upon the ocurrence of certain events. Moreover, the subsystems are programmed in such a manner where in the event of a fault (or exception) they can be instructed to cease the calling of other subsystems, thereby allowing each of the subsystems to complete its distinctive task without commencing further additional activities. When all of the activities have ceased, the state of the system as indicated by the parameters at the various registers and addresses are saved. At this time, the system can initiate a service call for an attendant through one of the provided mechanisms or routine calls. Moreover, the system can initiate an intermission (play stoppage) routine using full audio and video capabilities to explain to the player in a user-friendly manner the problems encountered and play a video clip or the like in entertaining and occupying the player.

Claims

1. In a gaming system having electrical and mechanical subsystems for facilitating play of a game, a method for maintaining and providing audio and visual functionalities in said system should a fault occur in one of the subsystems during game play, each of the subsystems having a number of functional parameters defining the operational state of that subsystem and a corresponding callback list listing other subsystems to be notified upon occurrence of a particular pre-defined event, comprising the steps of:

a) detecting the occurrence of a fault generated in one of said subsystems;

b) generating a strangle request and communicating such request to each of said subsystems to cause each subsystem to complete any already-started processing of the callback list corresponding thereto in response to a previous event and to inhibit each subsystem from initiating new processing of the corresponding callback list in response to the occurrence of a new event;

c) storing the functional parameters and callback list of each subsystem;

d) re-initiating each of said subsystems; and

e) loading and activating an intermission routine utilizing audio and visual subsystems to play an audio-visual video clip to occupy the attention of the system user until the fault is cleared.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further including the steps of:

f) correcting said fault in said system;

g) terminating and unloading said intermission routine;

h) restoring the stored functional parameters and callback list to each of the subsystems; and

i) restarting said system and said subsystems using the stored functional parameters and callback lists.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said system includes an event manager having an event queue for storing incoming events, said event manager processing said incoming events in the order stored in said event queue and causing execution of a corresponding routine in response to the particular incoming event.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said system includes an event manager having an event queue for storing incoming events, said event manager processing said incoming events in the order stored in said event queue and causing execution of a corresponding routine in response to the particular incoming event.

5. A method as recited in claim 3 where upon receiving a clearing event, said event manager causing said intermission routine to terminate and unload.

6. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the corresponding routines include an intermission routine, a machine management system routine, and a service light routine.

7. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the incoming events include a hopper error event, a door-open event, and a subsystem exception event.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said intermission routine comprises the steps of:

1) processing said audio-visual clip;

2) checking for an event-cleared flag;

3) if said event-cleared flag is set, terminating and unloading said intermission routine; and

4) if said event-cleared flag is not set, repeating from step

     1).

9. A method for use in a fault tolerant computer operating system having a plurality of subsystems each having a corresponding callback list of other subsystems, wherein upon the occurrence of a particular event in a particular subsystem, the other subsystems on its callback list are notified, comprising the steps of:

a) detecting the occurrence of a fault in said operating system;

b) calling and requesting each subsystem to perform a strangle routine causing the completion of processing of existing callbacks;

c) acquiring a callback lock inhibiting the processing of new callbacks;

d) storing functional parameters and the callback list of each subsystem;

e) loading an intermission application including the play of an audio-visual video clip and initializing a new callback list for each subsystem;

f) executing said intermission application;

g) releasing said callback lock to allow initiation of new callbacks; and

h) calling an unstrangle routine to permit the processing of new callbacks.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further including the step of:

i) upon the occurrence of a clearing event, unloading said intermission application.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 further including the steps of:

j) restoring the stored functional parameters and callback list for each subsystem; and

k) resuming operation of said subsystems using said restored functional parameters and callback lists.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said system includes an event manager having an event queue for storing incoming events, said event manager processing said incoming events in the order stored in said event queue and causing a corresponding routine to be executed in response to the particular incoming event.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said system includes an event manager having an event queue for storing incoming events, said event manager processing said incoming events in the order stored in said event queue and causing a corresponding routine to be executed in response to the particular incoming event.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein upon receiving a clearing event, said event manager causes said intermission routine to terminate and unload.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the corresponding routines include an intermission routine, a machine management system routine, and a service light routine.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the incoming events include a hopper error event, a door-open event, and a subsystem exception event.

17. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said intermission application comprises the steps of:

1) processing said audio-visual video clip;

2) checking for an event-cleared flag;

3) if said event-cleared flag is set, terminating and unloading said intermission application; and

4) if said event-cleared flag is not set, repeating from step

     1).