Meta-message set with real-time and database aspects

• US 7,721,006 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Morrow, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Niketa I
• Application Number:
  US10/956,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/8, 710/11, 710 63- 64, 710/71, 710/105, 710/305, 710/311, 710/313, 710/315, 709/217, 709/230, 700/95, 700/112, 700/119, 700/123, 700/230, 700/231, 700/266, 700/267
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system

Abstract

A generic device controller unit system (10) includes a generic “true real time” peripheral device controller and a data and protocol communications interface that uses a common set of instructions from a meta-message set. The system (10) is generic, in that the system (10) is capable of connecting a processor (40) to any number of various peripheral devices (50), instead of being designed to interconnect a processor (40) only to a specific peripheral device (50). The system (10) interfaces between a standard non-true real time operating system and peripheral devices (50) in such a manner as to employ true real time peripheral device control using the meta-message set. The device controller of the system (10) allows a standard non-true real time operating system to send instructions from the meta-message set to implement true real time control of peripheral devices (50). The system (10) interfaces between a processor (40) and peripheral devices (50) such that the data and protocol communications interface of the system (10) allows the processor (40) to utilize a single protocol, associated data and set of instructions in order to communicate with peripheral devices (50) which are utilizing different protocols and associated data.

Claims

1. A generic device controller unit system comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines networked in a gaming machine network environment, each of the plurality of gaming machines comprising a non-true real time computer and at least one general purpose device controller, wherein;

(a) the non-true real time computer comprises (i) a gaming processor,(ii) a non-true real time operating system, (iii) data representing a set of instructions of a meta-message set for communicating with the at least one general-purpose device controller, the meta-message set including a meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set, and (iv) data representing a micro code implementation to interpret the messages in the meta-message set in the computer, and

(b) the at least one general purpose device controller employs asynchronous true real time peripheral device control, wherein the device controller (i) interfaces between a plurality of peripheral devices and the gaming processor, thereby allowing the non-true real time operating system to implement true real time control of the plurality of peripheral devices; and

(ii) implements

a data and protocol communications interface, wherein the communications interface connects the gaming processor and the plurality of peripheral devices, thereby allowing the gaming processor to utilize a single protocol and associated data to communicate with the plurality of peripheral devices which may be utilizing protocols and associated data which are different than that used by the gaming processor;

wherein the at least one general purpose device controller further comprises;

(a) data representing a set of instructions from a meta-message set for communicating with the computer, the meta-message set including the meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set, and

(b) data representing a micro code implementation to interpret the messages in the meta-message set in the general purpose device controller and responsive to the meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set by updating the data representing the set of instructions from the meta-message set and updating the data representing the micro code to include data to interpret the updated one or more instructions in the meta-message set.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the generic device controller unit system further includes customized system drivers responsive to the instructions from the meta-message set.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the generic device controller unit system provides real time device control to resource management capabilities of a standard non-true real time operating system responsive to the instructions from the meta-message set.

4. The generic device controller unit system of claim 1 wherein the general purpose device controller further comprises API library routines to implement the micro-code instructions.

5. A meta-message set system for facilitating interaction between electronic components, the meta-message set system comprising:

one or more meta-message instructions that are universal to each of the components; and

at least one of the components comprising a general purpose device controller employing true real time asynchronous peripheral device control, wherein the device controller interfaces between a plurality of peripheral devices and one of a plurality of gaming machines networked in a gaming machine network environment, each of the gaming machines having a non-true real time computer having a gaming processor, and a non-true real time operating system, thereby allowing the non-true real time operating system to implement true real time control of the plurality of peripheral devices;

wherein the one of the plurality of gaming machines further comprises;

(a) data representing a set of instructions of the meta-message set for communicating with the at least one general-purpose device controller, the meta-message set including a meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set, and

(b) data representing a micro code implementation to interpret the messages in the meta-message set in the computer; and

wherein the at least one general purpose device controller further comprises;

(a) data representing a set of instructions from a meta-message set for communicating with the computer, the meta-message set including a meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set, and

(b) data representing a micro code implementation to interpret the messages in the meta-message set in the general purpose device controller and responsive to the meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set by updating the data representing the set of instructions from the meta-message set and updating the data representing the micro code to include data to interpret the undated one or more instructions in the meta-message set.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a database of instructions from the meta-message set is stored in two or more of the components.

7. The meta-message set system of claim 5, wherein the general purpose device controller further comprises API library routines to implement the micro-code instructions.

8. A method for facilitating interaction between electronic components, comprising:

establishing a meta-message set containing one or more meta-message instructions universal to each of the components, the meta-message set including a meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set; and

controlling a plurality of peripheral devices by sending one or more of the meta-message instructions from the meta-message set to at least one of the components, the at least one component comprising a general purpose device controller employing true real time asynchronous peripheral device control, wherein the device controller interfaces between the plurality of peripheral devices and a gaming processor in a gaming machine having a non-true real time computer and a non-true real time operating system, the plurality of gaming machines being networked in a gaming machine network environment, thereby allowing the non-true real time operating system to implement true real time control of the plurality of peripheral devices;

wherein the computer further comprises;

(a) data representing the set of instructions of the meta-message set for communicating with the general-purpose device controller, and

(b) data representing a micro code implementation to interpret the messages in the meta-message set in the computer; and

wherein the general purpose device controller further comprises;

(a) data representing the set of instructions of the meta-message set for communicating with the computer, and

(b) data representing a micro code implementation to interpret the messages in the meta-message set in the general purpose device controller and responsive to the meta-message for updating one or more of the instructions in the meta-message set by updating the data representing the set of instructions of the meta-message set and updating the data representing the micro code to include data to interpret the undated one or more instructions in the meta-message set.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing a database of instructions from the meta-message set in two or more of the components.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising sending an instruction to update the database of instructions from the meta-message set to each of the two or more components.

11. The method for facilitating interaction between electronic components of claim 8, wherein the general purpose device controller further comprises API library routines to implement the micro-code instructions.