User interface system and method

• US 7,905,780 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Morrow, James W., DiMichele, Carmen
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams; Ross A.
• Application Number:
  US11/307,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20070082737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/6, 463 16- 18, 463/20, 463 40- 42, 463 31- 33, 345/762, 715/762
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

An embedded user interface system 10 includes a web page display screen 20 and an embedded processor 30, and is incorporated into a gaming machine 40 that in turn includes a gaming presentation 50 and a gaming processor 60. The embedded processor 30 employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor 60. The display screen 20 presents information to a user via the display screen. The dictionary extension 100 receives an incoming text string, parses the text string to identify a navigation command and pull a uniform resource locator from the text string, loads the uniform resource locator pulled from the text string into a variable, and indirectly navigates the web content capable display screen to the uniform resource locator in the variable. This provides a dramatic improvement over traditional system components 70 (input/output peripherals) that have been used in the past to access service and system information, such as a 2-line, 20-character VF display and a 12-digit keypad.

Claims

1. An embedded user interface system associated with a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming presentation and gaming processor, the embedded user interface system comprising:

a web content capable display screen, wherein the display screen presents information to a user via the display screen;

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system; and

a dictionary extension, wherein the dictionary extension receives a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen, translates the message into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen, and initiates a command that launches a pop-up dialog box over a browser presented on the display screen without altering the browser presented on the display screen;

wherein the pop-up dialog box enables a temporary message to be sent to a user without changing a state of the browser behind the pop-up dialogue box.

2. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the incoming data is a serial communication message.

3. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor communicates with the gaming processor over an I2C bus.

4. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the web content capable display screen is a color graphic touch screen display.

5. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor is at least a 32-bit processor.

6. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the internal operating system is customized to match the specific hardware to which the internal operating system attaches.

7. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor utilizes cryptographic technology.

8. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the content offers a certification process for authentication and non-repudiation.

9. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the certification process provides auditability and traceability.

10. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the certification process provides sufficient security for gaming regulators to allow casino operators to design their own content.

11. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded enhanced user interface connects to an Ethernet-networked backbone.

12. The embedded additional user interface of claim 1, wherein the embedded enhanced user interface connects to a web server through an Ethernet-networked backbone.

14. The embedded user interface of claim 1, wherein the incoming data is a serial communication message.

13. An embedded user interface system for use in a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming presentation and gaming processor, the embedded user interface system comprising:

a web content capable display screen, wherein the display screen presents information to a user via the display screen;

a dictionary extension, wherein the dictionary extension receives an incoming text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen, and translates the message into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen; and

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor, wherein the embedded processor reads an incoming text data message sent from a game monitoring unit to the player, calls the dictionary component, returns a set of actions upon which a display manager performs, and displays the enhanced player message to the player on the display screen.

15. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the embedded processor communicates with the gaming processor over an I2C bus.

16. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the animation capable display screen is a color graphic touch screen display.

17. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the embedded processor is at least a 32-bit processor.

18. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the internal operating system is customized to match the specific hardware to which the internal operating system attaches.

19. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the embedded processor utilizes cryptographic technology.

20. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the content offers a certification process for authentication and non-repudiation.

21. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the certification process produces signed content that is auditable and traceable.

22. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the certification process provides sufficient security for gaming regulators to allow casino operators to design their own content.

23. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the embedded enhanced user interface connects to an Ethernet-networked backbone.

24. The embedded user interface of claim 13, wherein the embedded enhanced user interface connects to a web server through an Ethernet-networked backbone.

25. An embedded user interface system for use in a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming presentation and gaming processor, the embedded user interface system comprising:

a web page display screen, wherein the display screen presents information to a player via the display screen, and wherein the web page display screen is divided into a plurality of frames that are each capable of displaying a different uniform resource locator;

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system; and

a dictionary extension, wherein the dictionary extension receives an incoming text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen, translates the message into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen, and initiates a command that launches a pop-up dialog box over a browser presented on the display screen without altering the browser presented on the display screen;

wherein the pop-up dialog box enables a temporary message to be sent to a player without changing a state of the browser behind the pop-up dialogue box.

26. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the incoming data is a serial communication message.

27. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the embedded processor communicates with the gaming processor over an I2C bus.

28. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the web page display screen is a color graphic touch screen display.

29. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the embedded processor is at least a 32-bit processor.

30. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the internal operating system is customized to match the specific hardware to which the internal operating system attaches.

31. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the embedded processor utilizes cryptographic technology.

32. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the content offers a certification process for authentication and non-repudiation.

33. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the certification process provides auditability and traceability.

34. The embedded additional user interface of claim 25, wherein the certification process provides sufficient security for gaming regulators to allow casino operators to design their own content.

35. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the web authoring language is HTML.

36. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the web authoring language is DHTML.

37. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the web authoring language is XML.

38. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the embedded enhanced user interface connects to an Ethernet-networked backbone.

39. The embedded user interface of claim 25, wherein the embedded enhanced user interface connects to a web server through an Ethernet-networked backbone.

40. A gaming machine having a gaming presentation, the gaming machine comprising:

a gaming processor; and

a user interface separate from the gaming presentation, the user interface comprising;

a web page display screen, wherein the display screen presents information to a user via the display screen;

a dictionary extension, wherein the dictionary extension receives an incoming text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen, and translates the message into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen; and

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor, wherein the embedded processor reads an incoming text data message sent from a game monitoring unit to the player, calls the dictionary component, returns a set of actions upon which a display manager performs, and displays the enhanced player message to the player on the web page display screen.

41. A method for increasing user excitement relating to a gaming machine by providing a richer gaming experience via an embedded user interface system that is incorporated into the gaming machine, wherein the embedded user interface system includes an embedded processor, a web page display screen, and a dictionary extension, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a web content capable display screen of the embedded user interface system;

translating the message into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the web content capable display screen using the embedded processor and the dictionary extension; and

initiating a command that launches a pop-up dialog box over a browser presented on the web content capable display screen without altering the browser presented on the web content capable display screen;

wherein the pop-up dialog box enables a temporary message to be sent to a user without changing a state of the browser behind the pop-up dialogue box.

42. A gaming machine that includes an embedded user interface system for use in a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming presentation and gaming processor, the embedded user interface system comprising:

a web content capable display screen, wherein the display screen presents information to a user via the display screen, wherein the web content display screen is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system; and

a dictionary extension, wherein the dictionary extension receives a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen, translates the message into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen, and initiates a command that launches a pop-up dialog box over a browser presented on the display screen without altering the browser presented on the display screen;

wherein the pop-up dialog box enables a temporary message to be sent to a user without changing a state of the browser behind the pop-up dialogue box.