User interface system and method for a gaming machine

• US 8,348,759 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: DiMichele, Carmen, Morrow, James, LeStrange, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ROSS A
• Application Number:
  US11/140,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,784 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 30- 33, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication

Abstract

An embedded additional user interface is equipped with a touch screen and audio device to operate as a user interface (UI) terminal to provide a gaming machine with the capability of executing applications from one or more web servers, and local applications executing in the gaming machine, simultaneously. The UI comprises a touch controlled web-browser rendering information from the local gaming machine, and interconnected web servers, providing the user with game data, local player session data, and back-end casino management data in a single interface.

Claims

1. A gaming machine including a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface, the embedded user interface comprising:

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

a dictionary component, wherein the dictionary component translates a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible text data messages to corresponding enhanced player messages; and

an embedded processor that employs an internal operating system and communicates with the gaming processor and two or more servers, and wherein the embedded processor reads an incoming text data message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen, calls the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen on the multimedia display screen, wherein the embedded processor and the two or more servers direct content to the multimedia display screen;

whereby the multimedia display screen increases player excitement by displaying the corresponding web content message to the player so as to provide a richer gaming experience than displaying the incoming text data message to the player.

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

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

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the multimedia display screen is a color graphic touch screen display.

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. A gaming machine including a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface, the embedded user interface comprising:

a web content capable display having a plurality of screen regions, each screen region being controllable by data received from a corresponding server within a plurality of servers which are connected via a network, wherein the web content capable display is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

a network connection capable of receiving data from the plurality of servers via the network;

a dictionary component, wherein the dictionary component translates a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible text data messages to corresponding enhanced player messages; and

an embedded processor that executes an internal operating system and communicates data with the gaming processor;

wherein the embedded user interface reads an incoming text data messages from two or more of the plurality of servers for the player, calls the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding enhanced player messages to the player on two or more of the plurality of screen regions on the display screen and the two or more servers direct content to each corresponding screen region.

14. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the received data includes game data.

15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the game data is used to determine a bonus.

16. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the game data includes collected data associated with all prior play on the gaming machine.

17. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the game data includes collected data associated with all prior play by a player in a casino.

18. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the game data includes collected data associated with all prior play in a casino.

19. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the received data includes collected local player session data.

20. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the local player session data is used to determine a bonus.

21. The user interface of claim 20, wherein the local player session data includes collected data regarding games played by a player on the gaming machine.

22. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the received data includes collected back-end casino data.

23. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the back-end casino data is used to determine a bonus.

24. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the game data includes collected data associated with all prior play on the gaming machine.

25. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the game data includes collected data associated with all prior play by a player in a casino.

26. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the game data includes collected data associated with all prior play in a casino.

27. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the back-end casino data includes collected data regarding games played by a player in a plurality of casinos.

28. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the back-end casino data includes collected data regarding games played by a plurality of players in a plurality of casinos.

29. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the network incorporates a peer-to-peer network.

30. The user interface of claim 29, wherein the peer-to-peer network is used to send or request data from one gaming machine attached to the network to or from another gaming machine attached to the network.

31. The user interface of claim 29, wherein the data includes update data that updates game software.

32. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the web content capable display is a color graphic touch screen display.

33. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the network connection connects the additional user interface to an Ethernet network.

34. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the network connection connects the additional user interface to the Internet.

35. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the data comprises a first portion received from a first server of the plurality of servers, and a second portion received from a second server of the plurality of servers.

36. The user interface of claim 35, wherein a first screen region presents the first portion of data, and a second screen region presents the second portion of data.

37. The user interface of claim 35, wherein each of the two or more portions of data are presented by the embedded additional user interface according to a pre-determined format.

38. The user interface of claim 36, wherein the pre-determined format comprises one or more rules for display of the first and second data portions.

39. The user interface of claim 13, wherein each screen region comprises an instance of a browser.

40. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the data includes animated graphics data.

41. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the data includes audio data for presentation on an audio system provided by the additional user interface.

42. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the data comprises audio data for presentation on an audio system provided by the gaming machine.

43. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the gaming machine controls one or more of the screen regions.

44. A method for providing an enhanced presentation of information using a gaming machine that includes a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user interface, the method comprising:

presenting enhanced player messages to a user via a multimedia display screen on the embedded user interface, the multimedia display screen having a plurality of screen regions, wherein the multimedia display screen is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine, and wherein the embedded user interface is connected to two or more servers via a network;

executing an internal operating system and communicating data with the gaming processor using an embedded processor on the embedded user interface;

reading incoming text data messages directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen from two or more of a plurality of servers for the player;

calling the dictionary component to translate the text data message into XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player messages directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen; and

displaying the corresponding enhanced player messages to the player on two or more of the plurality of screen regions on the display screen, wherein each of the two or more servers is associated with a corresponding screen region.

45. A gaming machine having a gaming presentation and an embedded user interface, the gaming machine comprising:

a multimedia display screen separate from the gaming presentation, wherein the display screen is in communication with a plurality of servers that are connected via a network;

a network connection capable of receiving data from the plurality of servers via the network;

a dictionary component, wherein the dictionary component translates a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible text data messages to corresponding enhanced player messages; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes an internal operating system for the multimedia display screen, communicates with the gaming processor, reads an incoming text data messages from two or more of the plurality of servers for the player, calls the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding enhanced player messages to the player on the display screen;

whereby the multimedia display screen increases player excitement by displaying the corresponding enhanced player message to the player so as to provide a richer gaming experience than displaying the incoming text data message to the player.

46. A gaming machine including a gaming presentation, a gaming processor, and an embedded user, the embedded user interface comprising:

a multimedia display screen having a plurality of screen regions, each screen region being associated with a corresponding server within a plurality of servers which are connected via a network, wherein the web content capable display is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

a network connection capable of receiving data from the plurality of servers via the network;

a dictionary component, wherein the dictionary component translates a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen into an XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player message directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible text data messages to corresponding enhanced player messages; and

an embedded processor that executes an internal operating system and communicates data with the gaming processor;

wherein the embedded user interface reads an incoming text data messages from two or more of the plurality of servers for the player, calls the dictionary component, and displays the corresponding enhanced player messages to the player on two or more of the plurality of screen regions on the display screen.

47. A method executed in an embedded user interface incorporated into a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming presentation and gaming processor, the method comprising:

presenting enhanced player messages to a user via a multimedia display screen on the embedded user interface, wherein the display screen is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

providing a network connection capable of receiving data from a plurality of servers via the network;

translating a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen into XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player messages directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible text data messages to corresponding enhanced player messages using a dictionary component, wherein the embedded user interface, reads incoming text data messages from two or more of the plurality of servers for the player and calls the dictionary component for translations; and

displaying the corresponding enhanced player messages to the player on the multimedia display screen.

48. A method executed in an embedded user interface incorporated into a gaming machine, the gaming machine including a gaming presentation and gaming processor, the method comprising:

presenting enhanced player messages to a user via a multimedia display screen on the embedded user interface, the multimedia display screen having a plurality of screen regions, wherein the display screen is separate from the gaming presentation of the gaming machine;

providing a network connection capable of receiving data from a plurality of servers via the network;

translating a text data message directed to be displayed to a player upon a display screen into XML, HTML, or DHTML enhanced player messages directed to be displayed to the player upon the display screen by looking up the text data message in a dictionary data file which provides a mapping of possible text data messages to corresponding enhanced player messages using a dictionary component, wherein the embedded user interface reads incoming text data messages from two or more of the plurality of servers for the player and calls the dictionary component for translations; and

displaying the corresponding enhanced player messages to the player on two or more of the plurality of screen regions on the multimedia display screen, wherein each of the two or more servers is associated with a corresponding screen region.