Gaming browser manager client system and method

• US 8,429,224 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Pravinkumar, Kelly, Bryan M., Link, John E., Green, Anthony E., Reddy, Mettu R., Crowder, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN, FRANTZ B
• Application Number:
  US11/938,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20080171602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 463/40, 463/42, 345/1.1, 345/30, 345/156, 345/619
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3297 Fairground games, e.g. Tivoli, coin pusher machines, cranes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A browser manager server is able to initialize and configure one or more browser windows on a gaming device display screen. The browser manager has the ability to configure specific URLs for each browser window, configure and Z-order depth for each window, set window size and position, and call functions on the browser pages. A browser client side application on a gaming device is capable of creating multiple windows on an electronic gaming device and responding to said server configuration or browser message commands.

Claims

1. A method of using a browser manager to present and control two or more browsers on one or more gaming machines from a server via a network, wherein each gaming machine includes a primary display and a secondary display, the method comprising:

creating two or more browser windows on a display of a gaming machine from the server;

positioning two or more browser windows next to each other on a display of a gaming machine from the server in an X-Y plane of a coordinate system; and

positioning an order of two or more browser windows on top of each other on a display of a gaming machine from the server along a Z axis of the coordinate system, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is a parent browser window and remaining browser windows are child browser windows, and wherein browser layout management incorporates prioritization of the parent browser window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is linked to a universal resource locator (URL).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the browser windows is linked to a different universal resource locator (URL).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is linked to an application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the browser windows is linked to an application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the parent browser window maintains the highest Z axis position on the display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein parent browser window status can be changed to child browser window status by the server via the network, and wherein child browser window status can be changed to parent browser window status by the server via the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein child browser window positioning is based off of parent window position as a frame of reference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a new browser window is creatable on the display screen at the highest Z axis position, relative to other browser windows, to alert a player of priority information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a new browser window is creatable on the display screen of a gaming machine to deliver a message to a player.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a child browser window is emphasized on the display screen to alert a player of priority information relating to the child browser window to encourage a player to re-designate the child browser window as the parent browser window.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window to alert a player of priority information relating to that browser window.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window by flashing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window by flashing a specific color.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window by flashing one of a variety of colors, wherein each color corresponds to a different message or announcement.

16. A method of using a browser manager to present and control two or more browsers on one or more gaming machines from a server via a network, wherein each gaming machine includes a primary display and a secondary display, the method comprising:

creating two or more browser windows on a display of a gaming machine from the server;

positioning two or more browser windows next to each other on a display of a gaming machine from the server in an X-Y plane of a coordinate system; and

positioning an order of two or more browser windows on top of each other on a display of a gaming machine from the server along a Z axis of the coordinate system, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is a parent browser window and remaining browser windows are child browser windows, and wherein parent browser window status can be changed to child browser window status by the server via the network, and wherein child browser window status can be changed to parent browser window status by the server via the network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is linked to a universal resource locator (URL).

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the browser windows is linked to a different universal resource locator (URL).

19. The method of claim 16, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is linked to an application.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the browser windows is linked to an application.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the parent browser window maintains the highest Z axis position on the display.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein child browser window positioning is based off of parent window position as a frame of reference.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein a new browser window is creatable on the display screen at the highest Z axis position, relative to other browser windows, to alert a player of priority information.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein a new browser window is creatable on the display screen of a gaming machine to deliver a message to a player.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein a child browser window is emphasized on the display screen to alert a player of priority information relating to the child browser window to encourage a player to re-designate the child browser window as the parent browser window.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window to alert a player of priority information relating to that browser window.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window by flashing.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window by flashing a specific color.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein a button is emphasized on the display screen that is associated with a particular browser window by flashing one of a variety of colors, wherein each color corresponds to a different message or announcement.

30. A method of using a browser manager to present and control two or more browsers on one or more gaming machines from a server via a network, wherein each gaming machine includes a primary display and a secondary display, the method comprising:

creating two or more browser windows on a display of a gaming machine from the server;

positioning two or more browser windows next to each other on a display of a gaming machine from the server in an X-Y plane of a coordinate system; and

positioning an order of two or more browser windows on top of each other on a display of a gaming machine from the server along a Z axis of the coordinate system, wherein one of the two or more browser windows is a parent browser window and remaining browser windows are child browser windows, and wherein a child browser window is emphasized on the display screen to alert a player of priority information relating to the child browser window to encourage a player to re-designate the child browser window as the parent browser window.