Presenting lighting content in wagering game systems

• US 8,814,673 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brunell, Edward G., Radek, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/094,701
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 16- 20, 463 29- 31, 463 40- 42, 463/46, 463/47, 362/23.02, 362/212, 362/234, 362/236, 362/253, 362/458, 362/600, 362/602, 362/800
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• 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 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter include operations for presenting a lighting show in a wagering game system. The operations can include receiving, over a first network, a playlist identifier that identifies a playlist, where the playlist is associated with a first group of lighting commands for presenting lighting effects on lighting devices in the wagering game system. The operations can also include generating the first group of lighting commands, and receiving, over the first network, a second group of lighting commands for presenting the lighting effects on the lighting devices in the wagering game system. The operations can also include generating, based on the first and second groups of lighting commands, instructions specific to the lighting devices, and transmitting, over a second network, the instructions for execution by one or more lighting controllers connected to the lighting devices, wherein the execution causes the lighting effects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting a lighting show in a wagering game system, the method comprising:

receiving, over a first network, a playlist identifier that identifies a playlist, wherein the playlist is associated with a first group of lighting commands for presenting lighting effects on a plurality of lighting devices of the wagering game system;

generating, by at least one processor of the wagering game system, the first group of lighting commands based on the identified playlist;

receiving, over the first network, a second group of lighting commands for presenting the lighting effects on the plurality of lighting devices of the wagering game system;

generating, by the at least one processor of the wagering game system and based on the first and second groups of lighting commands, a plurality of lighting instructions specific to the plurality of lighting devices; and

transmitting, over a second network different from the first network, the plurality of lighting instructions for execution by one or more lighting controllers connected to the plurality of lighting devices, wherein the execution causes the lighting effects to present the lighting show.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the generating the plurality of lighting instructions specific to the plurality of lighting devices includes:

generating, for at least one of the lighting commands of the first group and the second group, two or more of the lighting instructions for the plurality of lighting instructions, wherein the generating is based on a step function.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the playlist is associated with a wagering game occurring on the wagering game system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first network supports Ethernet protocol, and wherein the second network supports DMX512 protocol.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting devices are located on and about wagering game machines of the wagering game system.

6. One or more machine-readable memory devices storing thereon machine-readable instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving, over a backend network, a plurality of lighting commands for a lighting show, wherein the lighting show is associated with an event occurring in a wagering game system;

for each lighting command of the plurality of lighting commands for the lighting show, performing the following;

determining a lighting device of the wagering game system that is associated with the command; and

generating, based on the command, one or more lighting instructions for the determined lighting device;

aggregating each of the lighting instructions into one or more data packets; and

transmitting, over a dedicated lighting network different from the backend network, the one or more data packets to one or more lighting controllers of the wagering game system configured to present the lighting show by executing the lighting instructions.

7. The one or more machine-readable memory devices of claim 6, wherein the lighting show includes a plurality of lighting effects, and wherein generating the one or more lighting instructions for each of the lighting devices includes:

determining lighting parameters based on a step function associated with one or more of the lighting effects, wherein the one or more lighting instructions include the lighting parameter.

8. The one or more machine-readable memory devices of claim 6, wherein the dedicated lighting network supports DMX512 protocol, and wherein the backend network supports Ethernet protocol.

9. The one or more machine-readable memory devices of claim 6, wherein the lighting device includes one or more of a light emitting diode array, a spot light, slot-reel lighting, and chair lighting.

10. The one or more machine-readable memory devices of claim 6, wherein the event is one of a wagering game jackpot win, a progressive jackpot win, and a player achievement.

11. A wagering game machine configured to present a light show, the wagering game machine comprising:

means for receiving, over a first network, a playlist identifier that identifies a playlist, wherein the playlist is associated with a first group of lighting commands for presenting lighting effects on a plurality of lighting devices coupled to a wagering game system;

means for generating the first group of lighting commands based on the identified playlist;

means for receiving, over the first network, a second group of lighting commands for presenting the lighting effects on the plurality of lighting devices coupled to the wagering game system;

means for generating, based on the first and second groups of lighting commands,

a plurality of lighting instructions specific to the plurality of lighting devices; and

means for transmitting, over a second network different from the first network, the plurality of lighting instructions for execution by one or more lighting controllers connected to the plurality of lighting devices, wherein the execution causes the lighting effects to present the lighting show.

12. The wagering game machine of claim 11, wherein the means for generating the plurality of lighting instructions specific to the plurality of lighting devices includes:

means for generating, for at least one of the lighting commands of the first group and the second group, two or more of the lighting instructions for the plurality of lighting instructions, wherein the generating is based on a step function.

13. The wagering game machine of claim 11, wherein the playlist is associated with a wagering game occurring on the wagering game system.

14. The wagering game machine of claim 11, wherein the first network supports Ethernet protocol, and wherein the second network supports DMX512 protocol.

15. The wagering game machine of claim 11, wherein the plurality of lighting devices are located on and about wagering game machines coupled to the wagering game system.