Candle device for generating display interfaces on the main display of a gaming machine

• US 8,814,681 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Leap Forward Gaming, Inc. (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wells, William R., Saffari, Ali, Lundy, Christopher, Paulsen, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US13/327,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20120108338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/31, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A candle device for a gaming machine including a secondary processor is described. The candle device can include a number of stages that when activated convey information about the status of the gaming machine. The secondary processor, disposed within a secure enclosure in the candle device, can be configured to control peripheral devices disposed with a main cabinet of the gaming machine that receive control commands from a game controller. In particular, the secondary processor can be configured to determine a size and a position of windows on the main touch screen display where a first window is for outputting video content from the game controller and a second window is for outputting video content from the secondary processor. The secondary processor can use the second window to add new features to the gaming machine, such as a verification interface for transactions involving mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method in a gaming device including a secondary controller having a processor and a memory comprising:

determining in the secondary controller a native resolution of first video content for a wager-based game generated by a game controller on a gaming machine wherein the first video content is output to a dual port touch screen (DPTS) display including a first video port to receive the first video content for the wager-based game and a second video port to receive second video content from the secondary controller;

determining in the secondary controller a display interface controlled by the gaming device is triggered;

based upon the determined native resolution of the first video content for the wager-based game and a resolution of the of the DPTS display, determining a display mode for the DPTS display wherein the display mode includes a first resolution and a first position of a first display window on a first portion of the DPTS display in which the first video content for the wager-based game is output and a second resolution and a second position of a second display window on a second portion of the DPTS display associated with display interface in which the second video content from the secondary controller is output;

sending, from the secondary controller, commands to the DPTS display to generate the display mode including commands to generate the first display window on the first portion of the DPTS display with the first resolution greater than the native resolution of the first video content for the wager-based game;

sending from the secondary controller the second video content to the second port of the DPTS display;

receiving, in the secondary controller, touch screen data from the DPTS display wherein the DPTS display is configured to send the touch screen data from an entire DPTS display to the secondary controller via first communication pathway and only the touch screen data associated with the first resolution and the first position of the first display window via second communication pathway directly to the game controller; and

in response to receiving the touch screen data, sending, from the secondary controller, new video content to the second port of the DPTS display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a resolution of the dual port touch screen display is greater than the native resolution of the first video content of the wager-based game.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first resolution of the first display window is always greater than or equal to the native resolution of the wager-based game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a resolution of the second video content sent from the secondary controller is a fixed value further comprising selecting the second resolution of the second display window that is equal to or less than the fixed value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while the display interface is displayed, receiving from the game controller a command to change a lighting configuration of one or more of the plurality of lighting stages on a candle device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen data from the DPTS display is received via a communication pathway separate from the first port or the second port.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based upon the touch screen data, determining a touch screen input button displayed in the second display window has been activated.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based upon the first resolution and the first position of the first display window associated with the wager-based game, determining a location of a touch screen input button in the first display window associated with the wager-based game,

based upon the touch screen data from the entire DPTS display, determining the touch screen input button in first display window has been activated and

in response sending new video content associated with the display interface to the DPTS display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary controller is configured to generate the video content according to a tree hierarchy wherein a selection of various touch screen input buttons associated with the tree hierarchy allows a user to navigate within the tree hierarchy.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating video content for a transaction verification interface for electronically transferring funds to the gaming machine.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to receiving touch screen input data associated with the transaction verification interface, sending a request to authorize a transaction to a remote device wherein the touch screen input data associated with the transaction interface is not received by the game controller.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating video content for the display interface that allows a user to order a drink.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating video content for the display interface that allows a user to select video programming to watch via the display interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the video programming is a video feed for a live sporting event.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a remote device a video feed for video programming and integrating the video feed into the display interface.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising, selecting at a first time a first display mode wherein the second display window for outputting the second video content is not visible and the first display window for outputting the first video content from the wager-based game and selecting at a second time a second display mode wherein the second display window for outputting the second video content is visible and the first resolution of the first display window for outputting the first video content from the wager-based game is smaller than in the first display mode.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining a current state of the gaming machine and based-upon the current state of the gaming machine, determining to delay changing the display mode until the current state is completed.

18. A retrofit system for a wager-based gaming machine including a gaming machine cabinet comprising:

a touch screen display for replacing an existing main display on the gaming machine and

a gaming device for replacing an existing candle device on the gaming machine;

the touch screen display comprising;

a) a touch screen sensor;

b) a first video port configured to receive first video content for a wager-based game from a game controller wherein a resolution of the touch screen display is greater than a native resolution of the first video content received from the game controller and the existing main display which is replaced;

c) a second video port configured to receive second video content associated with a display interface from a secondary controller;

d) a touch screen display controller for i) receiving control commands from the secondary controller wherein the control commands specify a display mode including a first resolution and a first position of a first display window on a first portion of the touch screen display for displaying the first video content from the game controller and a second resolution and a second position of a second display window on a second portion of the touch screen display for displaying the second video content from the secondary controller associated with the display interface;

ii) scaling touch screen input data in response to the control commands iii) sending touch screen input data associated with the first portion directly to the game controller via a first touch data interface and iv) sending touch screen input data associated with the first portion and the second portion to the secondary controller via a second touch data interface;

e) a display configured to display the first video content on the first portion and

the secondary video content on the second portion in accordance with the display mode; and

the gaming device comprising;

a mounting interface coupled to a housing for mounting the gaming device to an exterior or an interior surface of the gaming machine cabinet;

a secondary controller, including a processor and a memory, secured within the housing, configured to i) send the second video content associated with the display interface to the second port of the touch screen display and ii) send and generate the control commands for specifying the display mode to the touch screen display controller including the first resolution of the first display window greater than the native resolution of the first video content;

iii) determine the second video content associated with the display interface which is output to the second display window, and

a first communication interface coupled to a first communication pathway between the secondary controller and the game controller, a second communication interface coupled to a second communication pathway between the secondary controller and the second video port and a third communication pathway between the secondary controller and the touch screen display controller.

19. The retrofit system of claim 18, where the secondary controller is configured to select at a particular time one of a plurality display modes.

20. The retrofit system of claim 18, wherein the touch screen display controller is configured to send touch screen input data for an entire touch screen display to the secondary controller via the second touch data interface and only the touch screen input data associated with the first resolution and the first position of the first portion of the touch screen display directly to the game controller via the first touch data interface.

21. A gaming machine comprising:

a gaming machine cabinet;

a game controller, disposed within an interior portion of the gaming machine cabinet, the game controller configured to control a wagered based game including generating video game content for a wager-based game at a native resolution wherein the game controller is configured to send the video game content to a touch screen display via a first video port of the touch screen display and receive touch screen input data via a first touch data interface of the touch screen display;

the touch screen display including

a) a touch screen sensor;

b) a first video port configured to receive the video game content from the game controller;

c) a second video port configured to receive secondary video content from a secondary controller;

d) a touch screen display controller configured to

     1) receive control commands from the secondary controller wherein the control commands specify a display mode including a first resolution and a first position of a first portion of the touch screen display configured to display wherein a resolution of the touch screen display is greater than the native resolution of the video game content and wherein the first resolution is greater than the native resolution of the video game content the video game content from the game controller and a second resolution and a second position of a second portion of the touch screen display configured to display the secondary video content;

     2) send the touch screen input data only associated with the first portion directly to the game controller via the first touch data interface and

     3) send touch screen input data associated with the first portion and the second portion, via a second touch data interface, to the secondary controller;

d) a display configured to display the video game content on the first portion and the secondary video content on the second portion in accordance with the display mode;

a gaming device comprising;

a secure housing including one or more anti-tampering mechanisms;

a mounting interface attached to the housing for coupling the gaming device to an exterior surface or an interior surface of the gaming machine cabinet;

the secondary controller, including a processor and a memory, disposed within the housing, configured to i) send the video content to the touch screen display, ii) send and generate the control commands for specifying the display mode and iii) receive the touch screen input data associated with the first portion and the second portion output via the second touch data interface.