Display of third party content on a wagering game machine

• US 8,968,080 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Anderson, Peter R., Blair, Bruce H., Gagner, Mark B., Hamlin, Vernon W., Irby, Michael J., Loose, Timothy C., Minch, Scott M., Pace, Mark C., Sylla, Craig J., Thomas, Alfred, Burica, John M., Rigsby, Eugene M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIM, SENG HENG
• Application Number:
  US13/289,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

In some embodiments, a computerized method includes: creating a number of frames of images for displaying on a monitor of a wagering game machine; and selecting at least a subset of the number of frames. The method can also include performing pixel encoding in the images of the subset of the number of frames, where the pixel encoding is used to identify at least one of adding third party content to the images. The method can also include replacing the images with the third party content, where the adding of the third party content and replacing with the third party content occurs after creating the frame but prior to the displaying the frame on the monitor of the wagering game machine. The method can also include transmitting the number of frames of images to the monitor of the wagering game machine.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

creating image frames for presentation on a monitor of a wagering game machine;

performing, by a processor, pixel encoding in the image frames, wherein the pixel encoding comprises setting a value of at least one pixel in each of the image frames, wherein the value can be validated as remaining unchanged after the creating of the image frames and before presentation of the image frames on the monitor of the wagering game machine, wherein a validation of the pixel encoding is for determining at least one of, that third party content has been added to the image frames and that one or more of the image frames has been replaced with third party images;

validating the value in each of the image frames, wherein the validating indicates that one or more of the image frames has been changed;

determining that the third party content has been added to the image frames based on decoding of the pixel encoding;

precluding wagering game play on the wagering machine, in response to determining that the third party content has been added to the image frames; and

transmitting the image frames for presentation on the monitor of the wagering game machine.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pixel comprises a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel, wherein performing pixel encoding comprises:

setting a value of a first pixel to indicate that a second pixel is encoded;

setting a value of the second pixel to an encoded value;

setting a value of a third pixel to a value of an X coordinate of an X,Y position of the second pixel;

setting a value of a fourth pixel to a value of an Y coordinate of the X,Y position of the second pixel; and

setting a value of a fifth pixel to a value equal to the encoded value.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein creating the image and performing the pixel encoding occurs within a main processor on a carrier board in the wagering game machine, wherein the main processor and the monitor are communicatively coupled together through a bus, wherein the computerized method further comprises:

encrypting the image frames prior to transmitting the image frames to the monitor of the wagering game machine.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the encrypting of the image frames comprises encrypting using a High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection.

5. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an image frame for presentation on a monitor of a wagering game machine, wherein the image frame includes a pixel encoding;

decoding the pixel encoding in the image frame, wherein the pixel encoding comprises setting a value of at least one pixel in the images, wherein the decoding of the pixel encoding comprises validating that the value of the at least one pixel in the image frame remains unchanged after creating the image frame and before presentation of the image frame on the monitor of the wagering game machine;

determining that third party content has been added to the image frame based on the decoding of the pixel encoding; and

performing a corrective operation, in response to determining that the third party content has been added to the image frame, wherein the corrective operation comprises precluding presentation of the image frame on the monitor of the wagering game machine.

6. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the corrective operation comprises:

precluding wagering game play on the wagering machine.

7. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the at least one pixel comprises a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel, wherein decoding the pixel encoding comprises:

retrieving a value of a first pixel in the image that comprises an X coordinate of an X,Y position of an encoded pixel;

retrieving a value of a second pixel in the image that comprises a Y coordinate of the X,Y position of the encoded pixel;

retrieving a value of the encoded pixel in the image from the X,Y position;

retrieving a value of a third pixel in the image that equals what the value of the encoded pixel should be;

comparing the value of the encoded pixel to the value of the third pixel;

responsive to determining that the value of the encoded pixel is not equal to the value of the third pixel, determining that the third party content has been added to the image of the image frame.

8. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 5, further comprising receiving a number of image frames for presentation on the monitor of the wagering game machine, wherein at least a subset of the number of image frames include pixel encoding, the subset comprising the image frame, wherein the subset of the number of image frames having the pixel encoding are randomly selected from among the number of image frames.

9. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a number of image frames for presentation on the monitor of the wagering game machine, wherein at least a subset of the number of image frames include pixel encoding, the subset comprising the image frame of the image; and

performing the corrective operation, in response to not receiving at least one of the subset of the number of image frames within a defined time period.

10. A wagering game machine comprising:

a processor;

a wagering game module, executable on the processor, configured to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered to a wagering game player;

a display output module, executable on the processor, configured to generate an image frame, wherein the image frame includes pixel encoding;

a display monitor having a monitor module that is communicatively coupled to the processor through a cable, wherein the monitor module is configured to,

receive an image frame for presentation on the display monitor of the wagering game machine, wherein the image frame includes the pixel encoding;

decode the pixel encoding in the image frame, wherein the pixel encoding comprises setting a value of at least one pixel in the images, wherein the decode of the pixel encoding comprises validation that the value of the at least one pixel in the image frame remains unchanged after creating the image frame and before presentation of the image frame on the display monitor of the wagering game machine;

determine that third party content has been added to the image frame based on the decoding of the pixel encoding; and

perform a corrective operation, in response to determining that the third party content has been added to the image frame, wherein the corrective operation comprises preclude wagering game play on the wagering game machine.

11. The wagering game machine of claim 10, wherein the corrective operation comprises preclude displaying on the display monitor of the wagering game machine.

12. The wagering game machine of claim 10, wherein the at least one pixel comprises a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel, wherein the monitor module is configured to perform the following as part of the decode of the pixel encoding:

retrieve a value of a first pixel in the image that comprises an X coordinate of an X,Y position of an encoded pixel;

retrieve a value of a second pixel in the image that comprises a Y coordinate of the X,Y position of the encoded pixel;

retrieve a value of the encoded pixel from the X,Y position;

retrieve a value of a third pixel in the image that equals what the value of the encoded pixel should be;

compare the value of the encoded pixel to the value of the third pixel;

responsive to determining that the value of the encoded pixel is not equal to the value of the third pixel, determine that the third party content has been added to the image of the image frame.

13. The wagering game machine of claim 10, wherein the display output module is configured to generate a number of image frames, wherein at least a subset of the number of image frames include pixel encoding, the subset comprising the image frame, wherein the subset of the number of image frames having the pixel encoding are randomly selected from among the number of image frames, and wherein the monitor module is configured to receive the number of image frames from the display output module through the cable.

14. The wagering game machine of claim 10, wherein the display output module is configured to generate a number of image frames, wherein at least a subset of the number of image frames include pixel encoding, the subset comprising the image frame, wherein the monitor module is configured to perform the corrective operation, in response to not receiving at least one of the subset of the number of image frames within a defined time period.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for creating image frames for presentation on a monitor of a wagering game machine;

means for performing pixel encoding in the image frames, wherein the pixel encoding comprises setting a value of at least one pixel in each of the image frames, wherein the value can be validated as remaining unchanged after the creating of the image frames and before presentation of the image frames on the monitor of the wagering game machine, wherein a validation of the pixel encoding is for determining at least one of, that third party content has been added to the image frames and that one or more of the image frames has been replaced with third party images;

means for validating the value in each of the image frames, wherein the means for validating indicates that one or more of the image frames has been changed;

means for determining that the third party content has been added to the image frames based on decoding of the pixel encoding;

means for precluding wagering game play on the wagering machine, in response to determining that the third party content has been added to the image frames; and

means for transmitting the image frames for presentation on the monitor of the wagering game machine.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one pixel comprises a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel, wherein the means for performing the pixel encoding comprises:

means for setting a value of a first pixel to indicate that a second pixel is encoded;

means for setting a value of the second pixel to an encoded value;

means for setting a value of a third pixel to a value of an X coordinate of an X,Y position of the second pixel;

means for setting a value of a fourth pixel to a value of an Y coordinate of the X,Y position of the second pixel; and

means for setting a value of a fifth pixel to a value equal to the encoded value.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for encrypting the image frames prior to transmitting the image frames to the monitor of the wagering game machine.