External video mixing control

• US 9,564,000 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Higgins, Kevin, Little, William C., Marcu, Adrian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Larsen, Carl V
• Application Number:
  US13/536,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 463/21, 463/25, 463/27, 463/29, 463/30, 463/31, 463/33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

Techniques for allowing a gaming machine to exercise control over a picture-in-picture device (PIP mixer). A gaming machine includes a display device, a master game controller, the PIP mixer, and a PIP control interface. The master gaming controller is configured to execute a wager game, send a first video signal for the wager game to the PIP mixer, and send control instructions for controlling a display of one or more PIP windows to the PIP mixer via the PIP control interface. The PIP mixer receives the first video signal and a second video signal from an external source. The PIP mixer is configured to create a composite video image that includes display data of first video signal and the second video signal in PIP windows based on the control instructions. The composite video image is displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

(a) a display device;

(b) a master gaming controller configured to;

(1) execute a wager game,

(2) send an electronic gaming machine video signal to a picture-in-picture mixer, the electronic gaming machine video signal including display data for a wager game image, and

(3) send control instructions for controlling a display of one or more picture-in-picture windows to the picture-in-picture mixer via a picture-in-picture control interface;

(c) the picture-in-picture control interface configured to enable communication between the gaming machine and the picture-in-picture mixer; and

(d) the picture-in-picture mixer including;

(1) an external source video input configured to receive an external source video signal from an external source, the external source video signal including display data for an external source image,

(2) an electronic gaming machine video input configured to receive the electronic gaming machine video signal from the gaming machine, and

(3) a picture-in-picture controller configured to;

(A) receive the external source video signal from the external source video input,

(B) receive the electronic gaming machine video signal from the electronic gaming machine video input,

(C) responsive to receiving the control instructions from the master gaming controller via the picture-in-picture control interface, the control instructions providing for the creation of a first composite video signal including display data for a first composite video image including the wager game image in a first picture-in-picture window and the external source image in one or more additional picture-in-picture windows simultaneously displayed with the first picture-in-picture window;

(i) create the first composite video signal based on the control instructions, and

(ii) send the first composite video signal to the display device; and

(D) responsive to receiving peripheral instructions from the external source via the picture-in-picture control interface, the peripheral instructions providing for the creation of a second composite video signal including display data for a second composite video image including the wager game image in a second picture-in-picture window and the external source image in one or more additional picture-in-picture windows simultaneously displayed with the second picture-in-picture window;

(i) request approval from the master gaming controller to use the peripheral instructions;

(ii) responsive to receiving the approval, create the second composite video signal based on the control instructions and the peripheral instructions, and

(iii) send the second composite video signal to the display device.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the master gaming controller of the gaming machine is further configured to:

receive a request to configure a picture-in-picture window, wherein a configuration of a picture-in-picture window defines a size and a location of the picture-in-picture window on the display device;

determine whether to fulfill the request based on a status of the wager game or a status of the gaming machine; and

responsive to determining to fulfill the request, send the control instructions to the picture-in-picture mixer, the control instructions including an instruction for configuring the picture-in-picture window according to the request.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the request to configure the picture-in-picture window is received from the external source.

4. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the request to configure the picture-in-picture window is received from a system host communicatively connected with the gaming machine.

5. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to:

responsive to receiving the control instructions for configuring the picture-in-picture window, store the configuration of the picture-in-picture window in a memory.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to:

responsive to a request from the external source, send the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the external source;

or

responsive to a request from a system host or the gaming machine, send the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the system host or the gaming machine.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the master gaming controller of the gaming machine is further configured to:

receive a request to control a picture-in-picture window;

determine whether to fulfill the request based on a status of the wager game or a status of the gaming machine; and

responsive to determining to fulfill the request, send the control instructions to the picture-in-picture mixer, the control instructions including an instruction for controlling the display of the picture-in-picture window according to the request.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the control instructions indicate opening, closing, creating, destroying, configuring, sizing, resizing, moving, location, hiding, displaying, vertical ordering, or content of the picture-in-picture window in the composite screen image.

9. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the request to control the picture-in-picture window is received from the external source.

10. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the request to control the picture-in-picture window is received from a system host communicatively connected with the gaming machine.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display device includes a touch screen and wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to:

receive touch screen data from the touch screen;

determine whether the touch screen data corresponds with the wager game image or the external source image;

responsive to determining that the touch screen data corresponds with the wager game image, send the touch screen data to the gaming machine; and

responsive to determining that the touch screen data corresponds with the external source image, send the touch screen data to the external source.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to send a status message regarding an operating condition of the picture-in-picture mixer or an operating condition of a peripheral device connected with the picture-in-picture mixer to the gaming machine via the picture-in-picture control interface.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to send a status message regarding the operating condition of the picture-in-picture mixer or an operating condition of a peripheral device connected with the picture-in-picture mixer to the external source via a player user interface peripheral interface, the player user interface peripheral interface configured to enable communication between the external source and the picture-in-picture mixer.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to receive a software update for the picture-in-picture mixer or a peripheral device connected with the picture-in-picture mixer from the gaming machine via the picture-in-picture control interface.

15. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to receive a software update for the picture-in-picture mixer or a peripheral device connected with the picture-in-picture mixer from the external source via a player user interface peripheral interface, the player user interface peripheral interface configured to enable communication between the external source and the picture-in-picture mixer.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, with one or more microprocessors, an external source video signal from an external source, the external source video signal generated by the external source and including display data for an external source image;

receiving, with the one or more microprocessors, an electronic gaming machine video signal from a gaming machine, the electronic gaming machine video signal generated by the gaming machine and including display data for a wager game image;

responsive to receiving, with the one or more microprocessors, control instructions from the gaming machine, the control instructions providing for the creation of a first composite video signal including display data for a first composite video image including the wager game image in a first picture-in-picture window and the external source image in one or more additional picture-in-picture windows simultaneously displayed with the first picture-in-picture window;

(1) creating, with the one or more microprocessors, the first composite video signal based on the control instructions, and

(2) sending the first composite video signal to a display device; and

responsive to receiving, with the one or more microprocessors, peripheral instructions from the external source via the picture-in-picture control interface, the peripheral instructions providing for the creation of a second composite video signal including display data for a second composite video image including the wager game image in a second picture-in-picture window and the external source image in one or more additional picture-in-picture windows simultaneously displayed with the second picture-in-picture window;

(1) requesting approval, with the one or more microprocessors, from the master gaming controller to use the peripheral instructions;

(2) responsive to receiving the approval, creating, with the one or more microprocessors, the second composite video signal based on the control instructions and the peripheral instructions; and

(3) sending the second composite video signal to the display device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the control instructions include a request to configure a picture-in-picture window and wherein a configuration of a picture-in-picture window defines a size and a location of the picture-in-picture window on the display device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing the configuration of the picture-in-picture window in a memory.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

responsive to a request from the external source, sending the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the external source;

or

responsive to a request from a system host or the gaming machine, sending the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the system host or the gaming machine.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the control instructions indicate opening, closing, creating, destroying, configuring, sizing, resizing, moving, location, hiding, displaying, vertical ordering, or content of a picture-in-picture window in the composite screen image.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the display device includes a touch screen, and further comprising:

receiving touch screen data from the touch screen;

determining whether the touch screen data corresponds with the wager game image or the external source image;

responsive to determining that the touch screen data corresponds with the wager game image, send the touch screen data to the gaming machine; and

responsive to determining that the touch screen data corresponds with the external source image, send the touch screen data to the external source.

22. A gaming machine comprising:

a display device;

a master gaming controller configured to;

execute a wager game,

send an electronic gaming machine video signal to a picture-in-picture mixer, the electronic gaming machine video signal including display data for a wager game image,

receive a request to configure a picture-in-picture window, wherein a configuration of the picture-in-picture window defines a size and a location of the picture-in-picture window on the display device;

determine whether to fulfill the request based on a status of the wager game or a status of the gaming machine; and

responsive to determining to fulfill the request, send control instructions for controlling a display of one or more picture-in-picture windows to the picture-in-picture mixer via a picture-in-picture control interface, the control instructions including an instruction for configuring the picture-in-picture window according to the request;

the picture-in-picture control interface configured to enable communication between the gaming machine and the picture-in-picture mixer;

the picture-in-picture mixer including;

an external source video input configured to receive an external source video signal from an external source, the external source video signal including display data for an external source image,

an electronic gaming machine video input configured to receive the electronic gaming machine video signal from the gaming machine, and

a picture-in-picture controller configured to;

receive the external source video signal from the external source video input,

receive the electronic gaming machine video signal from the electronic gaming machine video input,

receive the control instructions from the gaming machine via the picture-in-picture control interface, the control instructions providing for the creation of a composite video signal including display data for a composite video image, the composite video image including the wager game image in the picture-in-picture window and the external source image in one or more additional picture-in-picture windows,

create the composite video signal based on the control instructions,

send the composite video signal to the display device,

responsive to receiving the control instructions for configuring the picture-in-picture window, store the configuration of the picture-in-picture window in a memory,

responsive to a request from the external source, send the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the external source; and

responsive to a request from a system host or the gaming machine, send the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the system host or the gaming machine.

23. A method comprising:

receiving, with one or more microprocessors, an external source video signal from an external source, the external source video signal generated by the external source and including display data for an external source image;

receiving, with the one or more microprocessors, an electronic gaming machine video signal from a gaming machine, the electronic gaming machine video signal generated by the gaming machine and including display data for a wager game image;

receiving, with the one or more microprocessors, the control instructions from the gaming machine, the control instructions providing for the creation of a composite video signal including display data for a composite video image, the composite video image including the wager game image in a first picture-in-picture window and the external source image in one or more additional picture-in-picture windows, wherein the control instructions include a request to configure a picture-in-picture window and wherein a configuration of a picture-in-picture window defines a size and a location of the picture-in-picture window on the display device;

creating, with the one or more microprocessors, the composite video signal based on the control instructions,

sending the composite video signal to a display device,

storing the configuration of the picture-in-picture window in a memory,

responsive to a request from the external source, sending the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the external source; and

responsive to a request from a system host or the gaming machine, sending the configuration of the picture-in-picture window to the system host or the gaming machine.