Video switcher and touch router method for multi-layer displays

• US 9,721,420 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Steil, Rolland Nicholas, Kompella, Vijay Krishna, Crowder, Jr., Robert W., Patton, Stephen, Brahmandam, Kiran, Allen, Jeffrey Lee, Kelly, Bryan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickey, Thomas L
• Application Number:
  US13/688,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 312 72, 463 20, 463 30, 463 31, 463 34, 463 45
• 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 17/3225 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming method for presenting both gaming content based video signals and secondary video signals over a multi-layer touch screen display using a multiple Display Manager system is disclosed. First and second display managers are configured to receive game content video signals from a gaming controller and secondary video signals from a secondary video source. The first display manager is in communication with a front layer of the touch screen display and the second display manager is in communication with a back layer of the touch screen display. The screen may be split between multiple signals, or one or more signals may overlay one or more background signals. The overlaid signals may completely obscure the background signals, or they may provide a level of transparency. A touch router device interprets touches at a touch screen shared display to transform coordinates to enable interpretation of the player'"'"'s touch inputs.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer touch screen display, the method comprising:

providing a front layer of a touch screen display and a back layer of a touch screen display that each display video signals;

generating a first video signal that includes game content from a gaming controller and sending the first video signal to a first display manager and to a second display manager;

generating a second video signal including secondary content from a secondary video source and sending the second video signal to the first display manager and to the second display manager;

providing a touch router device in communication with the front layer of the touch screen display;

displaying the game content from the first video signal and the secondary content from the second video signal onto the multi-layer touch screen display, and wherein the display managers scale or shift one of at least the first video signal or the second video signal to alter the size and to render the first video signal with the second video signal on each layer of the touch screen display;

calculating, using the touch router device, a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from the front layer of the touch screen display that correspond to a determined source to accommodate any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the second video signal, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates,

wherein the touch router device uses two display managers that intercept the first video signal and the second video signal being transmitted to the front layer and the back layer of the touch screen display from the game controller and the service interface;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

2. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer display, the method comprising:

providing a front layer of a display device and a back layer of a display device that each display video signals;

providing a user input device configured to capture user input;

generating a first video signal including game content from a gaming controller and sending the first video signal to a first display manager and to a second display manager;

generating a second video signal including secondary content from a secondary video source and sending the second video signal to the first display manager and to the second display manager;

providing a touch router device in communication with the user input device;

displaying the game content from the first video signal and the secondary content from the second video signal on the multi-layer display device, and wherein the display managers scale or shift at least one of the first video signal or the second video signal to alter the size and to render the first video signal with the second video signal on each layer of the display device;

calculating, using the touch router device, a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from the user input device that correspond to a determined source to accommodate any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the second video signal, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates,

wherein the touch router device uses two display managers that intercept the first video signal and the second video signal being transmitted to the front layer and the back layer of the touch screen display from the game controller and the service interface;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

3. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer touch screen display, the method comprising:

providing a front layer of a touch screen display and a back layer of a touch screen display that each display video signals;

generating a first video signal including first content from a first video source and sending the first video signal to a first display manager and to a second display manager;

generating a second video signal including secondary content from a secondary video source and sending the second video signal to the first display manager and to the second display manager;

providing a touch router device in communication with the front layer of the touch screen display;

displaying the first content from the first video signal and the secondary content from the second video signal onto the multi-layer touch screen display, and wherein the display managers scale or shift the first video signal or the second video signal to alter the size and to render the first video signal with the second video signal on at least one layer of the touch screen display;

calculating, using the touch router device, a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from the front layer of the touch screen display that correspond to a determined source to accommodate any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the second video signal, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates,

wherein the touch router device uses two display managers that intercept the first video signal and the second video signal being transmitted to the front layer and the back layer of the touch screen display from the game controller and the service interface;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

4. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer display, the method comprising:

providing a front layer of a display device and a back layer of a display device that each display video signals;

providing a user input device configured to capture user input;

generating a first video signal including first content from a first video source and sending the first video signal to a first display manager and to a second display manager;

generating a second video signal including secondary content from a second video source and sending the second video signal to the first display manager and to the second display manager;

providing a touch router device in communication with the user input device;

displaying the first video signal content from the first video signal and the secondary content from the second video signal on the multi-layer display device, and wherein the display managers scale or shift the first video signal or the second video signal to alter the size and to render the first video signal with the second video signal on at least one layer of the display device;

calculating, using the touch router device, a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from the user input device that correspond to a determined source to accommodate any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the second video signal, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates,

wherein the touch router device uses two display managers that intercept the first video signal and the second video signal being transmitted to the front layer and the back layer of the touch screen display from the game controller and the service interface;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

5. A gaming method for presenting gaming content based upon a video signal from a gaming controller and second video signal from a second video source at a multi-layer touch screen display, the method comprising:

receiving one or more video signals from a gaming controller and one or more video signals from a second video source at each of first and second display managers, each display manager in communication with a multi-layer touch screen display, wherein the first display manager is in communication with a front layer of the touch screen display and the second display manager is in communication with a back layer of the touch screen display;

providing a touch router device in communication with the front layer of the touch screen display to receive input from the front layer of the touch screen display, the received input corresponding to touch screen coordinates;

controlling the multi-layer touch screen display, using the display managers, to present the one or more video signals from the gaming controller and the one or more video signals from the second video source on said touch screen display on at least one layer of the touch screen display, and to scale and shift one or more of the video signals to a reconfigured size and render a display presentation that is representative of the video signals at the multi-layer touch screen display;

calculating a coordinate transformation, using the touch router device, on the coordinates that corresponds to a determined input source and accommodates any scaling or shifting performed on the video signals;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the display manager to simultaneously display the first video signal from the master gaming controller and the second video signal on the game display.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the display manager to scale the display of said gaming content based video signals and secondary video signals to be adjacent at said display.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the display manager to scale the display of said gaming content based video signals and secondary video signals to at least partially overlaid at said display.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring the display manager to display an overlaid second video signal from the player tracking device including a level of transparency enabling the first video signal from the master gaming controller to be at least partially visible through the second video signal.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the display manager to receive a command to simultaneously display the first and second video signals.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the display manager to receive said secondary video signals from a remote secondary video source.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring the display manager to receive said secondary video signals from a player tracking device in communication with said secondary video source over a communication network.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the touch router device to receive touch signals including physical coordinates of a touch from the touch display and determine a source of a video signal displayed on the game display at the physical coordinates of the touch and to determine any coordinate transformation on the coordinates and pass a de-scaled or de-shifted coordinate signal in connection with the video source.

14. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals from a first video source and one or more second video sources on a multi-layer touch screen display, the method comprising:

providing first and second display manager devices for receiving said video signals from the sources, wherein the first display manager device is in communication with a front layer of the touch screen display and the second display manager device is in communication with a back layer of the touch screen display;

providing a touch router device in communication with the multi-layer touch screen display to receive input from the multi-layer touch screen display;

displaying primary content from a first video signal and secondary content from at least a second video signal on the multi-layer touch screen display, using the display manager devices, in one or more of an adjacent or overlapping condition by scaling or shifting one of at least the first video signal or the one or more second video signals to alter the size and to render the first video signal with the one or more second video signals on the multi-layer touch screen display;

calculating a coordinate transformation, using the touch router device, on coordinates received from the multi-layer touch screen display that correspond to the presentation at the multi-layer touch screen display of the video signals and to accommodate any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the one or more second video signals, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the display manager for displaying game content as said first video source.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the display manager to display at least one of said second video signals in a condition of transparency enabling the first video signal from the master gaming controller to be at least partially visible through the at least one of said second video signals.

17. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer touch screen display at a gaming machine, the method comprising:

providing a first display manager and a second display manager each configured to receive a first video signal including game content from a gaming controller and to receive a second video signal including secondary content from a secondary video source, wherein the first display manager is in communication with a front layer of the touch screen display and the second display manager is in communication with a back layer of the touch screen display;

controlling a presentation on the multi-layer touch screen display, using the display managers, of the gaming content based the first video signal and the second video signals to scale and shift one or more of the first video signal or the second video signal to alter the size and to render the first video signal from the gaming controller with the second video signal from the secondary video source at the multi-layer touch screen display;

enabling a touch router device, which is in communication with the multi-layer touch screen display, to determine a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from the multi-layer touch screen display that corresponds to a determined video signal source and accommodates any scaling or shifting performed on the video signals, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising configuring the display manager to scale the display of said gaming content based video signals and secondary video signals to be adjacent at said display.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising configuring the display manager to scale the display of said gaming content based video signals and secondary video signals to at least partially overlaid at said display.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising configuring the display manager to display an overlaid second video signal from the player tracking device including a level of transparency enabling the first video signal from the master gaming controller to be at least partially visible through the second video signal.

21. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer touch screen display, the method comprising:

generating a first video signal including game content from a gaming controller and sending the first video signal to a first display manager and to a second display manager;

configuring the first display manager and the second display manager to receive a second video signal including secondary content from a secondary video source, wherein the first display manager is in communication with a front layer of the touch screen display and the second display manager is in communication with a back layer of the touch screen display;

displaying the game content from the first video signal and the secondary content from the second video signal on the multi-layer touch screen display, the display managers configured to scale or shift at least one of the first video signal or the second video signal to alter the size and to render the first video signal with the second video signal at the multi-layer touch screen display;

calculating, using a touch router device, a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from a user input device that corresponds to a determined source and accommodates any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the second video signal, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed coordinates;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.

22. A method for presenting a plurality of video signals on a multi-layer touch screen display of a gaming device, the method comprising:

providing a gaming device having a gaming controller for generating gaming content based video signals;

arranging each of first and second display managers to receive the video signals from the gaming controller and secondary video signals from a secondary video source, each display manager in communication with the multi-layer touch screen display, wherein the first display manager is in communication with a front layer of the touch screen display and the second display manager is in communication with a back layer of the touch screen display;

configuring the display mangers to control a presentation on the multi-layer touch screen display of the gaming content based video signals and the secondary video signals to scale and shift one or more of the video signals to a reconfigured size and render a display representative of the video signals at the multi-layer touch screen display;

enabling a touch router device to perform a coordinate transformation on coordinates received from the multi-layer touch screen display that corresponds to a determined video source and accommodates any scaling or shifting performed on the first video signal or the second video signal, wherein the coordinate transformation results in transformed touch screen coordinates;

synchronizing the scaling or shifting of the first video signal and the second video signal on the front layer touch screen display with the back layer of the touch screen display; and

presenting a volumetric image of an interactive customer service window to an end user.