EXTERNAL VIDEO MIXING CONTROL

• US 20130005457A1
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,564,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• 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 display device;

a master gaming controller configured to;

execute a wager game,

send an EGM video signal to a PIP mixer, the EGM video signal including display data for a wager game image, and

send control instructions for controlling a display of one or more PIP windows to the PIP mixer via a PIP control interface;

the PIP control interface configured to enable communication between the gaming machine and the PIP mixer;

the PIP 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 the an external source image,

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

a PIP controller configured to;

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

receive the EGM video signal from the EGM video input,

receive the control instructions from the gaming machine via the PIP 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 a first PIP window and the external source image in one or more additional PIP windows,

create the composite video signal based on the control instructions, and

send the composite video signal to the display device.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising a PUI peripheral interface configured to enable communication between the external source and the PIP mixer, and wherein the PIP controller is further configured to:

receive peripheral instructions from the external source via the PUI peripheral interface, the peripheral instructions providing for the creation of the composite video signal;

request an approval from the gaming machine to use the peripheral instructions; and

responsive to receiving the approval, create the composite video signal in accordance with the peripheral instructions.

3. 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 PIP window, wherein a configuration of a PIP window defines a size and a location of the PIP 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 PIP mixer, the control instructions including an instruction for configuring the PIP window according to the request.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the request to configure the PIP window is received from the external source.

5. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the request to configure the PIP window is received from a system host communicatively connected with the gaming machine.

6. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to:

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

7. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to:

responsive to a request from the external source, send the configuration of the PIP window to the external source;

or

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

8. 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 PIP 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 PIP mixer, the control instructions including an instruction for controlling the display of the PIP window according to the request.

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

10. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the request to control the PIP window is received from the external source.

11. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the request to control the PIP window is received from a system host communicatively connected with the gaming machine.

12. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display device includes a touch screen and wherein the PIP 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.

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

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

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

16. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to receive a software update for the PIP mixer or a peripheral device connected with the PIP mixer from the external source via a PUI peripheral interface, the PUI peripheral interface configured to enable communication between the external source and the PIP mixer.

17. A system comprising:

a gaming machine including;

a display device;

a master gaming controller configured to;

execute a wager game,

send an EGM video signal to a PIP mixer, the EGM video signal including display data for a wager game image, and

send control instructions for controlling a display of one or more PIP windows to the PIP mixer via a PIP control interface;

the PIP control interface configured to enable communication between the gaming machine and the PIP mixer;

the PIP mixer including;

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

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

a PIP controller configured to;

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

receive the EGM video signal from the EGM video input,

receive the control instructions from the gaming machine via the PIP 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 a first PIP window and the external source image in one or more additional PIP windows,

create the composite video signal based on the control instructions, and

send the composite video signal to the display device;

the PUI board configured to;

receive media host data from a media host,

create the external source video signal by processing the media host data, and

send the external source video signal to the PIP mixer via a PUI peripheral interface;

the PUI peripheral interface configured to enable communication between the PUI board and the PIP mixer; and

the media host.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to:

receive peripheral instructions from the PUI board via the PUI peripheral interface, the peripheral instructions providing for the creation of the composite video signal;

request an approval from the gaming machine to use the peripheral instructions; and

responsive to receiving the approval, create the composite video signal in accordance with the peripheral instructions.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the master gaming controller of the gaming machine is further configured to:

receive a request to configure a PIP window, wherein a configuration of a PIP window defines a size and a location of the PIP 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 PIP mixer, the control instructions including an instruction for configuring the PIP window according to the request.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the request to configure the PIP window is received from the PUI board.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a system host communicatively connected with the gaming machine and wherein the request to configure the PIP window is received from the system host.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to:

responsive to receiving the control instructions including the instruction for configuring the PIP window according to the request, store the configuration of the PIP window in a memory.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to:

responsive to a request from the PUI board, send the configuration of the PIP window to the PUI board;

or

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

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the master gaming controller of the gaming machine is further configured to:

receive a request to control a PIP 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 PIP mixer, the control instructions including an instruction for controlling the display of the PIP window according to the request.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the control instructions indicate opening, closing, creating, destroying, configuring, sizing, resizing, moving, location, hiding, displaying, vertical ordering, or content of the PIP window in the composite screen image.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the request to control the PIP window is received from the PUI board.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising a system host communicatively connected with the gaming machine and wherein the request to control the PIP window is received from the system host.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the display device includes a touch screen and wherein the PIP 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 PUI board.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to send a status message regarding an operating condition of the PIP mixer or an operating condition of a peripheral device connected with the PIP mixer to the gaming machine via the PIP control interface.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to send a status message regarding the operating condition of the PIP mixer or an operating condition of a peripheral device connected with the PIP mixer to the PUI board via the PUI peripheral interface.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to receive a software update for the PIP mixer or a peripheral device connected with the PIP mixer from the gaming machine via the PIP control interface.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIP controller is further configured to receive a software update for the PIP mixer or a peripheral device connected with the PIP mixer from the PUI board via the PUI peripheral interface.

33. 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, a EGM video signal from a gaming machine, the EGM 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 PIP window and the external source image in one or more additional PIP windows;

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

sending the composite video signal to a display device.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving peripheral instructions from the external source, the peripheral instructions providing for the creation of the composite video signal;

requesting an approval from the gaming machine to use the peripheral instructions; and

responsive to receiving approval, creating the composite video signal in accordance with the peripheral instructions.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the control instructions include a request to configure a PIP window and wherein a configuration of a PIP window defines a size and a location of the PIP window on the display device

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising storing the configuration of the PIP window in a memory.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

responsive to a request from the external source, sending the configuration of the PIP window to the external source;

or

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

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the control instructions indicate opening, closing, creating, destroying, configuring, sizing, resizing, moving, location, hiding, displaying, vertical ordering, or content of a PIP window in the composite screen image.

39. The method of claim 33, 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.

40. A method comprising:

receiving, at a gaming machine, a request from an external source to control a PIP mixer, the gaming machine configured to execute a wager game and generate an EGM video signal including display data for a wager game image, the PIP mixer configured to;

receive an external source video signal, the external source video signal generated by the external source and including display data for an external source image,

receive the EGM video signal,

receive 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 PIP window and the external source image in one or more additional PIP windows,

create the composite video signal based on the control instructions, and

send the composite video signal to a display device;

determining, at the gaming machine, whether to fulfill the request from the external source; and

responsive to determining to fulfill the request, sending the control instructions to the PIP mixer, the control instructions including an instruction providing for the creation of the composite video signal according to the request.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein determining whether to fulfill the request from the external source to control the PIP mixer is based on a status of the wager game or a status of the gaming machine.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the request indicates a configuration of a PIP window and wherein the configuration of a PIP window defines a size and a location of the PIP window on the display device.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the request indicates opening, closing, creating, destroying, configuring, sizing, resizing, moving, location, status, vertical ordering, or content of a PIP window.

44. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to perform 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, a EGM video signal from a gaming machine, the EGM 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 PIP window and the external source image in one or more additional PIP windows;

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

sending the composite video signal to a display device.

45. A PIP mixer comprising:

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

an EGM video input configured to receive the EGM video signal from the gaming machine, the EGM video signal generated by the gaming machine and including display data for a wager game image;

means for receiving 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 PIP window and the external source image in one or more additional PIP windows;

means for creating the composite video signal based on the control instructions, and

means for sending the composite video signal to a display device.