Adaptive display system and method for a gaming machine

• US 7,392,470 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Kammler, Keith Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ries; Laurie
• Application Number:
  US10/938,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20050059494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/500, 463/30, 463/1
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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

The present invention provides a system and method for a configurable gaming system. Certain embodiments of the system include a local storage for storing a markup language file and token resolution information and a markup language viewer for processing the markup language file. The markup language viewer processes contents of the markup language file and resolves tokens in the markup language file using the token resolution information from the local storage to generate a resolved markup language file for display at a gaming system. The markup language file may include display content, markup language tags, and tokens. The markup language file may include read-only information and variable information to be resolved by the markup viewer for display. The markup language file may be a binary markup language file including tokens or other indicia for resolution.

Claims

1. A configurable gaming system, said system comprising:

a local storage for storing a markup language file and token resolution information for use in a gaming application; and

a markup language viewer for processing said markup language file, said markup language file comprising

     1) read-only game execution information that has been approved for gaming application execution by a regulatory authority and

     2) variable information including tokens, said variable information to be resolved by said markup language viewer for display,

wherein said markup language viewer automatically processes contents of said markup language file, said markup language viewer resolves tokens in said markup language file using said token resolution information from said local storage without modifying the read only, regulatory approved game execution information to generate a resolved markup language file for display at a gaming system, said resolved markup language file generates a display for the gaming application and customizes the display and the gaming application, and said markup language viewer dynamically adjusts the display and execution of the gaming application based on token values updated based on a change in at least one of a user, a game, and a game condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said markup language file comprises display content, markup language tags, and tokens.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said markup language file is updated from an external storage.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an external event controlling selection of a markup language file for processing by said markup language viewer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said markup language file comprises a binary markup language file including tokens or other indicia for resolution.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said markup language file associates items for display with identifiers, wherein said identifiers correspond to instructions for said markup language viewer.

7. A method for dynamic configuration of a gaming display, said method comprising:

processing a markup language file for use in a gaming application to identify tokens to be resolved to customize the gaming application, said markup language file including

     1) read only, regulatory approved game data to facilitate play of the gaming application and

     2) one or more tokens relating to at least one of game theme, game display and player identity;

resolving said tokens to generate a resolved markup language file without modifying the read only, regulatory approved game data;

formatting said resolved markup language file for display;

displaying said resolved markup language file at a gaming system, wherein said resolved markup language file generates a display for the gaming application and customizes the display and the gaming application; and

dynamically adjusting the display and execution of the gaming application based on token values updated based on a change in at least one of a user, a game, and a game condition.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising retrieving said markup language file from a local storage.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said resolving step further comprises resolving tokens in said markup language file using data from said local storage.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said resolving step further comprises resolving tokens in said markup language file based on at least one of a player, an operator, a game, and a location.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said displaying step further comprises displaying said resolved markup language file at said gaming system using a viewer.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of dynamically adjusting further comprises adjusting token values in said resolved markup language file based on a change in at least one of game, prize, location, player, and operator.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein an external process affects selection of said markup language file for processing and display.

14. A dynamically configurable gaming system, said system comprising:

a gaming machine retrieving a markup language document for use in a gaming application at the gaming machine, said markup language document including static, regulatory approved game execution information and tokens representing dynamic game customization information, wherein said gaming machine automatically resolves tokens in said markup language document and formats said markup language document for display to customize display and execution of a gaming application, wherein the static, regulatory approved game execution information facilitates play of the gaming application and is not modified by the resolution of the tokens; and

a local storage device providing a copy of said markup language document to said gaming machine, said local storage device providing said gaming machine with information to resolve tokens in said markup language document for display, said information updateable based on input information provided to said gaming machine,

wherein said gaming machine dynamically updates resolution of said tokens in said markup language document and reformats said markup language document for display and execution of the gaming application based on a change in at least one of a time, a game condition, a game type, and a user.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a server providing information relating to said markup language to said gaming machine.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said gaming machine further comprises a markup language viewer for resolving said tokens in said markup language document and formatting said markup language document for display.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said markup language document is adjusted based on a change in at least one of game, prize, location, player, and operator.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said markup language document comprises a binary markup language document.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising an external control controlling selection of a markup language file for processing by said gaming machine.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said markup language document comprises display content and indicia.

21. A system for connecting to a plurality of electronic gaming devices for acquiring, storing and displaying data in a regulated environment, said system comprising:

an electronic display associated with each gaming device;

each said gaming device including a processor to control said display, each processor including a first program of instructions in a markup language stored in a data structure, the content of said first program including a regulatory approved read only code module configured to (1) control said display to display a predetermined display template defining at least one volatile data field and (2) issue data commands for data tokens, said first program configured to generate a display for a gaming application; and

a host computer in communication with said processors to receive operation data from said devices, said host configured to (1) based upon said data received from said devices derive said data tokens and (2) in response to receipt of a command from at least one of said processors communicate said derived token to said processor to control the display to display the token data in said data field in conjunction with the gaming application, wherein the gaming application is customized based on the token data,

wherein said processor displays and executes the gaming application for the gaming machine using said derived token information to define said at least one volatile data field in said display template, said display template dynamically forming a gaming application customized for execution and play by a player on the gaming machine.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said markup language comprises a binary markup language.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said host computer derives said data tokens using information from a data storage device.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said markup language associates said instructions with areas of said display template.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said display further comprises a user interface allowing a user to select at least one of said areas of said display template to execute an instruction.