Gaming system and a method of gaming

• US 8,771,064 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Blanco, Victor, Boden, Peter N.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/115,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/30, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users

Abstract

A method includes providing a gaming machine with an electronic display for displaying graphical output and providing said gaming machine with a programmable compositing client. The method also includes managing renderable graphics assets for use in said graphical output with a graphics engine, providing the renderable graphics assets on demand to the compositing client with said graphics engine, rendering the graphical output including one or more of the renderable graphics assets with the compositing client, and controlling one or more visual aspects of the graphical output with the graphics engine.

Claims

1. A method for use with a gaming machine having a programmable compositing client and a plurality of electronic displays for displaying graphical output, a graphics engine, and at least one graphics card, the method comprising:

driving a first of said plurality of electronic displays with said programmable compositing client;

driving a second of said plurality of electronic displays with said at least one graphics card independently of the first of said electronic displays and said programmable compositing client;

managing renderable graphics assets for use in the graphical output of said first of said plurality of electronic displays with said graphics engine;

providing said renderable graphics assets on demand to said programmable compositing client with said graphics engine so as to drive said first of said plurality of electronic displays;

rendering one or more of said renderable graphics assets with said programmable compositing client;

controlling one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said programmable compositing client; and

controlling the graphical output of said second electronic display with the graphics engine via said at least one graphics card.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling the graphical output of said second electronic display includes controlling one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output with said graphics engine.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising providing said graphics engine in said gaming machine.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising providing said graphics engine in a game controller of said gaming machine.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising providing said graphics engine in a game server remote from said gaming machine.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a field-programmable gate array.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a processor.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compositing client comprises a personal computer.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a set top box.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a mobile telephone or other mobile telecommunications device.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output comprises controlling one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output with said graphics engine.

12. A method of providing graphical output for an electronic device having a programmable compositing client and a plurality of electronic displays for displaying the graphical output, a graphics engine, and at least one graphics card, the method comprising:

driving a first of said plurality of electronic displays with said programmable compositing client;

driving a second of said plurality of electronic displays with said at least one graphics card independently of the first of said electronic displays and said programmable compositing client;

managing renderable graphics assets for use in the graphical output of said first of said plurality of electronic displays with said graphics engine;

providing said renderable graphics on demand to said programmable compositing client with said graphics engine so as to drive said first of said plurality of electronic displays;

rendering one or more of said renderable graphics assets with said programmable compositing client;

controlling one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said programmable compositing client; and

controlling the graphical output of said second electronic display with the graphics engine via said at least one graphics card.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said controlling the graphical output of said second electronic display includes controlling one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output with said graphics engine.

14. A method of for use with a gaming machine having a programmable compositing client and a plurality of electronic displays for displaying graphical output, a graphics engine, and at least one graphics card, the method comprising:

managing, with said graphics engine, renderable graphics assets for use in said graphical output to be displayed on a first of said electronic displays;

providing, with said graphics engine, said renderable graphics assets on demand to said programmable compositing client;

driving a first of said electronic displays with said programmable compositing client;

driving a second of said electronic displays with said graphics card independently of the first of said electronic displays and said programmable compositing client;

rendering one or more of said renderable graphics assets with said programmable compositing client;

controlling one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said programmable compositing client; and

controlling the graphical output of said second of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said at least one graphics card.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

16. A game controller for a gaming system having a plurality of electronic displays for displaying graphical output, the game controller configured to:

manage renderable graphics assets for use in the graphical output of a first of said plurality of electronic displays with a graphics engine;

provide said renderable graphics assets on demand to a programmable compositing client with said graphics engine, for use by said programmable compositing client;

drive a first of said electronic displays with said programmable compositing client;

drive a second of said electronic displays with a graphics card independently of the first of said electronic displays and said programmable compositing client;

control one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said programmable compositing client; and

control the graphical output of said second of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said graphics card.

17. A game controller as claimed in claim 16, and being configured further to control one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with said graphics engine.

18. A game controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the game controller is provided in a gaming machine of said gaming system.

19. A game controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein said graphics engine is provided in said game controller.

20. A game controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein said graphics engine is provided in a game server of said gaming system remote from said gaming machine.

21. A game controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a field-programmable gate array.

22. A controller for an electronic device having a plurality of electronic displays for displaying graphical output, the controller configured to:

manage renderable graphics assets for use in graphical output of a first of said plurality of electronic displays with a graphics engine;

provide said renderable graphics assets on demand to a programmable compositing client with said graphics engine, for use by said programmable compositing client;

drive a first of said electronic displays with said programmable compositing client;

drive a second of said electronic displays with a graphics card independently of the first of said electronic displays and said programmable compositing client;

control one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with said graphics engine via said programmable compositing client; and

control the graphical output of said second of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said graphics card.

23. A controller as claimed in claim 22, configured to control one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output with said graphics engine.

24. A gaming system having a programmable compositing client, a graphics engine, and a graphics card, the system comprising:

a player interface comprising a plurality of electronic displays for displaying game outcomes to a player; and

a game controller configured to;

manage renderable graphics assets for use in graphical output of a first of said plurality of electronic displays with said graphics engine;

provide said renderable graphics assets on demand to said programmable compositing client provided with said graphics engine, for use by said programmable compositing client in rendering said graphical output;

drive a first of said electronic displays with said programmable compositing client;

drive a second of said electronic displays with said graphics card independently of the first of said electronic displays and said programmable compositing client;

control one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said programmable compositing client; and

control the graphical output of said second of said electronic displays with the graphics engine via said graphics card.

25. A gaming system as claimed in claim 24, wherein said game controller is configured to control one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output with said graphics engine.

26. A gaming system comprising:

a plurality of electronic displays for displaying graphical output;

a programmable compositing client; and

a graphics engine configured to manage renderable graphics assets for use in said graphical output of a first of said plurality of electronic displays and to provide said renderable graphics assets on demand to said programmable compositing client with said graphics engine, and to drive a second electronic display of said gaming machine with a graphics card independently of the first electronic display and said programmable compositing client,

said compositing client rendering one or more of said renderable graphics assets with said programmable compositing client,

said graphics engine controlling one or more visual aspects of the rendered graphics assets of the graphical output of said first electronic display with the graphics engine via said programmable compositing client, and controlling the graphical output of said second electronic display with the graphics engine via said graphics card.

27. A gaming system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said graphics engine controls one or more of positioning, rotation, scaling, fading and layout of said graphical output with said graphics engine.

28. A gaming system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said programmable compositing client comprises a field-programmable gate array.

29. A gaming system as claimed in claim 26, in the form of a gaming machine.