System and method for remote rendering of content on an electronic gaming machine

• US 9,401,065 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: LeMay, Steven G., Nelson, Dwayne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, WEI
• Application Number:
  US13/432,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20130084991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system is described. The gaming system can include one or more host devices and EGM clients that communicate with one another over a network. Various non-gaming applications can be maintained on the host device. In response to a request received from an EGM client, a non-gaming application program can be executed on the host device. Content from the non-gaming application can be converted to a media stream that is sent to the EGM client for output. The media stream can be processed using a codec executed on the EGM. Input data associated with the content can be received at the EGM and sent to the host device. The content from the non-gaming application executed on the host can be adjusted in response to the input data received from the EGM.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:

(i) an electronic gaming machine sending a message to a remote host, wherein;

(a) the electronic gaming machine is capable of processing at least one media stream associated with the remote host at each of a first point in time and a second, different point in time, and

(b) the message to the remote host includes;

(I) information associated with media stream processing capabilities of the electronic gaming machine, wherein at the first point in time, the electronic gaming machine has a first media stream processing capability available and at the second, different point in time, the electronic gaming machine has a second, different media stream processing capability available,

(II) information associated with output device resources available to output a non-gaming media stream that includes an interface of a non-gaming application program executed on the remote host, and

(III) information associated with at least one electronic gaming machine input device available to receive input data associated with the interface of the non-gaming application program;

(ii) determining based at least in part on the information associated with media stream processing capabilities of the electronic gaming machine and in a negotiation with the remote host, input device resources and output device resources to allocate to the non-gaming media stream and media stream parameters associated with the non-gaming media stream;

(iii) receiving a media stream container from the remote host;

(iv) extracting one or more media streams from the media stream container;

(v) decoding, using a codec, media signals in the media stream;

(vi) outputting the decoded media signals including the interface of the non-gaming application program to one or more electronic gaming machine output devices allocated to the non-gaming media stream, wherein;

(a) the one or more electronic gaming machine output devices includes a display of the electronic gaming machine,

(b) a video portion of the decoded media signals is simultaneously output on the display with video content associated with a play of a wager-based game,

(c) said wager based game is associated with a wager deducted from a credit balance, and

(d) said credit balance is increasable via an electronic gaming machine acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via an electronic gaming machine cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

(vii) while the decoded media signals including the interface of the non-gaming application program are being output, receiving input data from the at least one electronic gaming machine input device allocated to the non-gaming media stream; and

(viii) sending the input data to the remote host wherein a state of the interface for the non-gaming application program is altered on the remote host in response to receiving the input data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream parameters include at least one of different video codecs and audio codecs available on the electronic gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream parameters include one or more different media container formats that the electronic gaming machine can extract.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream parameters include at least one of:

one video signals format and one audio signal format that the electronic gaming machine can utilize to output at least one of;

video data and audio data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream parameters include a resolution of all or a portion of the display of the electronic gaming machine that is used to output video signals in the video stream.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream parameters include a plurality of media streams that are to be included in the media stream container.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream includes a video signal that is for output to a mechanical button including a mechanical button display coupled to the electronic gaming machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device resources include a user-controlled mobile device coupled to the electronic gaming machine.

9. The method of claim 1, which includes receiving account information that enables personalized data associated with the non-gaming application program to be accessed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the personalized data is at least one of:

a personal media library and a personal application library.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream container includes a first stream including the interface of the non-gaming application program and a second stream including content generated from the interface of the non-gaming application program.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface includes a video portion that is output on the electronic gaming machine.

13. The method of claim 12, which includes:

receiving an input to hide the video portion of the interface,

hiding the video portion of the interface, and

continuing to extract the video portion of the interface from the media stream while the video portion is hidden.

14. The method of claim 12, which includes:

receiving an input to hide the video portion of the interface, and

sending a request to the remote host to stop sending the video portion in the media stream.

15. The method of claim 1, which includes:

combining a first media signal extracted from the media stream with a second media signal generated locally on the electronic gaming machine, and

outputting the combined media signal to one of the allocated electronic gaming machine output devices.

16. The method of claim 1, which includes:

receiving, based upon the at least one electronic gaming machine input device allocated to the media stream, an event definition for an event associated with the non-gaming application program from the host,

determining, based upon input data received from the allocated at least one electronic gaming machine input device, that the event has occurred, and

sending a message to the remote host indicating the event has occurred.

17. The method of claim 1, which includes processing the media stream container via a game controller configured to control the play of the wager-based game.

18. The method of claim 1, which includes processing the media stream container via a secondary controller which is separate from a game controller configured to control the play of the wager-based game.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions executed by a processor, the computer readable media comprising:

computer code configured to send a message to a remote host, wherein

(a) an electronic gaming machine is capable of processing at least one media stream associated with the remote host at each of a first point in time and a second, different point in time, and

(b) the message to the remote host including;

(I) information associated with media stream processing capabilities of the electronic gaming machine, wherein at the first point in time, the electronic gaming machine has a first media stream processing capability available and at the second, different point in time, the electronic gaming machine has a second, different media stream processing capability available,

(II) information associated with output device resources available to output a non-gaming media stream that includes an interface of a non-gaming application program executed on the remote host, and

(III) clip information associated with at least one electronic gaming machine input device available to receive input data associated with the interface of the non-gaming application program;

computer code configured to determine based at least in part on the information associated with media stream processing capabilities of the electronic gaming machine and in a negotiation with the remote host, input device resources and output device resources to allocate to the non-gaming media stream and media stream parameters associated with the non-gaming media stream;

computer code configured to receive a media stream container from the remote host;

computer code configured to extract one or more media streams from the media stream container;

computer code configured to decode, using a codec, media signals in the media stream;

computer code configured to output the decoded media signals including the interface of the non-gaming application program to one or more electronic gaming machine output devices allocated to the media stream, wherein;

(a) the one or more electronic gaming machine output devices includes a display of the electronic gaming machine, and

(b) a video portion of the decoded media signals is simultaneously output on the display with video content associated with a play of a wager-based game,

(c) said wager based game is associated with a wager deducted from a credit balance, and

(d) said credit balance is increasable via an electronic gaming machine acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via an electronic gaming machine cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

computer code configured to receive, while the decoded media signals including the interface of the non-gaming application program are being output, input data from the at least one electronic gaming machine input device allocated to the media stream; and

computer code configured to send the input data to the remote host, wherein a state of the interface for the non-gaming application program is altered in response to receiving the input data.