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

• US 9,466,173 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne R., LeMay, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Wei
• Application Number:
  US13/432,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20130084959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/42, 463/25
• 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. An electronic wagering gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a display coupled to the cabinet;

a network interface secured within the cabinet;

a value input device coupled to the cabinet, said value input device including an acceptor;

a value output device coupled to the cabinet;

one or more input mechanisms coupled to the cabinet; and

a game controller secured within the cabinet including a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the display, the network interface, the value input device, the value output device and the one or more input mechanisms, the game controller configured to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(b) receive information relating to a gaming establishment account of a player of the electronic wagering gaming machine, wherein the gaming establishment account includes personal data associated with a third-party non-gaming application program,

(c) receive a wager of an amount of credits on a play of a wager-based game,

(d) display the play of the wager-based game using at least a first portion of the display and the one or more input mechanisms,

(e) establish communication, via the network interface, with a remote host,

(f) negotiate input device resources and output device resources to allocate to a media stream including an interface of the third-party non-gaming application program executed on the remote host,

(g) receive a media stream container from the remote host,

(h) extract at least the media stream from the media stream container,

(i) decode, using a codec, media signals in the extracted media stream,

(j) simultaneously with using the first portion of the display to display the play of the wager-based game, output the decoded media signals to the allocated output device resources using a second portion of the display, wherein the decoded media signals include at least a portion of the personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application program,

(k) while the decoded media signals are being output, receive input data from the allocated input device resources,

(l) send the input data to the remote host, wherein a state of the interface for the third-party non-gaming application program is altered on the remote host and subsequently in the media stream received at the electronic wagering gaming machine in response to receiving the input data, and

(m) if a cashout input is received via the value output device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the media stream is a first media stream, and the game controller is configured to extract a second media stream from the media stream container.

3. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the second media stream includes content output from the third-party non-gaming application program separate from the interface of the non-gaming application program.

4. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the game controller is configured to negotiate output device resources to allocate for the second media stream.

5. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the media stream parameters include at least one selected from the group consisting of:

one or more different video codecs, available on the electronic wagering gaming machine, one or more different audio codecs available on the electronic wagering gaming machine, one or more different media container format that the electronic wagering gaming machine can extract, and one or more media signal formats that the electronic wagering gaming machine can use to output the media signals.

6. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the game controller is configured to output a list of third-party non-gaming applications on a third portion of the display that can be executed on the remote host and streamed to the electronic wagering gaming machine.

7. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 6, wherein the game controller is configured to:

receive a selection of a third-party non-gaming application from the list,

send information related to the selection to the remote host, and

subsequently receive a media stream including an interface for the selected third-party non-gaming application from the remote host to be displayed on a fourth portion of the display.

8. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the game controller is configured to:

generate a media signal associated with the play of the wager-based game,

combine the media signal associated with the play of wager-based game with the decoded media signals from the media stream, and

output the combined media signal to an output device coupled to the electronic wagering gaming machine.

22. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the third-party non-gaming application program is a media player and the personal data relates to media files.

23. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the decoded media signals include a non-gaming audio stream, and wherein the game controller is configured to:

blend the non-gaming audio stream with a gaming audio stream associated with the wager-based game into a blended audio stream; and

output the blended audio stream through a speaker of the electronic wagering gaming machine.

9. An electronic wagering gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a display coupled to the cabinet;

a network interface secured within the cabinet;

a value input device coupled to the cabinet, said value input device including an acceptor;

a value output device coupled to the cabinet;

one or more input mechanisms coupled to the cabinet;

a game controller secured within the cabinet including a first processor and a first memory communicatively coupled to the display, the network interface, the value input device, the value output device and the one or more input mechanisms, the game controller configured to;

if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(ii) receive a wager of an amount of credits on a play of a wager-based game,

(iii) display the play of the wager-based game using at least a first portion of the display and the one or more input mechanisms, and

(iv) if a cashout input is received via the value output device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance; and

a secondary controller secured within the cabinet including a second processor and a secondary memory communicatively coupled to the network interface and display, the secondary controller configured to;

(a) establish communication, via the network interface, with a remote host configured to execute a third-party non-gaming application program,

(b) receive information relating to a gaming establishment account of a player of the electronic wagering gaming machine, wherein the gaming establishment account includes personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application program,

(c) negotiate input device resources and output device resources to allocate to a non-gaming media stream including an interface of the third-party non-gaming application program executed on the remote host,

(d) receive a media stream container from the remote host,

(e) extract at least the non-gaming media stream from the media stream container,

(f) decode, using a codec, media signals in the extracted non-gaming media stream,

(g) simultaneously with using the first portion of the display to display the play of the wager-based game, output the decoded media signals to the allocated output device resources using a second portion of the display, wherein the decoded media signals include at least a portion of the personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application program,

(h) while the decoded media signals are being output, receive input data from the allocated input device resources, and

(i) send the input data to the remote host, wherein a state of the interface for the third-party non-gaming application program is altered on the remote host and subsequently in the non-gaming media stream received at the electronic wagering gaming machine in response to receiving the input data.

10. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the secondary controller is configured to:

receive a media signal from the game controller,

combine the media signal associated with the player of the wager-based game with the decoded media signals from the media stream, and

output the combined media signal to an output device coupled to the electronic wagering gaming machine.

11. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the secondary controller is configured to extract a second media stream from the media stream container wherein the second media stream includes video signals that are for output to a video display integrated with a mechanical input button.

12. An electronic wagering gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a display coupled to the cabinet;

a network interface secured within the cabinet;

a value input device coupled to the cabinet, said value input device including an acceptor;

a value output device coupled to the cabinet;

one or more input mechanisms coupled to the cabinet;

a first controller secured within the cabinet including a first processor and a first memory communicatively coupled to the display, the network interface, the value input device, the value output device and the one or more input mechanisms, the first controller configured to;

if a physical item is received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item,

(ii) receive a wager of an amount of credits on a play of a wager-based game,

(iii) receive inputs associated with the play of the wager-based game,

(iv) output to the display video signals associated with presenting a status of an amount of credits available on the electronic wagering gaming machine, and

(v) if a cashout input is received via the value output device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance; and

a second controller secured within the cabinet including a second processor and a secondary memory communicatively coupled to the network interface and display;

the second controller configured to;

(a) establish communication, via the network interface, with a remote host configured to execute a third-party non-gaming application program;

(b) receive information relating to a gaming establishment account of a player of the electronic wagering gaming machine, wherein the gaming establishment account includes personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application program,

(c) negotiate input device resources and output device resources to allocate to a media stream including output from a wager-based gaming application program executed on the remote host,

(d) receive a media stream container from the remote host,

(e) extract a first media stream from the media stream container wherein the first media stream includes video signals associated with presenting the wager-based game,

(f) extract a second media stream from the media stream container wherein the second media stream includes audio signals associated with presenting the wager-based game,

(g) decode, using codecs, the extracted video signals and the extracted audio signals,

(h) output the decoded video signals and the decoded audio signals to the allocated output device resources, wherein;

(i) the video signals are output to at least a first portion of the display while a second portion of the display is simultaneously used for presenting the third-party non-gaming application program executed on the remote host, and

(ii) the decoded video signals and decoded audio signals of the third-party non-gaming application program include the presentation of at least a portion of the personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application program,

(i) while the decoded video and decoded audio signals are being output, receive input data from the allocated input device resources, and

(j) send the input data to the remote host, wherein a state of the wager-based game is altered on the remote host and subsequently in the media stream received at the electronic wagering gaming machine in response to receiving the input data.

13. The electronic wagering gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the first controller is configured to:

receive the video signals associated with presenting the status of the amount of credits available on the electronic wagering gaming machine,

combining the video signals associated with presenting the status of the amount of credits on the electronic wagering gaming machine with the video signals associated with presenting the wager-based game, and

outputting the combined video signals to the display.

14. A method of operating a wagering gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing a processor to establish communication with a plurality of electronic wagering gaming machines via a network interface, wherein each electronic wagering gaming machine includes a value input device including an acceptor and a value output device;

(b) receiving, via the processor, information relating to a gaming establishment account of a player of a first electronic wagering gaming machine of the plurality of electronic wagering gaming machines, wherein the gaming establishment account includes personal data associated with a third-party non-gaming application program,

(c) instantiating, via the processor, a first copy of the third-party non-gaming application program;

(d) negotiating, via the processor, input device resources and output device resources on the first electronic wagering gaming machine that are to be allocated to a media stream and media stream parameters associated with the media stream, wherein;

(i) the media stream is to include at least a video interface of the instantiated first copy of the third-party non-gaming application program to be displayed on a first portion of a display of the first electronic wagering gaming machine,

(ii) the video interface includes at least a portion of the personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application program, and

(iii) a wager-based game is simultaneously displayed on a second portion of the display of the first electronic wagering gaming machine, said wager-based game is associated with a wager deducted from a credit balance which is increasable via the acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and which is decreasable via the value output device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

(e) generating, via the processor, a media stream container including the media stream in accordance the allocated input device resources, the allocated output device resources and the media stream parameters negotiated with the first electronic wagering gaming machine;

(f) sending, via the processor, the media stream container to the first electronic wagering gaming machine;

(g) receiving input data from the first electronic wagering gaming machine;

(h) determining the received input data is associated with an input event for the video interface of the instantiated first copy;

(i) providing, via the processor, the input event to the instantiated first copy wherein the input event causes the video interface to change its state; and

(j) updating, via the processor, the media stream to include a new state of the video interface.

15. The method of claim 14, which includes:

defining, based upon the allocated input device resources, one or more input events for the video interface that can change a state of the video interface, and

sending information related to the defined one or more input events to the first electronic wagering gaming machine.

16. The method of claim 15, which includes:

receiving an indication from the first electronic wagering gaming machine that one of the one or more defined input events has occurred, and

in response, providing an indication to the instantiated first copy, wherein the indication causes the video interface to change state.

17. The method of claim 14, which includes:

instantiating a second copy of a third party non-gaming application;

negotiating input device resources and output device resources on a second electronic wagering gaming machine that are to be allocated to a media stream and media stream parameters associated with the media stream, wherein the media stream is to include at least a video interface of the instantiated second copy;

generating, via the processor, a media stream container including the media stream in accordance the allocated input device resources, the allocated output device resources and the media stream parameters negotiated with the second electronic wagering gaming machine, and

sending, via the processor, the media stream container to the second electronic wagering gaming machine.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes terminating execution of the first copy while the second copy is executed.

19. The method of claim 14, which includes:

receiving identification information from a user configured to enable access to personal data associated with the third-party non-gaming application,

retrieving, using the identification information, the personal data, and

instantiating the first copy using the personal data.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the identification information is received from the first electronic wagering gaming machine.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the identification information is received from a player tracking server in communication with the first electronic wagering gaming machine.