Method and apparatus for modifying gaming machines to provide supplemental or modified functionality
View Patent ↗A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for modifying the functionality of a legacy gaming device is disclosed. The legacy gaming device can include legacy gaming device processor configured to communicate with various input/output devices, such as a touch screen video display, over legacy communication paths to generate a wager-based game. An apparatus including a processor separate from the legacy gaming device processor can be configured to control an interruption of signals on at least one of the legacy communication paths and to generate substitute signals for the interrupted signals to modify the functionality of the legacy gaming device.
1. An apparatus for modifying the functionality of a legacy gaming device having a legacy gaming device processor, comprising:
a second processor communicatively coupled to:
a first legacy communication path between the legacy gaming device processor and a video display wherein the legacy gaming device processor is configured to provide output for the video display associated with a play of a wager-based game via the first legacy communication path; and
a second legacy communication path between the legacy gaming device processor and a touch screen input device wherein the legacy gaming device processor is configured to receive input from the touch screen input device via the second legacy communication path; and
the second processor configured to:
control an interruption of a first signal from the legacy gaming device processor to the video display on the first legacy communication path,
control an interruption of a second signal from the touch screen input device to the legacy gaming device processor; and
generate at least one of a first substitute signal for the first signal and a second substitute signal for the second signal to provide the modified functionality of the legacy gaming device.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the second processor is further communicatively coupled to a third legacy communication path and wherein the legacy gaming device processor is configured to send data associated with the legacy gaming device to a central computer via the third communication legacy communication path; and
the second processor is further configured to control interruption of a third signal between the legacy gaming device processor and the central computer.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second processor is further configured to generate a substitute signal for the third signal.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first legacy communication path and the second communication path are interrupted by a signal interrupting and substitution device communicatively coupled to the second processor.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second processor is further configured to receive a signal from the signal interrupting and substitution device and route the signal to a destination device.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first substitute signal is generated without the first signal.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first substitute signal is generated at least in part from the first signal.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a network interface wherein the second processor is configured to communicate with a remote server via the network interface.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first substitute signal is generated at least in part from the first signal and information received from the remote server.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second processor is further configured to send credit information maintained by the legacy gaming device processor to the remote server.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second processor is configured to send information associated with the second signal to the remote server.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second processor is further configured to receive first electronic media data from the remote server and second electronic media data from the legacy gaming device processor, combine the first electronic media data and the second electronic media data and output the combined first electronic media data and the second electronic media data to an output device coupled to the legacy gaming device processor.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:
the second electronic media data comprises game play information associated with the play of the wager-based game on the legacy gaming device; and
wherein the combined first electronic media data and the second electronic media data includes the game play information and the first electronic media information for concurrent presentation.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first electronic media data is unrelated to the play of the wager-based game on the legacy gaming device.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first electronic media data and the second electronic media data are each electronic audio data.
16. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the output device is an audio device.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first electronic media information and the second electronic media information are each electronic video data.
18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the output device is the video display.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second processor is further communicatively coupled to a communication interface and wherein the second processor is further configured to communicate with a portable electronic device via the communication interface.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the communication interface enables wireless communications between the second processor and the portable electronic device.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first substitute signal and the second substitute signal is generated while the wager-based game is actively being played.
22. A gaming apparatus for modifying the functionality of a legacy gaming device having a legacy gaming device processor, comprising:
a second processor communicatively coupled to
a first legacy communication path between the legacy gaming device processor and a video display wherein the legacy gaming device processor provides outputs to the video display associated with a play of a wager-based game via the first legacy communication path;
a second legacy communication path between the legacy gaming device processor and a touch screen input device wherein the legacy gaming device processor is configured to receive input from the touch screen input device via the second legacy communication path;
a network interface wherein the second processor is configured to communicate with a remote server via the network interface; and
the second processor configured to
control an interruption of a first signal from the legacy gaming device processor to the video display on the first legacy communication path;
control an interruption of a second signal from the touch screen input device to the legacy gaming device processor;
send information associated with the legacy gaming device to the remote server via the network interface; and
generate a substitute signal comprising at least one of a first substitute signal for the first signal and a second substitute signal for the second signal to provide the modified functionality of the legacy gaming device.
23. The gaming apparatus of claim 22 , wherein:
the second processor is further communicatively coupled to a third legacy communication path between the legacy gaming device processor and a central computer wherein the legacy gaming device processor is configured to send data associated with the legacy gaming device to the central computer via the third legacy communication path.
24. The gaming apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first substitute signal is generated at least in part from the first signal and information received from the remote server.
25. The gaming apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the second processor is further configured to receive first electronic media data from the remote server and second electronic media data from the legacy gaming device processor, combine the first electronic media data and the second electronic media data and output the combined first electronic media data and the second electronic media data to an output device coupled to the legacy gaming device processor.
26. A gaming apparatus for presenting a first signal comprising both game play video information and secondary content video information, the gaming apparatus comprising:
a touch screen game display for displaying a first signal concurrently presenting the game play video information and the secondary content video information, the game play video information generated by a legacy gaming device processor;
a second processor, communicatively coupled to the touch screen game display, the second processor for receiving a second signal comprising game play video information generated by the legacy gaming device processor and for receiving a third signal comprising the secondary video content information from a remote server, and for generating the first signal from the second signal and the third signal;
the second processor configured to provide the first signal to the touch screen game display as a substitute for the second signal;
the touch screen game display configured to generate an input signal in response to a player's touch; and
the second processor configured to generate a substitute touch screen signal based on the input signal generated by the touch screen game display, wherein the second processor provides the substitute touch screen signal to the legacy gaming device processor.
27. The gaming apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the touch screen input signal comprises touch screen input data and second processor is further configured to provide the touch screen input data from the touch screen game display to a destination device.
28. The gaming apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the destination device is the remote server or the legacy gaming device processor.
29. The gaming apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising;
a legacy communication path between the legacy gaming device processor and the touch screen game display that allows the legacy gaming device processor to send the second signal to the touch screen game display;
wherein the second processor is communicatively coupled to the legacy communication path and is configured to i) interrupt communications between the legacy gaming device processor and the touch screen game display on the legacy communication path and ii) output the game play video information on the legacy communication path.
30. The gaming apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising:
a legacy communication path between a legacy gaming device processor and the touch screen game display that allows the legacy gaming device processor to receive the input signal generated by the touch screen game display;
I. wherein the second processor is communicatively coupled to the legacy gaming communication path and is configured to i) interrupt communications between the legacy gaming device processor and the touch screen game display on the legacy communication path and ii) receive the input signal sent from the touch screen game display on the legacy communication path.