# US 10,455,283 B2 · External video mixing control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,283 B2 - Document ID: US10455283B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/424,503 - Filed: 2017-02-03 - Published: 2017-05-25 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-29 - Assignees: Igt - Applicants: Igt - Inventors: Kevin Higgins; William C. Little; Adrian R. Marcu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455283B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4438: {Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface} - G07F 17/3209: {Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen} - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - G07F 17/3223: {Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication} - G07F 17/323: {wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions} - G07F 17/3251: {involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens} - H04N 5/265: Mixing - H04N 5/45: Picture in picture {, e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen} - H04N 21/23424: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement} - H04N 21/4316: {for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window} - H04N 21/4781: {Games} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Techniques for allowing a gaming machine to exercise control over a picture-in-picture device (PIP mixer). A gaming machine includes a display device, a master game controller, the PIP mixer, and a PIP control interface. The master gaming controller is configured to execute a wager game, send a first video signal for the wager game to the PIP mixer, and send control instructions for controlling a display of one or more PIP windows to the PIP mixer via the PIP control interface. The PIP mixer receives the first video signal and a second video signal from an external source. The PIP mixer is configured to create a composite video image that includes display data of first video signal and the second video signal in PIP windows based on the control instructions. The composite video image is displayed on the display device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A picture-in-picture mixer comprising: a gaming machine video input configured to receive a gaming machine video signal from a gaming machine; an external source video input configured to receive an external source video signal from an external source separate from the gaming machine and any components supported by a housing of the gaming machine; and a picture-in-picture controller configured to: create a composite video signal based on the external source video signal and the gaming machine video signal; transmit the created composite video signal to a display device of the gaming machine; and responsive to receipt of touch screen input data from a touch screen of the gaming machine: responsive to the touch screen input data being associated with the gaming machine video signal, transmit, via a picture-in-picture control interface distinct from any player tracking component, the touch screen input data to a gaming machine controller of the gaming machine without transmitting the touch screen input data to the external source; and responsive to the touch screen input data being associated with the external source video signal, transmit, via a player user interface board interface distinct from any player tracking component and distinct from the picture-in-picture control interface, the touch screen input data to the external source without transmitting the touch screen input data to the gaming machine controller of the gaming machine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to determine whether the touch screen input data is associated with the gaming machine video signal or the external source video signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 1, wherein the external source video signal comprises display data for an external source image and the gaming machine video signal comprises display data for a wagering game image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 3, wherein the composite video image comprises both the wagering game image and the external source image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 4, wherein the wagering game image is in a first window and the external source image is in a second window. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 5, wherein the touch screen input data is associated with a touch received at a position on the touch screen that corresponds to the first window, in which case the touch screen input data is associated with the gaming machine video signal, or the second window, in which case the touch screen input data is associated with the external source video signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to, responsive to receipt of instructions from the gaming machine controller, create the composite video signal in accordance with the instructions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 7, further comprising a picture-in-picture control interface configured to receive the instructions from the gaming machine controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The picture-in-picture mixer of claim 1, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to, responsive to receipt of instructions from the external source, request approval from the gaming machine controller to use the instructions and, responsive to receipt of approval, create the composite video signal in accordance with the instructions. ### Claim 10 A gaming system comprising: a gaming machine comprising: a housing; a display device supported by the housing; a touch screen supported by the housing, said touch screen configured to receive touch inputs; a gaming machine controller configured to provide a play of a wagering game; and a gaming machine video output configured to transmit a gaming machine video signal; and a picture-in-picture mixer comprising: a gaming machine video input communicatively connected to the gaming machine video output to receive the gaming machine video signal; an external source video input configured to receive an external source video signal from an external source separate from the gaming machine and any components supported by the housing of the gaming machine; a picture-in-picture controller communicatively connected to the gaming machine controller and configured to: create a composite video signal based on the external source video signal and the gaming machine video signal; transmit the created composite video signal to the display device; and responsive to receipt of touch screen input data from the touch screen: responsive to the touch screen input data being associated with the gaming machine video signal, transmit, via a picture-in-picture control interface distinct from any player tracking component, the touch screen input data to the gaming machine controller of the gaming machine without transmitting the touch screen input data to the external source; and responsive to the touch screen input data being associated with the external source video signal, transmit, via a player user interface board interface distinct from any player tracking component and distinct from the picture-in-picture control interface, the touch screen input data to the external source without transmitting the touch screen input data to the gaming machine controller of the gaming machine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to determine whether the touch screen input data is associated with the gaming machine video signal or the external source video signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the external source video signal comprises display data for an external source image and the gaming machine video signal comprises display data for a wagering game image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the composite video image comprises both the wagering game image and the external source image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the wagering game image is in a first window and the external source image is in a second window. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the touch screen input data is associated with a touch received at a position on the touch screen that corresponds to the first window, in which case the touch screen input data is associated with the gaming machine video signal, or the second window, in which case the touch screen input data is associated with the external source video signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to, responsive to receipt of instructions from the gaming machine controller, create the composite video signal in accordance with the instructions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gaming system of claim 16, further comprising a picture-in-picture control interface communicatively connected to the gaming machine controller and to the picture-in-picture controller to receive the instructions from the gaming machine controller and transmit the instructions to the picture-in-picture controller. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The gaming system of claim 10, wherein the picture-in-picture controller is further configured to, responsive to receipt of instructions from the external source, request approval from the gaming machine controller to use the instructions and, responsive to receipt of approval, create the composite video signal in accordance with the instructions. ### Claim 19 A method of operating a picture-in-picture mixer, the method comprising: creating a composite video signal based on a received external source video signal and a received gaming machine video signal, said external source video signal being received from an external source separate from a gaming machine and any components supported by a housing of the gaming machine; transmitting the composite video signal to a display device of the gaming machine; and responsive to receipt of touch screen input data from a touch screen of the gaming machine: responsive to the touch screen input data being associated with the gaming machine video signal, transmitting, via a picture-in-picture control interface distinct from any player tracking component, the touch screen input data to a gaming machine controller of the gaming machine without transmitting the touch screen input data to the external source; and responsive to the touch screen input data being associated with the external source video signal, transmitting, via a player user interface board interface distinct from any player tracking component and distinct from the picture-in-picture control interface, the touch screen input data to the external source without transmitting the touch screen input data to the gaming machine controller of the gaming machine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining whether the touch screen input data is associated with the gaming machine video signal or the external source video signal.