Digital signal processor based generation and control of electronic signals in a gaming machine

A wager-based gaming machine, comprising:

• a central processing unit adapted to process and facilitate the presentation of a wager-based game;
• a programmable logic device separate from and connected to said central processing unit;
• and
• a digital signal processor adapted to generate and control digital output, said digital signal processor being separate from and connected to said programmable logic device,
• wherein said programmable logic device is interposed between said central processing unit and said digital signal processor,
• wherein
• said programmable logic device converts instructions from said central processing unit to instructions that can be executed by said digital signal processor, and
• said programmable logic device and said central processing unit are communicatively coupled by a control line, an address line, and a data line, said control line and said address line configured such that information can only be sent from the central processing unit to the programmable logic device, and said data line configured such that data bits may be sent in both directions.

A method of providing sound in a wager-based gaming machine, comprising:

• receiving, at a programmable logic device, CPU instructions from a central processing unit, said central processing unit being configured to process and facilitate presentation of a wager-based game;
• converting said CPU instructions to DSP instructions that can be executed by a digital signal processor;
• generating and controlling audio output for one or more speakers, responsive to the DSP instructions, with the digital signal processor, said digital signal processor being separate from and connected to said programmable logic device, the programmable logic device being separate from and connected to the central processing unit;
• wherein
• said programmable logic device is interposed between said central processing unit and said digital signal processor;
• and
• said programmable logic device and said central processing unit are communicatively coupled by a control line, an address line, and a data line, said control line and said address line configured such that information can only be sent from the central processing unit to the programmable logic device, and said data line configured such that data bits may be sent in both directions.