Software-Initiated Selective Power Cycling for Gaming Machine CPUs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming machines require manual power cycling of central processing units, which disrupts other system components and is inefficient, lacking the ability to selectively power cycle specific components without physical interaction or technician intervention.
Innovation Solution
A gaming machine system with a power cycle control register and circuit that allows software-initiated power cycling of central processing unit components, enabling voltage termination and restoration without affecting other peripherals, using a power controller to manage the process independently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual power cycling is performed by physically pulling the plug or using the main power switch, then the central processing unit can be reset, but the entire gaming machine cabinet must be powered down including peripheral devices, increasing operational time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The power cycling capability is segmented from the main power system. A dedicated power cycle circuit with control register is implemented that can independently cycle power to the CPU and baseboard components without affecting the main cabinet power state. This allows selective power cycling of only the necessary components (CPU, baseboard) while leaving peripheral devices powered on, thereby reducing the time and complexity of the power cycling process.
2Reliability
If manual power cycling is performed by physically interacting with the gaming machine, then the central processing unit can be reset, but physical interaction by technicians is required, reducing automation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service power cycling through software-initiated control. The operating system can write to a dedicated power cycle control register to automatically trigger the power cycle sequence without requiring technician intervention. The power cycle circuit autonomously executes the voltage termination and restoration sequence, enabling the system to reset itself programmatically rather than requiring manual physical interaction.
3Reliability
If complete power down of the gaming machine cabinet is performed, then all components including peripherals are reset, but unnecessary components are rebooted and reinitialized, increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The power cycling function is extracted from the global power control system. Instead of cycling power to the entire cabinet, the invention creates a dedicated power cycle circuit that can selectively terminate and restore voltage only to the CPU and baseboard components. This extraction allows the necessary components to be reset while leaving peripheral devices in their current state, avoiding unnecessary reinitialization and reducing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to enabling an operating system software to selectively power cycle one or more components of a wagering gaming system comprising a central processing unit board having one or more central processing units, and one or more central processing unit components. The invention uses a memory comprising a dedicated power cycle control register, a power controller, and digital logic configured to initiate a power cycle of the one or more components of the wagering gaming machine when the operating system writes a predetermined value to the power cycle control register. Upon recognizing the predetermined value to a dedicated power cycle control register used solely for power cycling procedures, digital logic is initiated to terminate voltage supplied to the one or more components of the wagering gaming machine and restore power to the one or more components of the wagering gaming machine, effectively “cold booting” the selected one or more components of the wagering gaming machine main system board(s) without disrupting voltage supplied to the entirety of other components, including peripheral devices of the wagering gaming system.