Multi-core processing in a wagering game machine

Abstract

A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a multi-core processor having multiple processor cores, the multiple processor cores each operable to execute any thread executing in the multi-core processor. In further embodiments, the multiple processor cores and an operating system facilitate symmetric multiprocessing, parallel processing, or hyperthreading.

1 . A computerized wagering game system, comprising: 
 a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered; and    a multi-core processor having multiple processor cores, the multiple processor cores each operable to execute any thread executing in the multi-core processor.    
   
   
       2 . The computerized wagering game system of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple processor cores are contained in the same integrated circuit package.  
   
   
       3 . The computerized wagering game system of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple processor cores share the same memory, bus, and operating system.  
   
   
       4 . The computerized wagering game system of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple processor cores are configured in a symmetric multiprocessing configuration.  
   
   
       5 . The computerized wagering game system of  claim 1 , wherein two or more of the multiple processor cores are virtual processor hyperthreading cores, each of which is operable to appear to the operating system to be a logical processor.  
   
   
       6 . The computerized wagering game system of  claim 1 , further comprising an operating system operable to support symmetric multiprocessing.  
   
   
       7 . The computerized wagering game system or  claim 1 , wherein the multi-core processor comprises multiple video processor cores operable to render a single video image.  
   
   
       8 . A method of operating a computerized wagering game, comprising: 
 presenting a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered; and    executing an operating system operable to support symmetric multiprocessing across more than one processor in the wagering game machine.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising emulating a hyperthreading processor as more than one logical processor in the executing operating system.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising load-balancing two or more processes executing across the more than one processor via a load balancing process.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising assigning specific processes to a specific processor from the more than one processor.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising executing a process across more than one of the more than one processors through parallel processing.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein executing an operating system comprises executing the same operating system kernel on more than one of the more than one processors.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising operating two or more wagering games within the wagering game system, each wagering game executing on its own processor.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising assigning an authentication process to a first of the more than one processors and a wagering game program process to a processor other than the first processor.  
   
   
       16 . A method of operating a computerized wagering game, comprising: 
 presenting a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered; and    rendering a video image using multiple video processing cores.    
   
   
       17 . A machine-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to: 
 present a wagering game upon which monetary value can be wagered; and    execute an operating system operable to support symmetric multiprocessing across two or more processors in the wagering game machine, such that processes can be assigned to more than one processor.    
   
   
       18 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , the instructions when executed further operable to load balance executing processes between available processors.  
   
   
       19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein assigning processes to more than one processor comprises assigning at least one process to a designated processor.  
   
   
       20 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein executing the operating system comprises executing the same operating system kernel on two or more processors.  
   
   
       21 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions when executed are further operable to load balance processes between the more than one processor.  
   
   
       22 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , the instructions when executed further operable to implement an authentication process executed on an assigned first of the more than one processors, and further operable to implement a wagering game program process to a processor other than the first processor.