1. A method of printing a promotional coupon by a gaming machine, comprising:
receiving by a promotional module a first operational signal transmitted from a first device housed in the gaming machine, the first operational signal intended for a second device housed in the gaming machine, wherein the second device is not the promotional module;
generating, by the promotional module using the first operational signal, promotional coupon printing information;
receiving by a promotional printer on an auxiliary communication port, the promotional coupon printing information, the promotional printer having a primary communication port coupled to a gaming machine controller for receiving voucher information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the second device is the gaming machine controller;
the first device is a bill validator; and
the first operational signal is a cash-in signal from the bill validator.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the second device is the promotional printer;
the first device is the gaming machine controller; and
the first operational signal is a cash-out signal intended for reception at the primary communication port of the promotional printer.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by the promotional module a second operational signal intended for a third device housed in the gaming machine, wherein generation of the coupon printing information further comprises using the second operational signal.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein:
the second device is the gaming machine controller;
the third device is the promotional printer;
the first operational signal is a cash-in signal from a bill validator; and
the second operational signal is a cash-out signal intended for reception at the primary communication port of the promotional printer.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational signal is received by the promotional module from a signal tap coupled to the second device.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adding a device identifier to the first operational signal by the signal tap.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational signal is received by the promotional module from a communications network coupled to both the promotional module and the second device.
9. A promotional module comprising:
a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions executable by the processor stored therein, the program instructions comprising:
receiving by the promotional module a first operational signal transmitted from a first device housed in a gaming machine, the first operational signal intended for a second device housed in the gaming machine, wherein the second device is not the promotional module;
generating, by the promotional module using the first operational signal, promotional coupon printing information;
transmitting by the promotional module to a promotional printer, on an auxiliary communication port of the promotional printer, the promotional coupon printing information, the promotional printer having a primary communication port coupled to a gaming machine controller for receiving voucher information.
10. The promotional module of claim 9, wherein:
the second device is the gaming machine controller;
the first device is a bill validator; and
the first operational signal is a cash-in signal from the bill validator.
11. The promotional module of claim 9, wherein:
the second device is the promotional printer;
the first device is the gaming machine controller; and
the first operational signal is a cash-out signal intended for reception at the primary communication port of the promotional printer.
12. The promotional module of claim 9, the program instructions further comprising:
receiving by the promotional module a second operational signal intended for a third device housed in the gaming machine; and
using the second operational signal along with the first operational signal to generate the coupon information.
13. The promotional module of claim 12, wherein:
the second device is the gaming machine controller;
the third device is the promotional printer;
the first operational signal is a cash-in signal from a bill validator; and
the second operational signal is a cash-out signal intended for reception at the primary communication port of the promotional printer.
14. The promotional module of claim 9, wherein the first operational signal is received from a signal tap coupled to the second device.
15. The promotional module of claim 14, wherein the signal tap is operable to add a device identifier to the first operational signal.
16. The promotional module of claim 9, wherein the first operational signal is received from a communications network coupled to both the promotional module and the second device.
17. A promotional module comprising:
receiving means for receiving by the promotional module a first operational signal transmitted from a first device housed in a gaming machine, the first operational signal intended for a second device housed in the gaming machine, wherein the second device is not the promotional module;
generating means for generating, by the promotional module using the first operational signal, promotional coupon printing information;
transmitting means for transmitting by the promotional module to a promotional printer, on an auxiliary communication port of the promotional printer, the promotional coupon printing information, the promotional printer having a primary communication port coupled to a gaming machine controller for receiving voucher information.
18. The promotional module of claim 17, wherein:
the second device is the gaming machine controller;
the first device is a bill validator; and
the first operational signal is a cash-in signal from the bill validator.
19. The promotional module of claim 17, wherein:
the second device is the promotional printer;
the first device is the gaming machine controller; and
the first operational signal is a cash-out signal intended for reception at the primary communication port of the promotional printer.
20. The promotional module of claim 17, further comprising second receiving means for receiving by the promotional module a second operational signal intended for a third device housed in the gaming machine, where the generating means uses the second operational signal along with the first operational signal to generate the coupon information.
21. The promotional module of claim 20, wherein:
the second device is the gaming machine controller;
the third device is the promotional printer;
the first operational signal is a cash-in signal from a bill validator; and
the second operational signal is a cash-out signal intended for reception at the primary communication port of the promotional printer.
22. The promotional module of claim 17, wherein the first operational signal is received from a signal tap coupled to the second device.
23. The promotional module of claim 22, wherein the signal tap is operable to add a device identifier to the first operational signal.
24. The promotional module of claim 17, wherein the first operational signal is received from a communications network coupled to both the promotional module and the second device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
a processor;
a plurality of external pins operatively coupled to the processor; and
a permanently written memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of regions each storing one or more respective boot properties for booting said processor;
wherein the processor is programmed to select one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective boot properties from the selected region, and to boot using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:
the one or more boot properties in each region comprise at least an identifier of a respective boot source; and
the processor is programmed to retrieve the respective identifier from the selected region, and to boot from the source of boot code identified by the retrieved identifier.
3. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein:
the integrated circuit comprises a primary boot ROM storing primary boot code, each of said sources being a source of secondary boot code; and
the processor is configured to initiate booting by executing the primary boot code, the primary boot code containing code which when executed causes the processor to retrieve the identifier and continuing the booting from the secondary boot code of said identified source.
4. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein said memory comprises at least one of: a bank of fuse latches and a ROM.
5. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the identifier is an identifier of one of: an external flash memory, a serial link, and a secondary on-chip ROM
6. The integrated circuit of claim 1, comprising a respective internal switchable resistor arrangement coupled between each of said one or more pins and a first voltage rail, configured to couple its respective pin to the first voltage rail if that pin is not externally coupled to a second voltage rail during booting, and to de-couple its respective pin from the first rail if that pin is externally coupled to the second voltage rail during booting.
7. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein said one or more pins are debugging pins for connecting to a debugger, arranged to allow the debugger to control the boot when connected to those pins and said indication to control the boot when the debugger is not connected.
8. A user device comprising the integrated circuit of claim 2 and an RF front-end, wherein said one or more pins are connected to indicate a source for configuring the processor as a soft modem for communicating over a wireless cellular network via said RF front-end.
9. A method of booting an integrated circuit comprising a processor, the method comprising:
inputting an indication of a boot option to one or more external pins of the integrated circuit;
using said indication to identify one of a plurality of regions in a permanently written memory on the integrated circuit, each region storing one or more respective boot properties for booting the processor;
retrieving the one or more respective boot properties from the identified region of said memory; and
booting the processor using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein:
the one or more boot properties in each region comprise at least an identifier of a respective boot source;
said retrieval of the boot properties comprises retrieving the respective identifier from the selected region; and
said booting using the one or more retrieved properties comprises booting the processor from the source of boot code identified by the retrieved identifier.
11. The method of claim 10, comprising:
initiating booting by executing primary boot code from a primary boot ROM of the processor, the execution of the primary boot code retrieving the identifier and continuing the booting from the secondary boot code of said identified source.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein said memory comprises at least one of: a bank of fuse latches and a ROM.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein:
said sources of boot code include at least one of: an external flash memory, a serial link, and a secondary on-chip ROM; and
the booting of the processor comprises booting using secondary boot code from the identified one of the external flash memory, serial link and secondary on-chip ROM.
14. The method of claim 9, comprising: by using a respective internal switchable resistor arrangement coupled between each of said one or more pins and a first voltage rail, coupling each respective pin to the first voltage rail if that pin is not externally coupled to a second voltage rail during booting, and de-coupling the respective pin from the first rail if that pin is externally coupled to the second voltage rail during booting.
15. The method of claim 9, comprising using a debugger to control said one or more pins during debugging and said indication to control the boot when not debugging.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein said inputting comprises connecting said one or more pins to indicate a source for configuring the processor as a soft modem for communicating over a wireless cellular network via an RF front-end.
17. A system comprising:
an integrated circuit comprising a processor, a plurality of external pins operatively coupled to the processor, and a writeable non-volatile memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of regions each for storing one or more respective boot properties for booting the processor; and
writing apparatus arranged to write one or more respective boot properties to at least one of said regions for use in booting the processor;
programming apparatus arranged to program the processor to select one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective properties from the selected region, and to boot using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein:
the writing apparatus is arranged to write said one or more boot properties so as to comprise at least an identifier of a respective boot source; and
the programming apparatus is arranged to program the processor to retrieve the respective identifier from the selected region, and to boot the processor from the source of boot code identified by the retrieved identifier.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein:
the processor comprises a primary boot ROM, and the programming apparatus is arranged to write primary boot code to the primary boot ROM, each of said sources being a source of secondary boot code, the primary boot code containing code which when executed causes the processor to retrieve the identifier and start the booting from the secondary boot code of said identified source.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein said non-volatile memory is a one-time writeable memory.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a bank of fuse latches.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the fuse latches comprises at least one of: electronic fuses and laser fuses.
23. The system of claim 17, further comprising an area of ROM having one or more further regions each storing one or more further respective boot properties for booting the processor;
wherein the programming means is arranged to program the processor to select one of said further regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective further properties from the selected region, and to boot the integrated circuit using the retrieved boot properties.
24. The system of claim 18, wherein said sources of boot code include at least one of: an external flash memory, a serial link, and a secondary on-chip ROM.
25. The system of claim 17, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a respective internal switchable resistor arrangement coupled between each of said one or more pins and a first voltage rail, configured to couple its respective pin to the first voltage rail if that pin is not externally coupled to a second voltage rail during booting, and to de-couple its respective pin from the first rail if that pin is externally coupled to the second voltage rail during booting.
26. The system of claim 17, wherein said one or more pins are arranged to allow the debugger to control the boot when connected to those pins and said indication to control the boot when the debugger is not connected.
27. A method of configuring an integrated circuit for booting, the integrated circuit comprising a processor, a plurality of external pins, and a writeable non-volatile memory having a plurality of regions each for storing one or more respective boot properties, and the method comprising:
writing one or more respective boot properties to at least one of said regions of said non-volatile memory for use in booting the integrated circuit; and
programming the processor to select one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective properties from the selected region, and to boot using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein:
said writing of the one or more boot properties comprises at least writing an identifier of a respective boot source; and
said programming comprises programming the processor to retrieve the respective identifier from the selected region and to boot from the source of boot code identified by the retrieved identifier.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein:
the integrated circuit comprises a primary boot ROM; and
said programming comprises writing primary boot code to the primary boot ROM, each of said sources being a source of secondary boot code, the primary boot code containing code which when executed causes the processor to retrieve the identifier and start the booting from the secondary boot code of said identified source.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein said memory is a one-time writeable memory and said writing comprises permanently writing the boot properties.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a bank of fuse latches and said writing comprise fusing selected latches.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the fuse latches comprises at least one of: electronic fuses and laser fuses.
33. The method of claim 27, wherein
the integrated circuit further comprises an area of ROM having one or more further regions each storing one or more further boot properties for booting the processor;
the programming of the processor comprises programming the processor to select one of said further regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective further properties from the selected region, and to boot the integrated circuit using the retrieved boot properties.
34. The method of claim 28, wherein said writing of the identifier of a respective boot source comprises writing an identifier of one of: an external flash memory, a serial link, and a secondary on-chip ROM.
35. The method of claim 27, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a respective internal switchable resistor arrangement coupled between each of said one or more pins and a first voltage rail; and the method comprises configuring each switchable resistor arrangement arrangement to couple each respective pin to the first voltage rail if that pin is not externally coupled to a second voltage rail during booting, and to de-couple the respective pin from the first rail if that pin is externally coupled to the second voltage rail during booting.
36. The method of claim 27, comprising using a debugger to control said one or more pins during debugging and said indication to control the boot when not debugging.
37. An integrated circuit comprising:
a processor;
a plurality of external pins;
a permanently written memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of regions each storing one or more respective boot properties for booting said processor;
circuitry operatively coupled to the processor, the memory and the pins, the circuitry being configured to select one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective boot properties from the selected region, and to boot the processor using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
38. An integrated circuit comprising:
a plurality of external pins;
a permanently written memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of regions each storing one or more respective boot properties for booting the integrated circuit;
circuitry operatively coupled to the pins, the circuitry being configured to select one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective boot properties from the selected region, and to boot the integrated circuit using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
39. An integrated circuit comprising:
processing means;
external input means;
permanent storage means having a plurality of regions each storing one or more respective boot properties for booting the processing means;
selection means for selecting one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via said input means, retrieving the one or more respective boot properties from the selected region, and booting the processing means using the one or more retrieved boot properties.
40. A user terminal having an integrated circuit comprising:
a processor;
a plurality of external pins operatively coupled to the processor; and
a permanently written memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of regions each storing one or more respective boot properties for booting said processor;
wherein the processor is programmed to select one of said regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of said external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective boot properties from the selected region, and to boot using the one or more retrieved boot properties.