1. A system configured for an electronic gaming device, said electronic gaming device having at least a controller, memory, game player interface and display, comprising:
gaming device status detecting means configured to passively detect the status of the electronic gaming device and differentiate between detected status conditions associated with gaming machine activity and detected status conditions associated with gaming machine inactivity;
marketing content supplying means configured to transmit marketing content to the display responsive to the detection of status conditions associated with gaming machine inactivity, said marketing content supplying means further configured to transmit the marketing content after the passage of a preset period of time from the detection of status conditions associated with gaming machine inactivity and cease the transmission of said marketing content to the display responsive to detection of status conditions associated with gaming machine activity by said detecting means.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising preemption means configured to prevent pre-existing internal gaming machine inactivity content from being displayed on the display in favor of displaying said transmitted marketing content on the display until the transmission of the marketing content ceases.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the status conditions associated with gaming machine activity and gaming machine inactivity are preset to facilitate the differentiation thereof by the gaming device status detecting means.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising memory in communication with the markerting content supplying means for storing the marketing content.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said gaming device status detecting means further comprises connections with one or more components of the electronic gaming device.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data stream switch having multiple data stream inputs, wherein the data stream switch is configured for outputting the marketing content upon detection of the transmission of marketing content from the marketing content supplying means regardless of other data stream input.
7. A system configured for an electronic gaming device, said electronic gaming device having at least a controller, memory, game player interface and display, comprising:
a data processor operatively associated with the electronic gaming device for passively detecting conditions within the electronic gaming device, differentiating between conditions associated with gaming device activity and conditions associated with gaming device inactivity, actuating a transmission of marketing content in response to the passage of a preset period of time after detecting conditions associated with gaming device inactivity, and ending the transmission of marketing content in response to the detection of conditions associated with gaming device activity;
a data stream switch having multiple sources of data stream input and an output in communication with the display of the electronic gaming device, wherein the data stream switch is configured to receive the transmission of marketing content actuated by the data processor as a data stream input, wherein the data stream switch is further configured to facilitate the display of marketing content on the electronic gaming device display by outputting the marketing content for display and automatically preempting any pre-existing gaming device inactivity content input from being displayed on the display of the electronic gaming device while receiving the transmission of marketing content.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the data processor is further configured for determining the display characteristics of the pre-existing gaming device inactivity content and adjusting the display characteristics of the marketing content to substantially match the display characteristics of the pre-existing gaming device inactivity content for display on the electronic gaming device display.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the conditions detected include a data signal generated by a component within the gaming device.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the conditions detected include a voltage change associated with a component within the electronic gaming device.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein the conditions associated with gaming device activity include one or more of the following: bill validator usage, game player interface usage, coin in detection, game card usage and touchscreen usage.
12. The system of claim 7 wherein the data processor and data stream switch are mounted within the electronic gaming device.
13. The system of claim 7 wherein the data stream switch is configured for receiving marketing content from a remote source.
14. The system of claim 7 wherein the data processor is further configured to record relating to the duration of time marketing content is transmitted.
15. A method of presenting marketing content via an electronic gaming machine, said electronic gaming machine including at least a controller, memory, game player interface and display, comprising the steps of:
detecting data signals generated by the electronic gaming device during play sessions and idle time;
tracking time after detecting a data signals associated with idle time;
triggering a transmission of marketing content to the display responsive to the tracked time after detection of the data signal exceeding a threshold period of time; and
ceasing the transmission of said marketing content to the display responsive to detection of a subsequent data signal associated with play sessions.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting marketing content to the display from a remote source.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting marketing content to the display from a local source.
18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of preempting pre-existing internal game idle content from being displayed in favor of displaying said marketing content.
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising detecting data signals related to one or more of the following: bill validator usage, game player interface usage, coin in detection, game card usage and touchscreen usage.
20. An electronic gaming machine configured for providing an interactive game, comprising:
a display;
memory containing display content including game play content;
a player interface for inputting information and player selections relating to the interactive game;
a game controller configured for facilitating game play of the interactive game, including receiving information from the player interface and providing game content on the display during game play;
a data processor configured for passively detecting data communication within the gaming machine, differentiating between the data communication associated with game play and the data communication associated with a game idle state, actuating a transmission of marketing content in response to the detection of data communication associated with a game idle state and ending the transmission of marketing content in response to the detection of data communication associated with game play; and
a data stream switch having multiple data stream input sources and an output in communication with the display, the data stream switch being configured to receive the transmission of marketing content actuated by the data processor as a data stream input, preempt any other display content input from being outputted by the data stream switch for display and outputting the marketing content being received by the data stream switch for display while the transmission is received.
21. An electronic gaming machine as recited in claim 18, wherein the display content further includes game idle content and the game controller is further configured to present the game idle content on the display during the game idle state.
22. An electronic gaming machine as recited in claim 19, wherein the data stream switch is further configured to automatically preempt the display of game idle content upon receiving the transmission of marketing content.
23. An electronic gaming machine as recited in claim 20, wherein the data processor is further configured to actuate the transmission of marketing content after a preset period of time from the detection of data communication associated with a game idle state.
24. An electronic gaming machine as recited in claim 18, further comprising a data storage device containing the marketing content.
25. An electronic gaming machine as recited in claim 18, wherein the data processor records the duration of each transmission of marketing content.
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.-25. (canceled)
26. An implant for regulating fluid flow comprising:
a tube comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, and a tube passage extending between the inlet end and the outlet end for permitting fluid to flow through the tube passage;
wherein the implant has a flow controlling wire or rod located in the tube passage;
wherein the flow controlling wire or rod has a non-circular cross-section and the angular orientation of the flow controlling wire or rod within the tube passage is adjustable with respect to at lease one inlet side hole which opens into the tube passage to adjust the flow characteristics through the implant.
27. An implant according to claim 26 wherein the flow controlling wire or rod has an external groove on its outer surface.
28. An implant according to claim 27 wherein the external groove is straight.
29. An implant according to claim 27 wherein the external groove is helical.
30. An implant according to claim 25 wherein the flow controlling wire or rod has a flat surface.
31. An implant for regulating fluid flow comprising:
a tube comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, and a tube passage extending between the inlet end and the outlet end for permitting fluid to flow through the tube passage;
wherein the implant has a flow controlling wire or rod located in the tube passage;
wherein the tube has at least one side hole which opens into the tube passage and the longitudinal location of the flow controlling wire or rod is adjustable relative to the at least one side hole to adjust the flow characteristics through the implant.
32. An implant according to claim 31 wherein the flow controlling wire or rod is biased by a spring within the tube passage so that it is longitudinally adjustable in response to increased pressure at the inlet end.
33. An implant for regulating fluid flow comprising:
a tube comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, and a tube passage extending between the inlet end and the outlet end for permitting fluid to flow through the tube passage;
wherein the implant has a flow controlling wire or rod located in the tube passage;
wherein the tube has at least one side hole which opens into the tube passage and the flow controlling wire or rod is flexible within the tube passage to adjust the flow characteristics through the implant in response to increased fluid pressure at the inlet end.
34. An implant according to claim 33 wherein the at least one side hole is occluded.
35. An implant as claimed in claim 34 comprising at least two side holes wherein the at least two side holes are located at different distances from the outlet end of the implant and wherein the side holes may be occluded or open to provide the implant with different flow characteristics.
36. An implant according to claim 34 wherein the occlusion of at least one side hole is temporary.
37. An implant according to claim 36 wherein the temporary occlusion is caused by material in the hole which is later removed.
38. An implant according to claim 37 wherein the temporary occlusion is caused by an absorbable material located in the hole.
39. An implant according to claim 37 wherein the temporary occlusion is caused by a material located in the hole which is later removed by one of a tool or laser.
40. An implant for regulating fluid flow comprising:
a tube comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, and a tube passage extending between the inlet end and the outlet end for permitting fluid to flow through the tube passage; and
means for increasing an area of flow through the tube passage in response to an increase in pressure of fluid at the inlet end, thereby permitting increased flow of fluid through the tube passage in response to the increased pressure at the inlet end.
41. An implant according to claim 40 wherein the means for increasing an area of flow through the tube passage in response to an increase in pressure of fluid at the inlet end comprises a flow controlling rod that is movable within the tube passage.
42. An implant according to claim 41 wherein the flow controlling rod is bendable within the tube passage.
43. An implant according to claim 41 wherein the flow controlling rod is biased by a spring within the tube passage.
44. An implant according to claim 40 wherein the implant is an intraocular implant adapted for implantation into an eye to permit drainage of aqueous humor.
45. An implant for regulating fluid flow comprising:
a tube comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, and a tube passage extending between the inlet end and the outlet end for permitting fluid to flow through the tube passage; and
a movable flow controlling rod adapted to move to increase an area of flow through the tube passage in response to an increase in pressure of fluid at the inlet end, thereby permitting increased flow of fluid through the tube passage in response to the increased pressure at the inlet end.
46. An implant according to claim 45 wherein the flow controlling rod is bendable within the tube passage.
47. An implant according to claim 45 wherein the flow controlling rod is biased by a spring within the tube passage.
48. An implant according to claim 45 wherein the implant is an intraocular implant adapted for implantation into an eye to permit drainage of aqueous humor.