Abstract: The ambient brightness around a gaming machine is determined by a light sensor, which is preferably located on the gaming machine. The sensor signal is used to control a power supply for the lights in the gaming machine such that the brightness of all displays and/or symbols of the gaming machine is optimum for the ambient brightness. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the energizing voltage to the lights is automatically increased over time to offset the natural diminishing of the light's output over time. In another embodiment, the brightness of the lights may be adjusted by the player.

Abstract: A digitizing ohmmeter system for providing a digital resistance ratio measurement includes a high impedance current source providing a DC excitation current to an impedance-varying input sensor and a reference resistor and an ADC circuit including a charge-balancing modulator and a digital post processing circuit. The same DC excitation current passes through both the input sensor and the reference resistor. The system utilizes a switched capacitor input stage to sample the voltage across the input sensor and the voltage across the reference resistor to generate an input voltage step and a reference voltage step which are coupled to the modulator of the ADC circuit. The digitizing ohmmeter system thereby realizes fully ratiometric operation such that neither a precise current source nor a precise voltage source is required for accurate resistance ratio measurements and only a stable known reference resistor is necessary for accurate absolute resistance measurements.

Abstract: A low defect gallium nitride based semiconductor, and method for its production, is disclosed. A first gallium nitride based semiconductor layer overlying a substrate of a dissimilar material is grown. A trench is formed in the first gallium nitride based semiconductor layer. A material is deposited on a surface of the first gallium nitride based semiconductor layer to prevent a second gallium nitride based semiconductor layer, of a material different from the first gallium nitride based semiconductor layer, from nucleating thereon. The bottom surface of the trench is of a material such that the second gallium nitride based semiconductor layer will not nucleate thereon. The second gallium nitride based semiconductor material is grown, extending from at least one of the side walls of the trench, the second gallium nitride based semiconductor material having fewer defects than the first gallium nitride based semiconductor layer.