Abstract: A frozen beverage dispensing machine includes a barrel. A liquid side of an expansion tank is connected to the barrel. A gas side of the expansion tank is separated from the liquid side by a bladder. A controller is configured to receive liquid pressure measurements from a liquid pressure transducer and is configured to initiate a fill process to provide a flow of liquid through the liquid side of the expansion tank into the barrel in response to the liquid pressure measurements falling below a liquid cut in pressure value. The controller is configured to initiate a gas pressure adjustment process when the liquid pressure measurements are less than a target gas side pressure.

Abstract: A gas infusion tank for a beverage machine includes a tank body defining a holding space for accommodating beverages. A mixing element includes a mixing chamber, an ascending pipe, and a descending pipe. A top of the ascending pipe is fluidly connected to the mixing chamber and a bottom of the ascending pipe has a liquid inlet. The liquid inlet is fluidly connected to the holding space. A top of the descending pipe is fluidly connected to the mixing chamber and a bottom of the descending pipe includes a liquid outlet in fluid communication with the nozzle. A gas intake hole connects the holding space with the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A system for dispensing a frozen beverage. The system includes a barrel having an inner wall and being configured to retain the frozen beverage therein. A mixing system causes mixing of the frozen beverage within the barrel. A cooling system cools the frozen beverage from radially outwardly of the inner wall. A melting system heats the frozen beverage from radially inwardly of the inner wall. The mixing system causes relatively larger ice crystals to move inwardly from the inner wall, and the melting system reduces a size of the relatively larger ice crystals.

Abstract: A system for dispensing a frozen beverage. The system includes a barrel having an inner wall and being configured to retain the frozen beverage therein. A mixing system causes mixing of the frozen beverage within the barrel. A cooling system cools the frozen beverage from radially outwardly of the inner wall. A melting system heats the frozen beverage from radially inwardly of the inner wall. The mixing system causes relatively larger ice crystals to move inwardly from the inner wall, and the melting system reduces a size of the relatively larger ice crystals.

Abstract: An example of a beverage dispenser includes a nozzle and a valve coupled upstream of the nozzle. A sensor is operable to detect an object within a detection zone and provide a signal representative of a distance between the object and the sensor. A controller is configured to receive the signal from the sensor. The controller is configured to determine a sub-zone from a plurality of sub-zones within the detection zone in which the object is located. The valve is controlled between an open condition to dispense the substance through the nozzle and a closed condition based upon the determined sub-zone.

Abstract: A system for dispensing a frozen beverage. The system includes a barrel having an inner wall and being configured to retain the frozen beverage therein. A mixing system causes mixing of the frozen beverage within the barrel. A cooling system cools the frozen beverage from radially outwardly of the inner wall. A melting system heats the frozen beverage from radially inwardly of the inner wall. The mixing system causes relatively larger ice crystals to move inwardly from the inner wall, and the melting system reduces a size of the relatively larger ice crystals.

Abstract: An example of a beverage dispenser includes a nozzle and a valve coupled upstream of the nozzle. A sensor is operable to detect an object within a detection zone and provide a signal representative of a distance between the object and the sensor. A controller is configured to receive the signal from the sensor. The controller is configured to determine a sub-zone from a plurality of sub-zones within the detection zone in which the object is located. The valve is controlled between an open condition to dispense the substance through the nozzle and a closed condition based upon the determined sub-zone.

Abstract: A refrigeration subsystem removably received within a base machine to cool an object. The subsystem includes a body with an opening that receives the object. An evaporator thermally communicates with the object, which is cooled by refrigerant flowing through the evaporator. A compressor receives the refrigerant downstream of the evaporator and increases a refrigerant pressure. A condenser receives the refrigerant downstream of the compressor, which cools the refrigerant. An expansion device receives the refrigerant downstream of the condenser and decreases its pressure, the evaporator being downstream from the expansion device. A refrigerant circuit fluidly couples the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion device such that the refrigerant flows therebetween, all of which are coupled to the body and move together therewith. The refrigerant circuit forms a closed loop that remains unbroken when the body of the refrigerant subsystem is removed from the base machine.

Abstract: A refrigeration subsystem removably received within a base machine to cool an object. The subsystem includes a body with an opening that receives the object. An evaporator thermally communicates with the object, which is cooled by refrigerant flowing through the evaporator. A compressor receives the refrigerant downstream of the evaporator and increases a refrigerant pressure. A condenser receives the refrigerant downstream of the compressor, which cools the refrigerant. An expansion device receives the refrigerant downstream of the condenser and decreases its pressure, the evaporator being downstream from the expansion device. A refrigerant circuit fluidly couples the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion device such that the refrigerant flows therebetween, all of which are coupled to the body and move together therewith. The refrigerant circuit forms a closed loop that remains unbroken when the body of the refrigerant subsystem is removed from the base machine.

Abstract: A system for dispensing a frozen beverage. The system includes a barrel having an inner wall and being configured to retain the frozen beverage therein. A mixing system causes mixing of the frozen beverage within the barrel. A cooling system cools the frozen beverage from radially outwardly of the inner wall. A melting system heats the frozen beverage from radially inwardly of the inner wall. The mixing system causes relatively larger ice crystals to move inwardly from the inner wall, and the melting system reduces a size of the relatively larger ice crystals.

Abstract: A method for filling a barrel of a frozen beverage dispenser to create a beverage. The method includes determining a target brix level for the beverage, determining a starting fill setting for a supply line that fills the barrel, and detecting a current condition within at least one of the supply line and the barrel. The method further includes calculating an adjusted fill setting by adjusting the starting fill setting for the supply line based on the current condition detected, and operating the supply line at the adjusted fill setting to fill the barrel such that the target brix level is achieved within the barrel.

Abstract: A gaming system for interacting with a wagering game in 3D space includes sensors positioned to define a 3D volume within which things may be introduced to make gestures that are detected in the 3D volume and associated with wagering-game functions Different 3D gestures cause different wagering-game functions to be earned out One gesture browses among selections involved in the game outcome while another gesture selects a wagering-game element 3D gestures change virtual camera angles to view hidden surfaces 3D wagering-game objects Gestures include throwing physical dice that transition to virtual dice whereupon the game software takes over to depict a randomly selected game outcome RFID-tagged chips are placed on tables to determine their value and location A fishing game detects a hook attached to a fishing rod held by the player and displays a virtual representation of the hook on four video displays.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining a bank gaming effect for presentation on a bank of content presentation devices. The bank of content presentation devices can be associated with a plurality of wagering game machines. The operations can further include receiving presentation status information for the bank of content presentation devices. The presentation status information can indicate one or more events that affect a state of availability of each of the bank of content presentation devices to present the bank gaming effect. The operations can further include determining, based on the presentation status information, one content presentation device, from the bank of content presentation devices, that is ineligible to present the bank gaming effect. The operations can also include excluding the one content presentation device from participation in the bank gaming effect.

Abstract: A layout pattern of a plurality of possible layout patterns for wagering game machines is determined. An input indicating a location of a wagering game machine within the layout patter is received. A mapping of the wagering game machine to the location within the layout pattern is stored.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are one or more examples of generating a communication directed to a contact of a wagering game player account. In some embodiments, a gaming system can perform operations to determine an identity of an individual located within a given physical location and present, on a display device, a virtual identifier associated with the contact. The individual is indicated as a contact in a wagering game player account. The display device is associated with the wagering game player account. The gaming system can further perform an operation to detect a user input related to the virtual identifier presented on the display device. Further, the gaming system can perform an operation to send a communication to a device associated with the contact in response to detecting the user input.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations which can include analyzing electronic information associated with a first gaming effect and a second gaming effect provided for concurrent presentation via an output device, determining that the first gaming effect has a higher priority than the second gaming effect, and causing the first gaming effect to be presented via the output device before the second gaming effect is presented based on the higher priority. The operations can further include preventing, without user input, presentation of a first portion of the second amine effect via the output device while the first gaming effect is presented. The operations can further include electronically determining that a second portion of the second gaming effect is available for presentation after an ending point for the first gaming effect, and causing the second portion to be presented via the output device after the first gaming effect.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a host gaming server, notifications of account logins from a number of wagering game machines from at least one wagering game establishment. The method includes receiving, at the host gaming server, messages from multiple messaging sources that comprise at least one of a social networking website, a microblogging website, and at least some of the number of wagering game machines, wherein the messages comprise messages related to activity at the at least one wagering game establishment that include game play at the number of wagering game machines and messages related to activity external to the at least one wagering game establishment. The method includes aggregating, by the host gaming server, the messages from the multiple messaging sources. The method includes filtering, by the host gaming server, the messages for each of the account logins to create filtered messages.

Abstract: A spinning reel slot machine has increased versatility, while having reels that are aesthetically similar to traditional mechanical reels. In one embodiment, the slot machine includes a plurality of optical fibers having first ends optically coupled to a surface of an image display device and seconds ends defining a curved display surface for displaying simulated mechanical reels to a player. In another embodiment, one or more of the mechanical reels has a transparent window at a location where a symbol would normally be present. A video display displays a video symbol in the transparent window. In yet a further embodiment, one of the plurality of mechanical reels has a miniature image display located at selected ones of the symbol regions for providing video symbols for the game. In yet further embodiments, a symbol region can produce more than one symbol in response to exposure at certain wavelengths or polarizations of light.

Abstract: A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some examples, the operations can include receiving emotive light presentation data from a variety of emotive light control sources and determining presentation priorities for the emotive light presentation data. The operations can further include controlling the emotive light presentation data, from the variety of emotive light control sources, based on prioritization of the presentation priorities. In some embodiments, the operations can include controlling priorities based on locations of emotive lighting devices on a wagering game machine. In other embodiments, the operations can include assigning priorities based on wagering game types and other classifications. In yet other embodiments, the operations can utilize priority values to determine lighting prominence, which in conjunction with transparency values, can generate blended, or composite lighting effects.