Patent Application
20080176654
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates generally to gaming machines and, more particularly, to a gaming machine and a gaming machine network having enhanced audio effects created by remotely located speakers.
Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the machines. Consequently, shrewd operators strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available because such machines attract frequent play and, hence, increase profitability to the operator. Accordingly, in the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is that of a “secondary” or “bonus” game which may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game. The bonus game is typically entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome within the basic game. Such a bonus game produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than the basic game because it provides a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and is accompanied by more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio.
Most types of enhancement, however, have focused primarily on visual effects. For example, gaming machines may included various types of displays for displaying different images in an “attract mode” to stir interest in players. And, the visual effects of the game features, such as reels and symbols, have been changed to be more attractive.
While these player-appeal features provide some enhanced excitement relative to other known games, there is a continuing need to develop new features for gaming machines to satisfy the demands of players and operators. Preferably, such new features will further enhance the level of player excitement. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.
In one aspect, a method directed to operating a plurality of gaming machines in a gaming establishment includes determining that a certain triggering event has occurred in one of the plurality of gaming machines. The triggering event includes a desired game outcome. The method further includes selectively controlling audio output from a plurality of remotely located speakers to operate in conjunction with internal cabinet speakers for creating a desired audio ambience only within a portion of the gaming establishment. The remotely located speakers are located remotely from the plurality of gaming machines. The internal cabinet speakers are located within gaming cabinets of the plurality of gaming machines. The audio output is focused to deliver enhanced audio effects only to the portion of the gaming establishment.
In another aspect of the invention, a gaming machine network includes a plurality of gaming machines, each of the plurality of gaming machines having a gaming cabinet and each gaming cabinet having one or more internal cabinet speakers. A plurality of remote speakers are positioned remotely from the plurality of gaming machines. An audio controller is electronically coupled to the plurality of remote speakers and is programmable to selectively control audio output from the plurality of remote speakers to create a desired audio ambience only within a specific portion of the gaming establishment by operating the plurality of remote speakers in conjunction with the internal cabinet speakers. The audio controller is further programmable to focus the audio output to deliver enhanced audio effects only to the specific portion of the gaming establishment.
In yet another aspect, a method is directed to operating a plurality of gaming machines residing in a gaming establishment. The method includes storing a plurality of triggering events in at least one memory device, and determining whether at least one triggering event has occurred in one or more of the gaming machines. In response to the at least one triggering event, a plurality of remote speakers are actuated. The remote speakers are positioned in the gaming establishment remotely from the plurality of gaming machines. The plurality of remote speakers are operated in conjunction with cabinet speakers that are located in gaming cabinets of the plurality of gaming machines. A desired audio ambience is created by focusing audio output from the plurality of remote speakers and the cabinet speakers only to a specific portion of the gaming establishment.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. This is the purpose of the figures and the detailed description which follow.
The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Turning now to the drawings and referring initially to
In one embodiment, the gaming machine 10 is operable to play a game entitled WHO DUNNIT?™ having a mystery theme. The WHO DUNNIT?™ game features a basic game in the form of a slot machine with five simulated spinning reels and a bonus game, which may include strategy options that direct game activities on the video display 12. It will be appreciated, however, that the gaming machine 10 may be implemented with games other than the WHO DUNNIT?™ game and/or with several alternative game themes.
A system memory 20 stores control software, operational instructions, and data associated with the gaming machine 10. In one embodiment, the system memory 20 comprises a separate read-only memory (ROM) and battery-backed random-access memory (RAM). It will be appreciated, however, that the system memory 20 may be implemented on any of several alternative types of memory structures or may be implemented on a single memory structure. A payoff mechanism 22 is operable in response to instructions from the CPU 16 to award a payoff of coins or credits to the player in response to certain winning outcomes, which may occur in the basic game or bonus game. The payoff amounts corresponding to certain combinations of symbols in the basic game are predetermined according to a pay table stored in system memory 20. The payoff amounts corresponding to certain outcomes of the bonus game are also stored in system memory 20.
As shown in
In one basic system configuration, the gaming machine 10 stores data related to the audio and visual effects (hereinafter “A/V data”) in the memory 20. The CPU 16, in response to a certain triggering event, then retrieves the A/V data from memory 20 and sends the A/V data to the A/V controller 23. The A/V controller 23 then actuates the speakers and projecting lights in accordance with the A/V data. Preferably, the audio data within the A/V data is in a digital format. As such, the A/V controller 23 must include components and circuitry for converting the digital audio data to analog audio signals, and amplifying those analog signals to produce an output from the speakers. In one preferred embodiment, the audio data is stored in a surround-sound format for broadcasting a surround-sound audio output from a plurality of speakers 23 spatially arranged around the gaming machine 10.
Rather than storing the A/V data in the gaming machines 10, other system configurations can be utilized as well so as to achieve enhanced audio and visual effects for a player of the gaming machine 10. For example, the A/V data can be stored within a memory device directly coupled to the A/V controller 23, as is shown in
Referring now to
The gaming room 50 includes a plurality of speakers 52 that are remotely placed around the gaming machines 10a-10h. Further, a plurality of projecting lights 54 are remotely located around the gaming machines 10a-10h. In this configuration, the gaming machines 10a-10h are coupled to the A/V controller 23, which is remotely located from the gaming machines 10a-10h. The A/V controller 23 is further coupled to the speakers 52 and the projecting lights 54. Based on the triggering signals received from the gaming machines 10a-10h, the A/V controller 23 selectively controls the audio output from the speakers 52 and the light patterns from the projecting lights 54. Preferably, the speakers 52 and projecting lights 54 are arranged so that regardless of which gaming machine achieves a certain triggering event, the player of that gaming machine experiences audio outputs and lighting patterns that are substantially similar to audio outputs and lighting patterns that would be experienced if the player encountered the same triggering event at a different gaming machine.
It should be noted that the present invention contemplates a gaming machine system having a multitude of differing audio and visual effects, each being dictated by a certain triggering event. Further, in some situations, only certain speakers 52 and projecting lights 54 are actuated such that the audio and visual effects may be directed to only gaming machines 10a-10d, while players at the gaming machines 10e-10h do not experience the full audio and visual ambience.
The speakers 52 broadcast audio output to the players of the gaming machines 10a-10h, as well as spectators adjacent to the gaming machine 10. The audio output may include various outputs, such as messages related to the gaming machines 10a-10h being played (e.g., informational or instructional content), messages unrelated to the gaming machines 10a-10h, a certain type of music (e.g., rock, classical, jazz, etc.), or music related to a theme of a game being played on one or more of the gaming machines 10a-10h. Preferably, the relative orientation of the speakers 52 and the gaming machines 10a-10h allows the speakers 52 to deliver surround sound to the players of the gaming machines 10a-10h. Also, if different gaming machines 10a-10h with different themes are grouped together, then the speakers 52 preferably are capable of delivering audio outputs corresponding to the different themes.
Also, the speakers 52 may work in conjunction with the typical speakers that are mounted with the gaming machines 10a-10h to deliver enhanced effects. For example, while playing a gaming machine with a game-show theme, the gaming machine speakers may instruct the player, “OK, you now need to choose a prize from behind door number 1, door number 2, or door number 3.” After making the selection and achieving a positive result, the remote speakers 52 can deliver an audio output that makes the player feel as though he or she is in a virtual studio audience where the audience is clapping. The projecting light 54 may also focus a light pattern on the player at this point as well. Then, the gaming machine speakers may instruct the player, “The audience really loved that choice!”
In one preferred embodiment, the speakers 52 deliver focused audio output to only certain regions of the gaming room 50 (audio 3D). Accordingly, in addition to the projecting lights 54 being able to focus the light pattern on one gaming machine, the speakers 52 can focus the audio output on one gaming machine as well.
The projecting lights 54 are preferably luminaries, which are complete lighting units capable of delivering focused light to a certain area, as is commonly used in concerts and theatres. Luminaries have their own internal control mechanisms for various photometrics, such as colors, beam divergence, intensity, strobing, etc. Preferably, the luminaries used in the gaming room 50 have motors for changing the position of the beam (e.g., from the first gaming machine 10a in a bank, to the last gaming machine 10d in the bank) and the beam divergence (e.g., beams where the angle of divergence changes over a short period of time). As such, luminaries provide for dynamic control of the beams in the gaming room 50. Example of luminaries useful for the gaming room 50 are manufactured and sold by Vari-Lite Inc. of Dallas, Tex.
Alternatively, the projecting lights 54 may also be fixed lights providing focused beams to only certain parts of the gaming room 50. As an example, each gaming machine 10a-10h may have a set of fixed lights that are remotely located therefrom, and capable of delivering light to only that gaming machine 10a-10h.
In a similar fashion to
In short, in the preferred embodiment, the media storage device in the A/V controller 23 stores the various light patterns that can be selected and sends “high-level” instructions to the projecting lights 54 corresponding to the selected light pattern. The local controllers at the projecting lights 54 then converts the “high-level” instructions to “low-level” instructions, which are internally used by the projecting lights 54 to control internal components such as lenses, motors, power supplies, etc., to result in the desired light pattern corresponding to the triggering event. As an example, “high-level” instructions may be to focus a red beam on gaming machine 10a. The corresponding “low-level” instructions would be for the motor to adjust the location of the beam to coordinates x, y, z, (where gaming machine 10a is located) and for switching the color filter to one that will result in a red light. To achieve this type of control, the A/V controller 23 may employ lighting control hardware and software for communicating with the projecting lights 54. This lighting control hardware and software is commonly available from manufacturers of luminaries, such as Vari-Lite, Inc. of Dallas, Tex.
It should be noted that the present invention contemplates that the AN controller 23 may comprise two distinct controllers, one for controlling the audio output and one for controlling the light patterns. The two distinct controllers may be remotely located from each other. Each would receive signals identifying the occurrence of certain triggering events.
There is a wide variety of audio output that can be broadcast from the speakers 52. If the gaming machine has a game-show theme, the audio output may simply be sounds simulating an excited studio audience from a game-show. When coupled with the focused light patterns, the player may feel that he or she is totally emersed in a game-show environment. Or, the audio output may be music that is indicative of the game outcome, such as the song “We Are The Champions” by the musical group Queen. Still further, music lacking lyrics, but which is fast and upbeat, could be broadcast from the speakers 52 to indicate a positive game outcome. The focused audio output defines, in essence, a sound stage for the player of the gaming machine.
In short, the enhanced visual and audio ambience in the gaming room 50 of the present invention further enhances the level of player excitement. Players not typically desiring to play these types of games are much more likely to be intrigued by the gaming machine, resulting in a larger market of players for gaming machines providing these enhanced audio and visual effects. Further, because some players may not enjoy being the focal point of attention, the gaming machines may have inputs that allow the players to avoid the enhanced audio and visual experience after he or she achieves a certain outcome.
Alternatively, and as shown in
Alternatively, the projecting lights 54 may be of a type that provides a floating, volume-filling image that has substantial 3-dimensional qualities (e.g., an autostereoscopic image). For example, such an image may be of a gaming machine that has a highly desirable game outcome on its display, perhaps leading players to believe that the actual gaming machine below this 3D image may soon yield such an outcome. To produce such images, more sophisticated projecting lights 54 are needed, as well as a rotating display for the image. Such systems are available from Actuality Systems, Inc. of Burlington, Mass.
While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As one example, the gaming machine network may provide only enhanced audio output from the remotely located speakers. Or, the gaming machine network may provide only enhanced visual output from the remotely located projecting lights. Further, the present invention is also useful for wagering games where the CPU 16 (
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,720, filed on Jan. 16, 2003 concurrently with U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,817 (titled “Audio Network For Gaming Machines,” Attorney Docket No. 247079-000161USPT), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,809 (titled “Selectable Audio Preferences For A Gaming Machine,” Attorney Docket No. 247079-000162USPT), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/345,787 (titled “Gaming System With Surround Sound,” Attorney Docket No. 247079-000163USPT), each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10342720 | Jan 2003 | US |
| Child | 12077681 | US |
