Controlling wagering game system audio

• US 10,032,332 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Berry, Robert G., Gronkowski, Timothy T., Pryzby, Eric M., Radek, Paul J., Richards, Charles A., Zoloto, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Application Number:
  US14/254,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6072 of an input signal, e.g. pitch and rhythm extraction, voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining that a sound problem would occur if first content were to be presented simultaneously with second content via one or more output devices of a wagering game machine. In some examples, the first content is provided by a first application and the second content is provided by a second application independent from the first application. In some embodiments, the operation can further include modifying one or more characteristics of one or more of the first content and the second content based on the determining that the sound problem would occur.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for electronically coordinating sound content presented via audio output devices of a wagering game machine, the method comprising:

presenting, by configuration interface operating, classification options for the sound content;

receiving, through the configuration interface, user input assigning classifications to the sound content;

obtaining, by a sound controller from a first application operating on the wagering game machine, first content for presentation via one or more output devices of the wagering game machine;

obtaining, by the sound controller from a second application operating on the wagering game machine, second content for simultaneous presentation with the first content via the one or more output devices of the wagering game machine, wherein the first application and the second application are independent applications operating on the wagering game machine;

determining, by the sound controller based on the classifications assigned to the sound content, that a sound problem would occur if the first content were presented simultaneously with the second content via the one or more output devices; and

modifying, by the sound controller, one or more characteristics of one or more of the first content and the second content based on the determining that the sound problem would occur.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first content originates from a first wagering game provider and the second content originates from a second wagering game provider different from the first wagering game provider.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the sound problem would occur if the first content were to be presented simultaneously with the second content via the one or more output devices comprises:

running, by the sound controller, a simulation of a simultaneous presentation of the first content and the second content; and

determining, by the sound controller, that a sound distortion occurs in the simulation of the simultaneous presentation of the first content and the second content.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing, by the sound controller, a sound distortion of a first sound from the first content and a second sound of the second content based on the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

prioritizing, by the sound controller, a presentation of the first content and the second content based on the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content comprises:

determining, by the sound controller, that the first content has a higher priority than the second content by a numerical priority factor; and

attenuating, by the sound controller, a sound volume for the second content to be lower than a sound volume for the first content proportional to the numerical priority factor.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content comprises one or more of attenuating a volume of one or more sounds from the first content and the second content, delaying a presentation of the one or more of the first content and the second content, reducing a repetition of the one or more of the first content and the second content, increasing a volume of one or more sounds of the one or more of the first content and the second content, presenting a first of the one or more of the first content and the second content prior to a second of the one or more of the first content and the second content, and increasing a repetition of the one or more of the first content and the second content.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the sound problem would occur if the first content were to be presented simultaneously with the second content via the one or more output devices comprises determining that a change occurs to a condition associated with a wagering game, wherein the change would cause the sound problem to occur if the first content were to be presented simultaneously with the second content via the one or more output devices, and wherein the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content comprises modifying a classification for one or more of the first content and the second content to compensate for the change that occurs to the condition.

9. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations for electronically coordinating sound content presented via audio output devices of a wagering game machine, the instructions comprising:

instructions to present, by configuration interface operating, classification options for the sound content;

instructions to receive, via user input through the configuration interface, assignment of classifications to the sound content;

instructions to present, by the wagering game machine, a first application and a second application, wherein the first application and the second application are independent applications;

instructions to determine, by a sound controller based on the assignment of classifications to the sound content, that a sound problem would occur if a first sound effect for the first application were to be presented via one or more output devices of the wagering game machine simultaneously with a second sound effect for the second application; and

instructions to modify, by the sound controller, one or more sound characteristics for one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the determining.

10. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the first application originates from a first wagering game provider and the second application originates from a second wagering game provider different from the first wagering game provider.

11. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions to determine that the sound problem would occur if the first sound effect were presented via the one or more output devices of the wagering game machine simultaneously with the second sound effect include:

instructions to run a simulation of a simultaneous presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect; and

instructions to determine that a sound distortion occurs in the simulation of the simultaneous presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect.

12. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, said instructions further comprising:

instructions to prevent a sound distortion of the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the modification to the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect.

13. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, said instruction further comprising:

instructions to prioritize a presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the modification to the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect.

14. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions to modify the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect comprises:

instructions to determine that the first sound effect has a higher priority than the second sound effect by a numerical priority factor; and

instructions to attenuating a sound volume for the second sound effect to be lower than a sound volume for the first sound effect proportional to the numerical priority factor.

15. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions to modify the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect comprises instructions to one or more of attenuate a volume of the first sound effect and the second sound effect, delay a presentation of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect, reducing a repetition of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect, increase a volume of one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect, present a first of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect prior to a second of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect, and increase a repetition of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect.

16. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions to determine that the sound problem would occur if the first sound effect were to be presented via the one or more output devices simultaneously with the second sound effect via the one or more output devices comprises instructions to determine that a change occurs to a condition associated with a wagering game, wherein the change would cause the sound problem to occur if the first sound effect were to be presented simultaneously with the second sound effect via the one or more output devices, and wherein the modification to the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect comprises a modification to a classification for one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect to compensate for the change that occurs to the condition.

17. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices configured to store instructions, which when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations for electronically coordinating sound content presented via audio output devices of a wagering game machine, the instructions to

present, by configuration interface operating, classification options for the sound content;

receive, via user input through the configuration interface, assignment of classifications to the sound content;

determine, by a sound controller based on the assignment of classifications to the sound content, that a sound problem would occur if first content were to be presented simultaneously with second content via one or more output devices of a wagering game machine, wherein the first content is provided by a first application, wherein the second content is provided by a second application, and wherein the first application and the second application are independent applications, and

modify, by the sound controller, one or more characteristics of one or more of the first content and the second content based on the determining that the sound problem would occur.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first content originates from a first wagering game provider and the second content originates from a second wagering game provider different from the first wagering game provider.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to:

run a simulation of a simultaneous presentation of the first content and the second content; and

determine that a sound distortion occurs in the simulation of the simultaneous presentation of the first content and the second content.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to:

prevent a sound distortion of a first sound from the first content and a second sound of the second content based on the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content.

21. The system of claim 17, the instructions are further to:

prioritize a presentation of the first content and the second content based on the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first content and the second content.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to:

determine that the first content has a higher priority than the second content by a numerical priority factor; and

attenuate a sound volume for the second content to be lower than a sound volume for the first content proportional to the numerical priority factor.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to one or more of attenuate a volume of one or more sounds from the first content and the second content, delay a presentation of the one or more of the first content and the second content, reduce a repetition of the one or more of the first content and the second content, increase a volume of one or more sounds of the one or more of the first content and the second content, present a first of the one or more of the first content and the second content prior to a second of the one or more of the first content and the second content, and increase a repetition of the one or more of the first content and the second content.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to determine that a change occurs to a condition associated with a wagering game, wherein the change would cause the sound problem to occur if the first content were to be presented simultaneously with the second content via the one or more output devices, and wherein the instructions are further to modify a classification for one or more of the first content and the second content to compensate for the change that occurs to the condition.

25. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

one or more memory devices configured to store instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform operations for electronically coordinating sound content presented via audio output devices of a wagering game machine, the instructions including instructions to

determine that a sound problem would occur if first sound content were to be presented simultaneously with second sound content via one or more output devices of a wagering game machine, wherein the first sound content is provided by a first application, wherein the second sound content is provided by a second application, and wherein the first application and the second application are independent applications,

modify one or more characteristics of one or more of the first sound content and the second sound content based on the determining that the sound problem would occur, and

prevent a sound distortion of the first sound content and the second sound content based on the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound content and the second sound content.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first sound content originates from a first wagering game provider and the second sound content originates from a second wagering game provider different from the first wagering game provider.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the instructions to determine that the sound problem would occur if the first sound content were to be presented simultaneously with the second sound content via the one or more output devices further includes instructions to:

run a simulation of a simultaneous presentation of the first sound content and the second sound content; and

determine that a sound distortion occurs in the simulation of the simultaneous presentation of the first sound content and the second sound content.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the instructions further include instructions to prioritize a presentation of the first sound content and the second sound content based on the modifying the one or more characteristics of the one or more of the first sound content and the second sound content.