Controlling wagering game system audio

• US 10,068,416 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• 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:
  US14/255,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 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 some embodiments, the operations can include determining a classification of a first sound provided by a first wagering game application for presentation via one or more output devices of a wagering game machine. Further, a second wagering game application provides a second sound for concurrent presentation via the one or more output devices. The first wagering game application is independent from the second wagering game application. In some embodiments, the operations further include determining a prioritized relationship between the first sound and the second sound based on the classification, and controlling presentation of the first sound and the second sound via the one or more output devices according to the prioritized relationship.

Claims

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

presenting, by a sound configuration interface operating via a configuration server, classification options for the sound effects;

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

determining, by a sound controller based on the classifications assigned to the sound effects, a classification of a first sound effect provided by a first wagering game application for presentation via one or more audio output devices of the wagering game machine, wherein a second wagering game application provides a second sound effect for concurrent presentation via the one or more output devices, and wherein the first wagering game application is independent from the second wagering game application;

determining, by the sound controller, a prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the classification of the first sound effect; and

controlling, by the sound controller, presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more audio output devices according to the prioritized relationship.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the classification of the first sound effect comprises:

determining that a first activity performed by the first wagering game application is more significant than a second activity performed by the second wagering game application, wherein the first activity is associated with the first sound effect and the second activity is associated with the second sound effect; and

based on the first activity being more significant than the second activity, determining that the first sound effect has a higher priority than the second sound effect.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the classification of the first sound effect comprises:

determining, from sound prioritization rules, a priority value for the classification; and

ascertaining the prioritized relationship based on the priority value.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the classification of the first sound effect comprises:

determining an additional classification of the second sound effect;

searching a classification store for the classification and the additional classification;

based on the searching, determining priority values stored in the classification store for the classification and the additional classification; and

determining the prioritized relationship based on the priority values.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the classification comprises one or more of a type of wagering game, a type of application, a type of sound data, a type of technology, a type of manufacturer, a type of subject matter, a type of game genre, and a type of event.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more output devices according to the prioritized relationship comprises dynamically balancing the presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more output devices.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more output devices according to the prioritized relationship comprises:

modifying one or more sound characteristics for one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect; and

based on the modifying, causing the first sound effect to have an audible prevalence over the second sound effect.

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

including the first sound effect and the second sound effect in a playlist; and

controlling the one or more output devices using the playlist.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein before determining the classification of the first sound effect, determining that the first sound effect lacks classification data, and wherein the determining the classification of the first sound effect comprises:

detecting identifying information associated with the first sound effect; and

based on the identifying information, assigning the classification to the first sound effect.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the identifying information comprises one or more of a wagering game specification for the first application, a type of technology for the first application, a manufacturer of the first application, a subject matter of the first application, a game genre for the first application, a player preference for the first application, and player history associated with the first application.

11. 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 effects presented via audio output devices of a wagering game machine, the instructions comprising:

instructions to present, by configuration interface operating via a configuration server, classification options for the sound effects;

instructions to receive, though the configuration interface, user input assigning classifications to the sound effects;

instructions to determine a first classification for a first sound effect associated with a first wagering game application;

instructions to determine, by a sound controller based on the classifications assigned to the sound effects, a second classification for a second sound effect associated with a second wagering game application, wherein the first wagering game application is independent from the second wagering game application, and wherein the first wagering game application provides the first sound effect for concurrent presentation with the second sound effect via one or more speakers;

instructions to determine, by the sound controller, a prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the first classification and the second classification; and

instructions to control, by the sound controller, a presentation priority for first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more speakers based on the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect.

12. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions to determine the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the first classification and the second classification includes:

instructions to determine that a first activity performed by the first wagering game application is more significant than a second activity performed by the second wagering game application, wherein the first activity is associated with the first sound effect and the second activity is associated with the second sound effect; and

instructions to, based on the first activity being more significant than the second activity, determine that the first sound effect has a higher priority than the second sound effect.

13. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions to determine the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the first classification and the second classification includes:

instructions to determine, from sound effect prioritization rules, a first priority value for the first classification and a second priority value for the second classification;

instructions to compare the first priority value and the second priority value; and

instructions to, based on the comparing, determine the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect.

14. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions to determine the prioritized relationship between the first sound effect and the second sound effect based on the first classification and the second classification include instructions comprising:

instructions to searching a first classification store for the first classification and the second classification;

instructions to, based on the searching, determine priority values stored in the first classification store for the first classification and the second classification; and

instructions to determine the prioritized relationship based on the priority values.

15. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein one or more of the first classification and the second classification comprises one or more of a type of wagering game, a type of application, a type of sound effect, a type of technology, a type of manufacturer, a type of subject matter, a type of game genre, and a type of event.

16. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions to control the presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more speakers according to the prioritized relationship comprises instructions to dynamically balance the presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more speakers.

17. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions to control the presentation of the first sound effect and the second sound effect via the one or more speakers according to the prioritized relationship includes:

instructions to modify one or more sound effect characteristics for one or more of the first sound effect and the second sound effect; and

instructions to, based on the modifying, cause the first sound effect to have an audible prevalence over the second sound effect.

18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, said instructions further comprising:

instructions to include the first sound effect and the second sound effect in a playlist; and

instructions to control the one or more speakers using the playlist.

19. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions further include:

instructions to, before determination of the first classification of the first sound effect, determine that the first sound effect lacks first classification data, and wherein the instructions to determine the first classification of the first sound effect includes instructions comprising;

instructions to detect identifying information associated with the first sound effect; and

instructions to, based on the identifying information, assign the first classification to the first sound effect.

20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the identifying information comprises one or more of a wagering game specification for the first application, a type of technology for the first application, a manufacturer of the first application, a subject matter of the first application, a game genre for the first application, a player preference for the first application, and player history associated with the first application.

21. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

present, by configuration interface operating via a configuration server, classification options for the sound effects;

receive, though the configuration interface, user input assigning classifications to the sound effects;

determine, by a sound controller based on the classifications assigned to the sound effects, a classification of first sound data provided by a first wagering game application for presentation of a first sound via one or more sound producing sound producing output devices, wherein a second wagering game application provides second sound data for concurrent presentation of a second sound via the one or more sound producing output devices, and wherein the first wagering game application is independent from the second wagering game application,

determine, by the sound controller, a prioritized relationship between the first sound data and the second sound data based on the classification, and

control, by the sound controller, presentation of the first sound and the second sound via the one or more sound producing output devices according to the prioritized relationship.

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

determine that a first activity performed by the first wagering game application is more significant than a second activity performed by the second wagering game application, wherein the first activity is associated with the first sound data and the second activity is associated with the second sound data; and

based on the first activity being more significant than the second activity, determine that the first sound data has a higher priority than the second sound data.

23. The system of claim 21, where the instructions are further to determine, from sound prioritization rules, a priority value for the classification;

and

ascertain the prioritized relationship based on the priority value.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further to determine an additional classification of the second sound data;

search a classification store for the classification and the additional classification;

based on a result of the searching, determine separate priority values stored in the classification store for each of the classification and the additional classification; and

determine the prioritized relationship based on the priority values.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the classification comprises one or more of a type of wagering game, a type of application, a type of sound effect, a type of technology, a type of manufacturer, a type of subject matter, a type of game genre, and a type of event.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the classification comprises one or more of a type of speech, a type of special effect, a type of music, a type of jackpot, a type of reel spin, a type of game character, a type of money-in, a type of bonus game, a type of congratulatory event, a type of advertisement, a type of emergency announcement, and a type of light show.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further to dynamically balance the presentation of the first sound and the second sound via the one or more sound producing output devices.

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

modify one or more sound characteristics for one or more of the first sound and the second sound; and

based on the modifying, cause the first sound to have an audible prevalence over the second sound.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further to combine the first sound data and the second sound data into a playlist;

and

use the playlist to control the presentation of the first sound and the second sound via the one or more sound producing output devices.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein prior to the determination of the classification of the first sound data, the instructions are further to determine that the first sound data lacks classification data and to determine the classification of the first sound data is configured to store instructions and the instructions further to

detect identifying information associated with the first sound data;

and

based on the identifying information, associate the classification with the first sound data.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the identifying information comprises one or more of a wagering game specification for the first application, a type of technology for the first application, a manufacturer of the first application, a subject matter of the first application, a game genre for the first application, a player preference for the first application, and player history associated with the first application.