Gaming machine with visual and audio indicia changed over time

• US 20020039919A1
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Joshi, Shridhar P., Locke, David K., Raneses, Marc A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,974,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming machine having features for increasing player appeal is set forth. The machine generally includes a processor, a display, and a memory device. The processor monitors time signals from a clock and randomly selects one of a plurality of outcomes of the gaming machine in response to a wager amount. The display displays visual elements to be viewed by the player. The memory device is coupled to the processor and stores at least two data sets for producing at least two different types of visual elements. The processor selects one of at least two data sets in response to the occurrence of a predetermined time, a completion of a bonus game, or a number of plays by players of said game. The gaming machine may also include audio speakers and audio elements that replace the changing visual elements, or audio and video elements can be displayed in unison as a function of the time.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

monitoring a number of wager inputs from players of said gaming machine; and

altering a visual motif of said gaming machine in response to said number being a certain value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring includes monitoring wager inputs over a period of time and while a variety of different visual motifs are being displayed, and determining which of said variety of different visual motifs is a favorite motif, said favorite motif having a largest number of wager inputs as compared to other ones of said variety of visual different motifs, said certain value is said number of wager inputs, said altering includes displaying said favorite motif on said gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said certain value is a fixed value such that said step of altering occurs at a constant frequency.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said certain value is every 25 plays of said gaming machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of altering includes altering background visual elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said background visual elements include a series of cyclical motifs, said step of altering includes consecutively switching between ones of said series of cyclical motifs.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said series of cyclical motifs are motifs of the seasons of the year.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said series of cyclical motifs are a day motif and a night motif.

9. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving inputs from players of said gaming machine;

monitoring a frequency of said inputs; and

altering a visual motif of said gaming machine based on said frequency.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of monitoring occurs over a period of time and while various visual motifs are being displayed, said step of altering includes selecting and displaying a favorite visual motif of said various visual motifs, said favorite visual motif having a highest frequency as compared with other ones of said various visual motifs.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said monitoring includes counting a number of plays of said gaming machine, said gaming machine including a constant frequency at which said altering occurs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said constant frequency is every 25 plays.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of altering includes altering background visual elements.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said background visual elements include a series of cyclical motifs, said step of altering includes consecutively switching ones of said series of said cyclical motifs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said series of cyclical motifs are motifs of the seasons of the year.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said series of cyclical motifs are a day motif and a night motif.

18. The method of claim 17, further including sequentially displaying additional ones of said plurality of different types of visual motifs.

19. The method of claim 18, further including displaying said first one of said plurality of different types of visual motifs after said step of sequentially displaying additional ones of said plurality of different types of visual motifs, such that said displaying of said plurality of different types of visual motifs is cyclical.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of displaying said second one occurs after a predetermined number of plays by said players.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of displaying said second one occurs after determining a favorite visual motif of a variety of visual motifs to be displayed by monitoring inputs from said players.

17. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

storing a plurality of data sets for producing a plurality of different types of visual motifs on a display of said gaming machine;

displaying a first one of said plurality of different types of visual motifs on a display of said gaming machine;

discontinuing said displaying of said first one of said plurality of different types of visual motifs; and

displaying a second one of said plurality of different types of visual motifs on said display of said gaming machine based on the use of said gaming machine by players.

22. A method of operating a gaming machine, comprising:

receiving inputs from players during a basic game of said gaming machine, said basic game including a plurality of possible randomly-selected basic outcomes, said plurality of possible basic outcomes including a start-bonus outcome;

displaying a first one of a plurality of visual motifs on a display of said gaming machine during said basic game;

entering a bonus game in response to said start-bonus outcome being encountered;

returning to said basic game after said bonus game is completed; and

displaying a second one of said plurality of visual motifs on a display of said gaming machine during said basic game in response to said step of returning.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said bonus game has a plurality of outcomes, said second one of said plurality of visual motifs corresponding to one of said outcomes achieved by said player.

25. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein said certain criteria is a predetermined number of said plays from said players.

26. The gaming machine of claim 24, wherein said certain criteria includes a determination of a favorite visual motif of said at least two different types of said visual elements as correlated to a number of plays by said players.

24. A gaming machine, comprising:

a processor for randomly selecting one of a plurality of outcomes of said gaming machine in response to a wager from a player, said processor monitoring plays from players;

a display for displaying visual elements; and

a memory device coupled to said processor and storing at least two data sets for producing at least two different types of said visual elements, said processor selecting one of said at least two data sets in response to said wager inputs meeting a certain criteria.