GAMING DEVICE METHODS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING AUDIO/VIDEO PROGRAMMING OUTCOME PRESENTATION

• US 20060003830A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: GELMAN, Geoffrey M., TULLEY, Stephen C., JORASCH, James A., WALKER, Jay S., ZUCKER, David F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,025,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

In a first aspect, a method (e.g., of operating a gaming device) is provided. The method includes the steps of (i) receiving audio/video content; (ii) associating a plurality of sets of outcome values with the audio/video content; (iii) determining a play session; (iv) determining which of the plurality of sets of outcome values to associate with the audio/video content for a duration of the play session, thereby determining an active set of outcome values; (v) determining a result of a game play during the session; (vi) selecting, based on the result, a value from the active set of outcome values; and (vii) outputting, as an indication of the result, the audio/video content and an indication of the selected value.

Claims

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

receiving audio/video content;

associating a plurality of sets of outcome values with the audio/video content;

determining a play session;

determining which of the plurality of sets of outcome values to associate with the audio/video content for a duration of the play session, thereby determining an active set of outcome values;

determining a result of a game play during the session;

selecting, based on the result, a value from the active set of outcome values; and

outputting, as an indication of the result, the audio/video content and an indication of the selected value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each set of outcome values comprises a payout schedule in accordance with which payouts are provided for game plays during the play session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which of the plurality of sets of outcome values to associate with the audio/video content for a duration of the play session comprises:

determining a random number; and

selecting one of the plurality of sets of outcome values based on the random number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which of the plurality of sets of outcome values to associate with the audio/video content for a duration of the play session comprises:

determining information associated with a player associated with the play session; and

selecting one of the plurality of sets of outcome values based on the information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information includes information about audio/video content previously output to the player.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information further includes information about which of the plurality of sets of outcome values was previously output in association with the audio/video content previously output to the player.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of outcome values is a value less than zero.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a plurality of outcome values with the audio/video content comprises:

establishing at least two sets of outcome values based on an audio/video content profile.

7. The method of 1, wherein the audio/video content comprises at least one of:

a television show, an animated show, a movie and a sporting event.

10. A system, comprising:

an apparatus operable to associate, in a memory, both a first value and a second value with a particular historical audio/video content,

wherein each value represents a respective result that may be obtained for a game play at a gaming device, and

wherein the first value is significantly more beneficial to a player of the gaming device than is the second value, and

wherein the apparatus is further operable to;

receive a first selection from a first player;

receive a second selection from a second player

determine, for a first game play associated with the first player, a result for the first game play, thereby determining a first result, wherein the first result corresponds to the first value;

output an indication of the first value and, based on the selection of the first player, the particular audio/video content as at least a partial indication of the first result;

determine, for a second game play associated with the second player, a result for the second game play, thereby determining a second result, wherein the second result corresponds to the second value; and

output an indication of the second value and, based on the selection of the second player, the particular audio/video content as at least a partial indication of the second result.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises the gaming device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises a controller operable to communicate with the gaming device.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein receiving a selection from a first player comprises receiving an indication of a first preferred sports team and receiving a selection from a second player comprises receiving an indication of a second preferred sports team, and further wherein the audio/video content comprises audio/video content representing a sporting event.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first value is greater than zero and the second value is less than zero, and further wherein:

outputting an indication of the first value comprises adding credits to a credit meter balance of the gaming device and outputting an indication of the second value comprises subtracting credits from a credit meter balance of the gaming device.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first result is determined based on a first random number and the second result is determined based on a second random number.

16. A method, comprising:

outputting audio/video content during a bonus round of a gaming device, wherein the audio/video content comprises a performance by an actor of such that a character being portrayed by the actor in the performance speaks words and performs actions;

determining that the character has spoken a word or phrase; and

adding, in response to the determination, an amount of credits to a credit meter balance of the gaming device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the character has spoken a word or phrase comprises determining that the character has spoken a number and further wherein the amount of credits added to the credit meter balance is based on the number.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the character has spoken a word or phrase comprises determining that the character has spoken a hallmark phrase associated with the character.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the character has spoken a word or phrase comprises determining that a current segment of the audio/video portion is a predetermined segment.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the character has spoken a word or phrase comprises analyzing the audio/video content using speech recognition software.