Gaming Machine With Surround Sound Features
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes selective application of surround sound. The selective application of surround sound allows certain key gaming events to be emphasized over other gaming events. The surround sound may be varied to produce certain effects, such as a tactile effect and a gradual building up of suspense and anticipation that increases player excitement and enjoyment. A surround sound decoder may be added in some embodiments to convert monophonic and stereo wagering games into surround sound. The surround sound may be implemented as true surround sound or as virtual surround sound.
107 Citations
50 Claims
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1-21. -21. (canceled)
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22. An electronic gaming system having a single-player sound environment for distinguishing, in an audio manner, between different gaming events occurring during a single game play of a wagering game, comprising:
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a gaming machine for a single player playing a wagering game, the gaming machine including a a cabinet housing, a display for displaying the wagering game, the display being mounted to the cabinet housing, a button panel for accepting game inputs from the single player, the button panel being mounted to the cabinet housing below the display, and front speakers including a first front speaker and a second front speaker mounted to the cabinet housing, the front speaker emitting audio toward the single player of the gaming system;
an upright chair on which the single player sits for playing the wagering game, the upright chair including a base extending upwardly from a floor on which the upright chair is situated, a seating section mounted to the base and being generally horizontal to the floor, the seating section being offset from the floor, a back-supporting section extending upwardly from the seating section and having a top-most portion, at least one bracket extending upwardly from the top-most portion of the back-supporting section, rear speakers including a first rear speaker and a second rear speaker mounted to the at least one bracket such that the rear speakers are above the back-supporting section, the rear speakers facing toward the gaming machine such that sound is emitted toward the gaming machine, and a subwoofer for vibrating the upright chair in response to certain events in the wagering game, the subwoofer providing the player with an enhanced tactile experience;
wherein in response to receiving a wager from the single player, a randomly selected outcome occurs during the wagering game, the randomly selected outcome including presenting to the single player a non-special event and a special event;
wherein the non-special event is presented to the single player with non-surround sound transmitted only from the front speakers of the gaming cabinet; and
wherein the special event is presented in an emphasized manner to the single player with surround sound transmitted from both the front speakers and the rear speakers of the upright chair such that the single player perceives the surround sound of the wagering game as occurring in front of and behind the single player.
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23. An electronic gaming system for conducting a wagering game, the system comprising:
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a gaming terminal at which a single player plays the wagering game, the gaming terminal including a display and at least one front speaker, the display being operable to display a game outcome randomly selected from a plurality of possible game outcomes of the wagering game;
an upright chair configured to permit the single player to sit in an upright position in front of the gaming terminal to play the wagering game, the chair including a generally horizontal seat and a generally vertical back extending upwardly from the seat, the chair including at least one rear speaker positioned behind a listening position of the player; and
an audio system operable to produce gaming sounds directed toward the player of the wagering game, the gaming sounds associated with a first of the possible game outcomes of the wagering game not being transmitted from the rear speaker, the gaming sounds associated with a second of the possible game outcomes of the wagering game being transmitted from the rear speaker, thereby enhancing the second of the possible game outcomes;
wherein the front and rear speakers define a single-player surround sound environment. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An electronic gaming system having a single-player sound environment for distinguishing, in an audio manner, between different gaming events occurring during a single game play of a wagering game, comprising:
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a gaming machine for a single player playing a wagering game, the gaming machine including a a cabinet housing, a display for displaying the wagering game, the display being mounted to the cabinet housing, a button panel for accepting game inputs from the single player, the button panel being mounted to the cabinet housing below the display, and front speakers including a first front speaker and a second front speaker mounted to the cabinet housing and for emitting audio toward the single player of the gaming system;
an upright chair on which the single player sits for playing the wagering game, the upright chair including a base extending upwardly from a floor on which the upright chair is situated, a seating section mounted to the base and being generally horizontal to the floor, the seating section being offset from the floor, a back-supporting section extending upwardly from the seating section, and rear speakers including a first rear speaker and a second rear speaker mounted to the back-supporting section, the rear speakers extending upwardly from a top portion of the back-supporting section and facing toward the gaming machine such that sound is emitted toward the gaming machine;
wherein in response to receiving a wager from the single player, a randomly selected outcome occurs during the wagering game, the randomly selected outcome including presenting to the single player a non-special event and a special event;
wherein the non-special event is presented to the single player with non-surround sound transmitted only from the front speakers of the gaming cabinet; and
wherein the special event is presented in an emphasized manner to the single player with surround sound transmitted from both the front speakers and the rear speakers of the upright chair such that the single player perceives the surround sound of the wagering game as occurring in front of and behind the single player. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An electronic gaming system for conducting a wagering game, the system comprising:
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a gaming terminal at which a single player plays the wagering game, the gaming terminal including a display and at least one front speaker, the display being operable to display a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of possible game outcomes of the wagering game;
an upright chair including a generally horizontal seat and a generally vertical back extending upwardly from the seat, the chair being configured to permit the single player to sit in an upright position offset from a floor plane, the chair including at least one rear speaker positioned behind a listening position of the single player; and
an audio system operable to produce gaming sounds directed toward the single player during the wagering game, the gaming sounds associated with first events of the randomly selected outcome being transmitted from only one of either the front speaker and the rear speaker, the gaming sounds associated with second events of the randomly selected outcome being transmitted from both the front speaker and the rear speaker;
wherein the front speaker and the rear speaker define a single-player surround sound environment. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification