Gaming machine with ambient noise attenuation

• US 7,112,139 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Loose, Timothy C., Paz Barahona, Francisco Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/026,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30, 463/35, 463/46, 463 16- 25, 381/71.1, 381/71.2, 381/71.6
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• 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: H04S 1/00 Two-channel systems H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

A gaming machine in a gaming establishment enhances its game sounds by attenuating ambient noise in the establishment. The gaming machine includes a microphone, processing circuitry, and an audio speaker. The microphone detects ambient noise and generates a noise signal from the sensed ambient noise. The processing circuitry generates an anti-noise signal from the noise signal and adds the anti-noise signal to a game sound signal generated by the gaming machine to produce an output signal. The audio speaker is driven with the output signal.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the gaming machine being located in a casino-type gaming establishment, the method comprising:

receiving a wager to play the wagering game;

displaying a representation of a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

awarding an award if the selected outcome is a winning outcome;

playing game sounds coordinated with the displayed representation;

detecting ambient noise in the gaming establishment with a microphone mounted to the gaming machine;

generating a noise signal from the sensed ambient noise;

processing the noise signal to generate an anti-noise signal; and

driving an audio speaker with an output signal comprised of the anti-noise signal so as to enhance the game sounds.

2. The method of claim 1, further including isolating the microphone and the audio speaker from each other.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing step includes filtering the noise signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further including adding the anti-noise signal to a game sound signal that generates the game sounds to produce the output signal, the output signal being comprised of the anti-noise signal and the game sound signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further including driving another audio speaker with a game sound signal that generates the game sounds.

6. The method of claim 5, further including isolating the microphone and the another audio speaker from each other.

7. A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game, the gaming machine being located in a casino-type gaming establishment, the machine comprising:

means for receiving a wager to play the wagering game;

a display for displaying a representation of a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

means for awarding an award if the selected outcome is a winning outcome;

means for detecting ambient noise in the gaming establishment and generating a noise signal from the sensed ambient noise;

means for processing the noise signal to generate an anti-noise signal; and

one or more audio speakers including an audio speaker for playing game sounds coordinated with the displayed representation and including the same or another audio speaker driven with an output signal comprised of the anti-noise signal so as to enhance the game sounds.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the detecting means and the audio speaker are isolated from each other.

9. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein the processing means filters the noise signal.

10. The gaming machine of claim 7, further including means for adding the anti-noise signal to a game sound signal that generates the game sounds to produce the output signal, the output signal being comprised of the anti-noise signal and the game sound signal.

11. A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game, the gaming machine being located in a casino-type gaming establishment, the machine comprising:

an input device for receiving a wager to play the wagering game;

a display for displaying a representation of a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

an award device for awarding an award if the selected outcome is a winning outcome;

a microphone for detecting ambient noise in the gaming establishment and generating a noise signal from the sensed ambient noise;

processing circuitry for generating an anti-noise signal from the noise signal; and

one or more audio speakers including an audio speaker for playing game sounds coordinated with the displayed representation and including the same or another audio speaker driven with an output signal comprised of the anti-noise signal so as to enhance the game sounds.

12. A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the gaming machine being located in a casino-type gaming establishment, the method comprising:

receiving a wager to play the wagering game;

displaying a representation of a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

awarding an award if the selected outcome is a winning outcome;

playing game sounds coordinated with the displayed representation;

detecting ambient noise in the gaming establishment and producing anti-noise sounds based thereon so as to enhance the game sounds.

13. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable media storing instructions to direct a processor to

record a wager to play a wagering game;

randomly select an outcome of the wagering game;

provide an award if the selected outcome is a winning outcome;

play game sounds associated with the selected outcome; and

produce anti-noise sounds based on ambient noise detected in a casino-type gaming establishment so as to enhance the game sounds.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor operative to execute a program;

embodied on a computer readable medium and

a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the program is operative to record a wager to play a wagering game;

randomly select an outcome of the wagering game;

provide an award if the selected outcome is a winning outcome;

play game sounds associated with the selected outcome; and

produce anti-noise sounds based on ambient noise detected in a casino-type gaming establishment so as to enhance the game sounds.