Virtual radio in a wagering game machine

• US 8,162,752 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bonney, James, Connelly, Michael P., Pryzby, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US11/575,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,413 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/16, 463/35, 463/39, 345/158, 725/19, 370/337, 704/275
• US Class Current: 463/35
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

The present invention provides in one embodiment a computerized wagering game system has a gaming module comprising a processor and gaming code which is operable when executed on the processor to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered. A virtual radio audio module is operable to play one of a plurality of audio programs selected by a wagering game player. The selected audio program is presented to simulate a radio such that playing of the selected audio program may start from a point other than the beginning of the audio track.

Claims

1. A computerized wagering game system, comprising:

a gaming module comprising a processor and gaming code configured to play a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered;

a virtual radio audio module configured to play a selected multiple audio track program of constantly running multi-track audio programs, wherein different audio tracks include different audio programs; and

the virtual radio audio module configured to play the selected audio track program, wherein the selected audio track program is selected by a wagering game player;

and the virtual radio audio module configured to mute audio tracks of the audio programs not part of the selected audio program, the selected audio program presented to simulate a radio such that playing of the selected audio program may start from a point other than the beginning of an audio track corresponding to the selected audio program, wherein the audio programs are received from a server via a network connection.

2. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the audio track is played by starting the audio track from a random point in the audio track.

3. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the audio track is played by starting the audio track from a point based on a clock.

4. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different audio programs comprise a series of songs from similar genres.

5. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the audio program is selected by use of electromechanical buttons on the wagering game machine.

6. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the audio program is selected via a menu presented on the display of the wagering game machine.

7. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the audio program is selected via a primary touchscreen display or a secondary touchscreen display.

8. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different audio programs are received from a server a via a network connection.

9. A method of operating a computerized wagering game machine, comprising:

conducting a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered by executing gaming code on a processor;

simultaneously running multiple audio tracks of a plurality of audio programs wherein different audio tracks include different audio programs;

receiving a selection of an audio program of the plurality of audio programs by a wagering game player;

playing the selected audio program in a virtual radio module, the selected audio program presented to simulate a radio such that playing of the selected audio program may start from a point other than the beginning of an audio track corresponding to the selected audio program, wherein the audio programs are received from a server via a network connection; and

muting audio tracks of the audio programs not part of the selected audio program.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio track is played by starting the audio track from a random point in the audio track.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio track is played by starting the audio track from a point based on a clock.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the different audio programs comprise a series of songs from similar genres.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio program is selected by use of electromechanical buttons on the wagering game machine.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio program is selected via a menu presented on the display of the wagering game machine.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio program is selected via a primary touchscreen display or a secondary touchscreen display.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of different audio programs are received from a server a via a network connection.

17. A non-transitory machine readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to:

play a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered by executing gaming code on a processor;

simultaneously play multiple audio tracks of a plurality of audio programs wherein different audio tracks include different audio programs; and

receive a selection, by a wagering game player, of an audio program of an audio program of the plurality of audio programs, the selected audio program presented to simulate a radio such that playing of the selected audio program may start from a point other than the beginning of an audio track corresponding to the selected audio program; and

mute audio tracks of the audio programs not part of the selected audio program.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the audio track is played by starting the audio track from a random point in the audio track.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the audio track is played by starting the audio track from a point based on a clock.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the different audio programs comprise a series of songs from similar genres.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the audio program is selected by use of electromechanical buttons on the wagering game machine.

22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the audio program is selected via a menu presented on the display of the wagering game machine.

23. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the audio program is selected via a primary touchscreen display or a secondary touchscreen display.

24. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the different audio programs are received from a server a via a network connection.

25. A computerized wagering game virtual radio system, comprising:

a server having a network interface and configured to send multiple audio tracks of a plurality of audio programs to one or more computerized wagering games, wherein different audio tracks include different audio programs;

a first computerized wagering game having a virtual radio audio module configured to play one of the audio programs of the plurality of audio programs selected by a first wagering game player, the selected audio program presented to simulate a radio such that playing of the selected audio program may start from a point other than the beginning of the audio track;

a second computerized wagering game having a virtual radio audio module configured to play one of the audio programs selected by a second wagering game player; and

synchronizing playback of audio programs between the first computerized wagering game and the second computerized wagering game when the first wagering game player and the second wagering game player select the same audio program.