Gaming machine with surround sound features

• US 8,545,320 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Bonney, James, Pryzby, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US12/822,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20100261523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25, 463/35, 463/43, 463/30, 381/1, 381/2, 381/77, 381 79- 80, 381/85, 381/98, 381/99
• 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: 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

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.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a first gaming machine having

a first cabinet housing,

a first display mounted to the first cabinet housing for displaying a first wagering game,

first input device for accepting inputs from a first player to play the first wagering game, and

at least one first front speaker and at least one first rear speaker mounted to the first cabinet housing; and

a second gaming machine positioned facing the first gaming machine, the second gaming machine having

a second cabinet housing,

a second display mounted to the second cabinet housing for displaying a second wagering game,

a second input device for accepting inputs from a second player to play the second wagering game, and

at least one second front speaker and at least one second rear speaker mounted to the second cabinet housing;

wherein the at least one first front speaker and the at least one second rear speaker form a first speaker arrangement for emitting first multi-channel audio associated with the first wagering game in surround sound relative to the first player at the first gaming machine, the first multi-channel audio including front audio emitted by the at least one first front speaker and rear audio emitted by the at least one second rear speaker; and

wherein the at least one second front speaker and the at least one first rear speaker form a second speaker arrangement for emitting second multi-channel audio associated with the second wagering game in surround sound relative to the second player at the second gaming machine, the second multi-channel audio including front audio emitted by the at least one second front speaker and rear audio emitted by the at least one first rear speaker.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second rear speaker is aimed toward the first player at the first gaming machine to provide that player with a surround sound experience.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first front speaker includes a left front speaker and a right front speaker mounted within the first cabinet housing.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first front speaker is a single center front speaker mounted within the first cabinet housing.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first front speaker includes a left front speaker, a right front speaker, and a center front speaker mounted within the first cabinet housing.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first front speaker is mounted within the first cabinet housing above the first display.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second rear speaker includes a left rear speaker and a right rear speaker mounted above the second cabinet housing.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second rear speaker includes a center rear speaker mounted above the second cabinet housing.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second rear speaker includes a left rear speaker, a right rear speaker, and a center rear speaker mounted above the second cabinet housing.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second rear speaker is a wireless speaker, each of the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine having a respective wireless transmitter for communicating audio signals to the at least one second rear speaker.

11. A method of conducting wagering games on a gaming system having a first gaming machine and a second gaming machine, the first gaming machine including first front and rear speakers mounted to a first cabinet housing, the second gaming machine including second front and rear speakers mounted to a second cabinet housing, the second gaming machine being positioned facing the first gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving a first wager input from a first player to play a first wagering game via the first gaming machine;

receiving a second wager input from a second player to play a second wagering game via the second gaming machine

presenting a first randomly selected outcome of the first wagering game on a first display of the first gaming machine;

presenting a second randomly selected outcome of the second wagering game on a second display of the second gaming machine;

emitting first multi-channel audio associated with the first wagering game in surround sound relative to the first player at the first gaming machine, the first multi-channel audio including front audio emitted by the first front speaker and rear audio emitted by the second rear speaker; and

emitting second multi-channel audio associated with the second wagering game in surround sound relative to the second player at the second gaming machine, the second multi-channel audio including front audio emitted by the second front speaker and rear audio emitted by the first rear speaker.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating audio signals to one or more of the first front and rear speakers and the second front and rear speakers via a wireless transmission.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first front speaker is mounted within the first cabinet housing of the first gaming machine.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second rear speaker is mounted above the second cabinet housing of the second gaming machine.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first front speaker includes one or more of a left front speaker, a right front speaker, and a center front speaker.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first rear speaker includes one or more of a left rear speaker, a right rear speaker, and a center rear speaker.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising converting audio signals from non-surround sound signals to surround sound signals before routing the audio signals to respective ones of the first front and rear speakers and the second front and rear speakers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the audio signals include one or more of a monophonic signal and a stereo signal.

19. A gaming system comprising:

a first gaming machine for playing a first wagering game and having at least one first front speaker and at least one first rear speaker; and

a second gaming machine for playing a second wagering game and positioned facing the first gaming machine, the second gaming machine having at least one second front speaker and at least one second rear speaker;

wherein the at least one first front speaker and the at least one second rear speaker form a first speaker arrangement for emitting multi-channel audio associated with the first wagering game in surround sound relative to a first player at the first gaming machine, the multi-channel audio including front audio emitted by the at least one first front speaker and rear audio emitted by the at least one second rear speaker; and

wherein the at least one second front speaker and the at least one first rear speaker form a second speaker arrangement for emitting multi-channel audio associated with the second wagering game in surround sound relative to a second player at the second gaming machine, the multi-channel audio including front audio emitted by the at least one second front speaker and rear audio emitted by the at least one first rear speaker.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the at least one first rear speaker extends from and above the first cabinet housing and the at least one second rear speaker extends from and above the second cabinet housing.

21. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the at least one first rear speaker is symmetrically positioned relative to the at least one second rear speaker.

22. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first rear speaker and the second rear speaker is a wireless speaker.

23. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first rear speaker and the second rear speaker includes one or more of a left rear speaker, a right rear speaker, and a center rear speaker.

24. The gaming system of claim 19, further comprising one or more controllers coupled to the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine, at least one of the controllers being programmed to convert an audio signal from a non-surround sound signal to a surround sound signal before sending the audio signal to one or more of the first front speaker, the first rear speaker, the second front speaker, and the second rear speaker.

25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein the non-surround sound signal includes one or more of a monophonic signal and a stereo signal.