Gaming device with attached audio-capable chair

• US 8,672,757 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pryzby, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US13/494,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/172, 297/463.1, 297/67, 297/440.6, 463/36.47, 463/35, 273/143.B, 511/8, 5 1/21, 5 5/91, 296/69, 296/65.03, 296/65.01, 296/65.13, 296/65.15, 700/94
• US Class Current: 463/35
• 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 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

A gaming system includes a chair communicably coupled to a gaming device. The chair includes an audio playback device operable to receive audio playback commands. The audio playback commands may be received from a gaming device physically attached to the chair, a remote gaming device, or from a network interface communicably coupling the chair to a gaming establishment audio system, a player tracking system, or other gaming establishment system. Additionally, the chair may include an audio data storage device. Audio data from the storage device may be played through speakers on the chair, audio output devices on a gaming device, or audio output devices on a peripheral attached to the gaming device such as a top box or signage peripheral.

Claims

1. An audio chair configured to mix audio data received from a gaming device and at least one peripheral device, the gaming device producing first audio data including programmed game sounds of a wagering game, and the peripheral device producing second audio data independently of the gaming device, the audio chair comprising:

one or more audio speakers;

a primary audio interface;

a separate network interface;

one or more processors; and

a memory device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to operate with the one or more audio speakers, the primary audio interface, and the separate network interface to;

receive, via the primary audio interface, the first audio data directly from the gaming device;

receive, via the separate network interface, the second audio data directly from the at least one peripheral device;

mix, via at least one of the one or more processors, the first and second audio data into output audio data, the output audio data being different from at least the second audio data; and

transmit the output audio data to at least one of the one or more audio speakers.

2. The audio chair of claim 1, further comprising a sound card, and wherein the first and second audio data are mixed via the sound card.

3. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein the output audio data comprises an analog audio signal.

4. The audio chair of claim 1, further comprising an audio storage device that stores audio data for playback through at least the one or more audio speakers.

5. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit the output audio data to the gaming device.

6. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device includes a gaming establishment audio system.

7. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device includes a player tracking system.

8. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device includes a remote gaming device.

9. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device includes one or more of a set-top box and a signage component.

10. The audio chair of claim 1, wherein mixing the first and second audio data includes one or more of converting digital data to analog signals and converting analog signals to digital data.

11. An audio chair configured to mix audio data received from a gaming device and at least one peripheral device, the gaming device producing first audio data including programmed game sounds of a wagering game, and the peripheral device producing second audio data independently of the gaming device, the audio chair comprising:

one or more audio speakers;

a primary audio interface;

a separate network interface;

one or more processors; and

a memory device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to operate with the one or more audio speakers, the primary audio interface, and the separate network interface to;

receive, via the primary audio interface, the first audio data from the gaming device and not from the at least one peripheral device;

receive, via the separate network interface, the second audio data from the at least one peripheral device and not from the gaming device;

mix, via at least one of the one or more processors, the first and second audio data into output audio data, the output audio data being different from either the first audio data and the second audio data; and

transmit the output audio data to at least one of the one or more audio speakers.

12. The audio chair of claim 11, wherein the output audio data comprises an analog audio signal.

13. The audio chair of claim 12, wherein the second audio data comprises digital data.

14. The audio chair of claim 11, further comprising an audio storage device that stores audio data for playback through at least the one or more audio speakers.

15. The audio chair of claim 11, wherein instructions further cause the one or more processers to transmit the output audio data to the at least one audio speaker upon the occurrence of an event in a wagering game being played via the gaming device.

16. The audio chair of claim 15, the event comprising one or more of an award of one or more credits, a bonus round, a jackpot win, an activation event and producing a ticket for a player.

17. A computer-implemented method in a gaming chair for mixing audio from a gaming device and a peripheral device, the gaming device producing first audio data including programmed game sounds of a wagering game, the peripheral device producing second audio data independently from the gaming device, the audio chair including one or more audio speakers, a primary audio interface, a separate network interface, and one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving, via the primary audio interface, the first audio data from the gaming device and not from the peripheral device;

receiving, via the separate network interface, the second audio data from the peripheral device and not from the gaming device;

mixing, via at least one of the one or more processors, the first audio data and the second audio data into output audio data, the output audio data being different from either the first or the second audio data; and

transmitting the output audio data to at least one of the one or more audio speakers.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the output audio data comprises an analog audio signal.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the second audio data comprises digital data.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the audio chair further comprises an audio storage device that stores audio data, and wherein the audio chair transmits the stored audio data to at least the one of the one or more audio speakers.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the output audio data is transmitted to the at least one audio speaker upon the occurrence of an event in a wagering game being played via the gaming device.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, the event comprising one or more of an award of one or more credits, a bonus round, a jackpot win, an activation event and producing a ticket.

23. A machine-readable, non-transitory medium including executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to operate with an audio chair, which includes one or more audio speakers, a primary audio interface, and a separate network interface, to perform a method comprising:

receiving, via the primary audio interface, first audio data from a gaming device, the first audio data including programmed game sounds of a wagering game;

receiving, via the separate network interface, second audio data from a peripheral device and not from the gaming device, the second audio data being produced independently from the gaming device by the peripheral device;

mixing, via at least one of the one or more processors;

the first audio data and the second audio data into output audio data, the output audio data being different from either the first or the second audio data; and

transmitting the output audio data to at least one of the one or more audio speakers.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the medium as well as one or more of the one or more processors reside on a gaming server connected to the audio chair via the separate network interface.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the output audio data is transmitted to the at least one audio speaker upon the occurrence of an event in a wagering game being played via the gaming device.