Gaming device with sound recording changes associated with player inputs

• US 20030073489A1
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Hecht, William L., Landrum, Kristopher E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,848,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

The present invention involves a gaming device which includes in data storage at least one primary sound file, at least one variant sound file which is a variation of the primary sound file and at least one player input event associated with the variant sound file. When a predetermined event occurs, the gaming device plays the primary sound file, and when the player makes a predetermined input, the gaming device plays the variant sound file and stops playing the primary sound file. The present invention provides gaming devices with enhanced sound and music capabilities, adding to a gaming device player'"'"'s enjoyment and entertainment.

Claims

1. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

at least one data storage device;

at least one primary sound file stored in the data storage device;

at least one variant sound file stored in the data storage device, the variant sound file being a variation of the primary sound file;

at least one player input event stored in the data storage device, the player input event associated with the variant sound file;

at least one speaker;

at least one player input device; and

a processor in communication with the data storage device, the player input device and the speaker, which;

(a) plays the primary sound file after a predetermined event occurs;

(b) plays the variant sound file after the player uses the player input device to cause the player input event associated with said variant sound file to occur; and

(c) stops playing the primary sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player causes said player input event to occur.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes at least one game event stored in the data storage device.

3. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the predetermined event is the game event.

4. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality of player input events stored in the data storage device.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the predetermined event includes one of a plurality of player input events.

6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the variation between the primary sound file and the variant sound file is a change in a music variable selected from the group consisting of key, tempo, style, melody, beat, syncopation, notes, mode, scale, volume, chords, pitch, voice, instrument and a jump from one section of a sound recording to a different section of said sound recording.

7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is initiation of a predetermined game mode.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the game mode is selected from the group consisting of an attract mode, an idle mode, a normal mode, a game play mode, a bonus mode, a cashout mode, a credit roll-up mode, a jackpot mode, a hand pay mode and a player tracking mode.

9. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

at least one data storage device;

at least one primary sound file stored in the data storage device;

at least one variant sound file stored in the data storage device, the variant sound file being a variant of the primary sound file;

a plurality of player input events stored in the data storage device, one of the player input events associated with the primary sound file and the other player input event associated with the variant sound file;

at least one speaker;

at least one player input device; and

a processor in communication with the data storage device, the player input device and the speaker, which;

(a) plays the primary sound file after a player uses the player input device to cause the player input event associated with said primary sound file to occur;

(b) plays the variant sound file after the player uses the player input device to cause the player input event associated with said variant sound file to occur; and

(c) stops playing the primary sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player causes said player input event to occur.

10. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

at least one data storage device;

at least one primary sound file stored in the data storage device;

at least one variant sound file stored in the data storage device, the variant sound file being a variant of the primary sound file;

at least one game event stored in the data storage device, the game event associated with the primary sound file;

at least one player input event stored in the data storage device, the player input event associated with the variant sound file;

at least one speaker;

at least one player input device; and

a processor in electronic communication with the data storage device, the player input device and the speaker, which;

(a) plays the primary sound file after the game event associated with said primary sound file occurs;

(b) plays the variant sound file after the player uses the player input device to cause the player input event associated with said variant sound file to occur; and

(c) stops playing the primary sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player causes said player input event to occur.

11. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

at least one data storage device;

at least one primary sound file stored in the data storage device;

a plurality of variant sound files stored in the data storage device, each variant sound file being a variant of the primary sound file;

a plurality of player input events stored in the data storage device, each player input event associated with one of the variant sound files;

at least one speaker;

at least one player input device; and

a processor in electronic communication with the data storage device, the player input device and the speaker, which;

(a) plays the primary sound file after a predetermined event occurs;

(b) plays a first variant sound file after the player uses the player input device to make a first player input;

(c) stops playing the primary sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player makes said first player input;

(d) plays a second variant sound file after the player uses the player input device to make a second player input; and

(e) stops playing the first variant sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player makes the second player input.

12. A method of providing a sound change in a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating a predetermined game mode;

(b) playing a primary sound file;

(c) receiving a player input from a player; and

(d) playing a variation of said primary sound file.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the variation includes a musical change to said primary sound file.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the musical change to said primary sound file is a change in a musical variable selected from the group consisting of key, tempo, style, melody, beat, syncopation, notes, mode, scale, volume, chords, pitch, voice, instrument and a jump from one section of a sound recording to a different section of said sound recording.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of playing the variation includes the step of playing a sound file which includes a musical change to said primary sound file.

16. A method of providing a sound change in a gaming device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating a predetermined game mode;

(b) playing a musical sound recording;

(c) receiving a player input; and

(d) changing a musical variable in said musical sound recording; and

(e) continuing to play the changed musical sound recording until a predetermined event occurs.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of changing the musical variable includes the step selected from the group consisting of changing key, changing tempo, changing style, changing melody, changing beat, changing syncopation, changing notes, changing mode, changing scale, changing volume, changing chords, changing pitch, changing voice, changing instrument and jumping from one section of a sound recording to a different section of said sound recording.

18. The method of claim 16, which includes the step of repeating steps (b) through (d) at least once.

19. A data storage device for a gaming device, said data storage device comprising:

a memory device;

at least one primary sound file stored in the memory device;

at least one variant sound file stored in the memory device, the variant sound file being a variation of the primary sound file;

at least one player input event stored in the memory device, the player input event associated with the variant sound file; and

a plurality of instructions for a processor, said instructions directing the processor to;

(a) play the primary sound file after a predetermined event occurs;

(b) play the variant sound file after the player causes the player input event associated with said variant sound file to occur; and

(c) stop playing the primary sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player causes said player input event to occur.

20. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

a plurality of player inputs;

a plurality of musical recordings;

a data storage device which stores the player inputs and musical recordings;

means for receiving player inputs; and

a processor in communication with the data storage device and the player input means, which;

(a) plays one of the musical recordings after a particular event occurs; and

(b) plays a variation of said musical recording after a player makes a predetermined player input.

21. The gaming device of claim 20, wherein the variation is a change in a musical variable selected from the group consisting of key, tempo, style, melody, beat, syncopation, notes, mode, scale, volume, chords, pitch, voice, instrument and a jump from one section of a sound recording to a different section of said sound recording.

22. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

a plurality of player inputs;

a plurality of musical recordings;

a plurality of musical variations to the musical recordings, each musical variation associated with one of the player inputs;

a data storage device which stores the player inputs, musical recordings and the musical variations;

means for receiving player inputs; and

a processor in communication with the data storage device and the player input means, which;

(a) plays one of the musical recordings after a particular event occurs;

(b) receives a player input; and

(c) plays the musical variation associated with said player input.

23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the musical variation is a change in a musical variable selected from the group consisting of key, tempo, style, melody, beat, syncopation, notes, mode, scale, volume, chords, pitch, voice, instrument and a jump from one section of a sound recording to a different section of said sound recording.

24. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

background music;

a plurality of musical changes to the background music;

a plurality of wager options for a player;

computer memory which stores the background music, musical changes and wager options; and

a computer in communication with the computer memory which;

(a) plays the background music at a particular time;

(b) enables the player to select a wager option; and

(c) plays the musical change associated with the selected wager option.

25. The gaming device of claim 24, wherein the musical change is a change in a musical variable selected from the group consisting of key, tempo, style, melody, beat, syncopation, notes, mode, scale, volume, chords, pitch, voice, instrument and a jump from one section of a sound recording to a different section of said sound recording.

26. A gaming device having a wager game, comprising:

at least one data storage device;

a first sound file and a second sound file stored in the data storage device;

at least one player input event stored in the data storage device, the player input event associated with the second sound file;

at least one speaker;

at least one player input device; and

a processor in communication with the data storage device, the player input device and the speaker, which;

(a) plays the first sound file after a predetermined event occurs;

(b) plays the second sound file after the player uses the player input device to cause the player input event associated with said second sound file to occur; and

(c) stops playing the first sound file at a predetermined point in time after the player causes said player input event to occur.