Gaming device with award and deduction proximity-based sound effect feature

• US 6,935,955 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Laakso, Jeffrey P., Kaminkow, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US09/656,663
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138.1, 273/143.R, 273/371, 273/376, 273/381, 463 16- 20, 463/35, 463 49- 57, 434/116
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gaming device which generates a sound effect when the player comes within a certain proximity of reaching an award or deduction but does not reach an award or deduction. The gaming device also generates sound effects when the player fails to reach an award a certain number of times. This feature, usable in primary games and bonus rounds, provides players with information and enhances the enjoyment and entertainment which players experience.

Claims

1. A gaming device comprising:

a target;

a plurality of non-targets having a plurality of different proximities to the target;

a display device adapted to display said target and non-targets;

at least one speaker;

a plurality of different sound effects associated with the different proximities of the non-targets to the target;

a predetermined number of times associated with the non-targets; and

a processor operable to control a game upon a wager by a player, for causing selection of said target or one of the non-targets, counting the number of times one of the non-targets is selected, and upon reaching said predetermined number, causing the speaker to generate;

(a) one of said sound effects when one of the non-targets is selected, said non-target having one of the proximities to the target; and

(b) another one of the sound effects when another one of the non-targets is selected, said other non-target having a different one of the proximities to the target.

2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the target or one of the non-targets is processor selected.

3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the target or one of the non-targets is player selected.

4. A gaming device comprising:

a target;

a plurality of non-targets including at least two non-targets which have a plurality of different proximities from said target;

a display device adapted to display said target and non-targets;

at least one speaker;

a plurality of different sound effects associated with said different proximities;

a predetermined number of times associated with each of said proximities; and

a processor operable to control a game upon a wager by a player, for causing selection of said target or one of the non-targets, counting the number of times one of the non-targets within said predetermined proximity from said target is selected, and upon reaching said predetermined number, causing the speaker to generate;

(a) one of said sound effects when said processor selects one of the non-targets within one of said proximities from said target; and

(b) a different one of the sound effects when said processor selects a different one of the non-targets within a different one of the proximities from said target.

5. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the target or one of the non-targets is processor selected.

6. The gaming device of claim 4, wherein the target or one of the non-targets is player selected.

7. A gaming device comprising:

a target;

a plurality of non-targets including at least two non-targets which have a plurality of different proximities from said target;

a display device adapted to display said target and non-targets;

at least one speaker;

a first sound effect associated with one of said proximities;

a second sound effect, which is different from the first sound effect, associated with another one of the proximities;

a predetermined number of times associated with each of said proximities; and

a processor operable to control a game upon a wager by a player, for causing selection of said target or one of the non-targets, counting the number of times one of the non-targets within one of the proximities from said target is selected, causing the speaker to generate said first sound effect when one of the non-targets within one of the proximities from said target is selected, and upon reaching said predetermined number, causing the speaker to generate said second different sound effect when a different one of the non-targets within a different one of the proximities from said target is selected.

8. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the target or one of the non-targets is processor selected.

9. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the target or one of the non-targets is player selected.

10. A gaming device comprising:

a pitfall;

a plurality of non-pitfalls having a plurality of different proximities to the pitfall;

a display device adapted to display said pitfall and non-pitfalls;

at least one speaker;

a plurality of different sound effects associated with the different proximities of the non-pitfalls to the pitfall;

a predetermined number of times associated with each of the non-pitfalls; and

a processor operable to control a game upon a wager by a player, for causing selection of said pitfall or one of the non-pitfalls, counting the number of times one of the non-pitfalls is selected, and upon reaching said predetermined number, causing the speaker to generate;

(a) one of the sound effects associated with one of the proximities when one of the non-pitfalls is selected; and

(b) a different one of the sound effects associated with a different one of the proximities when a different one of the non-pitfalls is selected.

11. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the pitfall or one of the non-piffalls is processor selected.

12. The gaming device of claim 10, wherein the pitfall or one of the non-pitfalls is player selected.

13. A gaming device comprising:

a pitfall;

a plurality of non-piffalls including at least two non-pitfalls which have a plurality of different proximities from said pitfall;

a display device adapted to display said pitfall and non-piffalls;

at least one speaker;

a plurality of different sound effects associated with said different proximities;

a predetermined number of times associated with each of the different proximities; and

a processor operable to control a game upon a wager by a player, for causing selection of said pitfall or one of the non-piffalls, counting the number of times one of the non-piffalls within one of the proximities from said pitfall is selected, and upon reaching said predetermined number, causing the speaker to generate;

(a) one of said sound effects when said processor selects one of the non-pitfalls within one of the proximities from said pitfall; and

(b) another one of the sound effects when said processor selects another one of the non-piffalls within another one of the proximities from said pitfall.

14. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the pitfall or one of the non-piffalls is processor selected.

15. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the pitfall or one of the non-piffalls is player selected.

16. A gaming device comprising:

a pitfall;

a plurality of non-pitfalls including at least two non-pitfalls which have a plurality of different proximities from said pitfall;

a display device adapted to display said pitfall and non-piffalls;

at least one speaker;

a first sound effect associated with one of the different proximities;

a second sound effect, which is different from the first sound effect, associated with another one of the different proximities;

a predetermined number of times associated with each of the different proximities from said pitfall; and

a processor operable to control a game upon a wager by a player, for causing selection of said pitfall or one of the non-piffalls, counting the number of times one of the non-piffalls within one of the proximities from said pitfall is selected, causing the speaker to generate said first sound effect when one of the non-pitfalls within one of the proximities from said pitfall is selected, and upon reaching said predetermined number, causing the speaker to generate said second different sound effect when another one of the non-piffalls within another one of the proximities from said pitfall is selected.

17. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the pitfall or one of the non-pitfalls is processor selected.

18. The gaming device of claim 16, wherein the pitfall or one of the non-piffalls is player selected.

19. A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

operating a game upon a wager by a player;

displaying a target;

displaying a plurality of non-targets including at least two non-targets which have a plurality of different proximities from said target;

selecting either said target or one of the non-targets a plurality of times;

for each of the non-targets, counting the number of times said non-target is selected from within one of said proximities from said target;

for each of the non-targets, reaching a predetermined number of times said non-target is selected from within one of said proximities from said target;

generating a sound effect when one of the non-targets is selected from within one of said proximities from said target after one of the predetermined number of times is reached; and

generating a different sound effect when a different one of the non-targets is selected from within a different one of said proximities from said target after another one of the predetermined number of times is reached.

20. A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

operating a game upon a wager by a player;

displaying a target;

displaying a plurality of non-targets including at least two non-targets which are a plurality of different proximities from said target;

selecting either said target or one of the non-targets a plurality of times;

generating a first sound effect when one of the non-targets is selected from within one of said proximities;

counting the number of times said non-target is selected from within said proximity from said target;

reaching a predetermined number of times said non-target is selected from within said proximity from said target;

generating a second different sound effect when said non-target is selected from within said proximity from said target after the predetermined number of times is reached; and

generating a third different sound effect when a different one of the non-targets is selected from within another one of the proximities.

21. A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

operating a game upon a wager by a player;

displaying a pitfall;

displaying a plurality of non-piffalls including at least two non-pitfalls which have a plurality of different proximities from said pitfall;

selecting either said pitfall or one of the non-pitfalls a plurality of times;

counting the number of times a plurality of the non-pitfalls are selected from within the proximities from said pitfall;

reaching a predetermined number of times the non-piffalls are selected from within the proximities from said pitfall;

generating a sound effect when one of the non-pitfalls is selected from within one of the proximities from said pitfall after the predetermined number of times is reached; and

generating a different sound effect when a different one of the non-pitfalls is selected from within another one of the proximities from said pitfall after the predetermined number of times is reached.

22. A method of operating a gaming device comprising the steps of:

operating a game upon a wager by a player;

displaying a pitfall;

displaying a plurality of non-pitfalls including at least two non-pitfalls which have a plurality of different proximities from said pitfall;

selecting either said pitfall or one of the non-piffalls a plurality of times;

generating a first sound effect when one of the non-pitfalls is selected from within one of the proximities;

generating a second sound effect, different from the first sound effect, when a different one of the non-pitfalls is selected from within another one of the proximities;

counting the number of times one of the non-piffalls is selected from within one of the proximities from said pitfall;

reaching a predetermined number of times one of the non-piffalls is selected from within one of the proximities from said pitfall; and

generating a third different sound effect when one of the non-pitfalls is selected from within one of the proximities from said pitfall after the predetermined number of times is reached.