Audio network for gaming machines

• US 7,479,063 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Pryzby, Eric M., Block, Rory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US10/955,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20050043090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming machine network includes a plurality of gaming machines and a central controller. Each gaming machine further includes an associated peripheral device electronically coupled to the gaming machine. The peripheral device includes an audio speaker system broadcasting an audio output to a player of the gaming machine. The central controller is electronically coupled to each of the plurality of gaming machines and sends audio instructions for controlling the audio outputs from the audio speaker systems within the peripheral devices. Alternatively, or in addition to the aforementioned operation, the central controller may receive audio instructions from the peripheral device associated with one of the gaming machines and the central controller further transmits the audio instructions to selected other ones of the plurality of gaming machines. The peripheral device may be, for example, a top box for the gaming machine or a contoured chair for the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming machine network, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a gaming cabinet having a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each gaming machine including an associated peripheral device electronically coupled to said gaming machine, each peripheral device being physically distinct from said gaming cabinet and including an audio speaker system for broadcasting an audio output to a player of said gaming machine;

casino speakers located remotely from and physically separate from said plurality of gaming machines and said peripheral devices; and

a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines and said casino speakers, said central controller sending audio instructions controlling said audio outputs of said audio speaker systems within said peripheral devices of said plurality of gaming machines and controlling said casino speakers.

2. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said audio instructions include audio data in a digital audio format.

3. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said audio instructions include audio data in a digital surround-sound format.

4. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller sends said audio instructions in response to real time being a predetermined time.

5. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller selectively sends said audio instructions to certain ones of said plurality of gaming machines.

6. The gaming network of claim 5, wherein said audio instructions that are sent to said certain ones of said plurality of gaming machines are different.

7. The gaming network of claim 5, wherein said certain ones of said plurality of gaming machines are selected based on an identification of players playing at said certain ones of said plurality of gaming machines.

8. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein audio instructions include compressed audio data.

9. The gaming network of claim 8, wherein each of said peripheral devices include a digital-to-analog converter and a power amplifier for processing said compressed audio data so as to broadcast said audio output.

10. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller selectively sends said audio instructions to a certain one of said plurality of gaming machines, said audio instructions corresponding to an audio output that contains a message for a player of said certain one of said plurality of gaming machines.

11. The gaming network of claim 10, wherein said message relates to an outcome achieved by said gaming machine.

12. The gaming network of claim 11, wherein said message includes music having lyrics that relate to said outcome.

13. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller selectively sends said audio instructions to each of said plurality of gaming machines in response to one of said gaming machines achieving a certain outcome.

14. The gaming network of claim 13, wherein said audio instructions sent to one of said plurality of gaming machines is different from said audio instructions sent to others of said plurality of gaming machines.

15. The gaming network of claim 13, wherein said audio instructions include music.

16. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said peripheral devices are top boxes located above said gaming machines for displaying information about a bonus game or a progressive game.

17. The gaming network of claim 16, wherein said audio instructions relate to said bonus game or said progressive game.

18. The gaming network of claim 17, wherein said audio instructions provide choreographed audio effects broadcasting from said audio speaker systems, said choreographed audio effects include sequential actuation of said audio speaker systems of said peripheral devices.

19. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said audio speaker system includes one speaker.

20. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller selectively sends said audio instructions to each of said plurality of gaming machines in response to a randomly selected event or time.

21. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said audio speaker system of each of said peripheral devices includes a plurality of speakers in a non-planer spatial arrangement around a location where a player is positioned at said respective gaming machines.

22. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein each of said peripheral devices includes memory for storing audio data sets and, in response to receiving said audio instructions from said central controller, one of said audio data sets is selected for broadcasting through said audio speaker system.

23. The gaming network of claim 22, wherein a processor within each of said plurality of gaming machines selects said one of said audio data sets from said memory.

24. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller also sends said audio instructions to signage speakers on signage proximate to said plurality of gaming machines, said signage displays information about a bonus game or a progressive game.

25. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of gaming machines includes a microphone for converting acoustic signals from a player to player-specific audio signals.

26. The gaming network of claim 25, wherein said player-specific audio signals are processed and broadcasted as an audio output from said audio speaker systems within said peripheral devices.

27. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said peripheral devices are chairs in which players of said gaming machines are seated while playing said gaming machines.

28. The gaming network of claim 27, wherein said audio speaker system in said chair includes a plurality of speakers in a non-planer spatial arrangement around a location where said player is sitting at said gaming machine.

29. The gaming network of claim 1, wherein said central controller is also for receiving other audio instructions from one of said peripheral devices and disseminating said other audio instructions to selected other ones of said plurality of gaming machines.

30. A gaming machine network, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines having different themes, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a gaming cabinet that includes a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each gaming machine including an associated peripheral device electronically coupled to said gaming machine, each peripheral device being physically distinct from said gaming cabinet and including an audio speaker system broadcasting an audio output to a player of said gaming machine and a memory device containing audio files, said audio files in different ones of said memory devices being different and associated with said different themes for said associated gaming machines; and

a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines, said central controller receiving audio instructions from one of said peripheral devices and disseminating said audio instructions to selected other ones of said plurality of gaming machines, said audio instructions disseminated by said central controller include one or more of said audio files such that at least one of said selected other ones of said gaming machines broadcasts an audio output that is associated with a theme that is different from a theme of said at least one of said selected other ones of said gaming machines.

31. The gaming network of claim 30, wherein said peripheral devices are chairs in which players of said gaming machines are seated while playing said gaming machines.

32. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein said audio speaker system in said chair includes a plurality of speakers in a non-planer spatial arrangement around a location where said player is sifting at said gaming machine.

33. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein said memory device is located within said chair.

34. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein said audio files are sent to said central controller in a compressed audio data format.

35. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein said peripheral devices are top boxes located above said gaming machines for displaying information about a bonus game or a progressive game.

36. The gaming network of claim 35, wherein said audio instructions relate to said bonus game or said progressive game.

37. The gaming network of claim 31, wherein said selected ones of said plurality of gaming machines are selected based on an identification of players playing at said plurality of gaming machines.

38. A gaming machine network, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each of said plurality of gaming machines including gaming machine speakers for producing gaming-machine audio output;

signage located proximate to and being physically distinct from said gaming machines, said signage displays information about a bonus game or a progressive game and being electronically coupled to said gaming machines, said signage including a memory device containing audio files and an audio speaker system broadcasting signage audio output to players of said gaming machines; and

a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines and said signage, said central controller receiving audio instructions from one of said plurality of gaming machines, and wherein in response to receiving said audio instructions from said one of said plurality of gaming machines, said central controller controlling said signage audio output of said signage and said gaming-machine audio output of other ones of said gaming machines, said signage using said audio files in said memory device for developing said signage audio output.

39. The gaming network of claim 38, wherein said information is a monetary value associated with an award in said bonus game or said progressive game.

40. The gaming network of claim 38, wherein a processor within each of said plurality of gaming machines selects said audio instructions to be sent to said central controller.

41. A gaming machine network, comprising:

a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager;

signage located proximate to and being physically distinct from said plurality of gaming machines, said signage displays information about a bonus game or a progressive game and being electronically coupled to said gaming machines, said signage including a memory device containing audio files and an audio speaker system broadcasting an audio output to players of said gaming machines; and

a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines and said signage, said central controller transmitting audio instructions to selected ones of said plurality of gaming machines and to said signage in response to the occurrence of a certain event at one of said gaming machines.

42. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein said audio instructions sent by said central controller include one or more of said audio files.

43. The gaming network of claim 42, wherein said audio files are sent by said central controller in a compressed audio data format.

44. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein said audio instructions sent by said central controller include instructions to select a certain audio file stored in memories within said plurality of gaming machines and to select certain audio files stored in said memory device within said signage.

45. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein said selected ones of said plurality of gaming machines are selected based on an identification of players playing at said certain ones of said plurality of gaming machines.

46. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein said information is a monetary value associated with an award in said bonus game or said progressive game.

47. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein said event is a winning outcome that is achieved at one of said plurality of gaming machines.

48. The gaming network of claim 41, wherein said central controller sends audio instructions to said signage in response to the real time being a predetermined time.

49. A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of linked gaming machines, a central controller, and signage that is physically distinct from said plurality of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including an associated peripheral device electronically coupled thereto and physically distinct from said gaming machine, said signage displaying information about a bonus game or a progressive game, said central controller being linked to said plurality of gaming machines and to said signage, said method comprising:

receiving wager inputs from players at said plurality of linked gaming machines;

in response to a certain event, instructing said peripheral devices via said central controller to broadcast an audio output from audio speaker systems located within said peripheral devices, said instructing including accessing a desired audio file in a memory device located within said peripheral devices,

in response to said certain event, instructing said signage, via said central controller, to broadcast a signage audio output from an audio speaker system located within said signage; and

broadcasting said audio output from said one of said peripheral devices and said signage audio output from said signage.

50. The method of claim 49, further including instructing all of said linked gaming machines to access a desired common audio file stored in memory devices located within said peripheral devices.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein said instructing causes certain ones of said linked gaming machines to access different audio files stored in memory devices located within said peripheral devices, said audio output being different for said certain ones of said plurality of gaming machines.

52. The method of claim 49, further including instructing remotely located casino audio speakers, via said central controller, to broadcast a desired audio output in response to said certain event.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein said certain event is a winning outcome at said one of said plurality of said gaming machines.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein said information is a monetary value associated with an award in said bonus game or said progressive game.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein said peripheral device are chairs in which players of said gaming machines are seated while playing said gaming machines.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein said peripheral devices are top boxes located above said gaming machines for displaying information about a bonus game or a progressive game.