Gaming system, gaming device, and method providing an estimated emotional state of a player based on the occurrence of one or more designated events

• US 8,911,287 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Gilliand, Sean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US13/895,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/23, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

The present disclosure provides gaming systems, gaming devices, and methods providing an estimated emotional state of a player based on the occurrence of one or more designated events. When a player initiates a gaming session, the gaming system estimates the player'"'"'s emotional state and generates estimated emotional state data that represents that estimation of the player'"'"'s emotional state. For each of one or more designated events that occurs, the gaming system updates the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state using an expected emotional response to that designated event. More specifically, the gaming system updates the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data using expected emotional response data representing the expected emotional response to that designated event. If one or more triggering conditions associated with the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state is satisfied during the gaming session, the gaming system modifies one or more functions, aspects, or features of the gaming system.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) determine initial estimated emotional state data for a player, the player'"'"'s initial estimated emotional state data representing an initial estimated emotional state of the player;

(b) monitor one or more plays of a game to determine whether any of one or more designated events occurs in association with said plays of the game;

(c) for each designated event, for each occurrence of said designated event in association with said plays of the game, modify the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data based on said designated event such that current estimated emotional state data of the player represents a current estimated emotional state of the player; and

(d) if the player'"'"'s current estimated emotional state data satisfies one of one or more triggering conditions, modify an aspect of the game and display said modified aspect.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to provide (a) to (d) for a gaming session of the player and, upon completion of the gaming session, store the player'"'"'s current estimated emotional state data.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for a subsequent gaming session of the player, determine initial estimated emotional state data for the player based at least in part on the player'"'"'s stored estimated emotional state data.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the designated events is associated with one of a plurality of expected emotional reactions.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each designated event, for each occurrence of said designated event, modify the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data using expected emotional reaction data representing the expected emotional reaction associated with said designated event.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the designated events is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an initiation of a play of a secondary game;

(b) an achievement of a winning outcome for a play of the game;

(c) an achievement of a losing outcome for a play of the game; and

(d) the an award of at least a designated amount being provided.

7. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to determine initial estimated emotional state data for a player, the player'"'"'s initial estimated emotional state data representing an initial estimated emotional state of the player;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to monitor one or more plays of a game to determine whether any of one or more designated events occurs in association with said plays of the game;

(c) for each designated event, for each occurrence of said designated event in association with said plays of the game, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data based on said designated event such that current estimated emotional state data of the player represents a current estimated emotional state of the player; and

(d) if the player'"'"'s current estimated emotional state data satisfies one of one or more triggering conditions, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to modify an aspect of the game and operate with at least one display device to display said modified aspect.

8. The method of claim 7, which includes providing (a) to (d) for a gaming session of the player and, upon completion of the gaming session, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to store the player'"'"'s current estimated emotional state data.

9. The method of claim 8, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for a subsequent gaming session of the player, determine initial estimated emotional state data for the player based at least in part on the player'"'"'s stored estimated emotional state data.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the designated events is associated with one of a plurality of expected emotional reactions.

11. The method of claim 10, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to, for each designated event, for each occurrence of said designated event, modify the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data using expected emotional reaction data representing the expected emotional reaction associated with said designated event.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the designated events is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an initiation of a play of a secondary game;

(b) an achievement of a winning outcome for a play of the game;

(c) an achievement of a losing outcome for a play of the game; and

(d) the an award of at least a designated amount being provided.

13. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) determine initial estimated emotional state data for a player, the player'"'"'s initial estimated emotional state data representing an initial estimated emotional state of the player;

(b) monitor one or more plays of a game to determine whether any of one or more designated events occurs in association with said plays of the game;

(c) for each designated event, for each occurrence of said designated event in association with said plays of the game, modify the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data based on said designated event such that current estimated emotional state data of the player represents a current estimated emotional state of the player; and

(d) if the player'"'"'s current estimated emotional state data satisfies one of one or more triggering conditions, modify an aspect of the game and cause at least one display device to display said modified aspect.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to provide (a) to (d) for a gaming session of the player and, upon completion of the gaming session, store the player'"'"'s current estimated emotional state data.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for a subsequent gaming session of the player, determine initial estimated emotional state data for the player based at least in part on the player'"'"'s stored estimated emotional state data.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the designated events is associated with one of a plurality of expected emotional reactions.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, for each designated event, for each occurrence of said designated event, modify the player'"'"'s estimated emotional state data using expected emotional reaction data representing the expected emotional reaction associated with said designated event.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least one of the designated events is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an initiation of a play of a secondary game;

(b) an achievement of a winning outcome for a play of the game;

(c) an achievement of a losing outcome for a play of the game; and

(d) the an award of at least a designated amount being provided.