Selectable audio preferences for a gaming machine

Abstract

A wagering gaming system comprises a gaming terminal and a sound processing system. The gaming terminal conducts a wagering game and the player is allowed to select sound preferences in connection with the wagering game. The sound processing system is adapted to process audio data in response to user selections of sound preferences other than a master volume preference. According to some embodiments, a user is able to make selections regarding sound aspects such as speaker settings, system sounds, sound field effects, and sound tones.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electronic gaming system providing a game in response to a wager, comprising: 
 a gaming terminal adapted to conduct a wagering game;    a user input device allowing for selection of at least one sound preference, said at least one sound preference being a sound preference other than a master volume preference;    a sound processing system accepting input from said user input device and processing audio data in accordance with said at least one sound preference; and    an audio-emitting system coupled to said sound processing system and producing sound in accordance with said at least one sound preference.    
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one sound preference is selected from a group consisting of a sound field effect preference, a system sounds preference, a speaker settings preference, and a sound tone preference, each sound preference including at least one sound setting.  
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein said sound field effect preference includes at least one of a small room setting, a stadium setting, an opera setting, and a concert hall setting.  
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein said system sounds preference includes a standard setting and a thematic setting.  
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 4 , wherein said thematic setting includes at least one of a rock theme, a sports theme, a space theme, a wild west theme, an ocean theme, and a jungle theme.  
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein said speaker settings preference includes at least one of a surround setting, a stereo setting, a mono setting, and a headphones setting.  
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein said system sounds preference includes at least one of a licensed music theme and a personal music theme.  
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said gaming terminal is selected from a group consisting of a mechanical reel slot machine, a video slot machine, a video bingo machine, and a video keno machine.  
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the sound processing system is a sound receiver.  
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said selecting means are selected from a group consisting of electro-mechanical devices and buttons on a touchscreen.  
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said selecting means are coupled to a voice-activated mechanism for voice-activated selection.  
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more selected sound preferences are stored on a casino card.  
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said selecting means are coupled to said sound processing system via a local-area network.  
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein said audio-emitting system is selected from a group consisting of a speaker, a speaker system, and a headset.  
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein said sound tone preference includes at least one of a treble setting and a bass setting.  
     
     
         16 . An electronic gaming system providing a game in response to a wager, comprising: 
 a sound processing system adapted to process game sounds relating to said game;    an input system adapted to accept sound preference inputs from a player and to forward sound preference information to said sound processing system, said sound processing system adapted to accept signals from said input system and to alter said game sounds in response to said sound preference inputs, said sound preference inputs including inputs for controlling aspects of said game sounds other than a master volume of said game sounds, said sound preferences including a first class of sound preferences and a second class of sound preferences, said first class being controllable by the player, said second class being controllable by an operator.    
     
     
         17 . The electronic gaming system of  claim 16  wherein said sound preference inputs include inputs for controlling sound preferences selected from a group consisting of sound field effect preferences, system sounds preferences, speaker settings preferences, and sound tone preferences, each of said sound preferences having at least one setting.  
     
     
         18 . An electronic gaming system providing a game in response to a wager comprising: 
 a gaming terminal for playing at least one electronic game in response to a wager;    a central processing unit executing instructions for said gaming terminal;    a memory coupled to said central processing unit, said memory storing audio data;    a user input device for allowing the choice of one or more sound preferences, said one or more sound preferences being sound preferences other than a master volume preference; and    a sound processing system receiving said audio data in a first audio signal, said sound processing system modifying said audio data in accordance with said sound preference to produce a second audio signal.    
     
     
         19 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said one or more sound preferences include a sound field effect preference having a number of sound settings;  
     
     
         20 . The gaming system of  claim 19 , wherein said sound field effect preference includes at least one of a small room setting, a stadium setting, an opera setting, and a concert hall setting.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said sound preference further includes a system sounds preference.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming system of  claim 21 , wherein said system sounds preference includes a standard setting and a thematic setting.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming system of  claim 22 , wherein said thematic setting includes at least one of a rock theme, a sports theme, a space theme, a wild west theme, an ocean theme, and a jungle theme.  
     
     
         24 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said sound preference includes a speaker settings preference.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming system of  claim 24 , wherein said speaker settings preference includes at least one of a surround setting, a stereo setting, a mono setting, and a headphones setting.  
     
     
         26 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said central processing unit is installed in said gaming terminal.  
     
     
         27 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said central processing unit is remotely installed.  
     
     
         28 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , further comprising a communication unit coupled to said central processing unit.  
     
     
         29 . The gaming system of  claim 28 , wherein said communication unit is coupled to a local-area network for communicating with a remote processing unit.  
     
     
         30 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said user input device is installed in said gaming terminal.  
     
     
         31 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein said user input device is remotely connected to said central processing unit via a local-area network.  
     
     
         32 . A method for operating a gaming terminal in response to a wager, comprising: 
 conducting a wagering game via a gaming terminal;    providing selectable choices having at least one sound preference, said at least one sound preference being a sound preference other than a master volume preference; and    outputting audio in accordance with said at least one sound preference.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein providing selectable choices comprises providing selectable choices for one or more sound preferences selected from a group consisting of a speaker settings preference, a system sounds preference, a sound field effect preference, and a sound tone preference.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 providing for said speaker settings preference a plurality of settings, including at least one of a surround setting, a stereo setting, a mono setting, and a headphones setting; and    executing one of said speaker settings.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 providing for said system sounds preference a plurality of settings, including at least one of a standard setting and a thematic setting; and    executing one of said system sounds settings.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 providing for said thematic setting a plurality of themes, including at least one of a rock theme, a sports theme, a space theme, a wild west theme, an ocean theme, a jungle theme, a personal music theme, and a licensed music theme; and    executing one of said themes.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 providing for said sound field effect preference a plurality of settings, including at least one of a small room setting, a stadium setting, an opera setting, and a concert hall setting; and    executing one of said sound field effect settings.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising changing said at least one sound preference via a local-area network.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising upgrading said at least one sound preference via a local-area network.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising limiting access to said at least one sound preference for different users.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising storing information related to said at least one sound preference on a casino card.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising connecting a personal music player to said gaming terminal.  
     
     
         43 . An electronic gaming machine providing a game in response to a wager, comprising: 
 a processor for randomly selecting one of a plurality of outcomes of said gaming machine in response to said wager;    an input system receiving sound-preference inputs from a player for controlling an audio output of said gaming machine, said sound-preference inputs being associated with audio characteristics of only selected frequencies within an audible frequency range of about 20 Hz to about 20 kHz, said sound-preference inputs being sound-preference inputs other than a master volume preference input; and    a sound processing system accepting sound preference information from said input system, said sound processing system altering said selected frequencies of said audio output in response to said input system receiving said sound-preference inputs.    
     
     
         44 . An electronic gaming system providing a game in response to a wager comprising: 
 a gaming terminal playing at least one electronic game in response to a wager;    a user input device allowing the choice of one or more sound preferences, said sound preferences selected from a group consisting of a sound field effect preference, a system sounds preference, a speaker settings preference, and a sound tone preference, each sound preference including at least one sound setting;    an audio data source providing audio data for incorporation into a first audio signal; and    a sound processing system receiving said first audio signal and modifying said first audio signal in response to a selection of said one or more sound preferences to produce a second audio signal.    
     
     
         45 . The electronic gaming system of  claim 44  wherein said audio data source comprises a memory at said gaming terminal.  
     
     
         46 . The electronic gaming system of  claim 44  wherein said audio data source comprises a remote host.  
     
     
         47 . The electronic gaming system of  claim 44  wherein said audio data source comprises a user first audio signal source provided by a user of said gaming system.