U.S. patent application number 11/430183 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-21 for volume control system, management server, and gaming machine and volume control method.
This patent application is currently assigned to ARUZE CORP.. Invention is credited to Akira Osawa.
Application Number | 20060287081 11/430183 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37500262 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060287081 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Osawa; Akira |
December 21, 2006 |
Volume control system, management server, and gaming machine and
volume control method
Abstract
A volume adjustment method for adjusting the volume of a
plurality of gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N connected to a
management server 2 via a network 3 includes an investigation step
(S11), by which the management server 2 investigates the operating
condition of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N via the
network 3; a calculation step (S12), by which the management server
2 calculates the operating ratio of all of the gaming machines 11,
12, . . . , N based on the results obtained at the investigation
step; a volume adjustment command transmission step (S13), by which
the management server sends to all of the gaming machines via the
network 3, a volume adjustment command instructing adjustment of
volume to the volume coordinated to the operating ratio; and a
volume adjustment step (S14), by which each of the gaming machines
11, 12, . . . , N that receives the volume adjustment command
adjusts their volume output in coordination to the operating
ratio.
Inventors: |
Osawa; Akira; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARENT FOX PLLC
1050 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 400
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
ARUZE CORP.
|
Family ID: |
37500262 |
Appl. No.: |
11/430183 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/35 ; 463/16;
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/323 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/035 ;
463/016; 463/042 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 10, 2005 |
JP |
P2005-136901 |
Claims
1. A volume adjustment system in which a management server is
connected to a plurality of gaming machines via a network the
management server comprising: investigating unit for investigating
an operating condition of each gaming machine; calculating unit for
calculating an operating ratio based on a result of an
investigation provided by the investigating unit; and transmission
unit for sending commands to each gaming machine providing
instructions that make a sound coming from each gaming machine
correspond to the operating ratio calculated by the calculating
unit; and each gaming machine comprising: sound output unit for
outputting sound; volume adjustment unit for adjusting a volume of
sound output from the sound output unit; and control unit for
operating the volume adjustment unit based on the commands from the
management server.
2. A management server capable of sending requests or commands to a
plurality of gaming machines and of receiving reports back from
each of the gaming machines, the management server comprising:
investigating unit for investigating an operating condition of each
of the gaming machines by sending a request for an operating
condition report to each of the gaming machines and receiving the
operating condition report showing whether or not the gaming
machine is operating from each of the gaming machines; calculating
unit for receiving an operating report from each of the
investigating unit and outputs a value as an operating ratio,
derived by dividing a total number of operating reports showing
that the gaming machine is operating by a total number of the
gaming machines; and transmission unit for receiving the operating
ratio from the calculating unit, and sending a command to each of
the gaming machines with an instruction to adjust a volume output
from the gaming machines such that that volume corresponds to the
operating ratio and the volume is determined from an operating
ratio/volume relationship stored in advance.
3. A gaming machine capable of receiving a command or request from
a management server and sending a report to the management server,
this gaming machine comprising: operating condition reporting unit
for sending a reply to the management server indicating whether or
not the gaming machine itself is operating once a request for an
operating condition report is received from the management server;
audio output unit for outputting sound; volume adjustment unit for
adjusting a volume of sound output from the audio output unit; and
control unit for controlling the volume adjustment unit in
compliance with a volume adjustment command once the volume
adjustment command has been received from the management
server.
4. A volume adjustment method for adjusting a volume of a plurality
of gaming machines connected via a network to a management server,
the method comprising the steps of: investigating an operating
condition of each gaming machine via the network; calculating an
operating ratio based on the results of the investigation conducted
at the investigating step; and adjusting a volume output from each
gaming machine, the volume corresponding to the operating
ratio.
5. The volume adjustment method according to claim 4, wherein the
gaming machines are divided into gaming machines of a first group
and gaming machines of a second group, the calculating step
involves calculation of an operating ratio of a first group and an
operating ratio of a second group, and the adjusting step involves
an adjustment of a first volume output from each of gaming machines
of the first group as the first volume corresponds to the operating
ratio of the gaming machines of the first group, and an adjustment
of a second volume output from each of gaming machines of the
second group as the second volume corresponds to the operating
ratio of the gaming machines of the second group.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from the Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-136901 filed
on May 10, 2005 in the Japanese Patent Office; the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a volume control system for
adjusting the volume of a plurality of gaming machines, a
management server and a gaming machine that can be used for this
kind of volume control system, and a volume control method for
adjusting the volume of a plurality of such gaming machines.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In conventional technology, a system for adjusting the
volume in a gaming machine is a game system including a host device
and a plurality of game devices in which screen brightness and
volume in the gaming machine is adjusted based on time (e.g.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2000-135377).
[0006] With such a gaming system as the host device detects the
current time and date and based on the time and date thus detected,
data for the playing of each game by the player at each game device
is forwarded to each game device in conformance with a
predetermined assignment.
[0007] The assignment of a game for a game device is changed in
coordination with the time zone, the date and the line of flow of
the player, further, games that are meant for adults are controlled
so as to only be played at night.
[0008] Further, this host device sets the screen brightness and
volume of the audio for a game for each game device, this volume
and brightness being changed in coordination with the time zone and
date.
[0009] That is to say, with this kind of game system a manager sets
scheduling data in advance that shows how this assignment should be
made for each time and each date. At the host computer the current
time and date is detected and the screen brightness and audio
volume of a game for each game device are changed based on the time
and date as detected and on the scheduling data.
[0010] With such a game system as this however, the volume of the
game sounds for each game device is adjusted in accordance with the
schedule preset by the manager regardless of the number of players
playing the game at the same time. Accordingly, if the number of
players playing a game at the same time increases, the total of the
volume from the game audio increases, leading to complaints from
players such as "the audio coming from game sounds around me was
too noisy, so I couldn't even hear the sounds coming out of the
game device I was playing", thereby reducing the enjoyment
experienced by players at each different game device.
[0011] The issues broached by this invention are accordingly, to
provide a volume adjustment system that can adjust the sound coming
from gaming machine in response to the condition of games occurring
on a plurality of gaming machines, to provide a management server
that can be applied for such a gaming system, a gaming machine and
a volume adjustment method that can be used to adjust the sound on
a plurality of these gaming machines.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] According to a first aspect, the present invention is a
volume adjustment system (e.g. volume adjustment system 1) in which
a management server (e.g. management server 2) is connected to a
plurality of gaming machines (e.g. gaming machines 11-30) via a
network (e.g. network 3), wherein the management server provides
investigating unit (e.g. investigating unit 21) for investigating
the operating condition of each gaming machine, calculating unit
(e.g. calculating unit 26) for calculating the operating ratio
based on the results of the investigation provided by the
investigating unit, and transmission unit (e.g. transmission unit
31) for sending commands to each gaming machine providing
instructions that make the sound coming from each gaming machine
conform to the operating ratio calculated by the calculating unit,
and each gaming machine provides sound output unit (e.g. sound
amp/speakers 46) for outputting sound, volume adjustment unit (e.g.
sound circuit 44) for adjusting the volume of sound output from the
sound output unit and control unit (e.g. CPU 41) for operating the
volume adjustment unit based on the commands from the management
server.
[0013] In this application, "are connected" unit not only a wired
connection but includes also a wireless connection and "operating
condition" unit both operating and not operating, where for example
a video game or demo performance is operating if it is being run
and is determined as not operating if it is not being run.
[0014] According to a second aspect, the present invention is a
management server capable of sending requests or commands to a
plurality of gaming machines and of receiving reports back from
each of the gaming machines, this management server providing
investigating unit that investigates the operating condition of
each of the gaming machines by sending a request for an operating
condition report to each of the gaming machines and receiving an
operating report showing that the gaming machine is operating from
each of the gaming machines; calculating unit that receives an
operating report from the investigating unit and outputs a value as
the operating ratio, derived by dividing the total number of
operating reports by the total number of the gaming machines; and
transmission unit that receives the operating ratio from the
calculating unit, determines the volume in relation to the
operating ratio from the operating ratio/volume relationship stored
in advance and sends a command to each of the gaming machines with
an instruction to adjust the volume output from the gaming machines
such that that volume corresponds to the operating ratio.
[0015] According to a third aspect, the present invention is a
gaming machine capable of receiving a command or request from a
management server and sending a report to the management server,
this gaming machine providing audio output unit for outputting
sound; volume adjustment unit for adjusting the volume of sound
output from the audio output unit; and control unit for sending a
reply to the management server indicating whether or not the gaming
machine itself is operating once a request for an operating
condition report is received from the management server and
controlling the volume adjustment unit in compliance with the
volume adjustment command once a volume adjustment command has been
received from the management server.
[0016] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention is a
volume adjustment method for adjusting the volume of a plurality of
gaming machines connected via a network to a management server,
this method comprising an investigation step (such as S11) by which
the management server investigates the operating condition of each
gaming machine via the network; a calculation step (such as S12),
by which the management server calculates the operating ratio as it
applies to all the gaming machines, based on the results of the
investigation conducted at the investigation step; a volume
adjustment command transmission step (such as S13), by which the
management server sends to all of the gaming machines a volume
adjustment command instructing adjustment of volume to the volume
coordinated to the operating ratio; and a volume adjustment step by
which each gaming machine that receives the volume adjustment
command adjusts the volume output in coordination to the operating
ratio.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the flow occurring in the
volume adjustment process for an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 shows the relationship between operating ratio and
volume for the embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a block diagram providing an outline of the volume
adjustment system for the embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration
of a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration
of the management server according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0022] FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing providing an example of the
adjustment of volume for each of the gaming machines, considering
also the arrangement of the gaming machines, according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The embodiments of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a block diagram
providing an outline of the volume adjustment system according to
an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, in the
volume adjustment system 1 according to this embodiment a first
gaming machine 11, a second gaming machine 12, . . . , and N gaming
machine N are connected to a management server 2 via a local area
network 3. In this way, the management server 2 and each of the
gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , and N are able to communicate.
[0024] For each of these gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , and N it
is a condition for the commencement of a game that a coin be
inserted. Each of these gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , and N can
play videogames such as slot machine games, poker, blackjack,
roulette or the like. The internal configuration of the first
gaming machine 11 will now be described. The second gaming machine
12, . . . , and n gaming machine N have the same internal
configuration as this first gaming machine 11.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration
of the first gaming machine 11. As shown in FIG. 4, a control part
40 is provided in the first gaming machine 11. In this control part
40, read only memory (ROM) 42, random access memory (RAM) 43,
interface circuit (I/F) 48, sound circuit 44 and graphic display
circuit 45 are connected to a central processing unit (CPU) 41.
[0026] The ROM 42 stores control programs for each kind of
videogame, performance screen/performance sound data, rule
explanation documents and also, other control programs. An
operating part 49, inserted-coin sensor 50 and communication
circuit 51 are connected to the CPU 41 via the I/F 48. The
communication circuit 51 is connected to a network 3. The CPU 41
maintains the required work area in the RAM 43 when a control
program stored in the ROM 42 is run, and executes each kind of
videogame based on the control signals from the control part 49,
the inserted-coin sensor 50 and the communication circuit 51.
[0027] Further, the CPU 41 controls sound amp/speakers 46 via a
sound circuit 44, and can output performance sound for each kind of
videogame from the sound amp/speakers 46. The volume of sound
output from the sound amp/speakers 46 can be adjusted by control
instructions from the sound circuit 44. Further, the CPU 41
controls a display device 47 via a graphic display circuit 45 and
can output performance screens of each kind of videogame on the
display device 47.
[0028] Moreover, the CPU 41 is connected to the network 3 via the
communication circuit 51 connected to the I/F 48. As shown in FIG.
3, the management server 2 is connected to the network 3.
Accordingly, the CPU 41 of FIG. 4 can communicate with the
management server 2 of FIG. 3 via the communication circuit 51 and
the network 3.
[0029] Each kind of table and control program corresponding to
instructions of the management server 2, these being related to the
volume adjustment method described subsequently, are stored in the
ROM 42. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal
configuration of the management server according to an embodiment
of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the management server
2 provides investigating unit 21, calculating unit 26 and volume
adjustment command transmission unit 31. The investigating unit 21,
the calculating unit 26 and the volume adjustment command
transmission unit 31 are connected via a bus 38.
[0030] The investigating unit 21 includes an operating condition
report request part 22 that requests a report on the operating
condition of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N and an
operating condition determining part 23 that determines the
operating condition of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . ,
N based on the content of the report sent from those gaming
machines. The operating condition report request part 22 sends the
operating condition report request to each of the gaming machines
11, 12, . . . , N a via a communication circuit 36 and the network
3.
[0031] The calculating unit 26 has a calculation operation storage
part 27 storing in advance the formula for calculating operating
ratio, and a calculation execution part 28 that reads this
calculation operation out, and performs the calculation using the
calculation operation thus read. The following calculation formula
is stored in the calculation operation storage part 27: operating
ratio=(number of gaming machines determined as currently
operating)/total number of gaming machines.times.100
[0032] The volume adjustment command transmission unit 31 has an
operating ratio/volume relationship storage part 32, that stores a
relationship of correspondence between operating ratio and volume
in advance and a volume read part 33 that reads the volume
corresponding to the operating ratio from that operating
ratio/volume relationship. This volume read part 33 sends to each
of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N via the communication
circuit 36 and the network 3, a command for the performance of a
volume adjustment such that the volume output from each of the
gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is adjusted to become the volume
corresponding to the operating ratio.
[0033] The volume adjustment method performed by the volume
adjustment system 1 according to this embodiment will now be
described. According to this volume adjustment method the volume
from each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is adjusted in
response to commands from the management server 2.
[0034] FIG. 2 shows the relationship between operating ratio and
volume for this embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows
what is stored in the management server 2. According to this volume
adjustment system 1 of this embodiment, the operating ratio of each
of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is obtained, the volume
having a one-to-one correspondence to the operating ratio thus
obtained is read from the relationship diagram shown in FIG. 2 and
the volume of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is
adjusted to that read volume.
[0035] In the relationship diagram shown in FIG. 2, volume from
each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is divided into
different levels with 10 being the maximum level and 0 the minimum
level (no sound) of volume. FIG. 2 illustrates that when the
operating ratio is 0%, being the ratio when none of the gaming
machines 11, 12, . . . , N is operating, the corresponding volume
level is 7, while when the operating ratio is 100%, being the ratio
when all of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N are operating,
the corresponding volume level is 4.
[0036] In FIG. 2 a straight line joins the volume level 7
corresponding to the operating ratio 0% and the volume level 4
corresponding to the operating ratio 100%, and the volume
representing the one-to-one correspondence to the operating ratio
is obtained from the straight line.
[0037] The relationship diagram shown in FIG. 2 provides a single
example, but the volume corresponding to an operating ratio can be
obtained from other relationships.
[0038] For example the relationship of the levels may be such that
when the operating ratio is above 0% and not more than 25%, the
volume is 7, when the operating ratio is not less than 25% and not
more than 50% the volume is 6, when the operating ratio is not less
than 50% and not more than 75% the volume is 5 and when the
operating ratio is not less than 75% up to 100% the volume is
4.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the flow occurring in the
volume adjustment process. As shown in FIG. 1, firstly, at step 11
(hereinafter "step" been shortened to "S"), the management server 2
ascertains the operating condition of each of the gaming machines
11, 12, . . . , N. Basically, a request for transmission of a
signal showing the operating condition is sent via the network 3 to
each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N. Each of the gaming
machines 11, 12, . . . , N then sends a signal indicating the fact
that they are currently operating only when a game is presently
being performed on that machine, to the management server 2, while
at other times, a machine sends to the management server 2 a signal
indicating that it is not operating. Even when the game is not
being played, for example, when a demo performance is underway
outputting certain sound effects, the signal indicating that the
machine is currently operating is sent to the management server
2.
[0040] At S12 the management server 2 calculates the operating
ratio. Basically, this unit obtaining the operating ratio in a
percentage unit by multiplying by 100 the quotient obtained by
dividing the total number of machines among each of the gaming
machines 11, 12, . . . , N to which a signal was sent at S11 and
which then sent a signal indicating that they are currently
operating, by the total number of gaming machines.
[0041] At S13 a volume adjustment command is sent from the
management server 2 to each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . ,
N. This volume adjustment command instructs that the volume from
each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N must be the volume
corresponding to the operating ratio.
[0042] At S14 each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N adjusts
the volume output from itself to become the volume corresponding to
the operating ratio. The gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N receive
the volume adjustment command from the management server 2 via the
network 3 and then the CPU 41 controls the sound circuit 44 such
that the volume (that is to say the volume corresponding to the
operating ratio) included in the volume adjustment command is the
volume output from the sound amp/speakers 46.
[0043] As described in detail above, with this volume adjustment
system 1, when the volume adjustment process shown in FIG. 1 is
run, the management server 2 ascertains the operating condition of
each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N via the network 3
(S11), the management server 2 then calculates the operating ratio
of all of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N based on the result
of that investigation at S11 (S12), sends a command, via the
network 3, instructing that volume be adjusted to volume
corresponding to the operating ratio as calculated (S13), before
each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N adjusts the volume
based on that command (S14). In this way, the volume of all of the
gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N connected to the management
server 2 via the network 3, is adjusted.
[0044] Based on the result of the investigation into the operating
condition of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N, the
management server 2 obtains the volume corresponding to the
operating ratio from the relationship diagram of FIG. 2, and the
volume of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is adjusted
to agree with that level of volume so obtained by the management
server 2, thus the volume adjustment at each of the gaming machines
11, 12, . . . , N can be adapted to suit the circumstances in
response to the conditions from each of those gaming machines.
[0045] In this way, if the operating ratio becomes high, the volume
output from each of the gaming machines can be lowered such that
even when the majority of the gaming machines are operating, a
situation in which the sound being output from surrounding gaming
machines becomes noisy making it difficult to hear the sound being
output from a particular gaming machine is able to be avoided.
[0046] Note that the present invention is not intended to be
limited by the above description of an embodiment. Various other
modifications will be apparent to and can be readily made by those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of
this invention.
[0047] For example, in the volume adjustment system 1 of this
embodiment the operating ratio of each of the gaming machines 11,
12, . . . , N is obtained, then the volume representing the
one-to-one correspondence of the operating ratio so obtained is
requested using the relational diagram of FIG. 2, and the volume of
each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is adjusted uniformly
to the required volume level. If, in the light of the arrangement
of each of the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N within a game hall
however, this point is changed such that that the volume of each of
the gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N is individually adjusted to a
level appropriate to the respective machines, it is possible to
improve the audio environment within the game hall by matching the
environment to the respective operating conditions of each of the
gaming machines 11, 12, . . . , N.
[0048] FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing providing an example of the
adjustment of volume for each of the gaming machines, considering
also the arrangement of the gaming machines. As shown in the
example of FIG. 6, the first gaming machine 11, second gaming
machine 12, third gaming machine 13, and fourth gaming machine 14
(hereinafter "first gaming machine group") are arranged in mutual
proximity, while the fifth gaming machine 15, sixth gaming machine
16, seventh gaming machine 17 and eighth gaming machine 18
(hereinafter "second gaming machine group") are also arranged in
mutual proximity. However, the first gaming machine group and the
second gaming machine group are not arranged in proximity to each
other. In this case, it is not the operating ratio of all the
gaming machines but the operating ratio of the gaming machines of
the respective groups that provides the basis for the determination
of the volume of the gaming machines of each group. For example,
when all of the gaming machines 11 through 14 of the first group
are operating but none of the gaming machines of the second group
are operating, that is to say, when the operating ratio of the
gaming machines of the first group is 100% but the operating ratio
of all of the gaming machines is 50%, then volume 4 corresponding
to the operating ratio 100% from the relationship diagram of FIG. 2
is read, and a command is sent instructing that the volume of the
first gaming machine group be adjusted to 4.
* * * * *