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 (S 11 ), 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 (S 12 ), 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 (S 13 ), 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 (S 14 ), 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.

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&#39;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 S 11 ) by which the management server investigates the operating condition of each gaming machine via the network; a calculation step (such as S 12 ), 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 S 13 ), 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×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 S 12  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 S 11  and which then sent a signal indicating that they are currently operating, by the total number of gaming machines.  
         [0041]     At S 13  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 S 14  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  (S 11 ), 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 S 11  (S 12 ), sends a command, via the network  3 , instructing that volume be adjusted to volume corresponding to the operating ratio as calculated (S 13 ), before each of the gaming machines  11 ,  12 , . . . , N adjusts the volume based on that command (S 14 ). 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.