METHODS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING AUDIO/VIDEO PROGRAMMING TO INITIATE GAME PLAY AT A GAMING DEVICE

1 . A system comprising:

a gaming device;

a display adapted to present audio/video programming, wherein the display is proximate the gaming device;

a memory unit associated with the gaming device adapted to store the audio/visual programming; and

a controller adapted to:

present the audio/video programming on the display;

determine whether a game initiation trigger within the audio/video programming has occurred; and

initiate game play at the gaming device in response to the game initiation trigger.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the memory unit comprises an additional memory unit.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the memory unit is positioned remotely from the gaming device and the controller accesses the audio/video programming using a pointer.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the controller is operative to access a database to retrieve the pointer.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the memory unit comprises at least one of: a dvd, a cd-rom, a hard disk, a dedicated server, a set top box, a digital video recorder (DVR), or a web server.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the audio/video programming comprises at least one of: a television show, a movie, an animated show, and a live event.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the game initiation trigger comprises at least one of: a laugh track, a character speaking a line, a character using a prop, a character entering a scene, and a scene being displayed.

8 . A method comprising:

storing audio/video programming in a memory device, wherein the audio/video programming is associated with at least one game initiation trigger;

presenting the audio/video programming on a display associated with a gaming device;

initiating game play on the gaming device in response to an occurrence of the at least one game initiation trigger; and

providing a game outcome to a player of the gaming device.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein storing the audio/video programming comprises storing the audio/video programming in a memory device remotely positioned from the gaming device.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein storing the audio/video programming in the memory device comprises storing the audio/video programming via at least one of: a dvd, a cd-rom, a hard disk, a dedicated server, a set top box, a digital video recorder (DVR), or a web server.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein storing the audio/video programming comprises storing at least one of: a television show, a movie, an animated show, and a live event.

12 . The method of claim 8 further comprising associating the at least one game initiation trigger with the audio/video programming.

13 . The method of claim 8 wherein providing the game outcome to the player comprises providing a payout to the player.

14 . A method comprising:

receiving, at a server, an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to a player of a gaming device; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, transmitting an instruction to the gaming device to initiate game play at the gaming device.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising storing the audio/video programming at the server.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting the audio/video programming to the gaming device so that the gaming device may provide the audio/video programming to the player.

17 . The method of claim 14 further comprising detecting the occurrence of the game initiation trigger.

18 . The method of claim 14 further comprising monitoring for the occurrence of the game initiation trigger.

19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the game initiation trigger comprises a time code that identifies a time during the audio/video programming to initiate game play.

20 . The method of claim 14 wherein the game initiation trigger comprises an audio trigger that occurs during the audio/video programming.

21 . The method of claim 14 wherein the game initiation trigger comprises a visual trigger that occurs during the audio/video programming.

22 . The method of claim 14 wherein the game initiation trigger comprises a track change that occurs during the audio/video programming.

23 . A system comprising:

a gaming device comprising a user interface comprising a display adapted to present audio/video programming to players of the gaming device; and

a server communicatively coupled to the gaming device and comprising a control system adapted to:

receive an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to a player of the gaming device; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, transmit an instruction to the gaming device to initiate game play at the gaming device.

24 . A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions to:

receive, at a server, an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to a player of a gaming device; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, transmit an instruction to the gaming device to initiate game play at the gaming device.

25 . A method comprising:

providing from a server to a gaming device audio/video programming;

providing, on the gaming device, the audio/video programming;

receiving an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to a player of the gaming device; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, initiating game play at the gaming device.

26 . A method comprising:

operatively coupling a controller to a user interface for a gaming device;

creating audio/video programming with the controller;

providing, through the user interface, the audio/video programming to a player of the gaming device;

receiving an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to the player; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, initiating game play at the gaming device.

27 . The method of claim 26 wherein creating audio/video programming comprises creating animated audio/video programming.

28 . The method of claim 26 wherein creating audio/video programming comprises embedding the game initiation trigger into the audio/video programming.

29 . The method of claim 28 wherein embedding the game initiation trigger into the audio/video programming comprises embedding an audio trigger into the audio/video programming.

30 . The method of claim 28 wherein embedding the game initiation trigger into the audio/video programming comprises embedding a visual trigger into the audio/video programming.

31 . The method of claim 28 wherein embedding the game initiation trigger into the audio/video programming comprises embedding a track change operatively functioning as the game initiation trigger.

32 . The method of claim 28 wherein embedding the game initiation trigger into the audio/video programming comprises embedding a tag into the audio/video programming.

33 . A computer readable medium comprising software with instructions to:

operatively couple a controller to a user interface for a gaming device;

create audio/video programming with the controller;

provide, through the user interface, the audio/video programming to a player of the gaming device;

receive an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to the player; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, initiate game play at the gaming device.

34 . A system comprising:

a gaming device comprising a user interface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and adapted to:

create audio/video programming with the controller;

provide, through the user interface, the audio/video programming to a player of the gaming device;

receive an indication of an occurrence of a game initiation trigger associated with audio/video programming being provided to the player; and

in response to the occurrence of the game initiation trigger, initiate game play at the gaming device.