Game machine informing small hit prize

Details Game machine informing small hit prize Game machine informing small hit prize

1999-09-14

2001-11-13

Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)

Amusement devices: games

Surface projectile game; game element

Ball games

C463S020000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06315289

ABSTRACT:

This patent application claims priority based on the Japanese patent application, H10-260071 filed on Sep. 14, 1998 the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game machine in which prize mode is determined by random number lottery and a small hit prize is caused.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been, for example, a slot machine as a game machine of this kind. In a general slot machine, as shown by
FIG. 1A
, three reels
3
,
4
and
5
are installed in parallel on a rear side of a front panel
2
. Various patterns are illustrated on outer peripheries of the respective reels
3
through
5
, and the patterns are illuminated from behind by built-in light sources (back lights), not illustrated, installed at the respective reels and are observed via respective windows
6
,
7
and
8
formed at the front panel
2
. Five prize lines are described in the windows and the slot machine game is carried out in accordance with whether a combination of predetermined patterns is set on any of the prize lines.
The game is started when a player puts a coin into a slot and when the coin is put into the slot, as shown by
FIG. 1A
, all of the back lights are lighted. When a coin of the player has not been put thereinto by the player for a constant time period after finishing the game, or the like, all of the back lights are extinguished as shown by FIG.
1
B. The respective reels
3
through
5
are rotated in accordance with operation of a start lever by the player and the respective windows
6
through
8
are displayed with the patterns which move to rotate in directions of columns thereof. When the respective reels
3
through
5
reach a constant speed, operation of respective stop buttons installed in correspondence with the respective reels
3
through
5
becomes effective.
The player operates the respective stop buttons while observing the moving patterns and stops rotation of the respective reels
3
through
5
to thereby stop and display desired patterns on any of the prize lines. The respective reels
3
through
5
stop rotating in accordance with operational timings of the respective stop buttons. When a predetermined combination of patterns is displayed on any of the prize lines in stopping them, a prize in accordance with the combination of patterns is obtained.
There are a big hit prize, a medium hit prize, a small hit prize and so on in prize modes and the big hit prize or the medium hit prize is caused when three of patterns “7” or patterns of a predetermined character are set on the prize line. A special game of big bonus game (BB game) in the case of the big hit prize or regular bonus game (RB game) in the case of the medium hit prize is carried out and a large amount of coins can be acquired. Further, the small hit prize is caused when three of patterns of, for example, “cherry” or “bell” are aligned on the prize line and several coins can be acquired in the small hit prize.
FIG. 1C
shows a case in which patterns “bell” are aligned on a central prize line and in this case, back lights are caused to blink.
Such prize modes are determined by a lottery of random numbers which is carried out immediately after operating the start lever and has already been determined before the respective reels are operated to stop by the player. The lottery of random numbers is executed by prize mode determining means constituted inside the game machine. When the big hit prize is determined by the lottery of random numbers, a lamp installed at the front panel of the machine is lighted and the player is informed of the fact that the big hit prize is caused by the inner lottery of the machine. Thereafter, rotation of the respective reels is controlled to stop in accordance with the operation of the stop buttons by the player and the prize is caused when a combination of patterns of the prize determined by the lottery of random numbers is stopped and displayed on the prize line.
However, according to the conventional game machine, although the player is informed of the fact that a big hit prize is caused by the inner lottery, the player is not informed on the fact that a small hit prize is caused by the inner lottery. There fore, the player does not know that the small hit prize has been determined by random number lottery inside the machine until patterns are actually stopped and displayed at the respective windows. Therefore, when a small hit prize is determined by the inner lottery, the player cannot know in advance the result of the inner lottery and accordingly, when the player initially operates to stop rotation of the reel, the player cannot know which patterns may be aligned on the prize line.
Further, according to the above-described conventional game machine, the player is informed of a result of the inner lottery in which a big hit prize is caused by simply lighting the lamp and accordingly, there is no interest created in the game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been carried out in order to address such a problem and is characterized in that in a game machine having prize mode determining means for determining a prize mode of a game by a random number lottery, the game machine comprises informing means for informing a player that a small hit prize is determined by the prize mode determining means.
According to the invention, the player can know in advance that the small hit prize is caused by the inner lottery and can easily carry out the stopping operation.
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the player is also informed of the kind of the small hit prize. For example, the kind of the small hit prize is informed to the player by emitting a plurality of kinds of sound.
According to the invention, the player can previously know the kind of the small hit prize and can carry out the button stopping operation easily.
Further, the present invention is characterized in that when the small hit prize is determined by the prize mode determining means, the informing means announces the small hit prize to the player with a predetermined probability. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the small hit prize is announced to the player with the predetermined probability even when a prize mode other than the small hit prize is determined by the prize mode determining means.
According to the invention, there is a case in which the small hit prize mode is informed to the player and there is a case in which the small hit prize mode is not informed to the player. Further, the small hit prize mode is informed with the predetermined probability even when the prize mode other than the small hit prize is determined by the prize mode determining means. Therefore, information of the small hit prize mode is expected by the player and when the result of the inner lottery is announced, pleasure of the player is enhanced and enjoyment of the game is promoted.
That is, according to the invention, the player can know in advance that a small hit prize is caused by the inner lottery by the informing sound emitted by the informing means or lighting the reel back lamps which the informing means controls to light and therefore, the player can easily carry out the button stopping operation. Further, by constructing the constitution in which the informing means also informs the kind of the small hit prize to the player, the button stopping operation can further easily be carried out by the player. Further, when the small hit prize is announced in advance, a player can enjoy the game by hearing the informing sound or looking at a display mode of lamp, and enjoyment of the game is enhanced. Further, by constructing the constitution in which the player is informed at the predetermined probability, when the player is informed of a prize, pleasure of the player is enhanced and enjoyment of the game is further promoted.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4618150 (1986-10-01), Kimura
patent: 4624459 (1986-11-01), Kaufman
patent: 5024439 (1991-06-01), O

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