Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-19
2001-08-07
Martin-Wallace, Valencia (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C273S14300R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270408
ABSTRACT:
This patent application claims priority based on the Japanese patent application, H09-334984, filed on Nov. 19, 1997 and H10-251528, filed on Sep. 4, 1998 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game machine having a function of informing a prize mode determined by random number lottery to a player.
2. Description of 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 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 predetermined time period after finishing the game, or the like, all of the back lights are put off 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 “cherry” or “bell” or the like 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 winked.
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 at inside of the game machine. When the big hit prize is determined by the lottery of random numbers, a display such as a notifying 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 are controlled to stop in accordance with operation of stopping the 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 above-described game machine, although the player is informed of the fact that the prize of the big hit is caused by the lottery at inside of the machine, this is informed by simply lighting the notifying lamp which is devoid of interest in game.
Further, according to the above-described conventional game machine, the player is informed of the fact that a situation of causing a big hit prize is brought about by the inner lottery by displaying a predetermined combination of patterns which is referred to as “reach spot” (hit anticipating state in mahjong game) in stopping to rotate the respective reels. However, only a skilled player accustomed to the game can read that the combination of patterns in stopping the reels constitutes the “reach spot” which is one of methods of informing establishment of big hit and a beginner of the game is difficult to read the “reach spot” from output display of the reels.
Further, according to the above-described conventional game machine, when a big hit prize is caused by the inner lottery, as mentioned above, the notifying lamp is immediately lighted and a result of the inner lottery is informed to the player. Therefore, according to the conventional game machine, a result of the inner lottery for causing the big hit prize is mechanically informed to the player as it is and the player cannot enjoy pleasure of searching the result of the inner lottery as in, for example, searching for the “reach spot”.
Further, what is informed is only the case in which the big hit prize is caused by the inner lottery and information conveyed to the player is limited. Therefore, the result of the inner lottery which has been determined by the lottery of random numbers at inside of the machine is not known until the patterns are actually stopped and displayed at the respective windows with regard to prize modes other than the big hit prize. Accordingly, the player cannot previously grasp the result of the inner lottery and therefore, what patterns are to be aligned on the prize line cannot be known to the player at all when rotation of the reels are operated to stop initially.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been carried out in order to resolve such problems and according an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game machine comprising a variable display device for variably displaying various patterns in a plurality of columns, prize mode determining means for determining a prize mode of game by sampling a random number, and stopping means for stopping variable display of the variable display device at each of the respective columns, further comprising informing means informing to a player informing information in correspondence with the prize mode determined by the prize mode determining means at a predetermined probability based on an output of a request for stopping the variable display from the stopping means to the variable display device.
According to the constitution, for example, based on an output of the request for stopping at least in respect of one column of the variable display, or in connection with stopping the variable display at each of the respective columns, the informing information in accordance with a mode of prize determined by the inner lottery is informed to the player. For example, based on respective operation of the respective stop button, or based on an automatic output of the request for stopping the variable display, the respective light source for illuminating the respective rotating reel is controlled to light by a mode which differs in accordance with a kind of the mode of prize by which the mode of prize is informed to the player.
Accordingly, the mode of prize becomes clear when respectives of the variable display of a plurality of the columns are stopped. That is, not only the variable display of the variable display device is stopped by operating the respective stop buttons or the like but also the mode of prize determined by th
Sakamoto Yoshikazu
Yoshida Hiroshi
Aruze Corporation
Kasick Julie
Martin-Wallace Valencia
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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