Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – In a chance application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-29
2003-09-16
O'Neill, Michael (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
In a chance application
C273S14300R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06620044
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gaming machines, and more particularly to gaming machines such as slot machines or the like that have a variable display for displaying image information representative of a plurality of symbols necessary for a game and a controller such as a microcomputer for controlling the variation action of the variable display.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gaming machine such as a slot machine usually has a mechanical variable display formed of rotatable display elements that are provided with a plurality of symbols disposed on peripheral surfaces thereof. The symbols are visible through a display window at the front of the slot machine. Alternatively, an electrical variable display is formed of indicating elements with symbols on a display screen. In response to a “start” operation by a player, a controller drives the variable display to start the rotation of each rotatable display element and to stop the rotation of each rotatable display element in a determined sequence automatically after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, or in response to initiation of a “stop” operation by the player. When the rotation of all of the rotatable display elements has ceased, there is shown a specific combination of symbols (winning pattern) in the display window. The player is then given an award by paying out gaming medium such as coins. In a recent popular model of a gaming machine, a “win” corresponding to a predetermined plurality of winning symbols being completely positioned on the effective line of the display when rotation of the rotatable display elements ceases occurs only when a win has been established by a system internal to the gaming machine. In a practical machine, this happens when a sampling operation of a random number issued by a microcomputer has been determined to constitute a win.
The reason why such gaming machines have become popular is that if the particular symbols that appear on the display when the rotatable display elements are stopped were to depend completely on the stop operation, or timing, of the player, the end result (i.e., win or loss) of the game would be responsive to the skill of the player. Consequently, only the relative abilities of the players would be emphasized, and the wholesomeness of the game would be compromised. A further reason for the popularity of such machines is that their designers have solved a number of problems related to management of the pay out rate of the coins for amusement shops.
In such known gaming machines, a microcomputer decides which symbols are to be displayed when the display variation ceases, and controls the stopping of the variation action to display the predetermined symbols. It is often difficult for the player to wait for symbols to be displayed when the variation in the display stops, and until such time, the player merely waits to obtain the result. There is a need, therefore, for a gaming machine that overcomes the known problems relating to obtaining the winning indication from the display.
In one effort at alleviating these problems, for example, there is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 8-206328 a gaming machine that is provided with a game indication device that operates in response to the occurrence of a predetermined winning condition. When a winning condition occurs on this game indication device, the gaming machine is itself caused to assume a winning condition. With such gaming machine, the player can enjoy a “big hit” for a period of time while the “big hit” condition is completed. Moreover, the probability of occurrence of a hit is increased. This known arrangement, however, is operated for the duration of the winning condition of the gaming machine. This means that the game indication device does not work till a result of the game performed by the gaming machine itself is obtained. Therefore, the gaming machine is not different from the conventional gaming machine in that the player must wait over a period from beginning of the game to the time when the result of the game is obtained.
Further, there is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 8-10385 slot machine that is provided with a second display unit in addition to the main variable display for displaying a plurality of symbols. In this slot machine, a game in the second display unit is performed in determined time (service time) when a game can be performed without coin insertion by interrupt control. Also, the game of the second display unit is performed during the service time and occurs after the completion of the usual game. This means that the second display does not operate when the main display for performing the original game of slot machine is working.
Therefore, this further known gaming machine does not solve the problems discussed above with respect to certain conventional gaming machines in that the player has to wait from beginning of the game to the time when the result of the game is obtained. Thus, in conventional gaming machines, if a further display device is provided in addition to the variable display, the player merely watches signals varying on the variable display over the duration of the main game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a gaming machine that prevents a player from becoming bored due to the monotonous action of the variable display while waiting for the result of the game on a variable display. This is achieved by presenting indications on a separate display during the period of the game that is being performed on the variable display in the form of image information that is representative of a plurality of symbols necessary for the playing of the game. The separate display is disposed so as to be easily viewed by a player who desires to pay attention to the variable display.
In accordance with the invention, a gaming machine is provided with a variable display for displaying principal graphical information corresponding to at least one of a plurality of principal graphical elements; each principal graphical element having a predetermined significance in a principal game of the gaming machine; a secondary display for displaying secondary graphical information having a display portion positioned below the display portion of the variable display; and a controller for producing a first control signal that controls the variable display to display the principal graphical information as a sequential progression of the principal graphical elements, and a second control signal to control the secondary display to display the secondary graphical information corresponding to a result of the principal game.
The controller controls variation action of the variable display during the gaming period. The result of the game, that is, the indication of “win” or “loss,” appears depending upon the particular symbols that are shown when the variation action has stopped. The variable display is controlled by the controller to determine the symbols that are to be shown when the variation of symbols in the variable display is stopped in response to the game result, and also to stop the variation so as to show the determined symbols to the player. An image that is determined by the controller is displayed on the secondary display, which may be different from the variable display. Consequently, a player, by viewing the secondary display, can predict or expect a result of the game during the variation of symbols, i.e., before the variable display is stopped.
The image that is determined in response to the control of the variable display may include indication of control states corresponding to a type of game result (such as win or loss, kinds of wins, etc.) determined by the controller. In addition, the determined image may include a game display that is necessary for performing individual or separate games from that being played on the variable display. Such a determination of the images is performed by the controller. In embodiments where the secondar
Aruze Corporation
Brocketti Julie
O'Neill Michael
Rohm & Monsanto, PLC
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