Gaming machine, gaming inhibition method and program for executing the method

• US 20020142824A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Aida, Eiji, Kazaoka, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 7,210,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

In a gaming machine provided with operating members actuated by human, a game processor proceeds a game in accordance with the actuation of the operating members. An inhibition requirement determinant determines whether a predetermined inhibition requirement is satisfied while the game processor proceeds the game. A game inhibiter performs game inhibition processing for diverting an attention of the player toward something other than the game, when the inhibition requirement determinant determines that the inhibition requirement is satisfied.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

operating members actuated by human;

a game processor, which proceeds a game in accordance with the actuation of the operating members;

an inhibition requirement determinant, which determines whether a predetermined inhibition requirement is satisfied while the game processor proceeds the game;

a game inhibiter, which performs game inhibition processing for diverting an attention of the player toward something other than the game, when the inhibition requirement determinant determines that the inhibition requirement is satisfied.

2. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the game inhibition processing is performed while the game processor proceeds the game.

3. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a presentation provider, which is activated by the game inhibition processing to provide a presentation for diverting the player'"'"'s attention.

4. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a display device, which displays a gaming image showing the game proceeded by the game processor,

wherein the game inhibiter provides an inhibition image on the display device as the game inhibition processing.

5. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 4, further comprising an image information storage, which stores images to be displayed as the inhibition image.

6. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 4, further comprising an image information receiver, which receives an externally provided image to be displayed as the inhibition image.

7. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the game inhibiter provides an alarm as the game inhibition processing.

8. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 7, wherein the alarm includes a visual message.

9. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 7, wherein the alarm includes a sound.

10. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a phone number register, which registers a phone number assigned to a person who is other than the player,

wherein the game inhibiter establishes a connection to a telephone having the registered phone number as the game inhibition processing.

11. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the game inhibiter generates sounds replied from the telephone.

12. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 10, further comprising an time information register, which registers time information indicating a time at which the player abandon the game, the time information constituting the inhibition requirement.

13. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an address information register, which registers address information assigned to a person who is other than the player,

wherein the game inhibiter transmits information regarding a gaming condition of the player to a communication device associated with the address information, as the game inhibition processing.

14. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 13, further comprising an time information register, which registers time information indicating a time at which the player abandon the game, the time information constituting the inhibition requirement.

15. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an ID reader, which reads out ID information of the player from a portable recording medium possessed by the player,

wherein the game inhibiter prohibits the ID reader to read out the ID information as the game inhibition processing.

16. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a canceller, which cancels the game inhibition processing.

17. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a game number counter, which counts a number of game executed by the game processor from a predetermined time point,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the number counted by the game number counter reaches a predetermined number.

18. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a timer which measures a time period from a predetermined time point,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the time period measured by the timer reaches a predetermined time period.

19. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a gaming value accepter, which accepts a gaming value from a player; and

a gaming value counter, which counts an amount of gaming value accepted by the gaming value accepter, from a predetermined time point,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the amount of gaming value counted by the gaming value counter reaches a predetermined amount.

20. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a gaming value accepter, which accepts a gaming value from a player; and

a gaming value storage, which stores an amount of gaming value accepted by the gaming value accepter,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the stored amount of gaming value is consumed in the game.

21. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a payout provider, which provides a payout to the player, the payout being a gaming value corresponding to a result of the game,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when an amount of the payout at one unit of the game reaches a predetermined amount.

22. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the game includes a basic game and a special game activated by the game processor in accordance with a result of the basic game; and

the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the special game is finished.

23. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the inhibition requirement includes a plurality of sub-requirements; and

the game inhibiter performs the game inhibition processing when at least one of the sub-requirements is satisfied.

24. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 23, further comprising a resetter, which resets at least one of conditions associated with the respective sub-requirements when the at least one of the sub-requirements is satisfied.

25. The gaming machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inhibition requirement is determined in accordance with information which is externally input by the player.

27. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, wherein:

the game proceeding step includes a step of displaying a gaming image on a display device; and

the attention diverting step includes a step of displaying an inhibition image on the display device.

28. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

storing images in an image information storage; and

reading out an image to be displayed as the inhibition image from the image information storage.

29. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 27, further comprising the step of receiving an externally provided image to be displayed as the inhibition image.

30. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, wherein the attention diverting step includes the step of providing an alarm.

31. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the alarm includes a visual message.

32. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the alarm includes a sound.

33. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of registering a phone number assigned to a person who is other than the player,

wherein the attention diverting step includes the step of establishing a connection to a telephone having the registered phone number as the game inhibition processing.

34. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 33, wherein the attention diverting step includes the step of generating sounds replied from the telephone.

35. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 33, further comprising the step of registering time information indicating a time at which the player abandon the game, the time information constituting the inhibition requirement.

36. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of registering address information assigned to a person who is other than the player,

wherein the attention diverting step includes the step of transmitting information regarding a gaming condition of the player to a communication device associated with the address information.

37. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising the step of registering time information indicating a time at which the player abandon the game, the time information constituting the inhibition requirement.

38. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of reading out ID information of the player from a portable recording medium possessed by the player,

wherein the attention diverting step includes the step of prohibiting the ID reader to read out the ID information.

39. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of counting a number of game executed by the game processor from a predetermined time point,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the counted reaches a predetermined number.

40. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of measuring a time period from a predetermined time point,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the measured time period reaches a predetermined time period.

41. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

accepting a gaming value from a player; and

counting an amount of gaming value accepted by the gaming value accepter, from a predetermined time point,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the counted amount of gaming value reaches a predetermined amount.

42. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

accepting a gaming value from a player; and

storing the accepted amount of gaming value,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the stored amount of gaming value is consumed in the game.

43. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of providing a payout to the player, the payout being a gaming value corresponding to a result of the game,

wherein the inhibition requirement is satisfied when an amount of the payout at one unit of the game reaches a predetermined amount.

44. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, wherein:

the game proceeding step includes the steps of;

executing a basic game; and

activating a special game in accordance with a result of the basic game;

the inhibition requirement is satisfied when the special game is finished.

45. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, wherein:

the inhibition requirement includes a plurality of sub-requirements; and

the attention diverting step is performed when at least one of the sub-requirements is satisfied.

46. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 45, further comprising the step of resetting at least one of conditions associated with the respective sub-requirements, when the at least one of the sub-requirements is satisfied.

47. The game inhibition method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of determining the inhibition requirement in accordance with information which is externally input by the player.

26. A method of inhibiting a player to excessively play a game performed in a gaming machine, comprising the steps of:

proceeding the game on the gaming machine;

determining whether a predetermined inhibition requirement is satisfied while the game is proceeded; and

diverting an attention of the player toward something other than the game, when the inhibition requirement is satisfied.

48. A program for causing a computer to execute the game inhibition method as set forth in any one of claims 26-47.