SLOT MACHINE CAPABLE OF CHANGING GAME RULES

• US 20070225061A1
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Naobayashi, Hiroshi
• Application Number:
  US11/690,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225061A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A slot machine of the present invention selectively provides a game in normal and special modes. A winning judgment unit assigns winning combinations of symbols to various awards depending on the modes. During the normal mode, the awards comprise awards which change from the normal mode to the special mode, and awards which change the rules (the maximum number of rounds and the payouts) used in the special mode. The winning judgment unit checks whether or not a winning combination is included in a symbol arrangement determined randomly. A memory unit stores rule data used in the special mode. A rule managing unit updates the rule data stored in the memory unit in accordance with an award won in the normal mode. A controller unit conducts a game in each mode, changes the modes according to the award won in the normal mode, and uses the rule data in the special mode.

Claims

1. A slot machine configured to selectively provide a game in a normal mode and a special mode, comprising:

a reel unit configured to display a plurality of reels, each of the reels comprising a series of symbols arranged in a predetermined order;

a console unit configured to allow a player to enter bet data therein;

a bet processing unit configured to receive an amount of credits equal to an amount of a bet represented by the bet data when the console unit has accepted the bet data;

a start signal generator unit configured to generate a start signal after the bet processing unit has received the amount of credits;

a lottery unit configured to determine each symbol to be arranged on the reels in stopped positions by the reel unit in response to the start signal;

a reel control unit configured to cause the reel unit to start continuously changing symbols by rotation of the reels in response to the start signal, and after that, arrange the symbols that the lottery unit has determined on the reels in the stopped positions;

a winning judgment unit configured to

assign winning combinations of symbols to awards, the awards comprising an award that changes the game mode from the normal mode to the special mode, an award that changes the rules to be used in the special mode, and an award that allows a payout to be received while the game is conducted in the normal mode; and

check whether or not one of the winning combinations is included in the arrangement of the symbols that the lottery unit has determined;

a payout processing unit configured to provide a payout on the basis of the bet data and the winning combination that the winning judgment unit has found in the arrangement of the symbols;

a memory unit configured to store rule data used in the special mode;

a rule managing unit configured to update the rule data stored in the memory unit in accordance with the winning combination that the winning judgment unit has found in the arrangement of the symbols; and

a controller unit configured to selectively conduct a game in the normal and special modes, change from the normal mode to the special mode in accordance with the winning combination that the winning judgment unit has found in the arrangement of the symbols, and use the rule data stored in the memory unit in the special mode.

2. The slot machine according to claim 1, further comprising

a rule check unit configured to check whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied between the original rule data stored in the memory unit and new rule data updated in accordance with the winning combination that the winning judgment unit has found in the arrangement of the symbols;

and

wherein the rule managing unit is configured to replace the original rule data with the new rule data, when the rule check unit has judged that the predetermined condition is satisfied.

3. The slot machine according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition in which the new rule data is different from the original rule data.

4. The slot machine according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition in which the new rule data is advantageous to a player over the original rule data.

5. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the rule managing unit is configured to update the rule data stored in the memory unit, whenever the winning judgment unit has found the winning combination assigned to the award which changes the rules to be used in the special mode.

6. The slot machine according to claim 1, further comprising

a rule selecting unit configured to select one of the rule data stored in the memory unit by using a lottery process;

and

wherein the rule managing unit is configured to add new rule data to the rule data stored in the memory unit in accordance with the winning combination that the winning judgment unit has found in the arrangement of the symbols; and

the controller unit is configured to use the rule data selected by the rule selecting unit in the special mode.

7. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the rule data indicates the duration of the special mode.

8. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the rule data indicates the types of awards assigned to winning combinations by the winning judgment unit in the special mode.

9. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the rule data indicates the amounts of payouts assigned to winning combinations by the winning judgment unit in the special mode.