SLOT MACHINE AND CONTROL METHOD OF GAME

• US 20080064474A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,985,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3265 Influencing the position of stopped moving members to achieve a winning arrangement, e.g. nudging, shuffling, holding
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols; an image display device; and a controller, the controller programmed to execute the processing of: (A) executing a game in which the plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to the symbol display device after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof; (B) shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted; (C) counting the number of games played after shifting to the insurance mode, in the insurance mode; (D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in the processing (C) reaches a specific number; and (E) displaying an image showing that the current gaming state is the insurance mode, in the insurance mode.

Claims

1. A slot machine comprising:

a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols;

an image display device; and

a controller,

said controller programmed to execute the processing of;

(A) executing a game in which said plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to said symbol display device after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof;

(B) shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted;

(C) counting, in the insurance mode, the number of games played after shifting to the insurance mode;

(D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said processing (C) reaches a specific number; and

(E) displaying, in the insurance mode, an image showing that the current gaming state is the insurance mode.

2. The slot machine according to claim 1,

wherein

said controller is programmed to further execute the processing (F):

displaying, in the non-insurance mode, an image showing that the current gaming state is the non-insurance mode.

3. The slot machine according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein

said processing (E) includes

displaying an image showing the number of games left to be played until the number of games counted in said processing (C) reaches a specific number, as well as displaying an image showing that the current gaming state is the insurance mode, in the insurance mode.

4. The slot machine according to claim 3,

wherein

said symbol display device is a mechanical reel device provided with a plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols drawn on its peripheral face,

said image display device includes:

a first image display device which is provided at a front of said mechanical reel device and is capable of displaying a screen image in such a manner that a plurality of symbols displayed by said plurality of reels can be seen through said screen image; and

a second image display device provided above said first image display device, and

said processing (E) comprises displaying said image showing the number of games left to be played to said first image display device, as well as displaying said image showing that the current gaming state is the insurance mode to said second image display device.

5. A game control method comprising the steps of:

(A) executing a game in which a plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof;

(B) shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted;

(C) counting, in the insurance mode, the number of games played after shifting to the insurance mode;

(D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said step (C) reaches a specific number; and

(E) displaying, in the insurance mode, an image showing that the current gaming state is the insurance mode.