GAMING MACHINE

• US 20080119259A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Inventors: OKADA, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,025,563 B2
• 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 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

With regard to a slot machine, in a case that a predetermined amount of credits has been inserted, the game mode is switched from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode according to the player'"'"'s input operation via a touch panel. The number of games is counted in the insurance mode. When the counted number of games has reached a predetermined number, a predetermined amount of credits is paid out. In the insurance mode, determination of whether or not the game stage is to be switched to the bonus game stage is made based upon a value determined at random. When the game stage has been switched to the bonus game stage, the counted number of games is reset.

Claims

1. A slot machine comprising:

a display that displays an image;

a symbol display device that is capable of displaying a plurality of symbols;

an input device that allows a player to input an instruction; and

a controller programmed to execute the processes of;

(a) executing a game by, after a predetermined amount of credits has been bet, which is not more than a maximum bet amount determined beforehand, arranging the plurality of symbols via the symbol display device, and paying out a predetermined amount of credits according to the rearranged symbols;

(b) switching the game mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode according to the player'"'"'s input operation via the input device, when a predetermined amount of credits has been inserted;

(c) counting the number of games after the game mode has been switched to the insurance mode, when game mode is changed to the insurance mode;

(d) executing a payout of a predetermined amount of credits, when the counted number of games in the counting process (c) reaches a predetermined number;

(e) determining whether the game stage is to be switched to a bonus game stage, based upon a value determined at random; and

(f) resetting the number of games counted in the counting process (c), when the game stage has been switched to the bonus game stage.

2. A slot machine according to claim 1, wherein, in the resetting process (f), when the game stage has been switched to the bonus game stage, the insurance mode provided in the switching process (b) is reset.

3. A slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to execute the process:

(g) displaying an image indicating a mode selected from the insurance mode and the non-insurance mode on the display.

4. A slot machine according to claim 3, wherein a rendered image is displayed every time the number of games is counted in the displaying process (g), when the difference between the predetermined number and the counted number of games is not more than a predetermined number in the insurance mode.

5. A slot machine according to claim 4, wherein

the symbol display device is a mechanical reel device including a plurality of reels, each having an outer face bearing the plurality of symbols;

the display comprises a first display and a second display, the first display provided in front of the mechanical reel device and having a function of displaying a screen image while allowing a player to visually identify the plurality of symbols displayed on the plurality of reels, the second display provided above the first display; and

the first display displays the rendered image, and the second display displays an image that indicates that the current game state is in the insurance mode, in the displaying process (g).

6. A method for a slot machine comprising the steps of:

(a) executing a payout of a predetermined amount of credits according to a plurality of symbols rearranged, after a predetermined amount of credits has been bet, which is not more than a maximum bet amount determined beforehand, and the plurality of symbols are rearranged via a symbol display device that is capable of displaying a plurality of symbols;

(b) switching the game mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode according to the player'"'"'s input operation via an input device that allows a player to input an instruction, when a predetermined amount of credits has been inserted;

(c) counting the number of games after the game mode has been switched to the insurance mode, when the game mode is switched to the insurance mode;

(d) executing a payout of a predetermined amount of credits, when the number of games counted in the counting step (c) has reached a predetermined number;

(e) determining whether the game stage is to be switched to the bonus game stage, based upon a value determined at random; and

(f) resetting the number of games counted in the counting step (c), when the game stage has been switched to the bonus game stage.