SLOT MACHINE AND PLAYING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110269527A1
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technological Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Aruze Gaming America Incorporated (Aruze Gaming America, Inc. /Okada/)
• Inventors: OKADA, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,784,182 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 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A part of credits paid by the player is accumulated when a plurality of symbols are displayed by a scrolling display and then rearranged in a prescribed combination, and a stop switch is set active only in a case where a predetermined combination is determined. When a plurality of symbols are rearranged in a combination of jackpot symbols in relation to a timing of an input by a player, a payout of the accumulated credits is made. Consequently, the reels can be stopped by an operation of the player himself, and in a case where a combination of the stopped symbols is a combination associated with a payout, a payout can be received as a reward, so that the player'"'"'s interest to the game can be increased.

Claims

1. A slot machine, comprising:

a first display on which a symbol matrix formed by a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is to be arranged;

a stop switch that can be operated by a player; and

a controller operable to;

(a) execute an arrangement control in which a plurality of symbols arranged on the first display are displayed by a scrolling display and then rearranged into a new symbol matrix by selectively determining those symbols to be arranged into the symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols and stopping the scrolling display at determined symbols, and

(b) execute a control for setting the stop switch active and providing a game that can be played by a player without betting for a prescribed number of times only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined.

2. The slot machine of claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing a part or a whole of credits paid to the player accumulatively;

wherein the controller returns the credits stored in the memory to the slot machine itself when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

3. The slot machine of claim 1, wherein the controller supplies a part or a whole of credits paid to the player to a memory external to the slot machine, and receives the credits stored in the memory external to the slot machine when the credits reach a prescribed threshold and the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

4. The slot machine of claim 1, further comprising a second display on which at least one symbol is displayed by a scrolling display;

wherein the controller sets the stop switch active and executes a game for stopping a plurality of symbols arranged on the second display after the scrolling display only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined on the first display, and provides the game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times when specific symbols are stopped as the stop switch is operated in that game.

5. A slot machine, comprising:

a first display on which a symbol matrix formed by a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is to be arranged;

a stop switch that can be operated by a player;

a memory for storing a part or a whole of credits paid to the player accumulatively; and

a controller operable to;

(a) execute an arrangement control in which a plurality of symbols arranged on the first display are displayed by a scrolling display and then rearranged into a new symbol matrix by selectively determining those symbols to be arranged into the symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols and stopping the scrolling display at determined symbols,

(b) execute a control for setting the stop switch active and providing a game that can be played by a player without betting for a prescribed number of times only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined, and

(c) execute a control for returning the credits stored in the memory to the slot machine itself when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

6. The slot machine of claim 5, wherein the controller supplies apart or a whole of credits paid to the player to a memory external to the slot machine, and receives the credits stored in the memory external to the slot machine when the credits reach a prescribed threshold and the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

7. The slot machine of claim 5, further comprising a second display on which at least one symbol is displayed by a scrolling display;

wherein the controller sets the stop switch active and executes a game for stopping a plurality of symbols arranged on the second display after the scrolling display only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined on the first display, and provides the game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times when specific symbols are stopped as the stop switch is operated in that game.

8. A slot machine, comprising:

a first display on which a symbol matrix formed by a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is to be arranged;

a stop switch that can be operated by a player;

a memory for storing a part or a whole of credits paid to the player accumulatively;

a second display on which at least one symbol is displayed by a scrolling display; and

a controller operable to;

(a) execute an arrangement control in which a plurality of symbols arranged on the first display are displayed by a scrolling display and then rearranged into a new symbol matrix by selectively determining those symbols to be arranged into the symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols and stopping the scrolling display at determined symbols,

(b) execute a control for setting the stop switch active and executing a game for stopping a plurality of symbols arranged on the second display after the scrolling display only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined on the first display and providing a game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times when specific symbols are stopped as the stop switch is operated in that game, and

(c) execute a control for returning the credits stored in the memory to the slot machine itself when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

9. The slot machine of claim 8, wherein the controller supplies a part or a whole of credits paid to the player to a memory external to the slot machine, and receives the credits stored in the memory external to the slot machine when the credits reach a prescribed threshold and the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

10. A playing method of a slot machine, comprising the steps of:

(a) selectively determining those symbols to be arranged into a symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols and stopping a scrolling display at determined symbols by a controller, in order to display a plurality of symbols to be arranged in a symbol matrix by a scrolling display and then rearrange them into a new symbol matrix, on a first display on which a symbol matrix formed by a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is to be arranged; and

(b) setting a stop switch active such that it can be operated by a player and providing a game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined.

11. The playing method of a slot machine of claim 10, wherein the controller returns credits obtained by accumulating a part or a whole of credits to be paid to a player that are stored in a memory to the slot machine itself when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

12. The playing method of a slot machine of claim 10, wherein the controller supplies apart or a whole of credits paid to the player to a memory external to the slot machine, and receives the credits stored in the memory external to the slot machine if the credits reach a prescribed threshold when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

13. The playing method of a slot machine of claim 10, wherein the controller sets the stop switch active and executes a game for stopping symbols arranged on a second display for displaying at least one symbol by a scrolling display after the scrolling display only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined on the first display, and provides the game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times when specific symbols are stopped as the stop switch is operated in that game.

14. A playing method of a slot machine, comprising the steps of:

(a) selectively determining those symbols to be arranged into a symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols and stopping a scrolling display at determined symbols by a controller, in order to display a plurality of symbols to be arranged in a symbol matrix by a scrolling display and then rearrange them into a new symbol matrix, on a first display on which a symbol matrix formed by a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is to be arranged;

(b) setting a stop switch active such that it can be operated by a player and providing a game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined; and

(c) returning credits obtained by accumulating a part or a whole of credits to be paid to a player that are stored in a memory to the slot machine itself when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

15. The playing method of a slot machine of claim 14, wherein the controller supplies a part or a whole of credits paid to the player to a memory external to the slot machine, and receives the credits stored in the memory external to the slot machine if the credits reach a prescribed threshold when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

16. The playing method of a slot machine of claim 14, wherein the controller sets the stop switch active and executes a game for stopping symbols arranged on a second display for displaying at least one symbol by a scrolling display after the scrolling display only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined on the first display, and provides the game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times when specific symbols are stopped as the stop switch is operated in that game.

17. A playing method of a slot machine, comprising the steps of:

(a) selectively determining those symbols to be arranged into a symbol matrix from a plurality of types of symbols and stopping a scrolling display at determined symbols by a controller, in order to display a plurality of symbols to be arranged in a symbol matrix by a scrolling display and then rearrange them into a new symbol matrix, on a first display on which a symbol matrix formed by a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows is to be arranged;

(b) setting a stop switch active such that it can be operated by a player and executing a game for stopping a plurality of symbols arranged on a second display after a scrolling display only in a case where at least one predetermined symbol or a predetermined combination formed by one or more symbols among the plurality of symbols is determined;

(c) providing the game that can be played by the player without betting for a prescribed number of times when specific symbols are stopped as the stop switch is operated in that game; and

(d) returning credits obtained by accumulating a part or a whole of credits to be paid to a player that are stored in a memory to the slot machine itself when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.

18. The playing method of a slot machine of claim 17, wherein the controller supplies apart or a whole of credits paid to the player to a memory external to the slot machine, and receives the credits stored in the memory external to the slot machine if the credits reach a prescribed threshold when the symbols are stopped at a specific combination as the stop switch is operated in the game that can be played by the player without betting.