Slot machine with win/loss biasing means

• US 4,657,256 A
• Filed: 04/25/1986
• Issued: 04/14/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aruze Corp.
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/856,843
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 A, 273/143 R, 364/411, 364/412, 364/717
• US Class Current: 463/21
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A slot machine has a game number counter which cumulatively counts the number of games played. Whether the number of games counted by the game number counter reaches a predetermined number or not is detected by a comparator; and if both numbers coincide, a coincidence signal is output from the comparator. The slot machine has also a winning number counter which cumulatively counts the number of wins occurring during the period until the number of games reaches the predetermined number. At the time the coincidence signal is obtained, the number of wins cumulatively counted by the winning number counter is compared with a standard number of winnings. As a result of this comparison, if the number of wins in the winning number counter is larger than the standard number of wins, the following game is set to decrease the likelihood of a win; but in the contrary case, the same control is actuated for shifting a winning combination of symbols onto a winning line.

Claims

1. In a slot machine of the type in which the presence or absence of a win is determined for each game based upon the combination of symbols disposed on a winning line, the improvement comprising:

means for cumulatively storing the number of games played;

means for cumulatively storing the number of wins every time a game is played and a win occurs;

first comparison means for comparing said cumulatively stored number of games played to a pre-set number of games;

second comparison means, rendered operative by said first comparison means, for comparing said stored number of wins with a predetermined standard number of wins every time said first comparison means determines that the stored number of games equals said pre-set number of games; and

control means for altering the stopping positions of said symbols on said winning line in such a manner that when said comparison means detects that said stored number of wins is larger than said standard number of wins, said combination of symbols is biased away from a winning combination, and when said comparison means detects that said stored number of wins is smaller than said standard number of wins, said combination of symbols is biased toward a winning combination;

reset means for resetting to zero said game number storing means and said win number storing means each time said second comparison means compares said cumulatively stored number of wins with said predetermined standard number of wins.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said symbols are disposed on the peripheries of a plurality of reels driven in rotation by stepping motors.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls the stopping of said stepping motors.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means adjusts the number of drive pulses supplied to said stepping motors.