Slot machine

• US 5,127,651 A
• Filed: 02/11/1991
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US07/653,423
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143 R, 273/138 A
• US Class Current: 273/143.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

In a slot machine, pay-out data about previous games that represent the relationship between a total number of inserted coins and a total number of paid coins, are stored and displayed. There is further provided a game simulation device which simulates the games that are intended to occur thereafter. The simulated games are repeated at a high speed with neither coin insertion nor coin payment, during which time the reels are not rotated. Hypothetical coin pay-out data are formed based on a total number of coins assumed to be paid out for the simulated games on the assumption that a predetermined number of coins were inserted for each simulated game. Also, the hypothetical coin pay-out data on subsequent games are displayed on request.

Claims

1. A coin-operated slot machine wherein a random number is sampled for a game to decide, depending on the sampled random number, whether the game is to be a hit game or a lost game, and a stopped position of symbol reels is controlled corresponding to the decision, wherein a predetermined number of coins are paid out for a hit game, and no coin is paid out for a lost game, said slot machine comprising:

means for simulating subsequent games wherein no coin is inserted into the machine;

means for storing data about said simulated games; and

means for displaying said data about said simulated games,

said means for simulating subsequent games comprising means for sampling a random number, winning decision means for deciding the kind of win depending on the sampled random number, means for starting simulated games, and means for repeatedly actuating said random number sampling means and said winning decision means while maintaining reels of the machine immobile on the assumption that a predetermined number of coins were inserted for each simulated game.

2. A slot machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said data about said simulated games is hypothetical coin pay-out data on said simulated games, said hypothetical coin pay-out data representing the relationship between a total number of coins assumed to be inserted and a total number of coins assumed to be paid out during said simulated games.

3. A slot machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for storing data on said simulated games comprises a first hypothetical coin counter counting the number of coins assumed to be inserted for each simulated game, a second hypothetical coin counter for totaling the number of coins decided to be paid out by said winning decision means during said simulated games, means for detecting hypothetical coin pay-out data based on the counts of said first and second hypothetical coin counters for each predetermined increment of count of said first hypothetical coin counter, and means for storing said hypothetical coin pay-out data.

4. A slot machine as define din claim 3, wherein said means for displaying data about said simulated games displays said hypothetical coin pay-out data as a graph whose vertical axis represents said hypothetical coin pay-out data and whose horizontal axis represents a total number of coins assumed to be inserted during said simulated games.

5. A slot machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for detecting hypothetical coin pay-out data comprises means for monitoring the count of said first and second hypothetical coin counters, and means for calculating hypothetical coin pay-out data according to a predetermined equation.

6. A slot machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said equation is

7. A slot machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said hypothetical coin pay-out data is a transient pay-out rate calculated at a predetermined interval during said simulated games.

8. A slot machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said random number sampling means and said winning decision means are also used for actual games.

9. A slot machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said random number sampling means is used only for simulated games.

10. A slot machine wherein at least one coin is inserted before each game, and a predetermined number of coins are given as a prize for a hit game, said slot machine comprising:

said data about previous games is coin pay-out data on previous games representing the relationship between an accumulated number of inserted coins and an accumulated number of paid coins; and

means for storing data about previous games; and

means for displaying said data about previous games, said means for displaying data about previous games displaying said coin pay-out data as a graph whose vertical axis represents said coin pay-out data and whose horizontal axis represents the accumulated number of inserted coins.

11. A slot machine wherein at least one coin is inserted before each game, and a predetermined number of coins are given as a prize for a hit game, said slot machine comprising:

means for storing data about previous games; and

means for displaying said data bout previous games, said means for storing data about previous games comprising;

a first coin counter for counting a total number of inserted coins;

a second coin counter for counting a total number of paid coins;

means for forming said coin pay-out data based on the counts of said first and second coin counters for each predetermined number of increase of said first coin counter; and

means for storing said coin pay-out data,

said means for forming coin pay-out data comprising means for monitoring the count of said first and second coin counters, and means for calculating coin pay-out data according to a predetermined equation which is

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">X=(ST1/K)=NT1

wherein X is the coin pay-out, ST1 is the count of said second coin counter, NT1 is the count of said first coin counter, and K is a pay-out rate predetermined for said slot machine.

12. A slot machine wherein at least one coin is inserted before each game, and a predetermined number of coins are given as a prize for a hit game, said slot machine comprising:

means for storing data about previous games; and

means for displaying said data about previous games, said means for storing data about previous games comprising;

a first coin counter for counting a total number of inserted coins;

a second coin counter for counting a total number of paid coins;

means for forming said coin pay-out data based on the counts of said first and second coin counters for each predetermined number of increase of said first coin counter; and

means for storing said coin pay-out data,

said means for forming coin pay-out data comprising means for monitoring the count of said first and second coin counters, and means for calculating coin pay-out data according to a predetermined equation, said means for calculating coin pay-out data calculating a transient pay-out rate as said coin pay-out data at a predetermined interval.

13. A slot machine wherein a number of coins are inserted before each game, and a predetermined number of coins are paid out as a prize when a hit symbol combination is obtained, said slot machine comprising:

random number sampling means;

winning decision means for deciding the kind of win and paying out a predetermined number of coins depending on the sampled random number;

control means for controlling symbol reels of the machine to stop at a position wherein a symbol combination corresponding to the decided kind of win is displayed;

means for storing data on previous games;

means for displaying said data on previous games;

means for simulating subsequent games;

means for storing data on said simulated games; and

means for displaying said data on said simulated games,

said means for displaying data on previous games and said means for displaying data on said simulated games being the same means, said means displaying selectively either of said data about previous games or said data on said simulated games in response to actuation of a selection means.

14. A coin-operated slot machine wherein a random number is sampled for a game to decide, depending on the sampled random number, whether the game is to be a hit game or a lost game, and a stopped position of symbol reels is controlled corresponding to the decision, wherein a predetermined number of coins are paid out for a hit game, and no coin is paid out for a lost game, said slot machine comprising:

means for simulating sequential subsequent games wherein no coin is inserted into the machine and no movement of said reels takes place;

means for storing data about said simulated games; and

means for displaying said data about said simulated games.

15. A coin-operated slot machine wherein a random number is sampled for a game to decide, depending on the sampled random number, whether the game is to be a hit game or a lost game, and a stopped position of symbol reels is controlled corresponding to the decision, wherein a redetermined number of coins are paid out for a hit game, and no coin is paid out for a lost game, said slot machine comprising:

means for automatically continuously simulating sequential games wherein no form of monetary credit is inserted into the machine and no form of monetary credit is paid out by the machine after each simulated game;

means for storing data about said simulated games; and

means for displaying said data about said simulated games.

16. A slot machine wherein a number of coins are inserted before each game, and a predetermined number of coins are paid out as a prize when a hit symbol combination is obtained, said slot machine comprising:

random number sampling means;

winning decision means for deciding the kind of win and paying out a predetermined number of coins depending on the sampled random number;

control means for controlling symbol reels of the machine to stop at a position wherein a symbol combination corresponding to the decided kind of win is displayed;

means for storing data on previous games;

means for displaying said data on previous games;

means for simulating sequential subsequent games wherein no coin is inserted and no movement of said reels takes place;

means for storing data on said simulated games; and

means for displaying said data on said simulated games.

17. A slot machine wherein a number of coins are inserted before each game, and a predetermined number of coins are paid out as a prize when a hit symbol combination is obtained, said slot machine comprising:

random number sampling means;

winning decision means for deciding the kind of win and paying out a predetermined number of coins depending on the sampled random number;

control means for controlling symbol reels of the machine to stop at a position wherein a symbol combination corresponding to the decided kind of win is displayed;

means for storing data on previous games;

means for displaying said data on previous games;

means for automatically continuously simulating sequential games wherein no form of monetary credit is inserted into the machine and no form of monetary credit is paid out by the machine after each simulated game;

means for storing data on said simulated games; and

means for displaying said data on said simulated games.