Video gaming machine
First Claim
1. A gaming machine having a housing with a display on which an array of generally randomly selected game elements are displayed during a game play, a memory and a processor for selecting generally at random the game elements to be displayed during said game play, wherein predetermined combinations of game elements displayed during a game play result in corresponding pay-outs, said gaming machine comprising:
- a plurality of pay-out tables contained in said memory, each of said pay-out tables storing winning combinations of game elements and a pay-out value associated with each of said winning combinations of game elements, wherein the probability of each game element being selected by said processor and displayed during a game play, the pay-out values and the winning combinations of game elements stored in said pay-out tables are such that the expected statistical return of said gaming machine is significant and that the actual return of the gaming machine is at least basically the same as the expected return;
pay-out detection means determining when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements stored in a pay-out table; and
pay means responsive to said pay-out detection means for paying out to a player when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements, the pay out being based on the pay-out value associated with the winning combination of game elements.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A video slot machine includes a display screen on which the wheels of a slot machine are simulated. The display screen is divided into an array of cells with each cell displaying an individual game element selected randomly from a group of available game elements during a game play. Pay-out lines are associated with the rows, columns and diagonals of the array of cells and visually indicate some of the pre-determined sets of cells which are examined to detect winning combinations of displayed game elements. Pay-out tables are stored in memory within the machine and hold information concerning combinations of elements in all of the pre-determined sets of cells which result in a win when displayed on the screen as well as the amount to be paid for each. When the game is played and the screen displays a randomly selected game element in each of its cells, the machine consults each of the pay-out tables to determine if the game elements as displayed in the cells result in a winning combination of elements as stored in the pay-out tables and calculates the amount to be paid. Therefore, depending on the elements displayed in the array of cells, winnings from more than one pay-out table may result. The winning combinations of elements, the pre-determined sets of cells, the number of available game elements and the amount paid for each winning combination of displayed elements are selected so that the expected return of the video slot machine complies with regulatory restrictions while still ensuring that the game is dynamic and appealing to a player.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A gaming machine having a housing with a display on which an array of generally randomly selected game elements are displayed during a game play, a memory and a processor for selecting generally at random the game elements to be displayed during said game play, wherein predetermined combinations of game elements displayed during a game play result in corresponding pay-outs, said gaming machine comprising:
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a plurality of pay-out tables contained in said memory, each of said pay-out tables storing winning combinations of game elements and a pay-out value associated with each of said winning combinations of game elements, wherein the probability of each game element being selected by said processor and displayed during a game play, the pay-out values and the winning combinations of game elements stored in said pay-out tables are such that the expected statistical return of said gaming machine is significant and that the actual return of the gaming machine is at least basically the same as the expected return; pay-out detection means determining when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements stored in a pay-out table; and pay means responsive to said pay-out detection means for paying out to a player when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements, the pay out being based on the pay-out value associated with the winning combination of game elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A gaming machine having a housing with a display on which an array of generally randomly selected game elements are displayed during a game play, a memory and a processor for selecting generally a random the game elements to be displayed during said game play wherein predetermined combinations of game elements displayed during a game play result in corresponding pay-outs, said gaming machine comprising:
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a plurality of pay-out tables contained in said memory, each of said pay-out tables storing winning combinations of game elements and a pay out value associated with each of said winning combinations of game elements, wherein at least one winning combination of game elements is designated for bonus credits and wherein pay outs resulting from the display of said at least one winning combination of game elements are accumulated in said memory as bonus credits, at least one of said pay-out tables storing at least one winning combination of game elements which results in said bonus credits being paid out to a player when a combination of game elements the same as that winning combination of game elements appears on said display, another of said pay-out tables being associated with a special mode of play, pay outs from that pay-out table being made only when said gaming machine is in said special mode of play, said gaming machine entering said special mode of play when a predetermined arrangement of particular game elements appears on said display during a game play, the probability of each game element being selected by said processor and displayed during a game play, the pay-out values and the winning combinations of game elements stored in said pay-out tables are such that the expected statistical return of said gaming machine is significant and that the actual return of the gaming machine is at least basically the same as the expected return; pay-out detection means determining when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements stored in said pay-out tables; and pay means responsive to said pay-out detection means for paying out to a player when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements, the pay out being based on the pay-out value associated with the winning combination of game elements. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A gaming machine having a housing with a display on which an array of generally randomly selected game elements are displayed during a game play, a memory and a processor for selecting generally at random the game elements to be displayed during said game play, wherein predetermined combinations of game elements displayed during a game play result in corresponding pay-outs, said gaming machine comprising:
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a plurality of pay-out tables contained in said memory, each of said pay-out tables storing winning combinations of game elements and a pay out value associated with each of said winning combinations of game elements, wherein the probability of each game element being selected by said processor and displayed during a game play, the pay-out values and the winning combinations of game elements stored in said pay-out tables are such that the expected statistical return of said gaming machine is equal to at least 0.8 and that the actual return of said gaming machine is basically equal to said expected return; pay-out detection means determining when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements stored in a pay-out table; and
pay means responsive to said pay-out detection means for paying out to a player when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements, the pay out being based on the pay-out value associated with the winning combination of game elements.
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44. A gaming machine having a housing with a display on which an array of generally randomly selected game elements are displayed during a game play, a memory and a processor for selecting generally at random the game elements to be displayed during said game play wherein predetermined combinations of game elements displayed during a game play result in corresponding pay-out, said gaming machine comprising:
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a plurality of pay-out tables contained in said memory, each of said pay-out tables storing winning combinations of game elements and a pay-out value associated with each of said winning combinations of game elements, wherein said gaming machine accumulates bonus credits in said memory and where at least one of said pay-out tables stores at least one winning combination of game elements which results in said bonus credits being paid out to a player; pay-out detection means determining when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements stored in said pay-out tables; and pay means responsive to said pay-out detection means for paying out to a player when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements, the pay out being based on the pay-out value associated with the winning combination of game elements. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. A gaming machine having a housing with a display on which an array of generally randomly selected game elements are displayed during a game play, a memory and a processor for selecting generally a random game elements to be displayed during said game play, wherein predetermined combinations of game elements displayed during a game play resulting corresponding pay-outs, said gaming machine comprising:
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a plurality of pay-out tables contained in said memory, each of said pay-out tables storing winning combinations of game elements and a pay out value associated with each of said winning combinations of game elements, one of said pay-out tables being associated with a special mode of play, pay outs from that pay out table being made only when said gaming machine is in said special mode of play, said gaming machine entering said special mode of play when a predetermined arrangement of particular game elements appears on said display during a game play; pay-out detection means determining when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements stored in said pay-out tables; and pay means are responsive to said pay-out detection means for paying out to a player when a combination of game elements displayed during a game play is the same as a winning combination of game elements, the pay out being based on the pay-out value associated with the winning combination of game elements. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification