Reel type slot machine utilizing time-based random game result selection means

• US 6,003,867 A
• Filed: 10/21/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unislot, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unislot, Inc.
• Inventors: Rodesch, Dale F., Rodesch, Gregory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/955,846
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/16, 463/20, 463/26, 463/29-30, 273/143 R, 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/138.2
• US Class Current: 273/143.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A reel-type slot machine includes a microprocessor driven game control circuit for randomly selecting a game result. Three reel assemblies each include a symbol-bearing display reel driven by a stepper motor for displaying game symbols corresponding to the game result. A series of signals representing potential game results is repetitively generated within the game control circuits. Upon user actuation of a spin switch one of the game results is randomly selected for application to a look-up table wherein the corresponding three game symbols to be displayed are identified. The number of repetitions of a potential game result in the series establishes a time window of availability for the result, and hence the probability of that game result being selected. After the three game symbols have been identified, the display reels are driven by their respective stepper motors to display the game symbols. Optional ramp-up and ramp-down circuits provide improved stopping accuracy.

Claims

1. A reel-type slot machine comprising:

a user-actuated spin switch for providing a play command;

at least one display reel having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said display reel being rotatably mounted to selectively display one of said game symbols;

reel drive means responsive to said play command for rotatably driving said display reel;

selection means responsive to said play command for randomly selecting one game result from a predetermined set of potential game results, said game result having an associated predetermined game symbol for display by said display reel, said selection means providing a display control signal indicative of said predetermined display symbol; and

display control means responsive to said display control signal for causing said reel drive means to position said reel to display said predetermined game symbol, wherein at least one undesirable game result is eliminated from said predetermined set of potential game results by having each of the undesirable game result'"'"'s probability set to zero.

2. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said display reel contains at least two of each of said different game symbols.

3. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said display reel includes indicia fixedly positioned thereon for identifying each of said game symbols thereon, and said display control means is responsive to said display control signal and to said indicia.

4. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 3 further including indicia detection means fixedly positioned relative to said display reel for detecting the passage of each of said game symbols as said display reel rotates, said display control means being responsive to said indicia detection means for causing said reel drive means to position said display reel to display said associated game symbol.

5. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claims 3 or 4 wherein said display reel has at least five different symbols and said indicia comprises at least three binary digits.

6. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said reel drive means comprise a stepper motor.

7. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said reel drive means is responsive to applied stepping pulses, and said display control means interrupt said stepping pulses to stop said display reel.

8. A slot machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said selection means comprise

means for generating a time sequential series of signals each representing a potential game result from said predetermined set of potential game results, said entire set of potential game results being repetitively generated;

a selector circuit responsive to said play command for selecting one of said sequential series of signals; and

a memory device containing a look-up table for providing said associated predetermined game symbol in accordance with the game result corresponding to said selected game signal.

9. A slot machine as defined in claim 8 wherein said memory device comprises an electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM).

10. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 8 wherein at least one of said different potential game results appears multiple times within said predetermined set of potential game results, the number of said appearances determining the probability of said game result being selected in response to said play command.

11. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 8 wherein said machine has multiple display reels each having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said memory device provides respective predetermined game symbols for display by each of said display reels, and said display control means cause said display reels to display respective ones of said predetermined game symbols.

12. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said potential game results in said set is undesired, and said predetermined set of same results excludes said undesired game result.

13. A reel-type slot machine comprising:

a user actuated spin switch for providing a play command;

at least one display reel having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said display reel being rotatably mounted to selectively display one of said game symbols, and including indicia fixedly positioned thereon indicative of each game symbol thereon;

reel drive means responsive to said spin command for rotatably driving said display reel;

selection means responsive to said play command for randomly selecting one game result from a predetermined set of potential game results, said game result having an associated predetermined game symbol for display by said display reel, said selection means providing a display control signal indicative of said predetermined game symbol;

indicia detection means fixedly positioned relative to said display reel for providing a tracking signal indicating the passage of each of said game symbols thereon as said display reel rotates; and

display control means responsive to said display control signal and to said tracking signal for causing said reel drive means to position said reel to display said associated game symbol, wherein at least one undesirable game result is eliminated from said predetermined set of potential game results by having a probability of the at least one undesirable game result set to zero.

14. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said display reel contains at least two of each of said different game symbols.

15. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said display reel has at least five different symbols and said indicia comprises at least three binary digits.

16. A slot machine as defined in claim 13 wherein said selection means comprise

means for generating a time sequential series of signals each representing a potential game result from said predetermined set of potential game results, said entire set of potential game results being repeatedly generated;

a selector circuit responsive to said play command for selecting one of said sequential series of signals; and

a memory device containing a look-up table for providing said associated predetermined game symbol in accordance with the game result corresponding to said selected game signal.

17. A slot machine as defined in claim 16 wherein said memory device comprises an electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM).

18. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 16 wherein at least one of said different potential game results appears multiple times within said predetermined set of potential game results, the number of said appearances determining the probability of respective ones of said game results being selected in response to said play command.

19. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 16 wherein said slot machine has multiple display reels each having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said memory device provides predetermined game symbols for display respectively by each of said display reels, and said display control means cause said reel drive means to position each of said display reels to display its respective predetermined game symbol.

20. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 16 wherein one of said potential game results in said set is undesired, and said time sequential series of signals excludes a signal corresponding to said undesired game result.

21. A reel-type slot machine comprising:

a user actuated spin switch for providing a play command;

at least one display reel having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said display reel being rotatably mounted to selectively display one of said game symbols;

reel drive means responsive to said play command for rotatably driving said display reel;

means for generating a time sequential series of signals each representing a potential game result from a predetermined set of potential game results each having at least one associated predetermined game symbol for display, said entire set of potential game results being repetitively generated;

a selector circuit responsive to said play command for selecting one of said sequential series of signals;

a memory device containing a look-up table for providing predetermined a game symbol associated with said selected game result; and

display control means for causing said reel drive means to position said display reel to display said predetermined game symbol, wherein at least one undesirable game result is eliminated from said predetermined set of potential game results by having a probability of the at least one undesirable game result set to zero.

22. A slot machine as defined in claim 21 wherein said memory device comprises an electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM).

23. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 21 wherein at least one of said different potential game results appears multiple times within said predetermined set of potential game results, the number of said appearances determining the probability of said game result being selected in response to said play command.

24. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 21 wherein said machine has multiple display reels each having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said memory device provides predetermined game symbols for display respectively by each of said display reels, and said display control means cause said display reels to display respective ones of said predetermined game symbols.

25. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 21 wherein said display reel contains at least two of each of said plurality of different game symbols.

26. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 21 wherein said display reel includes indicia fixedly positioned on said reel for identifying each of said game symbols thereon, and said display control means is responsive to said display control signal and said indicia.

27. A reel-type slot machine comprising:

a user actuated spin switch for providing a play command;

at least one display reel having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said display reel being rotatably mounted to selectively display one of said game symbols, and including indicia fixedly positioned thereon position-indicative of said game symbols thereon;

reel drive means responsive to said play command for rotatably driving said display reel;

means for generating a time sequential series of signals each representing a potential game result from said predetermined set of potential game results, said series being repetitively generated;

a selector circuit responsive to said play command for selecting one of said sequential series of signals;

a memory device containing a look-up table for providing a predetermine game symbol associated with the game result corresponding to said selected signal, and for further providing a display control signal indicative of said predetermined game signal;

indicia detection means fixedly positioned relative to said display reel for providing a tracking signal indicating the passage of each of said game symbols thereon with rotation of the reel; and

display control means responsive to said display control signal and said tracking signal for causing said reel drive means to position said display reel to display said predetermined game symbol, including at least one undesirable game result in said predetermined set of game results, and wherein said series of signals excludes a signal corresponding to said undesirable game result by having a probability for the at least one undesirable game result set to zero.

28. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 27 wherein said display reel contains at least two of each of said different game symbols.

29. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 27 wherein said display reel has at least five different symbols and said indicia comprises at least three binary digits.

30. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 27 wherein said reel drive means comprise a stepper motor.

31. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 30 wherein said reel drive means is responsive to applied stepping pulses, and said display control means interrupt said stepper pulses to position said display reel.

32. A slot machine as defined in claim 27 wherein said memory device comprises an electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM).

33. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 27 wherein at least one of said different potential game results appears multiple times within said predetermined set of potential game results, the number of said appearances determining the probability of said game result being selected in response to said play command.

34. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 27 wherein said machine has multiple display reels each having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said memory device provides predetermined game symbols for display respectively by each of said display reels, and said display control means cause said display reels to display respective ones of said predetermined game symbols.

35. A reel-type slot machine comprising:

a user actuated spin switch for providing a spin command;

a plurality of display reels each having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said display reels each being rotatably mounted to selectively display one of said game symbols;

a plurality of reel drive means each responsive to said spin command for rotatably driving said display reels;

selection means responsive to said play command for randomly selecting one game result from a predetermined set of potential game results, said game result providing a plurality of associated predetermined game symbols for display by respective ones of said display reels, said selection means providing a plurality of display control signals indicative thereof; and

display control means responsive to said display control signals for causing said reel drive means to position said display reels to display said predetermined game symbols associated with said selected game result, wherein at least one undesirable potential game result is eliminated from said predetermined set of potential game results by having a probability of each undesirable game result set to zero.

36. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 35 wherein each of said display reels contain at least two of each of said different game symbols.

37. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 35 wherein each of said display reels includes indicia fixedly positioned thereon for position-identifying each of said game symbols thereon, and said display control means is responsive to said indicia.

38. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 37 further including indicia detection means fixedly positioned relative to said display reels for detecting the passage of each of said game symbols and providing tracking signals indicative thereof as said reels rotate, said display control means being responsive to said display control signals and said tracking signals for stopping said display reels to display said predetermined game symbols.

39. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 37 wherein said display reel has at least five different symbols and said indicia comprises at least three binary digits.

40. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 35 wherein said reel drive means comprise a plurality of stepper motors respectively associated with said display reels.

41. A reel-type slot machine as defined in claim 35 wherein said reel drive means are responsive to applied stepping pulses, and said display control means interrupt said stepping pulses to stop said display reels.

42. A reel-type slot machine comprising:

a user actuated spin switch for providing a spin command;

a plurality of display reels each having a plurality of different game symbols thereon, said display reels each being rotatably mounted to selectively display one of said game symbols thereon;

a plurality of reel drive means each responsive to said spin command for rotatably driving said display reels;

means for generating a time sequential series of signals each representing a potential game result from said predetermined set of game results;

a selector circuit responsive to said play command for selecting one of said sequential series of signals;

a memory device containing a look-up table for providing predetermined game symbols for display by respective ones of said display reels in accordance with said selected game result, said memory device providing a plurality of display control signals indicative of said predetermined game signals; and

display control means responsive to said display control signals for causing said reel drive means to position said reels to display said predetermined game symbols associated with said selected game result, wherein at least one undesirable potential game result is eliminated from said predetermined set of potential game results by having a probability of each undesirable game result set to zero.

43. A slot machine as defined in claim 42 wherein said memory device comprises an electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM).

44. A reel type slot machine as defined in claim 42 wherein at least one of said different potential game results appears multiple times within said predetermined set of potential game results, the number of said appearances determining the probability of said game result being selected in response to said play command.