Slot machine and control method of game

• US 7,972,208 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu; Ryan
• Application Number:
  US11/734,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42, 2731381-1382, 273/143.R
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value

Abstract

A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols; an image display device; and a controller, the controller programmed to conduct the processing of: (A) executing a game in which the plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to the symbol display device after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the plurality of symbols stop-displayed or a combination thereof; (B) shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted; (C) counting the number of games played after shifting to the insurance mode, in the insurance mode; (D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in the processing (C) reaches a specific number; (E) shifting the mode from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode, when the predetermined number of the game media is paid out in the processing (D); (F) shifting the mode from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode, when a predetermined insurance canceling condition is established before the number of games counted in the processing (c) reaches the specific number; (G) displaying an image showing that the mode is shifted to the non-insurance mode to the image display device, when the mode has been shifted from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode.

Claims

1. A slot machine comprising:

a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols;

an image display device; and

a controller, said controller programmed to conduct the processing including,

executing a game in which said plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to said symbol display device after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to said plurality of symbols stop-displayed or a combination thereof;

first shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted;

counting the number of games played after shifting to said insurance mode, in said insurance mode;

paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played reaches a specific number;

second shifting the mode from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode when the predetermined number of said game media is paid out in said paying out a predetermined number of game media;

third shifting the mode from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode when a predetermined insurance canceling condition is established before the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played reaches said specific number;

displaying an image showing that the mode is shifted to said non-insurance mode to said image display device when the mode has been shifted from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode; and

displaying an image on said image display device showing the number of games left to be played until the number of games reaches said specific number every time a game is executed, wherein

said third shifting the mode includes shifting the mode from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode with the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played being kept when said insurance canceling condition is established, and

when the mode is shifted to the non-insurance mode with the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played being kept, and is subsequently shifted again to the insurance mode, counting of the number of games restarts from the number of games kept, and

said counting the number of games played includes counting, in said insurance mode, only the number of games in which games with the maximum number of BETs thereon among the games executed after the mode has been shifted to the insurance mode.

2. A game control method comprising:

executing, via a processor of a gaming system, a game in which a plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to a symbol display device capable of variably displaying said plurality of symbols after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to said plurality of symbols stop-displayed or a combination thereof;

first shifting, via the processor, a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted;

counting, via the processor, the number of games played after shifting to said insurance mode, in said insurance mode;

paying out, via the processor, a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played reaches a specific number;

second shifting, via the processor, the mode from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode when the predetermined number of said game media is paid out in said paying out a predetermined number of game media;

third shifting, via the processor, the mode from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode when a predetermined insurance canceling condition is established before the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played reaches said specific number;

displaying, via the processor, an image showing that the mode is shifted to said non-insurance mode to an image display device when the mode has been shifted from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode, and

displaying, via the processor, an image on said image display device showing the number of games left to be played until the number of games reaches said specific number every time a game is executed, wherein

said third shifting the mode includes shifting the mode from said insurance mode to said non-insurance mode with the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played being kept when said insurance canceling condition is established, and

when the mode is shifted in the third shifting to the non-insurance mode with the number of games counted in said counting the number of games played being kept, and is subsequently shifted again to the insurance mode, counting of the number of games restarts from the number of games kept, and

said counting the number of games played includes counting, in said insurance mode, only the number of games in which games with the maximum number of BETs thereon among the games executed after the mode has been shifted to the insurance mode.