Slot machine and control method of game

• US 8,177,623 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Empire Technological Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Aruze Gaming America Incorporated (Aruze Gaming America, Inc. /Okada/)
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US11/876,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42, 2731381- 2, 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

Abstract

A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols; and a controller, the controller programmed to execute 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 a number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in a number according to the stop-displayed symbols 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; and (E) clearing the number of games counted in the processing (C), when a game is played in which game media are paid out in a number equal to or more than a predetermined number before the number of games counted in the processing (C) reaches the specific number.

Claims

1. A slot machine comprising:

a symbol display device capable of rearranging a plurality of symbols;

an image display device capable of displaying an image; and

a controller, said controller programmed to execute the processing of;

(A) executing a game in which said plurality of symbols are rearranged by said symbol display device after game media are BET in a number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in a number according to the rearranged symbols 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 said insurance mode, in said insurance mode;

(D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said processing (C) reaches a specific number;

(E) determining whether a symbol or a symbol combination with which a predetermined number or more of the game media is paid out has been established during games executed after the number of games counted in (C) reaches a notice set value, the notice set value being smaller than said specific number by a predetermined value until it is equal to said specific number;

(F) storing the number of games having been counted when said bonus symbol or symbol combination with which a predetermined number or more of the game media is paid out is established;

(G) when the number of games having been counted reaches the specific number after said processing (F), paying out game media based on said symbol or said combination determined to have been established in said processing (E), and at the same time, paying out game media based on the number of games stored in said processing (F);

(H) displaying a normal effect image to said image display device;

(I) displaying, when the number of games counted in (C) reaches a notice set value which is smaller than said specific number by the predetermined value, a specific effect image instead of said normal effect image to said image display device in subsequent games; and

,

(J) paying out the predetermined number or more of game media based on said symbol or said symbol combination and shifting a mode from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode when said symbol or said symbol combination is established before the number of games counted in (C) reaches the notice set value.

2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to conduct processing of:

(J) clearing the number of games counted in said processing (C), when said symbol or symbol combination is established before the number of games counted in said processing (C) reaches said notice set value.

3. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to pay out a smaller number of game media as the number of the game, in which the symbol or symbol combination is established, approaches to said specific number in said processing (D).

4. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of:

(J) displaying to said image display device information indicating that the game media based on said symbol or symbol combination are paid out when the number of games reaches said specific number, when said symbol or symbol combination is determined to be established in said processing (E).

6. The slot machine according to claim 2, wherein said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of:

(K) displaying to said image display device information indicating that the game media based on said symbol or symbol combination are paid out when the number of games reaches said specific number, when said symbol or symbol combination is determined to be established in said processing (E).

7. The slot machine according to claim 3, wherein said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of:

(J) displaying to said image display device information indicating that the game media based on said symbol or symbol combination are paid out when the number of games reaches said specific number, when said symbol or symbol combination is determined to be established in said processing (E).

8. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein in (F), paying out game media based on said symbol or symbol combination at the same time as the payout of game media of (D), when said symbol or symbol combination is determined to be established in said processing (E), comprises:

setting a flag/indicator to indicate establishment of said symbol or symbol combination when a determination of said symbol or symbol combination has been made;

determining whether said flag/indicator is established when the number of games counted in (C) reaches said specific number; and

paying out game media based on said establishment of said symbol or symbol combination at the same time as the payout of game media based on reaching the number of games of said specific number when said flag/indicator is set.

10. The slot machine according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined value is greater than zero and less than the specific number.

5. A game control method configuring a slot machine comprising the steps of:

(A) executing a game in which a plurality of symbols are rearranged by a symbol display device capable of rearranging said plurality of symbols after game media are BET in a number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in a number according to the rearranged symbols 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 said insurance mode, in said insurance mode;

(D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said step (C) reaches a specific number;

(E) determining whether a symbol or a symbol combination with which a predetermined number or more of the game media is paid out has been established during games executed after the number of games counted in (C) reaches a notice set value, the notice set value being smaller than said specific number by a predetermined value until it is equal to said specific number;

(F) storing the number of games having been counted when said symbol or symbol combination with which a predetermined number or more of the game media is paid out is established;

(G) when the number of games having been counted reaches the specific number after said processing (F), paying out game media based on said symbol or said combination determined to have been established in said processing (E), and at the same time, paying out game media based on the number of games stored in said processing (F);

(H) displaying a normal effect image to an image display device; and

(I) displaying, when the number of games counted in (C) reaches a notice set value which is smaller than said specific number by the predetermined value, a specific effect image instead of said normal effect image to said image display device in subsequent games; and

,

(J) paying out the predetermined number or more of game media based on said symbol or symbol combination and shifting a mode from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode when said symbol or symbol combination is established before the number of games counted in (C) reaches the notice set value.

9. The game control method of claim 5, wherein in (F), paying out game media based on said symbol or symbol combination at the same time as the payout of game media of (D), when said symbol or symbol combination is determined to be established in (E), comprises:

setting a flag/indicator to indicate establishment of said symbol or symbol combination when a determination of said symbol or symbol combination has been made;

determining whether said flag/indicator is established when the number of games counted in (C) reaches said specific number; and

paying out game media based on said establishment of said symbol or symbol combination at the same time as the payout of game media based on reaching the number of games of said specific number when said flag/indicator is set.

11. The game control method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined value is greater than zero and less than the specific number.