GAME SERVER, GAME MACHINE UNDER CONTROL OF THE SERVER, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD

• US 20080293497A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Co., LTD
• Inventors: OKADA, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,485,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots

Abstract

In a game center installing a plurality of game machine groups (G01, G02, . . . and G10) as a collection of game machines (2), a game server (1) collectively controls the cumulative credit consumption of the individual game machine groups (G01, G02, . . . and G10). With the configuration, when the cumulative credit consumption of a certain game machine group reaches a predetermined upper limit, a return is executed to a certain game machine (2) of this game machine group. Therefore, it is possible to provide such circumstances that the player can perform a game without anxiety, while enjoying amusement of the game. At the result, the problem of missing customers is solvable.

Claims

1. A game server for collectively controlling a plurality of game machine groups installed in a game center, each of said plurality of game machine groups including a collection of game machines, each of which is brought into a status enabling to start a game based on a thrown coin or given credit number and is given payout according to a result of said game, said game server including:

a judge means for judging whether cumulative credit consumption of a predetermined game machine group reaches a predetermined upper limit, based on information about credit consumptions of said plural game machine groups; and

a first sending means for sending, when said judge means judges that said cumulative credit consumption of said predetermined game machine group reaches the predetermined upper limit, a return signal for executing a return based on a predetermined return rate, to one game machine of said predetermined game machine group.

2. The game server according to claim 1 farther including:

a lottery means for determining by lottery a game machine to which said return is executed.

3. The game server according to claim 1 further including:

a second sending means for sending a notification signal to notify the one game machine of said predetermined game machine group that said return will be executed or that said return was executed.

4. The game server according to claim 2 further including:

a second sending means for sending a notification signal to notify the one game machine of said predetermined game machine group that said return will be executed or that said return was executed.

5. A game machine that is controlled by said game server and that is brought into a status enabling to start a game based on a thrown coin or given credit number and is given payout according to a result of said game, said game machine including:

a first receiving means for receiving a return signal sent from said first sending means of said game server.

6. The game machine according to claim 5 further including:

a return means for executing a return based on a result of a lottery performed by said lottery means of said game server.

7. The game machine according to claim 5 further including:

a second receiving means for receiving a notification signal sent from said second sending means of said game server.

8. The game machine according to claim 6 further including:

a second receiving means for receiving a notification signal sent from said second sending means of said game server.

9. A method for collectively controlling a plurality of game machine groups installed in a game center, each of said plurality of game machine groups including a collection of game machines each of which is brought into a status enabling to start a game based on a thrown coin or given credit number and is given payout according to a result of said game, said method including:

a judge step for judging whether cumulative credit consumption of a predetermined game machine group reaches a predetermined upper limit, based on information about credit consumptions of said plural game machine groups; and

a first sending step for sending, when a result of said judge step is that said cumulative credit consumption of said predetermined game machine group reaches a predetermined upper limit, a return signal for executing a return based on a predetermined return rate, to one game machine of said predetermined game machine group.

10. The method according to claim 9 further including:

a lottery step for determining by lottery a game machine to which said return is executed.

11. The method according to claim 9 further including:

a second sending step for sending a notification signal to notify the determined game machine of said predetermined game machine group that said return will be executed or that said return was executed.

12. The method according to claim 10 further including:

a second sending step for sending a notification signal to notify the determined game machine of said predetermined game machine group that said return will be executed or that said return was executed.