Gaming machines
First Claim
1. Means for detecting prize-winning combinations of symbols in a gaming machine of the kind which selects a combination of symbols at random during each game and awards prizes when predetermined prize-winning combinations occur, said means comprising first memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbols that can occur in said selected combinations;
- first comparison means for carrying out succesive first comparison operations in each of which it compares all of the symbols in a selected combination with a respective one of said predetermined symbols stored in said first memory means so as to determine an occurrence pattern for that particular predetermined symbol in said selected combination;
second memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbol occurrence patterns that can occur in said selected combinations; and
second comparison means for carrying out successive second comparison operations in each of which it compares one of said occurrence patterns determined by said first comparison means with a respective one of said predetermined occurrence paterns stored in said second memory means that is associated with the predetermined symbol used in the first comparison operation to determine said occurrence pattern and that corresponds to a prize-winning combination, said second comparison means producing a coincidence signal to indicate a win when said determined occurrence pattern corresponds to said predetermined occurrence pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a gaming machine of the kind which selects a combination of symbols at random during each game and awards prizes when predetermined prize-winning combinations occur, a detector for detecting said prize-winning combinations of symbols comprising a first memory for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbols which can occur in said selected combinations, a second memory storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbol occurence patterns which can occur in said selected combinations, a first set of comparators for comparing each of the symbols in a selected combination with each in turn of said predetermined symbols stored in said first memory so as to determine an occurrence pattern for each of said predetermined symbols, and a second set of comparators for comparing each determined occurrence pattern in turn with a number of predetermined occurrence patterns stored in said second memory which are associated with the predetermined symbol used for comparison in determining said occurrence pattern and which correspond to prize-winning combinations, the second set of comparators producing a coincidence signal to indicate a win when the determined occurrence pattern corresponds to a predetermined occurrence pattern. Thus each selected combination is analysed a plurality of times using a different combination of predetermined symbol and occurrence pattern each time so as to "look for" each possible prize-winning combination in turn.
105 Citations
22 Claims
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1. Means for detecting prize-winning combinations of symbols in a gaming machine of the kind which selects a combination of symbols at random during each game and awards prizes when predetermined prize-winning combinations occur, said means comprising first memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbols that can occur in said selected combinations;
- first comparison means for carrying out succesive first comparison operations in each of which it compares all of the symbols in a selected combination with a respective one of said predetermined symbols stored in said first memory means so as to determine an occurrence pattern for that particular predetermined symbol in said selected combination;
second memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbol occurrence patterns that can occur in said selected combinations; and
second comparison means for carrying out successive second comparison operations in each of which it compares one of said occurrence patterns determined by said first comparison means with a respective one of said predetermined occurrence paterns stored in said second memory means that is associated with the predetermined symbol used in the first comparison operation to determine said occurrence pattern and that corresponds to a prize-winning combination, said second comparison means producing a coincidence signal to indicate a win when said determined occurrence pattern corresponds to said predetermined occurrence pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- first comparison means for carrying out succesive first comparison operations in each of which it compares all of the symbols in a selected combination with a respective one of said predetermined symbols stored in said first memory means so as to determine an occurrence pattern for that particular predetermined symbol in said selected combination;
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22. Means for detecting prize-winning combinations of symbols in a gaming machine of the kind which selects a combination of symbols at random during each game and awards prizes when predetermined prize-winning combinations occur, said means comprising detector means for producing a characteristic coded signal for each symbol in a selected combination;
- first memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbols that can occur in said selected combination and for producing a sequence of coded signals, each characteristic of one of said predetermined symbols stored therein;
a set of first symbol comparator units adapted so that each receives and stores a respective coded signal from the symbol detector means and all receive the same coded signal produced by said first memory means at any one instant and carry out one of a succession of first comparison operations corresponding to said sequence of coded signals from said first memory means, each comparator unit producing a coincidence signal when the two coded signals receives by it are the same, the resulting combination of coincidence signals from the comparator units corresponding to a coded occurrence pattern signal for that particular predetermined symbol associated with the coded signal produced by said first memory means;
second memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbol occurrence that can occur in said selected combination and for producing a sequence of coded signals, each characteristic of one of said predetermined occurrence patterns stored therein; and
a second comparator unit adapted to receive each in turn of said coded occurrence pattern signals produced by said first symbol comparator units and to compare each, in one of a succession of second comparison operations, with a number of said coded occurrence pattern signals produced by said second memory means, which coded occurrence pattern signal produced by said second memory means is associated with the predetermined symbol used in the first comparison operation to determine that coded occurrence pattern signal and corresponds to a prize-winning combination, said second comparator unit producing a coincidence signal to indicate a win when the compared coded occurrence pattern signals are the same.
- first memory means for storing information of each of a number of predetermined symbols that can occur in said selected combination and for producing a sequence of coded signals, each characteristic of one of said predetermined symbols stored therein;
Specification