Game server, game machine, and game control method

• US 7,465,232 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Co., LTD
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US10/261,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,267 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 43, 463 16- 20, 463/22, 463/26
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed

Abstract

In a collective control of plural game machines placed in the same parlor, it is detected whether there is player change on each game machine and, based on the detection result, the credit cumulative consumption on each game machine is managed player by player. When the credit cumulative consumption of a certain player reaches a predetermined upper limit, payout return is executed to this player. The display status and non-display status of information about the upper limit can be switched depending on the play status. Therefore, the player can perform a game without anxiety while enjoying amusement of the game. As the result, the problem of missing customers is eliminated.

Claims

1. A game server for collectively controlling a plurality of game machines, each of which has a display and is brought into a status enabling starting of a game based on insertion of coins or a given credit number and executes a first payout based on a result of the game, and for directing execution of a second payout based on a cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number bet by a player playing the game on each of said plurality of game machines having reached a predetermined upper limit, said game server comprising:

a communication interface configured for receiving (i) information indicative of status of each of said plurality of game machines, and (ii) information indicative of the cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number bet by only a single player continuously playing the game on each of said plurality of game machines; and

a CPU configured for directing, based on the received information indicative of the status of an applicable one of said plurality of game machines, sending of a signal to the applicable game machine for switching between (a) a display status in which information related to the predetermined upper limit is displayed on the display of said applicable game machine if the received information indicates the status of said applicable game machine as being in play and (b) a non-display status in which said information related to the predetermined upper limit not displayed on said display if the received information indicates the status of said applicable game machine as being not in play;

wherein said information related to the predetermined upper limit is information representing a gap between the cumulative value indicated in the received information associated with the applicable game machine and said predetermined upper limit associated with the applicable game machine;

wherein the received information indicative of the status of an applicable game machine is information indicative of the involvement of a player detected by a sensor provided at the applicable game machine and the CPU sends a signal to the applicable game machine to switch to the display status only if the received information indicates detection of a player'"'"'s involvement in the game at the applicable game machine.

2. The game server according to claim 1, wherein:

the CPU also directs execution of said second payout (i) without fail by each of said plurality of game machines for which the received information indicates that the cumulative value has reached said predetermined upper limit and (ii) based on a result of a timing determination lottery for determining timing of said payout.

3. The game server according to claim 2, wherein:

the CPU determines, based on the received information indicative of the cumulative value, that the cumulative value has reached the predetermined upper limit when one player playing said game on one of said plurality of game machines (i) is not changed to another player and (ii) continues playing said game until the cumulative value has reached said predetermined upper limit on said one game machine.

4. The game server according to claim 3, wherein:

the CPU also directs, when said one player playing said game on said one game machine is changed to another player, sending of a signal for resetting the cumulative value on said one game machine.

5. The game server according to claim 2, wherein:

the CPU also directs, when one player playing said game on one of said plurality of game machines is changed to another player, sending of a signal for resetting the cumulative value on said one game machine.

6. The game server according to claim 1, wherein:

the CPU also determines, based on the received information indicative of the cumulative value, that the cumulative value has reached the predetermined upper limit when one player playing said game on one of said plurality of game machines continues playing said game until the cumulative value has reached said predetermined upper limit.

7. The game server according to claim 1, wherein:

the CPU also directs, when one player performing said game on one of said plurality of game machines is changed to another player, sending of a signal for resetting the cumulative value on said one game machine.

8. The game server according to claim 1, wherein the CPU further directs, based on the information indicative of the cumulative value having reached the predetermined upper limit, but irrespective of the game result, sending of a signal to the applicable game machine for executing the second payout.

9. The game server according to claim 1, wherein the CPU further directs sending of a signal to the applicable game machine for starting a calculation of the cumulative value upon receiving a signal indicative of the involvement of a player detected by the sensor provided in the applicable game machine.

10. A game machine, which is brought into a status enabling starting of a game based on insertion of coins or a given credit number, which is under collective control of a game server together with other game machines, which executes a first payout return based on a result of play of the game, and which executes a second payout in accordance with a directive from the game server based on a cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number consumed by a player playing the game on the game machine reaching a predetermined upper limit, the game machine comprising:

a sensor configured for detecting a plaver'"'"'s involvement in the game at the game machine;

a display configured for displaying information related to the predetermined upper limit;

a communication interface configured for

(i) sending information indicative of status of the game machine and information indicative of the cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number bet by a single player continuously playing the game on the game machine to the game server, and

(ii) receiving a signal from the game server for switching between (a) display status in which the information related to the predetermined upper limit is to be displayed if the sent information indicates the status of the game machine as being in play and (b) non-display status in which said information related to the predetermined upper limit is not to be displayed if the sent information indicates the status of the game machine as being not in play;

wherein the display switches to displaying or not displaying the information related to the predetermined upper limit based on the received signal;

wherein said information related to the predetermined upper limit is information about a gap between said predetermined upper limit and said cumulative value;

wherein the sent information indicative of the status of the game machine is information indicative of the involvement of a player detected by the sensor and the received signal is for switching to the display status only if the sent information indicates detection of a player'"'"'s involvement in the game at the game machine.

11. The game machine according to claim 10, further comprising:

a CPU for executing said second payout;

wherein the communication interface is also for receiving the directive to execute the second payout from the game server without fail after the cumulative value on the game machine reaches said predetermined upper limit;

wherein the received directive establishes a timing for the execution of the second payout corresponding to a result of a timing determination lottery.

12. The game machine according to claim 11, wherein:

the CPU is also for determining the cumulative value only so long as said single player continues to play said game and at least until the determined cumulative value has reached said predetermined upper limit.

13. The game machine according to claim 12, wherein:

the CPU is also for resetting the cumulative value on the game machine after said one player playing said game on said game machine is changed to another player.

14. The game machine according to claim 11, wherein:

the CPU is also for resetting the cumulative value on the game machine after a player playing the game on said game machine is changed to another player.

15. The game machine according to claim 10, further comprising:

a CPU for determining the cumulative value only so long as said single player continues to play said game on said game machine and at least until said determined cumulative value has reached said predetermined upper limit.

16. The game machine according to claim 10, further comprising:

a CPU for resetting the cumulative value on the game machine after a player playing the game on said game machine is changed to another player.

17. The game machine according to claim 10, wherein the game machine executes, based on the information indicative of the cumulative value having reached a predetermined upper limit, but irrespective of the game result,—

the second payout.

18. The game machine according to claim 10, wherein:

the game machine starts a calculation of the cumulative value upon receiving an instruction from the game server responsive to the sent information indicative of the status.

19. A game control method for collectively controlling a plurality of game machines, each of which is brought into a status enabling starting of a game based on insertion of coins or a given credit number and executes a first payout based on the result of play of the game, and for directing execution of a second payout based on a cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number consumed by a player playing the game on each of the plurality of game machines reaching a predetermined upper limit, said game control method comprising:

(i) receiving information indicative of status of each of said plurality of game machines, and information indicative of the cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number consumed by a single player continuously playing the game on each of said plurality of game machines;

(ii) sending, based on the received information indicative of the status of an applicable one of said plurality of game machines, a signal to the applicable game machine directing switching between (a) a display status in which information related to a predetermined upper limit is displayed in association with the applicable game machine if the received information indicates the status of the applicable game machine as being in play and (b) a non-display status in which said information related to the predetermined upper limit is not displayed in association with the applicable game machine if the received information indicates the status of the applicable game machine as being not in play;

wherein said information related to the predetermined upper limit is information representing a gap between said cumulative value on the applicable game machine and said predetermined upper limit;

wherein the received information indicative of the status of an applicable game machine is information indicative of the involvement of a player detected by a sensor at the applicable game machine and the signal sent to the applicable game machine directs switching to the display status only if the received information indicates detection of a player'"'"'s involvement in the game at the applicable game machine.

20. The game control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

sending a signal to one of the plurality of game machines directing execution of said second payout without fail after the received information indicates that the cumulative value on the one game machine has reached said predetermined upper limit; and

executing a timing determination lottery for determining a timing of the execution of said second payout by the one game machine.

21. The game control method according to claim 20, further comprising:

sending the signal to the one game machine directing execution of said second payout only if one player continues playing said game on said one game machine until said cumulative value on the one game machine has reached said predetermined upper limit.

22. The game control method according to claim 21, further comprising:

resetting the cumulative value on the one game machine if the one player playing said game on said one game machine is changed to another player.

23. The game control method according to claim 20, further comprising:

resetting the cumulative value on the one game machine if a player playing said game on said one game machine is changed to another player.

24. The game control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

sending a signal to one of the plurality of game machines directing execution of said second payout only if one player continues playing said game on said one game machine until said received information indicates that the cumulative value on said one game machine has reached said predetermined upper limit.

25. The game control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

resetting the cumulative value on one of the plurality of game machines if a player playing said game on said one game machine is changed to another player.

26. The game control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

sending a signal to the applicable game machine for executing, based on the information indicative of the cumulative value having reached the predetermined upper limit, but irrespective of with the game result,—

the second payout.

27. The game control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

sending a signal to the applicable game machine for starting a calculation of the cumulative value upon receiving the information indicative of the involvement of a player detected by the sensor at the applicable game machine.

28. A game machine, which is brought into a status enabling starting of a game based on insertion of coins or a given credit number, which is under collective control of a game server together with other game machines, which executes a first payout based on a result of play of the game, and which executes a second payout in accordance with a directive from the game server based on a cumulative value corresponding to the number of coins or the credit number bet by a player continuously playing the game on the game machine reaching a predetermined upper limit, the game machine comprising:

a sensor configured for detecting a player'"'"'s involvement in the game at the game machine;

a display configured for displaying information related to a predetermined upper limit; and

a communication interface configured for

(i) sending information indicative of status of play of the game on the game machine to the game server, and

(ii) receiving a signal from the game server for switching to displaying the information related to the predetermined upper limit if the sent information indicates the status of the game machine as being in play;

wherein said information related to the predetermined upper limit is information about a gap between said predetermined upper limit and said cumulative value;

wherein the display only displays the information about the gap if the sensor detects a player'"'"'s involvement in the game at the game machine.

29. The game machine according to claim 28, wherein the game machine, based on the information indicative of the cumulative value having reached a predetermined upper limit, but irrespective of the game result, executes the second payout.

30. The game machine according to claim 28, further comprising a sensor, wherein

the game machine sends a signal indicative of the involvement of a player detected by the sensor to the game server, and

the game machine starts a calculation of the cumulative value upon receiving an instruction from the game server responsive to the sent information indicative of the status.

31. A game machine, which is brought into a status enabling starting of a game based on a number of inserted coins or a given credit number, and which executes a payout based on a result of play of the game, the game machine comprises:

a CPU;

a ROM storing a computer program for the CPU controlling the game machine;

a RAM storing a cumulative value that increases by an addition of the number of coins or the credit number bet by a single player continuously playing the game in response to a start of the game based on the number of inserted coins or the given credit number;

a display configured for displaying information related to a predetermined upper limit; and

a sensor configured for detecting a involvement of a player;

wherein the CPU is configured to execute the computer program in a process comprising;

(a) setting a predetermined upper limit upon receiving a signal indicative of the involvement of a player from the sensor, and resetting the cumulative value stored in the RAM;

(b) starting an addition for the cumulative value subsequent to the setting of the predetermined upper limit, and updating the cumulative value in accordance with the number of inserted coins or the given credit number;

(c) determining by comparison whether or not the updated cumulative value has reached the upper limit;

(d) executing a predetermined payout when the CPU determines that the updated cumulative value has reached the upper limit; and

(e) instructing the display to display or not to display information related to the upper limit;

wherein the information related to the predetermined upper limit is information representing a gap relative to the predetermined upper limit

wherein the display only displays the information about the gap if the sensor detects a player'"'"'s involvement in the game at the game machine.

32. The game machine according to claim 31, wherein the CPU executes resetting in the process (a), upon receiving from the sensor a signal indicative of another player replacing the player having played the game on the game machine.