Game server, game control method, and game machine

• US 8,172,673 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• 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): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US12/183,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/26, 463/27, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system

Abstract

A return is reliably executed to a player who has paid a predetermined amount to a game machine. The timing of this return is determined by lottery, and its result is displayed on the game machine. This thrills the player with expectation of the return, thereby keeping the player long on the same game machine. As the result, it is avoidable that the player waiting for a prize for a long time loses enthusiasm for the game and keeps away from the hall (i.e., a reduction in the number of customers).

Claims

1. A game server, comprising:

a controller that collectively controls a plurality of game machines which are brought into a status enabling to start a game based on a throw-in coin number or given credit number, and which are subjected to a payout according to a result of said game, wherein the controller performs a lottery for determining a timing of a return;

a first sending unit that sends a control signal for executing the return at a predetermined return rate to one of the game machines on which a player is continuously performing the game, irrespective of the result of the game when a cumulative coin or credit consumption reaches a predetermined upper limit by the player based on information about coin or credit consumption in the one of the game machines on which the player is performing the game, wherein the controller judges that the one of the game machines that has reached the predetermined upper limit is a return destination; and

a second sending unit that sends a display control signal, based on a result of the lottery for determining the timing of the return, for displaying said result of the lottery for determining the timing to the one of the game machines on which the player is performing the game when the return is discharged,

wherein the controller performs a return destination lottery and determines the timing of the return after judging that the one of the game machines that has reached the predetermined upper limit is the return destination.

2. The game server according to claim 1 wherein said display control signal is to direct said one of the game machines to perform a display only for notifying that said lottery for determining the timing was performed.

3. The game server according to claim 1 wherein the cumulative coin or credit consumption reaching the predetermined upper limit does not always result in executing a return.

4. The game server according to claim 1 wherein, when a return is executed, the cumulative coin or credit consumption is reset.

5. A method for collectively controlling a plurality of game machines, comprising:

bringing each of the game machines into a status enabling to start a game based on a throw-in coin number or given credit number;

subjecting each of the game machines to a payout according to a result of said game;

detecting whether a cumulative coin or credit consumption of a player reaches a predetermined upper limit based on information about a coin or credit consumption of one of the plurality of game machines on which said player is playing a game;

judging that the one of the plurality of game machines that has reached said predetermined upper limit is a return destination;

executing a return at a predetermined return rate to said one of the plurality of game machines on which said player is continuously playing irrespective of the game result when a result of said detecting is that said cumulative coin or credit consumption of said player reaches said predetermined upper limit;

performing a lottery for determining a timing at which the return is executed; and

displaying a result of said lottery for determining the timing on said one of the plurality of game machines on which said player is playing,

wherein a return destination lottery is performed and the timing of the return is determined after judging that the one of the game machines that has reached the predetermined upper limit is a return destination.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein, in said displaying, said one of the plurality of game machines is subjected to a display control only for notifying that said lottery for determining the timing was performed, as the result of said lottery for determining the timing.

7. A game system, comprising:

a plurality of game machines, each of which brought into a status enabling to start a game based on a throw-in coin number or given credit number and each of which subjected to a payout according to a result of said game; and

a game server that collectively controls said plurality of game machines, wherein a CPU for determining a timing of a return is provided,

each of said plurality of game machines including

a return unit that executes a return at a predetermined return rate and at a predetermined timing to a player in accordance with a control signal from said game server, irrespective of the game result when a cumulative consumption reaches a predetermined upper limit based on information about a coin or credit consumption in a game machine on which the player is continuously performing the game, wherein the CPU judges that the game machine, which has reached the predetermined upper limit, is a return destination; and

a display unit that displays, based on a result of a lottery for determining the timing of said return determined by the CPU, said result of the lottery for determining the timing based on a display control signal from said game server when said return unit executes the return,

wherein the CPU performs a return destination lottery and determines the timing of the return after judging that one of the game machines that has reached the predetermined upper limit is the return destination.

8. The game system according to claim 7 wherein said result of the lottery for determining the timing is displayed only for notifying that said lottery for determining the timing was performed.