Gaming machine with a count-value triggered insurance bonus game and playing method thereof

• US 8,282,462 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Jun, Inamura, Yukinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US11/987,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 25- 27
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A gaming machine executes a unit game in which it is determined whether or not an outcome of the unit game is worth awarding a payout. The gaming machine includes a lower LCD for displaying images relating to the unit games, a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive unit games and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met, and a controller. The controller provides a predefined payout to a player when the outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome. The controller also receives a wager for an insurance pay. Furthermore, the controller executes transition into a second game when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with a wager for the insurance pay, and provides the rescue pay according to an outcome of the second game.

Claims

1. A gaming machine with which a second wager for an insurance pay can be placed, comprising:

a display for displaying an image relating to a unit game, in which it is determined whether or not a payout is awarded;

an input switch for placing the second wager for the insurance pay;

a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive execution of the unit games after the second wager is placed, and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met; and

a controller operable to;

(a) receive a first wager for the unit game;

(b) provide a predefined payout to a player when an outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome;

(c) receive the second wager for the insurance pay via the input switch;

(d) execute transition into a second game, when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with the second wager for the insurance pay; and

(e) provide the insurance pay according to an outcome of the second game, wherein the second game comprises a plurality of selectable elements displayed on the display and an amount of the insurance pay determined at least in part by a selection of one of the selectable elements via an input received by the controller, and wherein the plurality of selectable elements correspond to associated amounts of the insurance pay, respectively, wherein one of the associated amounts is greater than the second wager for the insurance pay, and another of the associated amounts is less than the second wager for the insurance pay.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the count-value is any one of the number of executed unit games, a bet amount on the unit game, and a difference between a bet amount and a payout amount in the unit game.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the predefined reset condition is that the transition into the second game is executed.

4. A gaming machine with which a second wager for an insurance pay can be placed, comprising:

a display for displaying an image relating to a unit game, in which it is determined whether or not a payout is awarded;

an input switch for placing the second wager for the insurance pay;

a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive execution of the unit games after the second wager is placed, and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met; and

a controller operable to;

(a) receive a first wager for the unit game. (b) provide a predefined payout to a player when an outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome;

(c) receive the second wager for the insurance pay via the input switch;

(d) execute transition into a second game, when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with the second wager for the insurance pay; and

(e) provide the insurance pay with coins or medals according to an outcome of the second game, wherein the second game comprises a plurality of selectable elements displayed on the display and an amount of the insurance pay determined at least in part by a selection of one of the selectable elements via an input received by the controller, and wherein the plurality of selectable elements correspond to associated amounts of the insurance pay, respectively, wherein one of the associated amounts is greater than the second wager for the insurance pay, and another of the associated amounts is less than the second wager for the insurance pay.

5. The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the count-value is any one of the number of executed unit games, a bet amount on the unit game, and a difference between a bet amount and a payout amount in the unit game.

6. The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predefined reset condition is that the transition into the second game is executed.

7. A gaming machine with which a second wager for an insurance pay can be placed, comprising:

a display for displaying an image relating to a unit game, in which it is determined whether or not a payout is awarded;

an input switch for placing the second wager for the insurance pay;

a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive execution of the unit games after the second wager is placed, and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met; and

a controller operable to;

(a) receive a first wager for the unit game. (b) provide a predefined payout to a player when an outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome;

(c) receive the second wager for the insurance pay via the input switch;

(d) execute transition into a second game, when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with the second wager for the insurance pay; and

(e) provide the insurance pay according to an outcome of the second game, wherein the second game comprises a plurality of selectable elements displayed on the display and an amount of the insurance pay determined at least in part by a selection of one of the selectable elements via an input received by the controller, and wherein the plurality of selectable elements correspond to associated amounts of the insurance pay, respectively, wherein one of the associated amounts is equal to the second wager for the insurance pay, and another of the associated amounts is greater than the second wager for the insurance pay.

8. The gaming machine according to claim 7, wherein the count-value is any one of the number of executed unit games, a bet amount on the unit game, and a difference between a bet amount and a payout amount in the unit game.

9. The gaming machine according to claim 7, wherein the predefined reset condition is that the transition into the second game is executed.

10. A gaming machine with which a second wager for an insurance pay can be placed, comprising:

a display for displaying an image relating to a unit game, in which it is determined whether or not a payout is awarded;

an input switch for placing the second wager for the insurance pay;

a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive execution of the unit games after the second wager is placed, and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met; and

a controller operable to;

(a) receive a first wager for the unit game. (b) provide a predefined payout to a player when an outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome;

(c) receive the second wager for the insurance pay via the input switch;

(d) execute transition into a second game, when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with the second wager for the insurance pay; and

(e) provide the insurance pay with coins or medals according to an outcome of the second game, wherein the second game comprises a plurality of selectable elements displayed on the display, and an amount of the insurance pay is determined at least in part by a selection of one of the selectable elements via an input received by the controller, and wherein the plurality of selectable elements correspond to associated amounts of the insurance pay, respectively, wherein one of the associated amounts is equal to the second wager for the insurance pay, and another of the associated amounts is greater than the second wager for the insurance pay.

11. The gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the count-value is any one of the number of executed unit games, a bet amount on the unit game, and a difference between a bet amount and a payout amount in the unit game.

12. The gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the predefined reset condition is that the transition into the second game is executed.

13. A gaming machine with which a second wager for an insurance pay can be placed, the gaming machine comprising:

a display for displaying an image relating to a unit game, in which it is determined whether or not a payout is awarded;

an input switch for placing the second wager for the insurance pay;

a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive execution of the unit games after the second wager is placed, and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met; and

a controller operable to;

(a) receive a first wager for the unit game. (b) provide a predefined payout to a player when an outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome;

(c) receive the second wager for the insurance pay via the input switch;

(d) execute transition into a second game, when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with the second wager for the insurance pay; and

(e) provide the insurance pay according to an outcome of the second game, wherein the second game is a game in which three alternatives are displayed and an amount of the insurance pay is determined by selecting one of the alternatives with an input for selection by the player, and wherein the three alternatives correspond to the amounts of the insurance pay, respectively, a first of the amounts of the insurance pay is greater than the second wager for the insurance pay, a second of the amounts of the insurance pay is smaller than the second wager for the insurance pay, and a third of the amounts of the insurance pay is substantially equal to the second wager for the insurance pay.

14. A gaming machine with which a second wager for an insurance pay can be placed, the gaming machine comprising:

a display for displaying an image relating to a unit game, in which it is determined whether or not a payout is awarded;

an input switch for placing the second wager for the insurance pay;

a counter for accumulating a count-value with successive execution of the unit games after the second wager is placed, and resetting the count-value when a predefined reset condition is met; and

a controller operable to;

(a) receive a first wager for the unit game. (b) provide a predefined payout to a player when an outcome of the unit game turns out to be a specific outcome;

(c) receive the second wager for the insurance pay via the input switch and have the display an explanatory image of the insurance pay;

(d) execute transition into a second game, when the count-value reaches a predefined value in the unit game with the second wager for the insurance pay; and

(e) provide the insurance pay according to an outcome of the second game, wherein the second game is a game in which a plurality of alternatives are displayed and an amount of the insurance pay is determined by selecting one of the alternatives with an input for selection by the player, and wherein the plurality of alternatives correspond to the amounts of the insurance pay, respectively, one of the amounts of the insurance pay is greater than the second wager for the insurance pay, and another of the amounts of the insurance pay is smaller than the second wager for the insurance pay.