Game server, game machine, game control server, and game control method

• US 8,287,362 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D.
• Application Number:
  US12/183,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20080311982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/30, 463/31, 463 40- 42, 463/9, 463/16, 463/20, 463 26- 28
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

The cumulative credit consumptions of game machines are controlled per player. When the cumulative credit consumption of a player reaches an upper limit, a return is executed to the player based on a predetermined return rate. In addition, the return rate can be changed to produce high game characteristics. Therefore, the player can perform a game without anxiety, while enjoying amusement of the game. At the result, the problem of missing customers can be eliminated.

Claims

1. A game server for collectively controlling a game machine group comprising a plurality of game machines which are brought into a status enabling to start a game based on coin throwing or a given credit number and are given payout according to a result of said game, said game server including:

return means that judges, based on information of credit consumption on a game machine where a player performs a game, cumulative credit consumption of said player and, when a judgment result is that said cumulative credit consumption reaches a predetermined upper limit, executes a return based on a predetermined return rate or based on a result of lottery for determining whether the return is to be executed, said return being executed regardless of a game result; and

a first sending means for sending said game machine a signal that changes the return rate value of said game machine of said game machine group depending on return rate values of other game machines, wherein

the return rate value is set by the return means in reference to a game history of the game machine and history of the return rate value change by calculating a sum of process return rates, and calculating and setting as the return rate a product of an average return rate times N, minus the sum of process return rates, so that the return rate value of the gaming machine that is within the game machine group is changed in reference to the return rate value of the game machine group, N being a predetermined number of processes.

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

receiving means for receiving game information about game situations in each game machine of said game machine group; and

a second sending means for sending, based on contents of said game information, a signal for displaying the value of said predetermined return rate on a display part of said each game machine.

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

a third sending means for sending said game machine a control signal for keeping constant an average return rate value of said game machine group, under predetermined conditions.

4. The game server according to claim 3 wherein

said predetermined conditions are based on either predetermined period of time or predetermined number of processes, each of the processes comprising processing that after a first game machine of said game machine group reaches said predetermined upper limit, a cumulative credit consumption on any one game machine of said game machine group that includes said first game machine reaches said predetermined upper limit.

5. A game machine that is one of a plurality of game machines forming a game machine group under a collective control of a game server, which are brought into a status enabling to start a game based on coin throwing or a given credit number and are given payout according to a result of said game, said game machine including:

return means that executes a return, when cumulative credit consumption reaches a predetermined upper limit, based on a predetermined return rate or based on a result of lottery for determining whether the return is to be executed, said return being executed regardless of a game result; and

change means that receives a signal sent from said game server and changes the return rate value of said game machine of said game machine group, depending on return rates of other game machines of said game machine group, wherein

the return rate value is set by the return means in reference to a game history of the game machine and history of the return rate value change by calculating a sum of process return rates, and calculating and setting as the return rate a product of an average return rate times N, minus the sum of process return rates, so that the return rate value of the gaming machine that is within the game machine group is changed in reference to the return rate value of the game machine group, N being a predetermined number of processes.

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

sending means for sending game information about game situations; and

display means that receives a signal sent from said game server and displays the value of said predetermined return rate on a display part, based on contents of said game information.

7. The game machine according to claim 5 wherein

said change means changes the return rate value while keeping an average value of the return rates, under predetermined conditions.

8. The game machine according to claim 7 wherein

said predetermined conditions are based on either predetermined period of time or predetermined number of processes, each of the processes comprising processing that after a first game machine of said game machine group reaches said predetermined upper limit, a cumulative credit consumption on any one game machine of said game machine group that includes said first game machine reaches said predetermined upper limit.

9. A game control method of collectively controlling a game machine group comprising a plurality of game machines which are brought into a status enabling to start a game based on coin throwing or a given credit number and which are given payout according to a result of said game, said game control method including:

a check step for checking cumulative credit consumptions on said plurality of game machines;

a return step of executing a return with a game machine, when it is determined that cumulative credit consumption of said game machine reaches a predetermined upper limit in the check step, based on a predetermined return rate or based on a result of lottery for determining whether the return is to be executed, said return being executed regardless of a game result; and

a first sending step for sending said game machine a signal that changes the return rate value of said game machine of said game machine group depending on return rate values of other game machines, wherein

the return rate value is set by the return step in reference to a game history of the game machine and history of the return rate value change by calculating a sum of process return rates, and calculating and setting as the return rate a product of an average return rate times N, minus the sum of process return rates, so that the return rate value of the gaming machine that is within the game machine group is changed in reference to the return rate value of the game machine group, N being a predetermined number of processes.

10. The game control method according to claim 9 further including:

a receiving step for receiving game information about game situations of each game machine of said game machine group; and

a second sending step for sending a signal for displaying the value of said predetermined return rate on a display part of said each game machine.

11. The game control method according to claim 9 further including:

a third sending step for sending said game machine a control signal for keeping constant an average return rate value of said game machine group, under predetermined conditions.

12. The game control method according to claim 11 wherein

said predetermined conditions are based on either predetermined period of time or predetermined number of processes, each of the processes comprising processing that after a first game machine of said game machine group reaches said predetermined upper limit, a cumulative credit consumption on any one game machine of said game machine group that includes said first game machine reaches said predetermined upper limit.

13. A game server for collectively controlling a game machine group comprising a plurality of game machines that are brought into a status enabling to start a game based on coin throwing or a given credit number and are given payout according to a result of said game, said game server including:

a processor programmed to judge, based on information of credit consumption on a game machine where a player performs a game, cumulative credit consumption of said player and, when a judgment result is that said cumulative credit consumption reaches a predetermined upper limit, executes a return based on a predetermined return rate or based on a result of lottery for determining whether the return is to be executed, said return being executed regardless of a game result; and

an interface through which said processor sends a signal that changes the return rate value of said game machine of said game machine group depending on return rate values of other game machines, wherein

the return rate value is set by the processor in reference to a game history of the game machine and history of the return rate value change by calculating a sum of process return rates, and calculating and setting as the return rate a product of an average return rate times N, minus the sum of process return rates, so that the return rate value of the gaming machine that is within the game machine group is changed in reference to the return rate value of the game machine group, N being a predetermined number of processes.

14. A game server for collectively controlling a game machine group comprising a plurality of game machines which are brought into a status enabling to start a game based on coin throwing or a given credit number and are given payout according to a result of said game, said game server including:

return means that judges, based on information of credit consumption on a game machine where a player performs a game, cumulative credit consumption of said player and, when a judgment result is that said cumulative credit consumption reaches a predetermined upper limit, executes a return based on a predetermined return rate or based on a result of lottery for determining whether the return is to be executed, said return being executed regardless of a game result; and

a first sending means for sending said game machine a signal that changes the return rate value of said game machine of said game machine group depending on return rate values of other game machines, wherein

the return rate value is set by the return means in reference to a game history of the game machine and history of the return rate value change by calculating a sum of return rates of other game machines in the game machine group, and calculating and setting as the return rate a product of an average return rate and a number of game machines in the game machine group, minus the sum of return rates, so that the return rate value of the gaming machine that is within the game machine group is changed in reference to the return rate value of the game machine group.