1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game machine that may execute plural games simultaneously.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
As a game machine, a slot machine for example, the well-known types are a mechanical reel type that actually rotates plural reels with disposed symbols on their peripheries and a video type that simulatively displays rotations of the reels on CRT based on graphic data stored in ROM. In the slot machine, reels are rotated on operation of a start button or a start lever after a coin (including a medal and a token in this specification) is inserted. The win or the loss and the types of winning is determined according to the kind of symbol combination stopped on a winning line when each reel is stopped on operation of stop buttons provided for each of the reels or when each of the reels is stopped automatically and sequentially after a random time. If the winning is generated, dividend coins are dispensed in accordance with the type of winning. As to the types of winning, there are the winning achieved if one specific symbol is stopped on the winning line and the winning achieved if a symbol combination, “7”—“7”—“7” for example, is stopped on the winning line. The symbol combination of “7”—“7”—“7” provides a larger amount of dividend coins for the player.
In the mechanical reel type slot machine, fewer numbers and kinds of symbols may be disposed on a reel. Therefore, double reels having a transparent outer reel and an inner reel rotating inside of the outer reel are suggested. As to disposing symbols on both the outer reel and the inner reel, the numbers and the kinds of symbols to be disposed are increased, and that enables the increase in the numbers of the types of winning.
In addition, as to the slot machine of the mechanical reel type, there are plural reel units disposed in matrices form. For example, there are reel units in three rows and three arrays and the number of reel unit rows to be actuated multiplies in proportion to the number of bet. That is, the first reel row is actuated when one coin is betted, the first and the second reel rows are actuated when two coins are betted, and the first, second and third reel rows are actuated when three coins are betted. As the game is started, the reel units in the first reel row, the second reel row and the third reel row are rotated simultaneously, and then each reel row is stopped sequentially. The win or the loss is judged in each reel row, and each reel unit is controlled to stop based on the result. The dividend coins are dispensed in accordance with the odds corresponding to each of the reel rows. As such slot machine provides three chances to win, it stimulates the player's expectation to win.
However, in the slot machine having plural reel rows as described above, each reel row is judged whether the win or the loss, and the method of judging is the same as that of conventional slot machines having a single reel row. Hence such slot machine lacks a savor of the game because the contents of the game is the same as a conventional one, other than that the judging is executed three times in one game.
An object of the present invention is to provide a game machine that may provide various kinds of games.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a game machine that provides plural winnings with different privileges for a player.
In order to achieve the above-described objects and other objects, the game machine of the present invention includes plural game display devices for executing plural games independent from each other, a first privilege providing means, and a second privilege providing means. The first privilege providing means judges whether the first winning is completed in each game display device and provides the player with the first privilege if the first winning is completed. The second privilege providing means judges whether the second winning is completed in all of the game display devices, and provides the player with the second privilege, which is different from the first privilege, if the second winning is completed.
In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the plural game display devices include plural reel rows, each of which has plural reel units set in a line, and the plural reel rows execute slot game independently from each other. The first privilege provides dividend coins and the second privilege a free game. Furthermore, if the second winning is completed, a determining game of condition of free game is automatically started for determining the number of times of the free game and the odds of the dividend coins. A first rotary disk and a second rotary disk are provided for executing the determining game of condition of free game. Plural numbers representing the number of the times of the free game are printed on the first rotary disk, and one of the number, pointed by a pointer when the first rotary disk is stopped, represents the number of the times of the free game. On the other hand, the odds of the dividend coins to be provided in the free game are printed on the second rotary disk, and the odds, pointed by a pointer when the second rotary disk is stopped, represents the odds of the dividend coins to be provided in the free game.
According to the present invention, the contents of the game is varied and that may enhance the savor of the game, since the second winning, whose privilege is different from that of the first winning, is provided in addition to the first winning for providing the first privilege. In the preferable embodiment of the present invention, the second privilege is a special game, and before providing the special game, a determining game of condition of the special game is automatically started. Accordingly, since the contents of the privileges in the special game are changed in accordance with the results of the determining game of condition of the special game, it adds much fun to the game.
One with ordinary skill in the art would easily understand the above-described objects and advantages of the present invention when the following detailed description is read with reference to the drawings attached hereto.
As shown in
Since the first, second and third reel rows 11-13 have the same compositions as shown in
A winning line 20, shown as a broken line in
Besides the 1-4 bet buttons 14a-14d, a game start button and a pay out button are provided on the operation panel 14. The first, second and third reel units 17-19 are rotated on operation of the game start button, and a player wins the first winning if a combination of winning symbols appears on the winning line 20.
As shown in FIG. 3 and
Attaching plates 34 and 35 are integrally formed in the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 respectively, and the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 are fixed to stepping motors through the attaching plates 34 and 35. Thereby, the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 are respectively rotated by each of the stepping motors. The first, second and third reel rows 11-13 execute a slot game when 4 coins are betted, and if at least one trigger symbol appears on each reel row 11-13 as the game ends, it means that the player wins a free game (winning of gaining a free game) and the determining game of condition of the free game is executed as the privilege for the player.
In the determining game of condition of free game, the number of times of free games (free slot games) to be executed is determined as well as the odds of dividend coins to provide if the player wins the first winning while playing the free game. In the free game, the player may play slot game without betting a coin. Note that the winning of gaining a free game is the second winning.
As shown in
The first rotary disk 36 is divided into 4 parts, and in each of them a symbol representing the number of times of free game is printed. The symbols on the first rotary disk 36 are “5”, “7”, “10”, and “20”, and the “5” represents that the player may have 5 times of free games. Similarly, the “7”, the “10”, and the “20” respectively represents that the player may have 7 times, 10 times and 20 times of free games.
The second rotary disk 37 is also divided into 4 parts, and in each of them a symbol representing the odds of the dividend coins is provided. The symbols on the second rotary disk 37 are “×1”, “×2”, “×3”, and “×5”, and the “×1” represents that the player may gain as many dividend coins as that gained in a regular slot game if the player wins in the free game. The “×2”, “×3”, and “×5” respectively represents that, if the player wins in the free game, the player may gain 2 times, 3 times and 5 times as many dividend coins as that gained in a regular slot game.
As shown in
On operation of the 1-4 bet buttons 14a-14c on the operation panel 14, an operation signal is inputted from an operation input detecting circuit 43 to the CPU 40. When the game start button is operated, a start signal is inputted in the CPU 40, which operates a motor control part 44 in response to the start signal. The CPU 40 actuates the first, second and third reel rows 11-13 in accordance with the number of bet coins, and has the motor control part 44 control to stop the first, second and third reel units 17-19. The motor control part 44 supplies driving pulses to stepping motors 51-56 through drivers 45-50 in order to rotate the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32.
Simultaneously with that the start signal is inputted to the CPU 40, a random number generating circuit 57 samples a random number, and the sampled random number is inputted in a winning judging section 58. Upon the input of the random number, the winning judging section 58 determines whether the win or the loss, or the type of winning in the game being played at the moment. If the winning judging section 58 determines to generate the win, it inputs a winning determining signal to the CPU 40 in accordance with the type of the winning. In response to the winning determining signal, the CPU 40 operates a stop symbol lottery part 59.
As shown in
Each of the stop position lottery section of first, second and third reel rows 80-82 is provided with random number generating circuits and reel stop position determining tables. In the reel stop position determining tables, all of the random numbers generated in the random number generating circuits of each drawing part are grouped and, to the grouped random numbers, the stop positions for the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 in the first, second and third reel units 17-19 are allocated. Therefore, when the stop position lottery section of first, second and third reel rows 80-82 are operated and the random numbers generated in the random number generating circuits are checked with the reel stop position determining tables, the stop positions for the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 are determined
Each of the stop position lottery section of first rotary disk 83 and the stop position lottery section of second rotary disk 84 are operated in the determining game of condition of the free game. The stop position for the first rotary disk 36 is determined by lottery in the stop position lottery section of first rotary disk 83, and the stop position for the second rotary disk 37 is determined by lottery in the stop position lottery section of second rotary disk 84.
Signal fragments are provided at the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 for indicating their reference positions, and the rotations of the signal fragments are observed by photo interrupters. The photo interrupter outputs reset signals on every rotation of the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 and, by the reset signals, discrete values of counters 60-65 for counting the number of the driving pulses are reset to “0”. Accordingly, the discrete values of the counter 60-65 represent positions of the reels in one rotation. Since rotational positions of the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 are predetermined as well as the kinds and the arrangement of the symbols disposed on the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32, the kinds of the symbols stopped on the winning line 20 may be figured out by observing the number of the driving pulses supplied to the stepping motors 51-56.
In the determining game of condition of free game, the CPU 40 drives a motor for first rotary disk 67 through a driver 66 for a predetermined time and then drives a motor for second rotary disk 69 through a driver 68 for the predetermined time.
If the winning is generated, the CPU 40 stores dividend coins in a RAM 70 in accordance with the generated winning type, by referring to data of the amount of the dividend coins stored in the ROM 41. On operation of the payout button on the operation panel 14, a coin dispenser 71 is driven and payouts as many dividend coins as the amount stored in the RAM 70. Note that other than an area for remembering the amount of dividend coins, the RAM 70 is provided with areas for remembering the amount of bet coins betted and for remembering the amount of inserted coins. The RAM 70 is used as a memory to temporarily store various data in the game processing.
Next, functions of the slot machine 10 are explained. As shown in
One coin is betted as the 1 bet button 14a is operated, and the first reel row 11 is validated. As the player operates the game start button to start the slot game, a start signal is inputted in the CPU 40, which operates the random number generating circuit 57 in response to the start signal. Random numbers are sampled in the random number generating circuit 57, and the sampled random numbers are inputted in a winning determining part 58. The winning determining part 58 determines whether to generate the winning or not and a type of winning by lottery.
Then, the CPU 40 operates the stop position lottery section of first reel row 80. The stop positions for the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 are determined in the stop position lottery section of first reel row 80 by lottery.
After that, the CPU 40 actuates the motor controlling part 44 to start rotations of the inner reels 31 and the outer reels 32 in the first reel row 11. After a predetermined time since the inner reels 31 and the outer reels 32 have started rotating, the CPU 40 has the motor controlling part 44 control to stop the outer reel 32 in accordance with the result determined in the stop position lottery section of first reel row 80, and then to stop the inner reel 31.
The player wins the slot game if the combination of winning symbols of the inner reel 31 is completed on the winning line 20, or if a predetermined combination of the symbol on the inner reel 31 and the “WILD” on the outer reel 32 appears on the winning line 20. If those winning are generated, the CPU 40 stores dividend coins in accordance with the type of the winning generated in the RAM 70, with reference to the data of the amount of dividend coins stored in the ROM 41. On operation of the payout button on the operation panel 14, the coin dispenser 71 is driven and the coins stored in the RAM 70 are dispensed to the coin tray. Accordingly, the CPU 40 has functions to provide the player with the coins as well.
As shown in FIG. 9 and
When the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 of the first reel row 11 are stopped, the stop position lottery section of second reel row 81 is operated to determine the stop positions for the inner reel 31 and the outer reel 32 of the second reel row 12. After a predetermined time since the reels have started rotating, first the outer reel 32 and then the inner reel 31 of the second reel row 12 are controlled to stop. If the winning is generated in at least one of the first reel row 11 or the second reel row 12, the coins are dispensed.
As shown in FIG. 11 and
As shown in FIG. 13 and
As shown in
After the number of times to execute the free game is determined, the CPU 40 operates the stop position lottery section of second rotary disk 84, where the stop position for the second rotary disk 37 is determined by lottery. Then, the CPU 40 drives the motor for second rotary disk 69 through the driver 68 to rotate the second rotary disk 37. After a predetermined time since the second rotary disk 37 has started rotating, the second display 37 is stopped at the position determined by the stop position lottery section of second rotary disk 84. The number indicated by the indicator 38 when the second rotary disk 37 stops rotating represents the odds of the dividend coins to be provided in the free game.
As shown in
The CPU 40 counts the number of times of the executed free game, which ends after being executed as many times as the number determined by the first rotary disk 36. After the free game, the regular slot game is executed as the player inserts coins. Accordingly, the CPU 40 has a function to provide the free game for the player as well.
In the above embodiment, plural slot games are executed simultaneously in the first, second and third reel rows 11-13 as the first game display devices. If the trigger symbol appears in any of the first, second and third reel rows 11-13, the player wins a free game. The first rotary disk 36 and the second rotary disk 37 are provided as the second game display devices, which determine the condition of the free game if the winning of the free game is completed in the first game display devices. As for the first and the second game display devices, their shapes and other elements may be changed in various ways.
As shown in
Also, plural game display devices, such as a slot game reel group 101, a card game reel group 102, and a liquid crystal display panel 103, are provided in a game machine 100 shown in FIG. 19.
Slot game is executed by the slot game reel group 101 wherein first, second and third reel units 104-106 and a horizontal winning line 107 are provided. A symbol is displayed on each of the first, second and third reel units 104-106, and the win or the loss is displayed in accordance with whether a predetermined combination of the symbols is stopped on the winning line 107. Note that
Card game is executed by the card game reel group 102, wherein first, second, third, fourth and fifth reel units 108-112, respectively composed of an inner reel and an outer reel, are provided. The inner reels carry numbers of card game (A, 1, 2, . . . J, Q, and K), while the outer reels carry marks such as diamonds, spades, hearts and clovers. The win or the loss is determined in accordance with the combination of the symbols combined when both of the reels stop rotating. Note that
The liquid crystal display panel 103 executes horse racing game, and displays simulated scenes in which plural horses are racing. The player anticipates a particular horse to win before the horse racing game starts and inputs the anticipated result by operating the operation panel provided separately from the other operation panel. The win or the loss is determined depending on whether the player's anticipated result hits the right horse. Note that the composition of the operation panel and the method to input the anticipated result may be determined appropriately.
If the winning is generated in each of the slot game reel group 101, the card game reel group 102 and the liquid crystal display panel 103, the determining device of condition of the free game 15 is operated to start the determining game of condition of the free game in the same way as the embodiment described above. In this case, a variety of game contents may be provided, since different games are executed in one game machine. Note that the game contents of each game display device may be determined appropriately.
Other than three symbols of three reel units, the number of the symbols for composing symbol combinations may be four symbols of four reel units.
Though there are three symbols displayed in each display window and one winning line for each reel row or each reel group in the above embodiment, any number of the symbols to be displayed or the winning lines may be provided. Also, the number of coins the player is able to bet, types of the winning and the amount of dividend coins may be determined appropriately. The player's interest in the game may be stimulated by providing sound or lightning installation, for example, when the winning is generated or in a situation that the winning will be generated if the last reel stops with the display of particular symbols.
Though each reel unit has double reels in the above embodiment, it is possible to provide only one reel unit having double reels among the three reel units. In addition, methods and orders to stop the reels may be determined appropriately: for example, providing stop buttons for stopping each of the reels individually. Furthermore, the way of starting rotation of the reels may also be determined appropriately in such way as that, for example, the reels start rotating automatically when the 1-4 bet buttons 14a-14d are operated and coins are betted. Note that if the rotation of the inner reel first is stopped, it is preferable to provide continuous transparent part on the outer reels as many as the three symbols and to set the continuous transparent part in the display windows, so that the symbols on the inner reels may be observed clearly through the continuous transparent parts while rotating.
In the above embodiment, the winning of getting a free game is generated if at least one trigger symbol is displayed in one of the reel rows when the game ends in the first, second and third reel rows 11-13. Though the determining game of condition of the free game is executed in that case, the determining game of condition of the free game may also be determined to execute, for example, if the winning a free game is generated in two reel rows among three reel rows, if the total of the dividend coins the player gained reaches a predetermined amount, or if the total points of the winnings the player gained reaches a predetermined point.
Furthermore, it is also possible to determine as that the winning of getting a free game is generated only if the trigger symbol appears in all of the three reel rows.
In addition, privileges gained by using the plural game display devices are not only the determining game of condition of the free game. That is, for example, dividend coins may be dispensed as the winning if the same characters are indicated by the indicator when rotations of the first rotary disk and the second rotary disk are stopped, by providing plural kinds of characters on the first rotary disk and the second rotary disk in advance. Another example is to provide the player with appropriate privileges of arbitrary games such as bingo game, card game, and horse racing game played on the liquid crystal display panel provided instead of the determining device of condition of the free game 15.
Though two displays are provided in the determining device of number of free game 15 in the above embodiment, the number of the displays may be determined appropriately.
In the above embodiment, as a game display device, appropriate devices other than the reels may be used such as the liquid crystal panel, a dot-matrix display device composed of light emitting element such as LED, a display device of 7 segments method, and a device using CRT or organic EL.
Various changes and modifications are possible in the present invention and may be understood to be within the present invention.
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