Winning control method and apparatus for game machine

Abstract: A game machine has a win judgment (29) stores information as to whether there is a win or not for each numerical value constituting a series of numerical values and its relation with winning ranks. A numerical value assigned with at least one special win allowing a big prize is located at one end of the series of numerical values. Only at the first game, one numerical value is sampled from the series of numerical values and such sampled value is used as a basis for a win judgment of the first game. In a second game and in games thereafter, such sampled numerical value is used as an initial value, a prearranged numerical value, which is shifted toward the end of the series of numerical values in proportion to the number of times for playing a game, is used. A win judgment is performed based on this prearranged numerical value. When the prearranged numerical value reaches the end of the series of numerical values, one cycle of games is over, and the next game becomes the first game for the next cycle of games.

Description: The present invention relates to a winning control method and apparatus for a game machine, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus capable of generating a special win with an ensured frequency. A representative machine for playing a game with coins (including tokens) is a slot machine. This slot machine is designed such that, when a start lever is operated after a coin or coins have been inserted, a plurality of reels, for example, three reels are rotated all at once. After the reels have reached a steady rotation, a stop control for the reels becomes possible. In a manual stop type, corresponding reels are stopped by operating stop buttons. In an automatic stop type, three reels are stopped one after another by an automatic stop mechanism. In case a symbol combination consisting of three symbols arranged on a prize-winning line after the reels are stopped is a winning symbol combination, a prize corresponding to that particular rank is awarded to the player. Among win symbol combinations, a combination of triple "7", i.e. 7-7-7 is the special win, in other words, the so-called big win (bit hit), and the most valuable prize is awarded to the player for it. Taking into consideration the paying ratio, winning control is performed in terms of probabilities so that the big win occurs only once in one cycle of games (for example, a cycle constituted of 4096 games). In order to control the winning, a table (win judgment table) for indicating whether or not there is a win with respect to each random number and its relation with a win rank is provided. Sampling is carried out for each game and a judgment as for whether there is a win in the sampled random numbers is made with reference to the win judgment table. These features are described in EP Application No. 122138. Therefore, although the big win should occur once during one cycle of games in terms of probabilities, actually no big win might occur during several cycles. When such problem should occur, the player's enthusiasm or interest in the game would be lost. This problem also occurs with the video type of slot machine in which reels are simulated so as to display rows of symbols on CRT. According to the present invention there is provided a win controller for a game machine, the controller comprising: a win judgment table for storing relations as to the presence or absence of a win for each of a series of numerical values and the relation between each numerical value and a winning rank, said wins including at least one special big prize win; sampling means for sampling a random numerical value of said series of numerical value at the time of a first game of a cycle of games, said sampled numerical value being used for a win judgment of said game; and means for executing a game in accordance with a result of said win judgment; selecting means for selecting for the win judgment in each subsequent game of the cycle of games respective numerical values based on the numerical value used for the preceding game to select over the course of said cycle of games different values of said series of numerical values including a value representative of said special big prize win; and means for subsequently activating said sampling means to sample at random after said cycle of games have been played a new numerical value from said series to be used for a following cycle of games. Thus the present invention uses a win judgment table in which a special win is allotted or assigned to a numerical value which can be the end of a series of numerical values or to a numerical value in the vicinity thereof. A numerical value included in the series of numerical values is sampled at random only for the first game, a win judgment is made based on such sampled numerical value in the first game, and the game is controlled in accordance with the result of this judgment. In a second game and in games thereafter, the sampled numerical value is used as an initial numerical value and the win judgment is made using a numerical value (prearranged or predetermined numerical value) specified by the number of games which have been played. This prearranged numerical value can be chosen in such a manner as to be shifted toward the end of the series of numerical values at which is found the numerical value of the special win. Conveniently, when the prearranged numerical value has reached the end of the series of numerical values as a result of executing a large number of games, one cycle of games is over. The next game is the first game of the next cycle and numerical values are sampled at random again. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the series of numerical values are a series of integers including the minimum numerical value M and the maximum numerical value N, and the special win is assigned to the maximum numerical value N. In a second game and in games thereafter, such sampled numerical value is used as in initial numerical value, and numerical values which have been shifted one by one toward the maximum numerical value N become the prearranged numerical values for such games. According to the present invention, since all numerical values included in a range up to the end or down to the start of the series of numerical values can be used for the winning control, a special win can be generated in one game cycle without fail. The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a slot machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing an electric circuit incorporated in the slot machine of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of a game of the slot machine; and Fig. 4 is an explanatory view showing the relation between the executed number of times for playing a game and a prearranged numerical value. In Fig. 1 depicting a slot machine of the present invention, the slot machine 2 is provided with a front door 2a which can be open and closed with respect to a main body of the slot machine 2. This front door 2a is provided with stop buttons 3 to 5, a start lever 6, and a coin insertion slot 7. A front panel 8 is mounted on an upper part of the stop buttons 3 to 5, and a first reel 9, a second reel 10 and a third reel 11 are rotatably disposed on a rear side of the front panel 8. Each reel 9 to 11 bears on its outer periphery various symbols such as, for example, "lemon", "7" and "watermelon". These symbols can be observed through three windows 12 to 14 formed on the front panel 8. A plurality of prize-winning lines 16 traverse the respective windows 12 to 14, and the number of the effective lines is enlarged in accordance with the increasing number of coins inserted. When the start lever 6 is actuated after a coin or coins have been inserted into the coin insertion slot 7, the respective reels 9 to 11 are initiated into rotation all at once, and the stop buttons 3 to 5 can be actuated after the reels have reached a steady speed of rotation. When the stop buttons 3 to 5 are actuated at a desired time interval, stop control is started and the respective reels 9 and 11 are stopped such that a predetermined symbol combination is accomplished on the effective prize-winning line 16. And, if the symbol combination arranged on the effective prize-winning line 16 is a prize-winning symbol combination, the number of coins corresponding to a prize-winning rank are paid out into a coin saucer 17. In case no buttons have been actuated within a predetermined period of time, the respective reels 9 are sequentially stopped by an automatic stop mechanism known per se. In Fig. 2, the slot machine 2 comprises blocks of an operating portion 20, a central processing unit (hereinafter simply referred to as the CPU) 21, a symbol judgment portion 22, a stop control portion 23, and a coin pay-out portion 24. The operating portion 20 comprises a stop switches 3a to 5a which are turned on by the corresponding stop buttons 3 to 5, a start switch 6a which is turned on by the start lever 6, and a coin sensor 7a which is turned on by a coin or coins inserted, all being connected to the CPU 21, respectively. The symbol judgment portion 22 has a random number generation circuit 25, a sampling circuit 26, a read/write circuit 27, a symbol decision circuit 28, a win judgment table 29, a memory 30 and a symbol combination table 31 which are all connected to the CPU 21. These tables 29 and 31 comprises a ROM. Upon receipt of a coin detection signal from the coin sensor 7a, the CPU 21 sends a random number generation signal to the random number generation circuit 25 to at random generate numerical values included in a series of integers ranging from "1" to "4096". Thereafter, when a start signal from the start switch 6a is input into the CPU 21, the CPU 21 sends a sampling signal to the sampling circuit 26 for the first game within one cycle in order to cause the sampling circuit 26 to sample one numerical value among the random numbers periodically generated by the random number generation circuit 25. When this sampling is finished, or when the CPU 21 judges it as a second game or games thereafter, this CPU 21 stops the activation of the random number generating circuit 25. The read/write circuit 27 reads a win judgment data (data indicating whether there is a win or not as well as data indicating a rank thereof) stored in the win judgment table 29 based on a numerical value N stored in the memory 30. This numerical value N is a random number or a prearranged numerical value determined based on the random number. The win judgment table 29 shows the relation between the win judgment data and each numerical value constituting a series of numerical values ranging from the minimum numerical value "1" to the maximum numerical value "4096", and the respective numerical values are used as addresses. In this embodiment, although the big win is assigned to the numerical value "4096", the big win may be assigned to "1" as a numerical value at the other end of the series of numerical values. Furthermore, the big win may be assigned to a numerical value in the vicinity of "4096" or "1", for example, "4095" or "2". When a win judgment data is sent from the CPU 21 to the symbol decision circuit 28, this symbol decision circuit 28 reads a combination of symbols corresponding to the win judgment data from the symbol table 31 and sends it to the CPU 21 after splitting the same into three symbol signals corresponding to the respective reels 9 to 11. The stop control portion 23 comprises a stop position decision circuit 35, a motor control circuit 36, drivers 37 to 39, pulse motors 40 to 42 for driving the respective reels 9 to 11, photosensors 46 to 48, and a search circuit 49. The photosensors 46 to 48 are adapted to detect light shielding elements 43 to 45 formed on the respective reels 9 to 11 so as to detect reference positions for the respective reels 9 to 11. The motor control circuit 36 is adapted to control driving the respective pulse motors 40 to 42, and to send driving pulses, which have been fed to the respective pulse motors 40 to 42, to the search circuit 49. This search circuit 49 is adapted to start counting the driving pulses when detection signals are generated from the photosensors 46 to 48 so as to find the number of driving pulses corresponding to the rotating positions of the respective reels 9 to 11. The search circuit 49, as shown, has a symbol combination table representing the relation between the driving pulses and symbol combinations which are born on the reels and is adapted to determine the positions of the respective symbols on the rotating reels 9 to 11 from the number of the counted driving pulses. When a stop signal is input from the CPU 21, the stop position decision circuit 35 takes in information on the predetermining positions for the respective symbols on the reels 9 to 11 from the search circuit 49, and outputs stop position signals for the respective reels to the motor circuit 36, so that these symbols will be stopped on the effective prize-winning line 16. If the time when the stop buttons 3 to 5 are operated is extremely different from the time when the respective reels 9 to 11 are actually stopped, the player might be given an unnatural or awkward impression. Therefore, they are set in a range which will not give an unnatural or awkward impression to the player. For example, they are set such that the respective pulse motors 40 to 42 are stopped before the symbols on the respective reels 9 to 11 are moved by a length of a few symbols from the time the stop signal is output. Therefore, the combination of symbols decided by the symbol decision circuit 28 is not necessarily accomplished. In case the combination of symbols is, in particular, a big win of a combination of 7-7-7, the request of this big win is carried over to the next game. A coin pay-out section 24 comprises a pay-out control circuit 55 connected to the CPU 21, and a coin hopper 57 connected to the coin pay-out control circuit 55 through a driver 56. In case the combination of symbols is a winning symbol combination after the pulse motors 40 to 42 are all stopped, the pay-out control circuit 55 causes the coin hopper 57 to pay out coins corresponding to the rank of the winning symbol combination. Operation of the above embodiment will now be described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. When a coin or coins have been inserted into the coin insertion slot 7, the CPU 21 actuates the random number generation circuit 25. When, upon actuation of the start lever 6, the CPU 21 instructs the motor control circuit 36 to start the pulse motors 40 to 42. At the same time, the CPU 21 judges whether the game is a first game with reference to the numerical value "N" stored in the memory 30. In case the numerical value "4096" is stored in the memory 30, the CPU 21 judges it as a first game, instructs the sampling circuit 26 to sample one number among random numbers which belong to the series of numerical values ranging from "1" to "4096". Such sampled random number is stored in the memory 30 as a numerical value "N". Presuming that the numerical value N is "251" here as shown in Fig. 4, the CPU 21 accesses the win judgment table 29 through the read/write circuit 27 and reads a win judgment data of a small win corresponding to the numerical value "251". Thereafter, the CPU 21 decides three symbols "cherry", "cherry" and "cherry" corresponding to a prize-winning combination of the "small win" from the symbol table 31 through the symbol decision circuit 28, and sends these symbol signals to the stop position decision circuit 35. When the respective pulse motors 40 to 42 have reached a steady speed of rotation, it becomes possible to actuate the stop buttons 3 to 5. Thereafter, the respective stop buttons 3 to 5 are actuated, and a stop signal is sent from the CPU 21 to the stop position decision circuit 35. The stop position decision circuit 35 decides a stop position signal per each pulse motor for stopping the symbol "cherry" on the prize-winning line with reference to its current position detected by the search circuit 49. The motor control circuit 36 stops the pulse motors in accordance with the stop position signals and aligns the symbols "cherry" on the respective reels on the effective prize-winning line 16. When the reels 9 to 11 are all stopped, a combination of symbols "cherry", "cherry" and "cherry" is accomplished on the effective prize-winning line 16. In case the stop buttons 3 to 5 are not actuated, the motor control circuit 36 starts the stop control after a predetermined period and stops the pulse motors 40 to 42 so that a predetermined symbol combination will be accomplished. When the respective reels 9 to 11 are stopped, the pay-out control circuit 55 outputs a pay-out signal to the coin hopper 57 to pay out the number of coins corresponding to the winning symbol combination "cherry", "cherry" and "cherry". When a coin or coins are inserted into the coin insertion slot 7 and then actuates the start lever 6 in order to continue the game, the game is started in such a manner as previously mentioned. In this game, the CPU 21 reads the numerical value "251" stored in the memory 30 and then adds "1" to it. If such sampled numerical value is used as an initial value, an obtained numerical value "252" is a prearranged numerical value which is specifically decided from the number of times for playing a game and the initial value. This numerical value "252" is stored in the memory 30. The CPU 21 reads a win judgment data corresponding to the numerical value "252" from the win judgment table 29 and decides three symbols with reference to the symbol table 31. Then, when the respective stop buttons 3 to 5 are actuated, the stop control of the pulse motors 40 to 42 are executed to accomplish a predetermined symbol combination. Since this symbol combination is no win, no coins are paid out. The game is continued in this way. When it reaches a game of the (4096 - 250)th time, the numerical value N of this game becomes the maximum value "4096". Since this numerical value "4096" is a big win, the stop control of the reels 9 to 11 is executed such that a symbol combination 7-7-7 is accomplished on the effective prize winning line. And if the timing for operating the stop buttons 3 to 5 is within a proper range, this symbol combination 7-7-7 is accomplished. In this case, a large number of coins are paid out from the coin hopper 57. When this big win is accomplished, one cycle of games is finished. When a coin or coins are inserted next, a first game in the next cycle is started and selection of the initial numerical value is performed with random numbers as previously mentioned. If a big win is not accomplished due to inadequate operation of the stop buttons 3 to 5, then the numerical value "4096" is reserved and the big win is allowed for the next game. Since this is continued until the big win is accomplished, a big win can necessarily be obtained within the end of one cycle of games. Although the prearranged numerical value in the above-mentioned embodiment is found by adding "1", it may proceed toward "4096" by alternately performing addition and subtraction. For example, the prearranged numerical value may be found by adding "3" in one game and by subtracting "1" in the next game. In case the big win is assigned to the minimum value "1", it may proceed to the minimum value "1" only by subtraction or by an alternate combination of subtraction and addition. Also, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is applied to a manual stop type slot machine. However, the present invention may be likewise applied to an automatic stop type slot machine with no stop buttons and a video type slot machine. Furthermore, instead of paying out coins each time the win occurs, there may be provided a credit counter so that obtained coins are added up and that the sum is displayed on a display device. In this case, when the start lever is actuated without inserting a coin or coins, the next game is started and, at the same time, a credit counter is subjected to subtraction processing.

Claims: A win controller for a game machine, the controller comprising: a win judgment table (29) for storing relations as to the presence or absence of a win for each of a series of numerical values and the relation between each numerical value and a winning rank, said wins including at least one special big prize win; sampling means (26) for sampling a random numerical value of said series of numerical values at the time of a first game of a cycle of games, said sampled numerical value being used for a win judgment of said game; and means (21, 23) for executing a game in accordance with a result of said win judgment; selecting means for selecting for the win judgment in each subsequent game of the cycle of games respective numerical values based on the numerical value used for the preceding game to select over the course of said cycle of games different values of said series of numerical values including a value representative of said special big prize win; and means (21) for subsequently activating said sampling means (26) to sample at random after said cycle of games have been played a new numerical value from said series to be used for a following cycle of games. A win controller according to claim 1 wherein said numerical values are a series of integers from "M" to "N" where N > M. A win controller according to claim 2, wherein the numerical value for the subsequent game is selected by adding "1" to the numerical value used for the preceding game. A win controller according to claim 2, wherein said numerical value for the subsequent game is selected by subtracting "1" from the numerical value used for the preceding game. A win controller according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said game machine includes a plurality of movable symbol series (9, 10, 11) the stop position of said respective symbol series being controlled such that a symbol combination decided by said win judgment is accomplished on a prize-winning line of one symbol from each series. A win controller according to claim 5, wherein said respective symbol series (9, 10, 11) are borne on peripheries of respective reels, said respective reels being rotated by respective pulse motors (40, 41, 42). A win controller according to claim 6, wherein the game machine further includes manual stop means for stopping rotation of said respective pulse motors (40, 41, 42) at an appropriate timing. A winning controller according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a prize for each of said wins is coins discharged in accordance with said winning rank. A win controller according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said special win is assigned to the first or last numerical value of the series or a value near one end of the series. A win controller according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the new value sampled at random is sampled when the end of the series is reached by the selection based on preceding values.

Inventors: OKADA KAZUO, OKADA, KAZUO
Applicants: UNIVERSAL KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA UNIVERSAL
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G07F17
IPC codes: G07F17, A63F5