Image display game apparatus

Abstract: An image display game apparatus has a display screen which displays randomly selected five cards with their faces up. Based on the player's evaluation of the cards, the player selectively presses a first group of push buttons to select unwanted cards and indicate replacement of the cards. When the player presses a push button in a second group, the selected unwanted cards are replaced with new cards. If the new combination of the cards achieves a prize-winning hand, then the player wins and is awarded a credit based on odds for the prize-winning hand. The player then pushes other push buttons in the second group to receive medals corresponding to the credit or proceed to a double-bet game. The push buttons in the second group are spaced from the first group of push buttons such that the push buttons in the second group and the push buttons in the first group cannot be pressed simultaneously by the same hand.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to an image display game apparatus which can be operated by the player to play an image display game, e.g., a card game such as a poker game, by displaying the rank markings of cards on a display screen, replacing a selected one or ones of the displayed cards based on player's evaluation of the displayed rank markings, and determining whether the resulting combination of displayed cards makes up a prize-winning hand or not, and more particularly to such an image display game apparatus having a plurality of push buttons on a control panel which are arranged to prevent the player from erroneously operating the image display game apparatus. Description of the Prior Art: One conventional image display card game apparatus for playing a card game, typically a poker game, is disclosed in Japanese laid-open parent publication No. 7-39650, for example. FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows an appearance of the disclosed image display card game apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the image display card game apparatus has a main housing 1 and a front door 2 hinged to a front region of the main housing 1. The front door 2 supports on an upper portion thereof a display window 3 through which the player of the image display card game apparatus can view a display screen 4 of a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) that is housed in the main housing 1. When a card game is played on the image display card game apparatus, a display controller (not shown) in the image display card game apparatus controls the display screen 4 to display a horizontal array of five cards, with their faces up or down, and also the odds, the number of inserted medals, and the number of bets for each of prize-winning hands. The front door 2 includes a console 2a projecting forward from a central region thereof. The console 2a has a medal insertion slot 5 defined in a right end thereof and a control panel 6 disposed centrally thereon. The control panel 6 has a plurality of push buttons each housing a lamp. A medal discharge outlet 7 is mounted on a lower end of the console 2a for discharging medals. Medals which are discharged from the medal discharge outlet 7 are received and stored in a medal reservoir 8 mounted on the main housing 1 below the medal discharge outlet 7. FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows at an enlarged scale the control panel 6 of the console 2a shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the control panel 6 has two horizontal rows of five push buttons, and hence a total of ten push buttons. The push buttons of the front row (lower row in FIG. 2) which is closer to the player of the image display card game apparatus include a DEAL/DRAW button 10, a MAX BET button 11, a ONE BET button 12, a HALF/DOUBLE button 13, and a COLLECT/PAYOUT button 14 arranged successively in the order named from the right end as viewed from the player. All the push buttons of the rear row (upper row in FIG. 2) which is remoter from the player of the image display card game apparatus are HOLD buttons 15. The HOLD buttons 15 are positioned such that they are located below and in front of the respective five cards displayed on the display screen 4. The card game starts being played on the image display card game apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when the player inserts more than one medal into the medal insertion slot 5. After the card game has started, the player determines how many of the inserted medals the player is going to bet with the ONE BET button 12 and the HALF/DOUBLE button 13, and then the player presses the DEAL/DRAW button 10, whereupon randomly chosen five cards are displayed on the display screen 4, with their faces up. Depending on the evaluation of the cards, the player decides which card or cards are to be replaced in an attempt to achieve a prize-winning hand. The card or cards to be replaced are specified when the player presses the corresponding HOLD button or buttons 15. The card or cards are replaced when the player presses the DEAL/DRAW button 10 irrespective of whether the HOLD button or buttons 15 are pressed or not. If a prize-winning hand is achieved by the replacement of the card or cards, then a payoff is determined according to the predetermined odds for the prize-winning hand. A number of medals which correspond to the determined payoff are discharged from the medal discharge outlet 7 into the medal reservoir 8 when the player presses the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 14. In the conventional image display card game apparatus, as described above, the push buttons which should be and should not be pressed by the player are predetermined as the card game proceeds. In the conventional image display card game apparatus, since the push buttons 10 ~ 15 are arranged in horizontal two rows on the control panel 6, the player may possibly press a push button on one row in error while in fact the player should press a push button on the other row, inadvertently causing the card game to proceed in a way which is not intended by the player. For example, when the player wishes to press the rightmost one of the HOLD buttons 15, but actually presses the DEAL/DRAW button 10 in front of that HOLD button 15, a displayed card or cards which do not need to be replaced are possibly replaced, failing to achieve a desired prize-winning hand. The same problem occurs when the player simultaneously presses the rightmost HOLD button 15 and the DEAL/DRAW button 10 in error. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image display game apparatus which is prevented from being erroneously operated by the player thereby to allow the image display game to proceed as intended by the player. This object is fulfilled by an image display game apparatus having the features disclosed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent subclaims. The image display unit serves to display rank markings, such as those on cards, and may comprise an electric or electronic image display device such as a CRT, a liquid crystal display panel, or the like, or a mechanical image display device for periodically changing and presenting plain pictures on its front side. If a CRT, a liquid crystal display panel, or the like is employed, then its display screen is not required to be positioned on the front side of the image display game apparatus. However, the display screen may be positioned within the image display game apparatus and displayed images may be transmitted to front side of the image display game apparatus via optical path changing means such as mirrors. In this case, the displayed images may be combined with a still or moving image produced by a georama or the like and transmitted through half-silvered mirrors. If the image display unit comprises a CRT, a liquid crystal display panel, or the like, then the display control means may have a device for outputting a video signal to indicate a color for each of the pixels of the CRT, the liquid crystal display panel, or the like. If the image display unit comprises a mechanical image display device for periodically changing and presenting plain pictures on its front side, then the display control means may have a device for outputting a picture changing control signal. Each of the replacement indicating means and the prize-winning hand determining means comprises a plurality of push buttons and switches combined respectively therewith. Alternatively, each of the replacement indicating means and the prize-winning hand determining means may comprise a joy stick, a track ball, or the like. Since the replacement indicating means and the prize-winning hand determining means cannot be operated simultaneously with one hand of the player, the possibility that a replacement indicating signal and an end indicating signal will simultaneously be outputted from the replacement indicating means and the end indicating means, respectively, is low. The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention by way of example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional image display game apparatus; FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of push buttons on a control panel of the conventional image display game apparatus; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an image display game apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a left-hand side elevational view of the image display game apparatus shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the image display game apparatus shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a control panel of the image display game apparatus shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system arrangement of the image display came apparatus shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 8 is a view showing, by way of example, a game displayed on a display screen of the image display game apparatus shown in FIG. 3; and FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an operation sequence of the image display game apparatus shown in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 3 through 5 show structural details of an image display game apparatus according to the present invention. The image display game apparatus according to the present invention is typically embodied as an image display card game apparatus for playing an image display game, typically a card game such as a poker game. When a poker game starts to be played by the player on the image display card game apparatus according to the present invention, the image display card game apparatus displays a plurality of, e.g., five, randomly selected cards, with faces up, on a display screen. The player inspects the displayed cards, and depending on the evaluation of the cards, the player selects a desired card or cards to be held from the displayed cards, and replaces any remaining card or cards with a new card or cards, acquiring a new combination of displayed cards in an attempt to achieve a prize-winning hand. If the new combination represents a prize-winning hand, then the image display card game apparatus gives the player a corresponding payoff in the form of medals. As shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, the image display card game apparatus has a box-shaped main housing 20 which houses various devices therein as described later on. First and second doors 21, 22, which are separate from each other, are mounted on a front side of the main housing 20. The first and second doors 21, 22 are pivotally supported on the main housing 20 by respective hinges 23, 24 (see FIG. 4) such that they are horizontally openable and closable independently of each other. The first and second doors 21, 22 are usually locked to the main housing 20 by a lock mechanism (not shown), and can be opened and closed when they are unlocked from the lock mechanism by a key (not shown). The front door 21 is disposed on an upper portion of the front side of the main housing 20. The front door 21 supports on its upper portion a title panel 25 carrying the name and other information of the image display card game apparatus. The front door 21 also supports on its lower portion a display window 26 through which the player of the image display card game apparatus can view a display screen 27a of a CRT 27 (see FIG. 5) that is housed in the main housing 20. When a poker game is played on the image display card game apparatus, a display controller (see FIG. 7) in the image display card game apparatus controls the CRT 27 to display on the display screen 27a a horizontal array of five cards, with their faces up or down, and also the odds, the number of inserted medals, and the number of bets for each of prize-winning hands, as described later on. The second door 22 is disposed on a lower portion of the front side of the main housing 20. The second door 22 has an upper portion projecting forward (to the right in FIG. 4) and having an upper surface serving as a console 28. The console 28 has a medal insertion slot 29 defined in a right end thereof and a control panel 30 disposed centrally thereon. The medal insertion slot 29 receives medals one by one which are successively inserted by the player for use in the poker game played on the image display card game apparatus. Since details of the medal insertion slot 29 and a medal receiving mechanism associated therewith are well known in the art, they will not be described below. FIG. 6 shows the control panel 30 at an enlarged scale. As shown in FIG. 6, the control panel 30 has a total of ten push buttons. The push buttons include a DEAL/DRAW button 31, a MAX BET button 32, a ONE BET button 33, a COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34, and a HALF/DOUBLE button 35 arranged successively in the order named from the right end as viewed from the player. The other push buttons which are positioned remoter from the player are five HOLD buttons 36 arranged in a horizontal array. The HOLD buttons 36 are positioned such that they are located below and in front of the respective five cards displayed on the display screen 27a. The push buttons 31 ~ 36 house respective lamps 55 (see FIG. 7) therein which can be energized when the player presses the push buttons 31 ~ 36. As can be understood from comparison of FIGS. 2 and 6, the present invention resides in the layout of the push buttons on the control panel 30. Specifically, only the MAX BET button 32 and the ONE BET button 33 are disposed in front of (below, in FIG. 6) the HOLD buttons 36 as viewed from the player. The DEAL/DRAW button 31 is disposed in front and to the right of (below and to the right of, in FIG. 6) the HOLD buttons 36 as viewed from the player. The COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34 is disposed in front and to the left of (below and to the left of, in FIG. 6) the HOLD buttons 36 as viewed from the player. The HALF/DOUBLE button 35 is disposed to the left of the HOLD buttons 36 as viewed from the player. The DEAL/DRAW button 31, the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34, and the HALF/DOUBLE button 35 are spaced from the HOLD buttons 36. The DEAL/DRAW button 31, the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34, and the HALF/DOUBLE button 35 are positioned such that when the player presses one of the HOLD button 36 with one hand, the player is unable to press either one of the DEAL/DRAW button 31, the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34, and the HALF/DOUBLE button 35 at the same time with the same hand. Therefore, the image display card game apparatus is prevented from being operated in error by the player and allow a poker game to proceed in a way intended by the player. As shown in FIG. 3, the second door 22 supports on its center a title panel 37 carrying the name and other information of the image display card game apparatus. A medal discharge outlet 38 is mounted on a lower portion of the second door 22 for discharging medals. Medals which are discharged from the medal discharge outlet 38 are received and stored in a medal reservoir 39 mounted on the lower end of the second door 22. A grip 40 is mounted on the right-hand side of the second door 22. As shown in detail in FIG. 5, a medal selector 41 is mounted on the back of the second door 22 for detecting whether a medal is inserted or not and sorting out medal types and true and false medals. A medal hopper 42 is housed in the main housing 20 behind the second door 22 for temporarily storing medals sorted out by the medal selector 41, and counting and discharging a predetermined number of medals through the medal discharge outlet 38 in response to a command from a control system 43 which is also housed in the main housing 20 behind the second door 22. The control system 43 serves to control the image display card game apparatus in its entirety. A lighting device 44 is mounted on the back of the first door 21 for illuminating the title panel 25 from its rear surface. A similar lighting device 45 is mounted on the back of the second door 22 for illuminating the title panel 37 from its rear surface. FIG. 7 shows in block form a system arrangement of the image display card game apparatus. A central processing unit (CPU) 50 controls various operations of the image display card game apparatus and the progress of the poker game played on the image display card game apparatus according to a poker game program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 51. The ROM 51 stores, in addition of the poker game program, character data for producing cards and characters, and a program for controlling images displayed on the display screen 27a. A random-access memory (RAM) 52 serves to temporarily store various data supplied from the CPU 50. Switches 53, shown collectively in FIG. 7, are combined respectively with the push buttons 31 ~ 36, and output respective signals upon detecting when the push buttons 31 ~ 36 are pressed. Signals outputted from these switches 53 and a signal supplied from the medal selector 41 as indicating an inserted medal detected by the medal selector 41 are supplied through an input controller 54 to the CPU 50. The CPU 50 outputs signals for controlling the lamps 55 combined with the push buttons 31 ~ 36 and the medal hopper 42. These outputted signals are supplied through an output controller 56 to the lamps 55 and the medal hopper 42. The CPU 50 also outputs a display control signal required for the progress of the poker game to a display controller 57. In response to the display control signal, the display controller 57 sends an image signal to the CRT 27 to display an image on the display screen 27a. FIG. 8 shows, by way of example, an image displayed on the display screen 27a when the player starts to play a poker game on the image display card game apparatus. The display screen 27a is divided into a card display area 60, an odds table display area 61, and a medal number display area 62. The card display area 60 displays a horizontal array of randomly selected five cards 63 and a hold indicator 64 for indicating a choice of the player as to which card or cards 63 are to be replaced. The hold indicator 64 displays "HELD" below a card 63 when the player chooses not to replace the card 63, i.e., when the player presses the corresponding HOLD button 36, and displays "HOLD" below a card 63 when the player chooses to replace the card 63 or has not decided whether to replace the card 63 or not. When the player presses the DEAL/DRAW button 31, a card 63 which the player has chosen to replace is displayed with its face down, as with the leftmost card 63 in FIG. 8, and the hold indicator 64 displays "DRAW" below the card 63. Thereafter, a card 63 with a new rank marking is displayed with its face up in place of the card 63 above "DRAW" in the hold indicator 64. The odds table display area 61 displays a prize-winning hand indicator 65 for displaying a plurality of predetermined prize-winning hands and an odds indicator 66 for displaying odds assigned respectively to the prize-winning hands displayed in the prize-winning hand indicator 65. In the example shown in FIG. 8, no odds are displayed in the odds indicator 66. Usually, however, odds expressed by numbers are displayed in the odds indicator 66. The medal number display area 62 displays a bet indicator 67 for displaying the number of medals which the player has bet, a won number indicator 68 for displaying the number of medals which is represented by the number of bet medals multiplied by the odds when the cards 63 presently displayed in the card display area 60 make up a prize-winning hand, and a credit indicator 69 for displaying the present total number of medals which have been inserted and won by the player, i.e., the number of medals (credit) presently possessed by the player. Operation of the image display card game apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 through 9. FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of a operation sequence of the poker game program stored in the ROM 51 of the image display card game apparatus according to the present invention. When a power supply switch (not shown) of the image display card game apparatus is turned on, the poker game program stored in the ROM 51 starts to be run by the CPU 50. Insofar as the player has a credit, the CPU 50 accepts signals supplied from the MAX BET button 32 and the ONE BET button 33 as valid, rejects signals from all the other buttons as invalid, and waits for medals to be inserted from the medal insertion slot 29 in a step S1. In a step S2, the CPU 50 determines whether medals are inserted from the medal insertion slot 29 or not based on a detected signal from the medal selector 29. If no medal is inserted, then control goes back to the step S1. If medals are inserted, then control proceeds to a step S3. Insofar as the player has a credit, the CPU 50 keeps accepting signals supplied from the MAX BET button 32 and the ONE BET button 33 as valid, newly accepts a signal from the DEAL/DRAW button 31 as valid, and rejects signals from all the other buttons as invalid in the step S3. The player then decides how many medals of the inserted medals are to be bet on the poker game by pressing the MAX BET button 32 and the ONE BET button 33, and thereafter presses the DEAL/DRAW button 31. In a step S4, the CPU 50 waits for a signal from the DEAL/DRAW button 31. If the CPU 50 detects a signal from the DEAL/DRAW button 31, then control proceeds to a step S5. In the step S5, the CPU 50 controls the display controller 57 to display randomly chosen five cards 63, with their faces up, on the display screen 27a of the CRT 27. At the same time, the CPU 50 rejects signals from the MAX BET button 32 and the ONE BET button 33 as invalid and accepts signals from the DEAL/DRAW button 31 and the HOLD buttons 36 as valid. The player decides which card or cards 63 are to be replaced and which card or cards 63 are to be held, i.e., not to be replaced, in an attempt to achieve a prize-winning hand, and presses those HOLD buttons 36 which correspond to the card or cards 63 not to be replaced. Then, the player presses the DEAL/DRAW button 31 to indicate replacement of the card or cards 63. In a step S6, the CPU 50 waits for a signal from the DEAL/DRAW button 31. If the CPU 50 detects a signal from the DEAL/DRAW button 31, then control proceeds to a step S7. In the step S7, the CPU 50 displays the card or cards 63, with their faces down, which correspond to the HOLD button or buttons 36 that have not been pressed, as with the leftmost card 63 in FIG. 8, and displays a card or cards 63 marked with a new rank marking or markings, with their faces up, in place of the card or cards 63 displayed with their faces down. The CPU 50 also determines whether the cards 63 displayed on the display screen 27a make up a prize-winning hand or not. If the displayed cards 63 make up a prize-winning hand, then control proceeds to a step S8. If not, then control returns to the step S1. In the step S8, the CPU 50 multiplies the odds assigned to the prize-winning hand of the displayed cards 63 by the number of medals bet, thereby calculating the number of medals won by the player. At the same time, the CPU 50 rejects a signal supplied from the HOLD buttons 36 as invalid and accepts signals from the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34 and the HALF/DOUBLE button 35 as valid. In a next step S9, the CPU 50 waits for a signal from HALF/DOUBLE button 35 for a certain period of time. If there is a signal from HALF/DOUBLE button 35, then control goes to a step S10. If there is no signal from HALF/DOUBLE button 35, then control returns to the step S1. If the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34 is pressed in the step S9, then the CPU 50 confirms the number of medals won by the player at the time, and issues a signal to instruct the medal hopper 42 to discharge as many medals as the confirmed number of medals. In response to such a signal, the medal hopper 42 discharges the medals through the medal discharge outlet 38. In the step S10, the CPU 50 rejects signals from the COLLECT/PAYOUT button 34 and the HALF/DOUBLE button 35 as invalid, and accepts signals from the HOLD buttons 36 as valid for thereby carrying out a double-bet game. In the double-bet game, the display screen 27a displays randomly chosen five cards 63 with their faces up for the player and randomly chosen five cards 63 (not shown in FIG. 8) with their faces down for the dealer. The player then selects either one of the displayed cards 63 for the player by pressing the corresponding HOLD button 36. When the player presses the HOLD button 36, the corresponding displayed card 63 for the dealer is displayed with its face up. If the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the player is greater than the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the dealer, then the player wins and is awarded twice the number of won medals calculated in the step S7. If the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the player is smaller than the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the dealer, then the player loses and the number of won medals calculated in the step S7 becomes nil. In a step S11, the CPU 50 determines whether the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the player is greater than the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the dealer or not. If the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the player is greater than the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the dealer, then control returns to the step S8. If the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the dealer is greater than the numerical value of the selected card 63 for the player, then the CPU 50 sets the number of won medals calculated in the step S7 to "0", after which control returns to the step S1. Although a certain preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: An image display game apparatus comprising: an image display unit (27) having a display screen (27a); display control means (50; 57) for controlling the image display unit (27) to display a plurality of rank markings on the display screen (27a); replacement selecting means (36) operable by a player for selecting at least one of the rank markings to be replaced with a new rank marking; replacement indicating means (31) operable by a player for issuing a replacement indicating signal; rank marking replacement means (50) for replacing at least one of the markings in response to the replacement indicating signal from the replacement indicating means (31); and prize-winning hand determining means (50) for determining whether the rank markings displayed on the display screen (27a) achieve a prize-winning hand in response to a completion of the replacement of the at least one of the markings with the new rank marking by the rank marking replacement means (50), characterized in that the replacement selecting means (36) and the replacement indicating means (31) are positioned such that the player is unable to operate the replacement selecting means (36) and the replacement indicating means (31) simultaneously with one hand. An image display game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising end indicating means (34) operable by the player for indicating an end of the game session. An image display game apparatus according claim 2, wherein the end indicating means (34) and the replacement selecting means (36) being positioned such that the player is unable to operate the replacement selecting means (36) and the end indicating means (34) simultaneously with one hand. An image display game apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising a prize winning amount altering means (35) operable by the player for altering a prize winning amount. An image display game apparatus according claim 4, wherein the prize winning amount altering means (35) and the replacement selecting means (36) being positioned such that the player is unable to operate the replacement selecting means (36) and the prize winning amount altering means (35) simultaneously with one hand. An image display game apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the replacement indicating means (31) is a Deal/Draw button (31) for a poker game. An image display game apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the replacement selecting means (36) includes a raw of buttons (36) aligned in a horizontal direction. An image display game apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a medal insertion slot (29), which is positioned substantially in alignment with the raw of buttons (36) and the replacement indicating means (31) is positioned lower than the medal insertion slot (29). An image display game apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the replacement indicating means (31) is positioned in an area which is out of the horizontal end positions of the raw of buttons (36).

Inventors: KINOSHITA YOSHIHIRO, KINOSHITA, YOSHIHIRO
Applicants: KONAMI CO LTD, KONAMI CO., LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A63F1
IPC codes: A63F5, A63F13, A63F1