IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,815,504
Granted Patent B2
US 7,815,504 · App. 11/638,455 · Granted Oct 19, 2010

Slot machine and playing method thereof

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,815,504
App. No.
11/638,455
Granted
Oct 19, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

When a start condition of a special game is established during a base game, payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to a specific symbol during a predetermined number of times of a special game is varied in accordance with the number of rearranged specific player-selected symbols at the start of the special game. Alternatively, payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate is varied in accordance with the number of times of occurrence of the award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol.

Claims (75)

1. A slot machine comprising:

a display on which a plurality of symbols that have been arranged are rearranged in a unit game; and

a controller operable to:

(a) execute a predetermined number of times of the unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame, in which a specific symbol is selected from among a plurality of kinds of symbols by an external input, has been executed; and

(b) (i) vary payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game in accordance with the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game, or

(ii) vary payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate in accordance with the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game.

2. The slot machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller is operable to:

(i) increase the payout amount of credits for the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game as the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, or

(ii) increase the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate as the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases.

3. The slot machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller is operable to:

(i) vary the payout amount of credits for the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game in accordance with the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) terminate the special game when the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol occurs.

4. The slot machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller is operable to:

(i) vary the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate in accordance with the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) set the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate to a predetermined minimum amount when the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game is zero.

5. A slot machine comprising:

a display on which a plurality of symbols that have been arranged are rearranged in a unit game; and

a controller operable to:

(a) execute a predetermined number of times of the unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among a plurality of kinds of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) (i) increase payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game as the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, or

(ii) increase payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate as the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases.

6. The slot machine according to claim 5 ,

wherein the controller is operable to:

(i) increase the payout amount of credits for the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game in accordance with the increase in the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) terminate the special game when the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol occurs.

7. The slot machine according to claim 6 ,

wherein the controller is operable to:

(i) increase the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate in accordance with the increase in the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) set the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate to a predetermined minimum amount when the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game is zero.

8. A slot machine comprising:

a display on which a plurality of symbols that have been arranged are rearranged in a unit game; and

a controller operable to:

(a) execute a predetermined number of times of the unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among a plurality of kinds of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) (i) increase payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game as the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, and

(ii) terminate the special game when the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol occurs.

9. A slot machine comprising:

a display on which a plurality of symbols that have been arranged are rearranged in a unit game; and

a controller operable to:

(a) execute a predetermined number of times of the unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among a plurality of kinds of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) (i) increase payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate as the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, and

(ii) set payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate to a predetermined minimum amount when the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game is zero.

10. A slot machine playing method, the slot machine including a controller and a display on which a plurality of symbols are rearranged in a unit game, the playing method comprising:

(a) with the controller, executing a predetermined number of times of a unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among the plurality of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) with the controller, (i) varying payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game in accordance with the number of the specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game, or

(ii) varying payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate in accordance with the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game.

11. The slot machine playing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

(i) increasing the payout amount of credits for the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game as the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, or

(ii) increasing the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate as the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases.

12. The slot machine playing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

(i) varying the payout amount of credits for the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game in accordance with the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) terminating the special game when the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol occurs.

13. The slot machine playing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

(i) varying the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate in accordance with the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) setting the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate to a predetermined minimum amount when the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game is zero.

14. A slot machine playing method, the slot machine including a controller and a display on which a plurality of symbols are rearranged in a unit game, the playing method comprising:

(a) with the controller, executing a predetermined number of times of a unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among the plurality of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) with the controller, (i) increasing payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game as the number of specific symbols rearranged on a display during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, or

(ii) increasing payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate as the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases.

15. The slot machine playing method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

(i) increasing the payout amount of credits for the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game in accordance with the increase in the number of specific symbols rearranged on the display during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) terminating the special game when the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol occurs.

16. The slot machine playing method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

(i) increasing the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate in accordance with the increase in the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game, and

(ii) setting the payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate to a predetermined minimum amount when the number of times of the occurrence of the award accompanied by the payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game is zero.

17. A slot machine playing method, the slot machine a including a controller and a display on which a plurality of symbols that are rearranged in a unit game, the playing method comprising:

(a) with the controller, executing a predetermined number of times of a unit game as a special game after the subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among a plurality of kinds of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) with the controller, (i) increasing payout amount of credits for occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game as the number of specific symbols rearranged on a display during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases, and

(ii) terminating the special game when the award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol occurs.

18. A slot machine playing method, the slot machine including a controller and a display on which a plurality of symbols are rearranged in a unit game, the playing method comprising:

(a) with the controller, executing a predetermined number of times of a unit game as a special game after a subgame when the subgame in which a specific symbol is selected from among a plurality of kinds of symbols by an external input has been executed; and

(b) with the controller, (i) increasing payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate as the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game increases; and

(ii) setting payout amount of credits when the predetermined number of times of the special game terminate to a predetermined minimum amount when the number of times of occurrence of an award accompanied by payout of credits due to the specific symbol during the predetermined number of times of the special game is zero.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2025
From: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGICAL GROUP LIMITED
To: FIFTH THIRD BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 070179/0634 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2023
From: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
To: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGICAL GROUP LIMITED
Reel/Frame 065516/0064 →